Volkswagen has announced a recall of its 2025 ID.Buzz electric vans because their two-seater rear seats are only big enough for three, but only have two seat belts.
Image source: vw.com
The recall program affects 5,637 vehicles manufactured between September 18, 2024, and February 11, 2025, according to a document (PDF) published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The removable third row of seats in the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz only has seat belts for two occupants. However, these seats are wider than the two-person width required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208, which is designed to reduce fatalities and injuries in traffic crashes.
In other words, the third row of seats in the 2025 ID.Buzz is so wide that it requires three seat belts as standard. In its current configuration, a third person could easily sit there and be left unprotected while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury or death in a crash. Volkswagen plans to address this by installing “non-upholstered trim pieces” to limit the available space in the back seat.
The 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz electric van goes on sale in the U.S. in November 2024, starting at $60,000. The vehicle has an EPA-rated range of 234 miles (approximately 377 km) on a single full battery charge.