Fire risk prompts battery recall for almost 73,000 VW and Cupra electric cars

Volkswagen is recalling almost 72,700 electric cars worldwide over potentially faulty battery cells that could, in extreme cases, catch fire. Details disclosed on Tuesday, 20 October, cover several models in the ID range and the Cupra Born. Owners of affected vehicles should charge their batteries to no more than 80% until they have been checked.

The vehicles are covered by three separate recall campaigns. Around 10,000 are in Germany; no figure has yet been given for Switzerland. For Swiss owners, the immediate question is whether their particular car is included. The model name and year of manufacture alone are not enough to establish that.

Which models are affected?

The recalls mainly concern the Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4, ID.7 and ID. Buzz, alongside the Born made by the group’s Spanish brand, Cupra. Two campaigns cover the listed Volkswagen models manufactured between 2022 and 2025. The Cupra Born recall concerns cars built between 2022 and 2024.

This does not mean every vehicle in those model ranges and years has a defective battery. The campaigns relate to specific production periods. What matters is whether an individual car falls within a recall, rather than simply belonging to the ID family or carrying a Cupra badge.

Internal quality checks identified the problem: individual high-voltage battery cells in certain vehicles did not meet quality requirements. Manufacturing defects at suppliers are considered the cause. The high-voltage battery stores the energy that powers the electric motor. It is distinct from the smaller battery that supplies parts of the car’s electrical system, including in electric vehicles.

In rare cases, the faulty cells can place the battery under increased thermal stress. A fire is possible in the most extreme circumstances. No incidents involving property damage or personal injury were initially known. The recall is intended to address the identified risk before harm occurs.

Keep charging below the 80% limit

The main precaution is to charge affected cars to no more than 80% until their batteries have been inspected. Warning stickers are also to be fitted. Where technically possible, the vehicle’s system will restrict the available charging capacity itself. That restriction must remain in place until the battery has been assessed as being in satisfactory condition.

In everyday use, the limit means having less energy available than with a fully charged battery. Drivers making longer journeys may therefore need to stop for charging earlier or more often. The practical impact will depend on the model, energy consumption and driving conditions, among other factors. There is no single range reduction that applies to every affected car.

The charging limit is a temporary precaution, not a substitute for the technical inspection. Even if a car appears to behave normally in daily use, an affected vehicle still requires the prescribed workshop check. Owners need to follow the instructions for their particular recall campaign.

What owners in Switzerland should check

Owners of affected cars will be notified by letter. The letter should contain the key details about the process and whom to contact. Any further remedial measures will also be communicated in writing. No precise timetable covering all workshop inspections has yet been announced.

Anyone in Switzerland driving one of the listed Volkswagen models or a Cupra Born who is unsure whether their car is affected can check with the relevant brand’s dealership or service centre. The vehicle identification number is useful here because it uniquely identifies the car. The worldwide recall total reveals neither how many Swiss vehicles are involved nor the risk for an individual car.

The batteries must be checked in a workshop, but replacing battery modules will not necessarily be required. A software update may be sufficient. The appropriate remedy for each vehicle will have to be determined through the recall process. There is therefore no blanket assurance that every affected battery can be put right without replacing parts.

For Swiss drivers, the practical priority is to establish their car’s recall status and follow the vehicle-specific instructions. The absence of a Swiss total does not answer the question of whether any particular vehicle needs attention.

Further recalls after battery and steering problems

This is not Volkswagen’s first major recall this year. In March, VW and Cupra called more than 90,000 cars worldwide into workshops because of battery problems, including 28,000 in Germany. It is not known whether any vehicles are covered by both that campaign and the latest recalls. The figures cannot simply be added together to give a total number of distinct cars affected.

At the end of September, a separate recall followed for around five million vehicles over a steering bolt susceptible to corrosion. In individual cases, that defect can compromise the steering’s mounting and consequently its operation. Almost 1.4 million vehicles from the VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda brands were affected in Germany.

The next steps in the current battery recall are owner notifications and workshop inspections. Until the technical assessment is complete, affected motorists in Switzerland should observe the charging limit and carry out the instructions issued for their specific vehicle.