The Porsche Taycan's Power Loss Issues Could Lead to Recall
Mandy Berg
· 3 min read
Owners of the
Porsche Taycan
may need a temporary rental vehicle
if the investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) leads to a recall. NHTSA is looking into potential safety issues with Taycans after numerous reports of power loss problems.According to
Road and Track
, this issue could affect 12,146 Porsche Taycans for the 2020-2021 model years. About half of those, 6,552, were delivered in the United States. Here are the details about the nine customer complaints and what the NHTSA investigation process looks like.
What are the problems affecting Porsche Taycan models?
Nine Porsche Taycan owners experienced complete and sudden power loss while driving. The Taycan is the first electric car from Porsche. Early investigations by the NHTSA uncovered that the source of the issue stems from the 12-volt battery.
The electric car's high-voltage drive battery continues to work fine, but it can’t run if the 12V battery loses charge. This might deactivate the entire electrical system and prevent the car from starting. This is a dangerous issue, and can lead to severe accidents if your car stalls on a highway or busy road.
Six of the nine consumer complaints filed stated that the vehicle could not restart after the loss of power. All of the drivers said they received no warning about the loss of power although the display showed error messages during the stall or after it.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Identification (ODI) has started to investigate how widespread the power loss issue is and if it warrants a recall. A recall would ensure that the vehicles receive repairs for free without needing a warranty or
car insurance claim
.Porsche is working with the NHTSA to resolve these issues
Among the nine incidents, no injuries or accidents occurred. The NHTSA uses these investigations to resolve issues before people get hurt. The agency informed Porsche of its investigation and filed a request with the automaker for copies of customer complaints it had received.
According to Porsche spokesperson Calvin Kim, the company knows of the issue and will cooperate with NHTSA's investigation.
"We are aware of nine customer complaints and have, as a result, received the NHTSA inquiry, which is a routine part of their oversight process," Kim said. "We are already underway in addressing this issue and look forward to answering NHTSA's questions and quickly resolving the underlying issue, should one be confirmed."
The NHTSA only oversees the American market, but Porsche owners in other countries would likely see similar notices for recall if the Taycans have proven defects. The NHTSA will test the vehicle against the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to check for defects and safety issues.
What is the NHTSA’s investigation process?
The
NHTSA
requests that the automaker recalls their vehicles if the ODI finds safety issues in their investigation. Oftentimes, the automaker will voluntarily initiate a recall. The federal agency monitors the recall process. The ODI's investigative process consists of four steps:
- Screening: Review of complaints and other information related to the alleged issues, and decides whether to start an investigation
- Petition Analysis: Analysis of petitions for investigations and review of safety-related recalls
- Investigation: Two-phase investigation of safety defects, and ODI sends a Recall Request Letter to the manufacturer if an issue exists
- Recall Management: Monitoring the recalls to make sure they’re effective and resolutions are adequate
While you await the outcome of the NHTSA investigation, you should still drive with
proper car insurance coverage
. If you want to save money on car insurance, use Jerry
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