Volkswagen’s retro-cool electric van is running into some very modern trouble: recalls. Yep—two of them.
The 2025 ID. Buzz, VW’s emoji-shaped nod to its iconic bus, is under scrutiny for safety slip-ups that are raising eyebrows. Think brake warnings that don’t warn and seatbelts that might not play by the rules.
It’s a strange twist for a vehicle meant to represent VW’s electric future. Instead, it’s echoing the quirks of its 1970s predecessor—just with a high-voltage twist.
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Three’s a Crowd—Especially With Only Two Seatbelts
Let’s kick things off with recall number one. It seems someone in Wolfsburg needs a refresher on seatbelts—and U.S. safety laws.
In 5,637 ID. Buzz vans, the third-row bench is wide enough for three people, but there are only two seatbelts. So if you’ve got a full crew—beach-bound millennials or a trio of golden retrievers—someone’s riding dirty.
Volkswagen’s fix? Add trim to make the seat look and feel like it’s only meant for two.
Yep, the solution is to shrink the seat… visually. Not exactly a shining moment for German engineering.
This one’s officially flagged under NHTSA campaign 25V269000 for breaking FMVSS 208 rules. The bench is too wide for two, not legal for three, and about as subtle as a Kraftwerk beat.
VW tried to say it’s a two-seater in the manual. Regulators said, “Nice try.”
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When Warning Lights Go Rogue
Now for recall number two—and it’s all about icons. Just not the kind VW wanted on dashboards.
According to NHTSA campaign 25V233000, the brake warning light in some ID. Buzz vans is showing the wrong symbol or color. Instead of the straightforward “BRAKE” alert, drivers are getting… something else.
Think emoji-style graphics where a serious stop sign should be. It’s cute—until you’re barreling down Pike’s Peak wondering if your brakes are just “vibing” or actually failing.
And here’s the kicker: there’s no software fix yet. So VW is sending letters asking drivers to ignore the mystery lights until they sort it out.
Not exactly confidence-inspiring. It’s like the car’s asking for trust with a wink emoji.
These aren’t epic mechanical failures—they’re more like regulatory facepalms. But in a world of high-tech EVs, missing the basics can still trip up the whole show.
For Volkswagen, it’s not a disaster. But it is a reminder: no matter how slick the design, you still need your warning lights and seat belts to work like it’s 2025—not 1975.
