NHTSA to investigate VW EVs’ doors opening while driving

VW EVs investigation overview: 

• Who: The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it would investigate the recall of 51,000 Volkswagen electric vehicles (EVs). 
• Why: Reports showed 12 Volkswagen ID.4 EVs built between 2021 and 2023 had their doors open while the vehicle was in motion.
• Where: The NHTSA is based in Washington, D.C.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it would investigate the recall of 51,000 Volkswagen electric vehicles (EVs) after 12 of the VW EVs reportedly had their doors open while in motion.

There were no fatalities or injuries due to the door issues. The NHTSA investigation will investigate reports that the vehicle doors open intermittently while driving without any reasonable way to know when the issue will occur, leading to a risk of injury or death according to Reuters.

VW announced a May 2023 recall on more than 35,000 ID.4 SUVs, as the doors can open unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion. 

The vehicles were also part of a prior recall related to water seepage from the door, the NHTSA says. Prior Volkswagen recalls will also be investigated to examine their effectiveness in fixing vehicle issues, Reuters wrote. 

Water seepage causes door opening glitch, VW says

The vehicles may have been built with door handles that do not meet standards for protection against water ingress, Volkswagen wrote in its recall.

Water that seeps into the door can interact with the circuit board that controls the door handle — causing the door handle to open without input, the automaker wrote.

The first reports of the issue came in June 2021. Volkswagen launched an investigation, finding that damage to the doors wiring harness led to the door handle issues. Two more cases were reported in April 2022; in both of those cases, water was detected in the door circuit board.

Volkswagen received 28 reports of alleged unexpected door openings between June 2021 to April 2023. Volkswagen offered to replace the wiring harness and provide a software for vehicles it determined were impacted, the recall notice said.

Do you own or lease a VW EV? Let us know in the comments.

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