Volkswagen is recalling all the U.S.-bound 2023 ID.4 electric crossovers because the material that was used for the interior sunshade of the panoramic glass roof may not meet federal standards for flammability.
In total, 23,883 vehicles made between September 2, 2022, and August 24, 2023, are included in the recall.
The issue is that during testing, the roller material got inconsistent results. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration's report, the material had always shown passing test results in the laboratory used by the supplier, which meant it was compliant with Section 302 of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
Gallery: US-made 2023 Volkswagen ID.4
However, during internal Conformity of Production (CoP) testing at Volkswagen, the material came out as non-compliant. So, out of an abundance of caution, due to inconsistent test results, Volkswagen Group of America decided to launch a noncompliance recall, as per the official report.
If an affected vehicle is involved in a fire, the burn rate of the sunshade material may sometimes be beyond the maximum allowable limit, which may increase the risk of injury for those inside.
To fix the problem, dealers will apply a fabric flame retardant onto the material of the roller sunshade at no cost to the owner. As for vehicles made after the affected batch, the problem was fixed by reversing the material so that the exterior side faces the interior.
Earlier this year, over 35,000 German-made, U.S.-market ID.4s were recalled because their doors could open unexpectedly while driving at low speeds.
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