Our client took home this brand-new 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 from a dealership in Huntington Beach, California- with only 16 miles on the odometer. Unfortunately, shortly after delivery, the owner began experiencing several issues that required repeated visits to the dealership for repair.
The initial service visit took place during the pre-delivery inspection, where various accessories such as license plate frames and wheel locks were installed. No significant issues were identified at that time.
At just 1,806 miles, the owner returned to the dealership, reporting concerns with the vehicle’s voice command system activating without any input and the vehicle losing seat settings daily. The owner also requested that the dealership address a factory recall regarding the rear lid hinge seal.
The dealership performed a visual inspection but was unable to verify the reported issues, suggesting that the problem may be related to the sensitivity of the touch buttons on the steering wheel. No faults were found with the seat memory system, and the technician advised the owner to manually reset the settings if the issue persisted. The rear lid hinge recall was inspected, but the necessary part was back-ordered.
The next service visit occurred at 10,596 miles. During this visit, the owner requested the 10,000-mile service, including an oil change and a multi-point inspection, as well as follow-up on the rear lid hinge seal recall and another recall related to door handles (campaign 57J5). The dealership performed the oil change, reset the service reminder, and completed the necessary recall repairs for the rear lid seals and door handles.
At 23,883 miles, the owner reported intermittent issues with dynamic lighting, including reduced visibility and a warning related to the headlights. The infotainment screen was also noted to be unresponsive at times, requiring a reboot. Additionally, the rubber seal under the hood had become loose.
The technicians confirmed the dynamic lighting issue, linking it to a software problem that required an update. The infotainment issue was identified as recurring, but a fix was expected with the upcoming software update. The loose rubber seal was reinstalled.
The most recent service visit occurred at just 24,754 miles. During this visit, additional issues were reported, including a warning icon displayed on the instrument cluster and the vehicle’s mileage showing a total of zero while driving.
The owner also experienced intermittent failures with the backup camera when reversing and received a recurring notification on the infotainment system about new settings being available. While the dealership was unable to duplicate the instrument cluster or backup camera issues, they performed a software update to address the infotainment system problems and recommended replacing the tires based on wear.
Despite multiple service visits and efforts to address the recurring issues, particularly with the infotainment system and dynamic lighting, these problems remain unresolved. The vehicle’s ongoing defects and delays in obtaining necessary repairs have led the owner to seek legal assistance and explore potential Lemon Law options.
Under California’s Lemon Law, a vehicle that undergoes repeated repairs for the same issues without resolution may be eligible for a buyback. With the assistance of the Lemon Law Experts, a buyback agreement was successfully negotiated with the vehicle’s manufacturer, Volkswagen- resulting in a refund for the defective vehicle and the payment of the consumer’s legal fees and costs.
If you’re experiencing similar ongoing issues with your vehicle, it’s important to understand your rights under the Lemon Law. The Lemon Law Experts can guide you through the process, ensuring that you explore all your options for a resolution.
We’ve been assisting clients in securing successful lemon law outcomes for a range of vehicles leased and sold in California. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss how we can help you secure a favorable outcome for your defective vehicle.
