2021 Volkswagen ID.4 Seat Belt Retractor Recall (21V607)

Recall 21V607 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 in recall 21V607?

Incorrect rear outboard seat belt assemblies without an automatic locking retractor (ALR) function may have been installed, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 ID4 vehicles. Incorrect rear outboard seat belt assemblies without an automatic locking retractor (ALR) function may have been installed, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Is it safe to drive a 2021 ID.4 with recall 21V607?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your ID.4 shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the retractor, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 21V607?

Recall 21V607 covers 12,060 vehicles: 2021 Volkswagen ID.4.

NHTSA lists 12,060 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the ID.4 seat belt retractor recall?

Yes. Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the rear outboard seat belt assemblies, free of charge.

Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the rear outboard seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CQ.

When was recall 21V607 announced?

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. reported recall 21V607 to NHTSA on August 4, 2021. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as August 27, 2021.

This recall was filed 62 months ago. If your ID.4 was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my ID.4 is part of recall 21V607?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V607 is open on your ID.4, it will be listed there.

Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 21V607000 is open on your ID.4, it will be listed there, along with Volkswagen recall number 69CQ. You can also ask any Volkswagen dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.

What should ID.4 owners do about recall 21V607?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V607000 applies to your ID.4.
2. Call a Volkswagen dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
3. Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the retractor happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.

What are ID.4 owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 335 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 1 of them about the seat belts.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the seat belts have been filed since recall 21V607 was reported (1) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 335 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 1 of them involve the seat belts. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2021 Volkswagen ID.4: 335 complaints in total, 1 about the seat belts

Can recall 21V607 make my ID.4 a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

Owners often ask whether this retractor recall means their ID.4 qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Seat belt defects are safety defects. If the belt, buckle or pretensioner still does not work right after the recall repair, the repeat visit belongs in your records.

A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.

California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 21V607