The wide-ranging recall campaign announced by the Volkswagen Group for electric vehicle batteries has been extended to its Audi brand, as more than 9,000 Audi Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron vehicles face a technical directive requiring drivers to restrict charging to a maximum of 80% of battery capacity.
Recall Details and Affected Scope
This measure comes just a few weeks after Volkswagen issued a similar recall involving more than 22,000 ID.4 vehicles manufactured between 2023 and 2026. According to safety reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the new recall covers 9,048 Audi Q4 E-Tron vehicles from the 2024 and 2025 model years in the US market, following reports of thermal incidents linked to batteries sharing the same manufacturing characteristics within the Volkswagen Group.
Alongside the US market, the Volkswagen Group is facing similar regulatory actions in Europe, where the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has issued three separate recalls affecting approximately 72,668 electric vehicles globally, including the ID. Buzz, ID.3, ID.4, ID.7, and Cupra Born models manufactured between 2022 and 2025.
What Changes Practically for Users?
- Charging Restriction: Owners of affected vehicles are asked not to charge their cars beyond 80% as a temporary safety measure until a permanent solution is found.
- Technical Inspection: Affected owners can visit authorized Audi dealerships to undergo a diagnostic battery inspection and apply a temporary setting that automatically limits charging when needed.
- Customer Notifications: Audi plans to send official mail notices to owners starting December 18, 2026, while providing a hotline for inquiries under recall number 93SK.
Technical Limitations and Open Questions
To date, the companies of the Volkswagen Group have not identified the exact technical root cause of the problem, confirming that no accidents or injuries directly related to Q4 E-tron batteries have been recorded. In the absence of a final engineering fix, the restrictions imposed on charging capacity remain the only technical solution available to mitigate the risks of thermal propagation until an update or fundamental engineering intervention is launched.