2021 Polestar Polestar 1 12-Volt Battery Recall (23V361)

Recall 23V361 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021 Polestar Polestar 1 in recall 23V361?

Defective high-voltage battery cells may cause the battery to overheat when fully charged.

Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Polestar 1 vehicles. Defective high-voltage battery cells may cause the battery to overheat when fully charged.

Is it safe to drive a 2021 Polestar 1 with recall 23V361?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: The high-voltage battery overheating increases the risk of a fire.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: The high-voltage battery overheating increases the risk of a fire.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Polestar 1 shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the 12v and 24v and 48v battery, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 23V361?

Recall 23V361 covers 66 vehicles: 2021 Polestar Polestar 1.

NHTSA lists 66 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Polestar 1 12-volt battery recall?

Yes. Dealers will replace the high-voltage battery pack and restore the electric driving range as necessary, free of charge.

Dealers will replace the high-voltage battery pack and restore the electric driving range as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 66, 2023. Owners may contact Polestar customer service at 1-800-806-2504. Polestar's number for this recall is R102316. Note: This recall supersedes Recall 22V-926 (R10216). Any vehicle that received the interim repair under Recall 22V-926 (R10202) will still need to have the remedy for 23V-361 (R10216) performed.

When was recall 23V361 announced?

Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. reported recall 23V361 to NHTSA on May 22, 2023. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as June 66, 2023.

This recall was filed 40 months ago. If your Polestar 1 was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Polestar 1 is part of recall 23V361?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 23V361 is open on your Polestar 1, it will be listed there.

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 23V361000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.

What should Polestar 1 owners do about recall 23V361?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 23V361000 applies to your Polestar 1.
2. Book the recall appointment with any authorized Polestar dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
3. Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the 12v and 24v and 48v battery happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are Polestar 1 owners reporting to NHTSA?

Too few NHTSA complaints about the ev and hybrid battery have been filed since recall 23V361 was reported (0) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database does not list owner complaints for these vehicles yet. That is common for new models and for recalls a manufacturer finds through its own testing.

Can recall 23V361 make my Polestar 1 a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Battery and electric drive repairs are among the slowest repairs in the industry. A 2021 Polestar Polestar 1 waiting on a battery module or drive unit can sit at the dealer for weeks, and every day counts toward the 30-day figure in California's lemon law presumption.

This is not the first recall for this problem. When a manufacturer has to recall the same 12v and 24v and 48v battery again, that suggests the earlier fix did not work. If your 2021 Polestar Polestar 1 has had this repair more than once, keep every repair order.

Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 22V926000.

Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 23V361