[Huey52]

A fair assumption, but having sufficient fob battery capacity to light its LED and having enough to RF communicate to the vehicle may be widely differing conditions.

btw: my firm fingerprint on the door handle lock/unlock icon still works more reliably than a swipe. 🤷‍♂️

That's an interesting thought; I'll experiment with that.

I ASSUME that if I take the fob out of my pocket and the LED on the fob is blinking that the car and the fob are successfully in communication?

 

[Jon B. Ross]

That's an interesting thought; I'll experiment with that.

I ASSUME that if I take the fob out of my pocket and the LED on the fob is blinking that the car and the fob are successfully in communication?

As I understand it, yes

 

[Atlant]

This morning, my wife and I had to travel together. The ID.4 was kind enough to have the driver's side door triangle broken again so at least I now have a witness to the failure. She and I each tried both sides and the passenger's side operated reliably for both of us and the driver's side never operated for either of us.

I forgot to look at the LED on the fob but the driver's side door has never failed to unlock at the “first touch” of the unlock pad under the door handle so it's probably not the fob radio causing the trouble. (I'll still try to remember to conduct that exact experiment later today.)

The problem definitely ISN'T dew on the handle; I wiped it dry carefully and it still didn't work.

 

[SteveHaslip]

Did any of you guys figure out a cause or get a fix?

 

[Jon B. Ross]

Did any of you guys figure out a cause or get a fix?

No, like @Atlant states, it's pretty random - but it works 9 out of 10 times for me with the occassional backhand smackdown needed - the 1 out of 10 times, God forbid, I use the keyfob...

 

[null]

Similar issue observed in 2023. Driver side is less touchy and doesn't always lock and you have to hold it for 1-2 seconds. Passenger side works perfectly and instantly. This will be a pain to prove to dealer. I hope it just stops working entirely.

My hope turned to reality the driver side door handle died entirely along with all functionally so now my hope is that replacement will work better. Unfortunately I could be waiting for weeks if not months because door handle part is on backorder.

 

[Atlant]

Unfortunately I could be waiting for weeks if not months because door handle part is on backorder.

That's usually the sign of an endemic problem (as we seem to be reporting here). :-(

 

[SteveHaslip]

I tested my handle last night (maybe 30 times) and like @Jon B. Ross mentioned it seems to fail 1 out of 10 times for me. I can't help but think that its how I'm placing my finger on the sensor. It mostly failed when my finger didn't completely cover the triangle or when I pulled my hand away too quickly. It also seems to fail when I use my left hand and I wondered if my Apple watch was interfering?

When using the locking sensors on my previous car (Rav4 Prime) you just had to make contact with the sensor to trigger the lock. The iD.4 definitely seems more finicky but I'm not sure if I'm dealing with a faulty lock or user error.

 

[someguy]

Joining the club on my 2021 Pro S AWD (received Nov 2021). Driver-side door lock triangle has worked reliably since new -- sometimes I hit it wrong or too fast or my handle is dirty but a second more intentional try would always work. Starting a week or so ago, the driver side will never work. Car still reliably unlocks/unfolds mirrors as I approach it from the driver side. Passenger side triangle still works normally, so it's not a key fob/etc issue.

 

[Jon B. Ross]

Joining the club on my 2021 Pro S AWD (received Nov 2021). Driver-side door lock triangle has worked reliably since new -- sometimes I hit it wrong or too fast or my handle is dirty but a second more intentional try would always work. Starting a week or so ago, the driver side will never work. Car still reliably unlocks/unfolds mirrors as I approach it from the driver side. Passenger side triangle still works normally, so it's not a key fob/etc issue.

Spoke to my local service centre last week: They say it is not a common issue, but that they have replaced "a couple"; and the mugwump even started mentioning a sensor below the car - I am not sure how that would affect the triangle lock sensor, but they will look into the whole thing at the first service.

The matter of the fact is that it works perfectly some days, so-so other days and some days not at all - rather odd.

 

[Atlant]

Spoke to my local service centre last week: They say it is not a common issue, but that they have replaced "a couple"; and the mugwump even started mentioning a sensor below the car (Emphasis added by Atlant) - I am not sure how that would affect the triangle lock sensor, but they will look into the whole thing at the first service.

My GUESS is that was a reference to the fob radio receiver.

 

[Jon B. Ross]

My GUESS is that was a reference to the fob radio receiver.

I actually asked him about it, and he insisted he was referring to a sensor - I have my doubts, and, based on the young tech's facial expression, it seems his colleagues do as well...

 

[Tbrito]

Sunday I joined the terrible club of sensors that don't work, after my inspection the car simply didn't lock through the sensor anymore. The most terrible thing is that in addition to taming it, the door does not open using the external handle, only using the internal handle after several frustrating attempts. On Monday, to make matters worse, the door started to unlock and open when reducing the speed to 5 mhp. Anyway, I went to the dealer and they need to change the handle, with no estimated arrival date.

 

[PANZERidIV]

I would make sure your loaner is on them. Don’t be out a dime while your car sits. You have free electrons = free gas.

 

[null]

Sunday I joined the terrible club of sensors that don't work, after my inspection the car simply didn't lock through the sensor anymore. The most terrible thing is that in addition to taming it, the door does not open using the external handle, only using the internal handle after several frustrating attempts. On Monday, to make matters worse, the door started to unlock and open when reducing the speed to 5 mhp. Anyway, I went to the dealer and they need to change the handle, with no estimated arrival date.

Well you might be in a long wait like me since 12/29 unless they start mass producing this part soon

 

[Mark Magiera]

Have the same issue appear this past fall. Drivers side only. Passenger side always works. (which is my work around)
Problem is intermittent. Notice this occurs after a really humid rainy day OR when it gets cold & the air is high humidity. Does not matter if the car is dirty of just car washed (also when it happens). Notice the common comment: moisture? Just a guess on my part.

Alas since it does not occur on the passenger side. (regardless of which of my 2 keyfobs are in my possession) I would hazard the guess (from all the other issues I've experienced with this VW) is that it is a mechanical design flaw. One that Corporate still has not hashed out with their supplier for not only an adequate fix, OR if the new models rolling off the line are fixed, the replacement recall supply has not been initiated (get in line, their struggling with bigger fish already burning in the fry pan).

Cuzz I know I am not the only person who has notified Customer Care AND in reporting the issue, said issue was acknowledged.

 

[Atlant]

Have the same issue appear this past fall. Drivers side only. Passenger side always works. (which is my work around)
Problem is intermittent. Notice this occurs after a really humid rainy day OR when it gets cold & the air is high humidity. Does not matter if the car is dirty of just car washed (also when it happens). Notice the common comment: moisture? Just a guess on my part.

My gut agrees with you that it's moisture related but I haven't been able to say that with certainty, in part because of late here in New Hampshire, nearly EVERY day is a moist day yet the unlock triangle works some of the time, even when the door handle seems to be wet.

guess that … it is a mechanical design flaw

I'd like to know where the capacitive touch sensor IC for each of the door handles is located. For example, on the driver's side, is it a much longer wire run to the IC than on the passenger's side, thereby decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio available to the sensing IC (so that the driver's side handle is much more prone to intermittent failures)?

 

[null]

Have the same issue appear this past fall. Drivers side only. Passenger side always works. (which is my work around)
Problem is intermittent. Notice this occurs after a really humid rainy day OR when it gets cold & the air is high humidity. Does not matter if the car is dirty of just car washed (also when it happens). Notice the common comment: moisture? Just a guess on my part.

Alas since it does not occur on the passenger side. (regardless of which of my 2 keyfobs are in my possession) I would hazard the guess (from all the other issues I've experienced with this VW) is that it is a mechanical design flaw. One that Corporate still has not hashed out with their supplier for not only an adequate fix, OR if the new models rolling off the line are fixed, the replacement recall supply has not been initiated (get in line, their struggling with bigger fish already burning in the fry pan).

Cuzz I know I am not the only person who has notified Customer Care AND in reporting the issue, said issue was acknowledged.

I had touch sensitivity issue from day 1 when I received the car but week later other symptoms started to appear which service thought were caused by moisture or rain. It could be all the same problem though with handle design.

 

[JBG2]

Have the same issue appear this past fall. Drivers side only. Passenger side always works. (which is my work around)
Problem is intermittent. Notice this occurs after a really humid rainy day OR when it gets cold & the air is high humidity. Does not matter if the car is dirty of just car washed (also when it happens). Notice the common comment: moisture? Just a guess on my part.

Alas since it does not occur on the passenger side. (regardless of which of my 2 keyfobs are in my possession) I would hazard the guess (from all the other issues I've experienced with this VW) is that it is a mechanical design flaw. One that Corporate still has not hashed out with their supplier for not only an adequate fix, OR if the new models rolling off the line are fixed, the replacement recall supply has not been initiated (get in line, their struggling with bigger fish already burning in the fry pan).

Cuzz I know I am not the only person who has notified Customer Care AND in reporting the issue, said issue was acknowledged.

My 2022 Pro S AWD just started to have that problem intermittently. It rains a bit here in the PNW winter, so moisture may be the culprit. Does VW have a response?

 

[Atlant]

I've opened a case with VW Customer Care regarding the door handle lock triangle. I figured that this will have several benefits:

1. It assures that VW Corporate actually has me on record as the owner of my ID.4 (seeing as how I've never received any E-mail from them on any topic),
   
   
2. It gets written down on record that I have this problem as of today's date, and
   
   
3. Heck, it might even cause something good to happen regarding this problem.

They promised me a confirming E-mail with a Case ID but so far, it hasn't shown up.