A number of reasons have resulted in recalls for faulty airbags, but recalls can also result in other safety concerns. These include technical concerns such as faulty windscreen wipers, or electrical difficulties that can cause the vehicle to fall.
EV vehicles have been recalled by several well-established companies for their years, although they are still at their toddler stage compared to internal combustion engines. While artificial intelligence-supported driving assistants or autonomous-driving technologies are still developing, a relatively large number of recalls have occurred. In the last two years, five automakers have recalled electric vehicle batteries because to potential fire and stalling hazards. However there have been other high-profile EV recalls before this.
Let''s take a look at some of these electric vehicle recalls.
Toyota
Toyota recalled more than one million hybrid vehicles due to a potential fire risk back in 2018, according to a Japanese car manufacturer. Prius, Prius plug-in hybrid, and C-HR SUV models were among the recalled cars to be being repaired for an electrical problem, which if left unchecked, had the potential to cause a fire. Around 500,000 vehicles were recalled in Japan, while the number reached 200,000 in the United States. The remainder of the defective automobiles were in Europe and other smaller markets.
Hyundai
Hyundai Motor will voluntarily recall its Kona electric automobiles in 2019, according to the South Korean Transportation Ministry. This was because to the possibility of a short circuit due to a faulty manufacturing of its high-voltage battery cells that might pose a fire danger.
According to the ministry, the recall involved 25,564 Kona electric vehicles built between September 2017 and March 2020 and includedsoftware updates and battery replacements after inspections.
In 2021,Hyundai recalled several 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona, and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. This time, the piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, resulting in engine damage and a higher risk of stalling.
Hyundai sold about 82,000 of its vehicles from 2018 to 2020, including about 75,000 Kona vehicles, as well as some Ioniq cars and electric buses, due to a fire risk from the electric batteries. At a cost-effective rate, Hyundai will replace all batteries in those vehicles.
Hyundai and Kia purchased roughly 20,000 Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6s in May of 2022, both of whom were both constructed using the new E-GMP platform.
EVs'' parking brakes are affected by a voltage fluctuation while the vehicle is parked and turned off. It is possible for a command signal to disengage the parking lever (the pawl) which may allow the car to roll away. The recall has affected 9,014 Kia EV6s and 10,729 Hyundai Ioniq 5s.
Jaguar
Due to an issue in the regenerative braking system, the Jaguars premium electric vehicle, the I-PACE was recalled in 2019. It has been reported that the brakes may cause an increased delay between the driver hitting the brake pedal and the vehicle slowing down.
Every single I-PACE that the British carmaker had delivered so far was recalled, and announced that the recalled cars will receive a software update to address the issue of braking delay.
Audi
Audi''s E-Tron models were recalled in 2019 because to concerns that a manufacturing issue might permit water to enter the charging port, as well as the car''s electronics, posing a battery fire. Before drivers reported any incidents, the company announced the recall.
GM
According to a notification from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the company had recalled every Chevrolet Bolt ever made in 2019, including the then-new all-electric utility vehicle models, and concerns about a manufacturing defect in the vehicles'' LG batteries.
The defect might result in a fire causing the batteries to leak, so owners were cautioned to keep their automobiles outside, with battery power at or below 90% until the issue was resolved.
Ford
Ford recalled dozens of its newly-releasedMustang Mach-E deliveries in 2021 after discovering loose bolts during quality checks. It was somewhat minor, but the recall slowed shipments in March.
"[S]ome vehicles might have subframe bolts that the supplier did not tighten to specification," Ford said in a press release at the time. "While the issue in affected vehicles isn''t to Ford''s standards, the company is not aware of any accidents or injuries to this condition."
1,258 Mustang Mach-Es are affected by the build flaw in the United States, including 90 in Canada, but, unfortunately, the overwhelming majority had yet made it to customers. "Fewer than 75 customers who have already taken delivery" will need their Mustang Mach-E vehicles in for repairs, according to a press release.
Rivian
Rivian, a California-based electric vehicle company, issued a voluntary recall in May 2022 for 502 of its R1T pickup trucks for a sensor defect that might cause airbags to improperly deploy when a child is on the front passenger seat. This risk of injury can be increased in the event of a collision.
Rivian said that owners may take a seat at one of the company''s 20 service centers across the country, where it may be quickly swapped out for one with the correct sensor calibrations. The affected vehicles have built dates between September 21, 2021 and April 12, 2022.
The company has built 5,000 electric vehicles in the last year, and is on track to produce 25,000 automobiles.
Lucid
In May of this year, Lucid Motors issued a recall notice for certain of their Lucid Air electric sedans. The recall covers 1,117 vehicles in the model year 2022, because the fault is related to the wired data connection to the vehicle''s 34-inch, 5K Glass Cockpit instrument panel, which may not have been properly secured during assembly. The company is not aware of any instances when the fault has caused the components to fail.
The inspection process takes about 30 minutes to complete, and if repair is required, it will take about 8 hours and may be carried out at a Lucid Service Center. Out of the 1100 or so potentially affected customers, less than one percent10 cars will have that issue present, according to a Lucid spokesperson.
Tesla
Tesla has the advantage of putting the list of EV manufacturers with the highest number of recalls on the market.
After seeing front seatbelts in a Tesla Model S in Europe, Tesla announced a recall affecting all 90,000 Model S automobiles it had purchased until today.
Tesla issued an email to its Model S customers saying it; recently discovered a Model S in Europe with a front seat belt that was not properly connected to the outboard lap pretensioner.
This vehicle was not involved in a collision, and no injuries were sustained. However, in the event of a collision, a seat belt in this condition would not provide full protection.
After discovering an issue with seating locks in 2017, Tesla recalled11,000 Model X SUV units worldwide. From October 28, 2016, to August 16, 2017. The recall included vehicles with fold-flat second-row seats. Tesla stated that it has only affected 3 percent of the recalled vehicles. Tesla spokeswoman said they have not heard of any accidents, injuries, or significant mishaps with the affected seating locks.
Due to a manufacturing misunderstanding that might cause the parking brake to fail and make vehicles stuck in the parking brake, Tesla issued a recall in 2017.
In 2018, Tesla recalled 123,000 of its Model S sedans, which were constructed before April 2016, due to a power steering issue. In an email, Tesla described the recall as a proactive measure and stated that accidents have been reported by the fault.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla issued two recalls in November 2020 involving approximately 9,500 vehicles, including 9,136 Model X cars from the 2016 model year, and 401 2020 Tesla Model Y vehicles.
Model X''s front and spine cosmetic roof trim may have been removed without using primer, meaning one or both of the components may be separated from the vehicle during driving. Model Y recalls included bolts that may have been inserted properly and the steering knuckle may be suspended.
Tesla required the company to recall approximately 158,000 automobiles in January 2021, doubling the number of vehicles produced by the company until the end of 2020, owing to media control units failures. The recalled vehicles included older Model S sedans and Model X SUVs.
According to separate statements filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla issued an email to government regulators that it had identified issues with its Model 3 and Model S automobiles that increased the risk of collisions. This move impacted more than 350,000 Model 3s and almost 120,000 Model Ss.
The Model 3 recall, which affected models from the years 2017 to 2020, focused on a cable that connects the rearview camera to the dashboard display. Some vehicles from the years 2014 to 2021, however, the Model S recall impacted some vehicles. A secondary latch that prevents the storage space under thehood from opening unexpectedly.
In February of this year, the company renewed a recall of almost 54,000 vehicles in the United States that have full self-driving (Beta) software. The company has learned that its FSD software might result in some automobiles making "rolling stops," thus potentially ignoring the need to reach a full stop at intersections.
The company announced a recall affecting 817,143 vehicles in response to a software error that meant a chime failed to sound when the driver seat belt was removed. That recall may be easily addressed by updating the vehicle software, which helps us obtain a service appointment.
In April, the company announced a recall affecting almost 600,000 of its 2020-2022 Model Y, X, and S cars, as well as the 2017-2022 Model 3s. The NHTSA has determined that the boombox feature, which allows drivers to play while in motion, isn''t safety-safety, and might result in alert sounds. Fortunately for Tesla owners, an over-the-air software update will impose a penalty.
Tesla had announced a recall of 7,000 Model X SUVs from 2021 to 2022 due to a problem with its airbags, which did not inflate correctly when the automobile windows were down.
The company said in May that its recall affecting nearly 130,000 automobiles was caused by an issue that caused the CPU in automobile infotainment systems to overheat during rapid charging. This possibility could lead the vehicle touchscreen to malfunction.
Many more recalls will be held in the future. Although none of these EV recalls have met Ford Motor Company''s 1981 recall, owing to a faulty parking gear that had the habit of falling into reverse. That causes 1,710 injuries and 98 fatalities.
