Used car guide · 2021–2022

Volkswagen ID3 Max common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Volkswagen ID3 Max, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 660 MOTs done during 2025), and what to check before you buy one.

660MOTs done in 2025, all years of this model
3known faults across all years

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20222021

What usually goes wrong with a Volkswagen ID3 Max?

Known faults reported by owners, mechanics and UK buying guides, in our own words. Most apply to certain years or engines only, so check which the car has.

  • Software and infotainment glitches

    Cars registered 2021–2022 · All versions

    Early cars suffer infotainment crashes, blank screens, erratic voice control, adaptive cruise problems and persistent warning lights. Updates have fixed some but not all. Cars delivered before January 2021 lacked the final software.

    At the viewing: Ask what software version it runs, and test the screen, navigation, phone link and cruise control.

    Source: RAC: Volkswagen ID.3 (2020-2023) used car review, What Car?: Volkswagen ID.3 reliability

  • 12V battery and key faults

    Cars registered 2021–2022 · All versions

    The 12V battery is a known problem, and some keys and the keyless entry have failed, locking owners out.

    At the viewing: Make sure the car unlocks and starts reliably with each key.

    Source: RAC: Volkswagen ID.3 (2020-2023) used car review

  • Battery self-discharge fix

    Cars registered 2021–2022 · All versions

    VW called in more than 10,000 ID.3 and ID.4s worldwide to fix batteries that lost charge too quickly because of a manufacturing flaw.

    At the viewing: Run the free DVSA recall check on the reg and ask whether the battery work was done.

    Source: RAC: Volkswagen ID.3 (2020-2023) used car review

Common Volkswagen ID3 Max MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2025.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 7.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2021.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

Volkswagen ID3 Max MOT pass rate by year

Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202287%89% -2151 (small sample)
202189%87% +2509

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Volkswagen ID3 Max

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Has it had all the software updates?
  2. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 7.4× as often on the Volkswagen ID3 Max as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Volkswagen ID3 Max?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score