I was driving my 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 when, seemingly out of nowhere, my driver-side door made several unusual clicking noises and then popped open. “That’s not good,” I thought, as I quickly shut the door while also attempting to keep my hands on the wheel.

Production of the ID.4 is paused after recalling 98,606 vehicles for door handle faults. About 200 employees will be furloughed, with each receiving 80% of their base pay. VW has not provided a timeline for when a solution to the issues will arrive.

Earlier this month, Volkswagen issued a recall for 98,806 ID.4 electric crossovers due to a door handle water ingress problem. As of September 18, however, the issue has escalated, with VW issuing a stop-sale order and a production halt of the EV SUV.