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Polestar · NHTSA safety record

2021 Polestar Polestar 2

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 147 safety complaints about the 2021 Polestar Polestar 2 with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash and no death is recorded. 5 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is back-over prevention, named in 114 complaints, 78% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers February 2022 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

147 complaints on file

147

Complaints

2

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints rose by half year on year: 85 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 48 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
BACK OVER PREVENTION 114 · 78%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13 · 9%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 13 · 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9 · 6%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 8 · 5%
LANE DEPARTURE 6 · 4%
SUSPENSION 4 · 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3 · 2%
AIR BAGS 2 · 1%
SEAT BELTS 2 · 1%
STEERING 2 · 1%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 · 1%
0 46 92

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 147.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 115.

124 93 62 31
22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2022 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2021 Polestar Polestar 2. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

5 on file

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V615000 · September 15, 2025

The defect
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Polestar 2 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
The risk
A rearview camera image that does not display reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed June 4, 2026. Owners may contact Polestar's customer service at 1-800-806-2504. Polestar's number for this recall is RP1069. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 20, 2026. This recall replaces previous NHTSA recalls 24V477 and 25V280. Vehicles previously repaired under those recalls will need to have the new remedy performed.

Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. · up to 27,816 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

25V409000 · July 2, 2025

The defect
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021 and 2024 Polestar 2 vehicles. In certain driving scenarios while coasting down a hill and using "One Pedal Drive," the vehicle may lose brake function.
The risk
A loss of brake function increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to use "One Pedal Drive" until the repair has been completed. Polestar has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2025. Owners may contact Polestar's customer service at 1-800-806-2504. Polestar's number for this recall is RP1061.

Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. · up to 2 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V280000 · April 25, 2025

The defect
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Polestar 2 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
A rearview camera image that does not display reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2025. Owners may contact Polestar's customer service at 1-800-806-2504. Polestar's number for this recall is RP1056. Vehicles in this recall that were previously repaired under 24V-477 will need to have the new remedy completed.

Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. · up to 27,816 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

24V477000 · June 26, 2024

The defect
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Polestar 2 vehicles. The Infotainment Head Unit (IHU) software may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
A rearview camera image that does not display decreases the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Polestar has released an over-the-air IHU software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 9, 2024. Owners may contact Polestar customer service at 1-800-806-2504. Polestar's number for this recall is RP1016.

Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. · up to 25,825 vehicles across all model years covered · fixed by software update

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM):SOFTWARE

21V110000 · February 24, 2021

The defect
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Polestar 2 vehicles. The Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) microprocessor may reset and cause the high voltage system to disconnect.
The risk
A disconnected high voltage system can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Polestar will notify owners, and the software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 23, 2021. Owners may contact Polestar customer service at 1-800-806-2504. Polestar's number for this recall is R10079.

Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. · up to 3,457 vehicles across all model years covered · fixed by software update

Defect investigations

2 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Loss of rear-view camera image

RQ25004

Closed recall query · opened July 9, 2025 · closed August 28, 2026 · led to recall 25V615

back-over prevention

On July 9, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query (RQ) 25004 to investigate and review the effectiveness of the remedy for Recall 25V-280.Polestar initiated Recall 25V-280 to address shortcomings in the remedy for Recall 24V-477, which intended to address rear camera outage conditions. Consumer complaint traffic reporting rear-view camera outages after receiving the remedy for 25V-280prompted the RQ opening. On July 7, 2024, Polestar initiated Recall 24V-477 to address issues with the rear-view camera display in certain Model Year (MY) 2021-2024 Polestar 2 vehicles. According to Polestar, this failure was due to a memory allocation error in the IHU. To address this error, the remedy, provided by an over-the-air (OTA) software update , shortened the retry times of the camera streams and removed the rendering of the map in the driver display during backing events to release the graphic memory for the rear-view camera. On April 25, 2025, Polestar initiated Recall 25V-280 to address similar issues with the rear-view camera display in certain MY 2021-2025 Polestar 2 vehicles. The recall remedy consisted of an OTA software update intended to correct a synchronization error between the Parking Assist Camera (PAC) and the Infotainment Head Unit (IHU). The updated software would maintain the high-speed signal connection between the PAC and IHU, instead of toggling on and off by request. ODI has received two hundred seventy-five (275) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) alleging failure of the rear-view camera to display after receiving the remedy for Recall 25V-280. Consumers reported that the rear-view camera failed to display once the vehicle was initially placed in reverse, as well as losing the rear-view image while the vehicle was traveling in reverse . Failure to display the rearview image will reduce the driver’s visibility in a backing event, increasing the risk of a crash. On July 18, 2025, ODI sent Polestar an Information Request (IR) letter requesting data for vehicle production, field incidents, and any modifications related to the backup camera and its software. ODI also requested information pertaining to Polestar’s internal assessments, problem resolutions, and their assessment of the alleged defect. On September 15, 2025, Polestar issued Recall 25V-615, which sought to remedy the failure of Recall 25V-280. Polestar acknowledged that the prior remedy was insufficient and that further engineering analysis would be required for final software development and validation. Polestar worked with its supplier (Volvo) and began validation of the new software in February 2026. On April 20, 2026, Polestar released the remedy for Recall 25V-615 via an OTA software update. The update provided general stability improvements to the operating system, as well as bug fixes for the rear-view camera. Since the deployment of the 25V-615 remedy, ODI has received only 3 VOQs alleging a rear camera outage, yielding a complaint rate of 0.01% for Recall 25V-615. ODI assessed the conditions that led to the 25V-280 remedy failures and the countermeasures deployed to prevent recurrence in vehicles that received the remedy for 25V-615. To measure its efficacy, ODI analyzed materials produced by Polestar in its responses to ODI’s July 18, 2025, IR letter and additional materials Polestar furnished in response to email requests and a technical meeting in 2026.ODI also reviewed information Polestar provided in response to another IR letter NHTSA sent on March 25, 2026, requesting additional information related to the decision-making process for correcting the remedy failure of Recall 25V-280. On June 10, 2026, at the request of ODI, Polestar presented a technical briefing of the remedy for Recall 25V-615, which included both completion rates and remedy failure counts. ODI has monitored the remedy for Recall 25V-615 since April 2026 and has observed the failure rate to remain low. ODI is closing this RQ following manufacturer action in the form of Recall 25V-615. The Agency will continue to monitor the remedy and reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Pedestrian alert sounds

DP22005

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

crash

Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out

NHTSA complaint 11717160. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

crash

Well backing out of a parking space at the grocery store. My rear camera failed to activate even after several times trying to get the camera to work. I decided to try and back out by just looking over my shoulder, but could not see through the back window and collided into a shopping cart. None of the advanced systems activated no object detection, no camera and no collision warning.

NHTSA complaint 11744618. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Rear driveshaft/axle shafts failing at 39,000 miles on a 2021 Polestar 2. Symptom is a ticking/clicking noise during deceleration at low speed cadenced to wheel speed. Polestar issued Technical Journal TJ 36854.1.0 in March 2024 acknowledging this as a known issue on 2021-2023 model year vehicles with VST Operation Number 46602-2. Despite this being a documented manufacturer defect, Polestar is not covering the repair outside the bumper-to-bumper warranty period. Quoted $2,547 for both rear axle shafts at an authorized service center. This defect affects multiple vehicles across multiple model years and warrants investigation for a formal recall.

NHTSA complaint 11755105. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Center entertaiment touchscreen which provides visiblity for the rear camera as well as the backup sensors and A/C controls for front defogger went is completely blank. Polestar2 logo appears, but no longer boots. This causes the rear camera to be completely useless.

NHTSA complaint 11746309. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Vehicle Info: 2021 Polestar 2 74,765 mi Software version 5.0.10 About 2 weeks ago, I updated to the newest OTA update 5.0.10, which may be unrelated. 1 week ago, the normal start-up safety procedure flagged the airbag and instructed me to find a service station immediately. I scheduled an appt and I was charged $300 diagnostic fee. It's unclear if the airbags would deploy in a collision based on the fault. The service manager shared with me that there are two reasons for the issue in his experience - 1. the vehicle was in a collision and the sensors fail to lock out or 2. there is wiring under the seat that failed either at the harness or on the wire directly. #1 can be ruled out by the

NHTSA complaint 11735978, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
An update was applied last year to fix the reverse camera issue. The issue remains, sometimes the camera is unavailable, it the camera goes in to 360 degree mode. Happens about once a week or every two weeks

NHTSA complaint 11727818. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Polestar has issued two recalls and claims they fixed the reverse camera issues with a software update, but they have not been remedied. When reversing, the camera screen will still often go blank, freeze, or stutter. I am not confident that the picture I'm seeing on the screen is a real time depiction of the view behind me or is simply frozen. This presents safety issues where the screen may have frozen or gone blank just before someone runs behind the vehicle, and the driver is led to believe there is nothing behind the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11724680. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Polestar Polestar 2

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2024 24 5 —
2023 116 4 —
2022 305 4 —

Every Polestar on this site — 5 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst