Volkswagen EV batteries could catch fire as new recall also affects Europe
Volkswagen is preparing another electric vehicle recall because some high-voltage battery cells could overheat and, in the worst case, catch fire. The problem affects several ID. models and the Cupra Born. To ensure safety, the manufacturer is limiting affected cars to an 80 per cent state of charge, but the definitive repair solution remains unclear.
Battery problem affects five model families
According to German business newspaper Handelsblatt, quality checks found that battery cells from a particular supplier do not meet the manufacturer's requirements. In rare cases, the manufacturing defect could cause the battery to overheat.
The potential recall covers the following models:
Volkswagen ID.3 Volkswagen ID.4 Volkswagen ID.7 Volkswagen ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo Cupra Born
The problem mainly affects vehicles built between 2023 and 2025, but the specific vehicles affected depend on the battery supplier and the cells' production batch. In Germany, the recall could cover a number of electric vehicles in the low tens of thousands. In Austria, Volkswagen confirmed that around 650 ID-series cars and 200 Cupra Borns are affected. The total across Europe is not yet known.
Volkswagen limits charging remotely
In the UK, Volkswagen has already begun taking preventive measures. From 12 October, the manufacturer is using software to limit affected vehicles to a maximum state of charge of 80 per cent. The restriction reduces the risk of potential overheating, but also means less usable range on longer journeys.
Service centres will then inspect high-voltage batteries where necessary and decide whether a software solution is sufficient or whether any battery modules need to be replaced.
European owners should check their VIN
Volkswagen has already had to address electric vehicle battery problems several times this year. In the spring, a major recall covered nearly 100,000 of the group's electric vehicles, followed in early October by more than 22,500 ID.4s in the US. The current European campaign, however, affects a broader range of models. Volkswagen stresses that this is not a design flaw affecting all ID-series cars, but a quality issue confined to certain production batches. For now, the manufacturer has not deemed further action necessary for Škoda electric vehicles.
The exact number of affected cars sold in Estonia is not yet known. Owners should contact an authorised Volkswagen or Cupra dealer about a possible recall, providing their vehicle's VIN.
The situation is particularly awkward for Volkswagen, as recurring battery problems undermine trust at a time when the manufacturer is trying to increase electric vehicle sales in Europe. The temporary charging limit reduces the risk, but the problem will only be fully resolved once defective battery cells have been identified and, where necessary, replaced.
