Polestar has recalled just two Polestar 2 sedans from model years 2021-2025 because a software update can cause their brakes to fail under very specific conditions.
The company tells the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the problem occurs when a driver engages one-pedal driving mode and then coasts downhill for at least 1 minute and 30 seconds without touching the brake pedal. If that happens, “the customer may experience a loss of braking functionality.”
The company asks owners not to use one-pedal driving mode until the problem has been fixed.
The recall is nearly identical to one issued recently for many Volvo electric vehicles and hybrids. Polestar and Volvo share an owner (China’s Geely) and use many of the same parts.
Because the problem is software-related, Polestar will fix it with a software update. Most Polestar 2 vehicles receive updates over-the-air, so owners may not need to bring them in for repair. But an owner who has disabled updates might need to bring the car in to have the update installed.
By law, dealers never charge for recall repairs.
Automakers recall many cars, sometimes more than once. Manufacturers try to reach every owner to warn them. However, some may fall through the system’s cracks, leaving some of us unknowingly driving recalled cars. Check our easy recall tool to determine if your car has any outstanding recalls.