[roscoetuff]

So after 2 weeks with this vehicle and over 700 miles, I've run into some snags. If the ID4 is a typical EV, EV's have a steeper learning curve than ICE's. The virtue of the ICE is you know how to use it, and you learn what you want. With an EV all that "installed knowledge" goes out the window and you're starting again. AND you have to learn the whole damn thing.... like it or not, use it or not. So this is a bit disappointing, but the theory is that if you learn it here, the knowledge will have value with other EV cars so the effort isn't lost presumably.

When neighbors ask, "Do I like it?" I have to respond, "Not sure just yet. Yes there are some things that are quite nice, but at the end of the day.... it's a car. It does do what it's asked to do and gets me from here to there and back. Care and feeding is a bit more work given the interface... and definitely an adjustment. But if VW applies itself, it might stay in the running. Definitely a lease and not a buy at this point." I would REALLY like to say better, but this is a fair assessment in my mind.

And yet, all in, VW has a VERY good vehicle, but it's interface and lack of serious orientation for the more difficult items is unfortunate because if not fixed, the ID4 could end up a swing and a miss. There is a lot of unfinished potential in the vehicle. And it is this unfinished quality in the infotainment system that makes the charging function (among many) more difficult than it has to be. At this point, my CarNet decided not to talk to the car anymore so the only way I can check on the charging is to sit in the car. That's hardly convenient.

There are some other issues, but one annoying one is that the door latches require a different open procedure to not end up with the door still latched, but now neither open nor closed. This is a potential for significant wear. Also, the ACC driving seems to insist on having the driver's hands at 10 and 2 ALL THE TIME. This will tend to depreciate usefulness for short folks like me whose hands will ride elsewhere by default.

So a good, but quirky vehicle and given that I have it here on a 3 year lease, I'll have to adapt to it rather than it to me. The strange thing is that this could be so much better, fixed, etc. And the rest of the car.... is pretty cool. So for now... I think the VW is a car that if you're committed to it, it will work. If not, then find something else. Yes, they mean for it to be a car for all of us, the EV for every man/woman, the People's Car.... but it's not there yet. Good, but far from great.

There are some things I really do like, but these things among just a few.... are pushing me to put so much more time into it than I expected. I thought this car among all the EV's out there would be the one that would make them easy. Not yet. VW could get there.... but they've got more work to do.

 

[Nai3t]

I hope you're right, I too have high hopes for a software heavy lift to get this car to meet its potential.

I have remained enthusiastic about the ID.4, recognizing that many people are (or would be) put off by the bugs that frankly I see as somewhat trivial to the overall experience, and that I expect will be addressed. Your post is a great example of why VW stuck their foot in it: first impressions are critical and they needed to be out of beta before releasing this car to avoid the type of experience you're relating. It's a shame. It would have been better to launch with features missing just to insure the ones that are present are working correctly.

I hope for their sake the first OTA is fireworks.

 

[Lxtruong]

There are some other issues, but one annoying one is that the door latches require a different open procedure to not end up with the door still latched, but now neither open nor closed. This is a potential for significant wear.

This happens to me relatively often. Is there some way to avoid this?

 

[cosev]

Also, the ACC driving seems to insist on having the driver's hands at 10 and 2 ALL THE TIME.

I’ve only done a short test drive, but all it took was a light touch of a finger to the bottom of the wheel for me to keep ACC engaged.

 

[fiehlsport]

Yeah, ACC/Travel Assist doesn't need 10 and 2. It's a capacitive wheel - one hand (or finger) at 8 o'clock works for me just fine.

 

[roscoetuff]

Oddly, I'd suggest it takes more than a light touch. My suggestion of 10 and 2 comes from experience. I normally keep a hand at 4 thru 8 somewhere. VW disses that entirely. I'll get the notice WHILE there. Watch a TESLA video of hands on the knees driving and I'd be happier there than this. I'll give it a few more rounds, but honestly, I DO get the message when my hands are actually on the daggone wheel.

Kind of reminds me of the Volvo engineers that refused to put cup holders in the car "due to safety reasons" until the American dealers finally told them, "Either you put cupholders in the car or you won't sell a single US vehicle next year." Engineering's response? "Where would you like the cupholders and how many?" VW? C'mon... I'm happy with avoiding the Tesla-brazen accident-seeking behavior, but give me a break. What or where is the indicator that tells it I don't have enough hands on the wheel? Don't like one hand? Placement? Give me a clue.

 

[cosev]

@roscoetuff I'm not dismissing your experience, it sounds like there might be an issue with your wheel and you should ask VW to fix it.

 

[Dave Mc]

@roscoetuff I'm not dismissing your experience, it sounds like there might be an issue with your wheel and you should ask VW to fix it.

I agree - I mainly drive one-handed, either at about 7:00 or about 9:00 (depending on whether my L elbow is on the windowsill or my knee). I was on an hour-long drive the other day & was seeing how lightly I could touch my wheel & get it to think I was touching it. I swear, it was nearly nothing. A light brush with a fingertip & it was satisfied...

 

[tommyb]

My experience is that precise positioning on the wheel is not important. One hand near the bottom seems to do the trick. It is possible you do have an issue with your vehicle @roscoetuff.

 

[chrischu5]

Same as most, I keep my hands near 8:00 or 4:00 (one hand, not both at the same time) and just lightly grip the wheel and it's fine. I've tried using one finger but notice I need a bit more pressure with that for it to register, so it feels a little more natural just wrapping my hand instead. Have also tried 12:00 or 6:00 and they both work fine! Defs call VW dealers if your vehicle's only registering when you're in specific positions on the wheel!

 

[roscoetuff]

Folks: Thanks to your input, I've approached it a bit differently on my drive in this morning. Used my 8 o'clock grip, and I guess what it's looking for is some resistance to some of the turning that it does? Love to know. Anyway, by not just letting it steer with almost no pressure, I think I must have triggered the "Please take over steering" (or whatever the wording is) notices. By giving ACC's steering some resistance - I suppose it reads this as actively paying attention? At any rate, I received the notice almost not at all. So I guess it WANTs you to resist. Fine. Will do. DONE!

Thanks!

 

[TK-AZ]

I took possession of mine on May 10, so also at 2 weeks. When trying ACC last week, I also found it nearly unusable. I saw a Facebook post about how to check for OTA update (long hold on home), did that, and ACC worked beautifully yesterday with one hand lightly brushing the steering wheel. Had 2 instances of “take over steering”, but both were areas with recent construction & barely visible lane lines.
The forced update also seemed to improve lag in infotainment & its inability to detect finger without pressing the screen.

 

[roscoetuff]

I saw a Facebook post about how to check for OTA update (long hold on home), did that, and....the forced update also seemed to improve lag in infotainment & its inability to detect finger without pressing the screen.

Whoaaaa....huh? Did the screen actually tell you it was updating? And all by pressing and holding the home button (box)?

Thanks!

 

[roflson365]

Folks: Thanks to your input, I've approached it a bit differently on my drive in this morning. Used my 8 o'clock grip, and I guess what it's looking for is some resistance to some of the turning that it does? Love to know. Anyway, by not just letting it steer with almost no pressure, I think I must have triggered the "Please take over steering" (or whatever the wording is) notices. By giving ACC's steering some resistance - I suppose it reads this as actively paying attention? At any rate, I received the notice almost not at all. So I guess it WANTs you to resist. Fine. Will do. DONE!

Thanks!

It's capacitive, you need some skin contact on the wheel, but no squeeze or movement. This is in contrast to a Tesla model 3 which does requires
movement on the wheel.

It's also every 10s (20s with warnings) not all the time.

 

[roflson365]

Whoaaaa....huh? Did the screen actually tell you it was updating? And all by pressing and holding the home button (box)?

Thanks!

Long press on the home button brings up the service menu with the option to do an update. I tried it and no update was delivered. I don't believe the OP got one either until we see proof.

 

[roscoetuff]

Nah, he didn't... 'cause I'm the OP. TK-AZ is the guy who "got" (or didn't get) the update. Worth a try, right?

 

[gorj]

So after 2 weeks with this vehicle and over 700 miles, I've run into some snags. If the ID4 is a typical EV, EV's have a steeper learning curve than ICE's. The virtue of the ICE is you know how to use it, and you learn what you want. With an EV all that "installed knowledge" goes out the window and you're starting again. AND you have to learn the whole damn thing.... like it or not, use it or not. So this is a bit disappointing, but the theory is that if you learn it here, the knowledge will have value with other EV cars so the effort isn't lost presumably.

When neighbors ask, "Do I like it?" I have to respond, "Not sure just yet. Yes there are some things that are quite nice, but at the end of the day.... it's a car. It does do what it's asked to do and gets me from here to there and back. Care and feeding is a bit more work given the interface... and definitely an adjustment. But if VW applies itself, it might stay in the running. Definitely a lease and not a buy at this point." I would REALLY like to say better, but this is a fair assessment in my mind.

And yet, all in, VW has a VERY good vehicle, but it's interface and lack of serious orientation for the more difficult items is unfortunate because if not fixed, the ID4 could end up a swing and a miss. There is a lot of unfinished potential in the vehicle. And it is this unfinished quality in the infotainment system that makes the charging function (among many) more difficult than it has to be. At this point, my CarNet decided not to talk to the car anymore so the only way I can check on the charging is to sit in the car. That's hardly convenient.

There are some other issues, but one annoying one is that the door latches require a different open procedure to not end up with the door still latched, but now neither open nor closed. This is a potential for significant wear. Also, the ACC driving seems to insist on having the driver's hands at 10 and 2 ALL THE TIME. This will tend to depreciate usefulness for short folks like me whose hands will ride elsewhere by default.

So a good, but quirky vehicle and given that I have it here on a 3 year lease, I'll have to adapt to it rather than it to me. The strange thing is that this could be so much better, fixed, etc. And the rest of the car.... is pretty cool. So for now... I think the VW is a car that if you're committed to it, it will work. If not, then find something else. Yes, they mean for it to be a car for all of us, the EV for every man/woman, the People's Car.... but it's not there yet. Good, but far from great.

There are some things I really do like, but these things among just a few.... are pushing me to put so much more time into it than I expected. I thought this car among all the EV's out there would be the one that would make them easy. Not yet. VW could get there.... but they've got more work to do.

I am amazed how the same vehicle can have opposite responses from their owners. Have had my 1st edition five weeks and about 2200 miles. I have not had any of the experiences you have had. It seems to be functioning as it was intended. I did come from a hybrid so I have been able to ease into the EV world. There are a few items I would change, but I knew this going in. I do not have any issues with adapting - we do this all the time in the real world. The ID4 was my wife's choice and we both feel like it is the best vehicle we have owned in the 26 years we have been together. We have owned Volvo, Mercedes, Nissan, Hyundai, Acura, etc. We have developed a system of charging by going to the EA station at Walmart -10 min away- twice a week to charge and shop.

 

[TK-AZ]

Whoaaaa....huh? Did the screen actually tell you it was updating? And all by pressing and holding the home button (box)?

Thanks!

Long press (like 3 or so seconds) the home square. If an update is available it’ll give an option in the next screen to update software.

 

[roscoetuff]

TK-AZ: Thanks!
gorj: Won't differ per se. Last Acura was a 2014, and suspect half of my "issues" have to do with ANY new car - given the evolution of controls in the intervening 7 eons. The other half? Well, I'm not actually listing very many issues. I do like the car. It's the early adopter syndrome. I mean seriously? I've had much more intro mandated by a Volvo dealer decades ago. This was pretty much .".. here are the keys... see ya'!" Six months from now, maybe not. But this is still waaaaaaaaaaay early in VW's ID4 experience and most salesmen aren't much more familiar... and generally, I don't have tech issues with most tech stuff I deal with. My point was simply that with an ICE, you hire a mechanic; with an EV, you don't... but you DO become responsible for oversight of a simpler system. Not sure if that's clear or not, but that's the gist. VW's interfaces.... aren't as smooth as they could be. I'm optimistic that will improve.

 

[theboomr]

Folks: Thanks to your input, I've approached it a bit differently on my drive in this morning. Used my 8 o'clock grip, and I guess what it's looking for is some resistance to some of the turning that it does? Love to know. Anyway, by not just letting it steer with almost no pressure, I think I must have triggered the "Please take over steering" (or whatever the wording is) notices. By giving ACC's steering some resistance - I suppose it reads this as actively paying attention? At any rate, I received the notice almost not at all. So I guess it WANTs you to resist. Fine. Will do. DONE!

Thanks!

To me it pretty much sounds like your wheel's capacitive detection isn't functioning at all, and if I were you I'd be taking it to get fixed. You should not need to apply any resistance input to the automatic steering at all, you should literally be able to just touch the leather surface of the wheel anywhere around the circumference to dismiss the "take over" warning. This is how it works for me. I will say it does seem to take a little more surface area on my wheel than just a single fingertip, but definitely does not require me to resist the automatic steering movements.