CSR

Polestar · NHTSA safety record

2022 Polestar Polestar 2

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

304

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2022 Polestar Polestar 2 have filed 304 safety complaints with NHTSA between January 2022 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is back-over prevention, named in 209 of them (69%). The typical failure was reported at 20,000 miles, the median across the 5 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints more than doubled year on year: 206 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 44 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (4)

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

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)

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

Still open recall query · opened July 9, 2025

back-over prevention

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 109 complaints for rear-view camera failures on Model Year (MY) 2021 to MY 2025 Polestar 2 vehicles. On June 26, 2024, Polestar recalled certain MY 2021 – MY 2024 Polestar 2 vehicles for visualization issues during a backup event and failure to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 (Rear Visibility) (Recall 24V-477). Specifically, Polestar stated that the rear-view camera “may have limited visualization, be inoperative, or function incorrectly when reverse gear is engaged, thereby affecting the driver’s rear visibility capability in a backing event.” Polestar proposed to remedy this condition via a software update to minimize an Infotainment Head Unit (IHU) graphical rendering limitation by shortening the retry times of the camera streams, as well as removing the rendering of the map in the driver display during backing events to release the graphic memory for the use of the rear-view camera. Subsequent consumer complaints to ODI reported continued rear-view camera outages in remedied vehicles pointed to limitations in Polestar’s 24V-477 approach, and, on April 25, 2025, Polestar filed a new recall to address the rear-view image visualization issues (Recall 25V-280). Polestar's stated remedy for this recall provided an additional software update intended to always maintain the high-speed signal connection between the Parking Assist Camera (PAC) and IHU, instead of toggling on and off by request. The update would also be designed to add a reset of the IHU video signal receiving hardware in case a synchronization error is detected, instead of just setting an error message. On June 21, 2025, ODI began receiving complaints from consumers whose vehicles had been remedied according to Recall 25V-280, but whose rear-view cameras were nevertheless continuing to fail in the same manner that they had previously. In July, ODI discussed the complaints with Polestar, which confirmed that their over the air software remedy for Recall 25V-280 did not correct the original issue. ODI is therefore opening this Recall Query to further evaluate the adequacy of Recall 25V-280’s remedy. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening 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.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 304.

BACK OVER PREVENTION 209 69%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 45 15%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 40 13%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 20 7%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 9 3%
LANE DEPARTURE 9 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8 3%
POWER TRAIN 5 2%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 1%
SUSPENSION 4 1%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 1%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 1%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 212.

2022 2025 2026
2022 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

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

While backing up, my vehicle collided with a an approaching vehicle due to reduced rear visibility. At the time of the incident, the rearview camera system did not display any image on the center screen. There were no warning messages or indicators alerting me to a malfunction prior to or during the incident. The loss of rear camera function put my safety and the safety of others at risk, as I was relying on the system for visibility behind the vehicle. Shortly after the accident, I received a safety recall notice from the manufacturer stating that a defect in the parking assist camera system may reduce rear visibility and increase the risk of a crash. The timing of the incident suggests

NHTSA complaint 11669958, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

towed · 13,000 miles

The contact owns a 2022 Polestar PS2. The contact stated while exiting a parking lot, the vehicle started jerking and decelerated, followed by the turtle mode warning light being illuminated. The contact was able to make it home safely. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing, but the dealer stated that no failure was found. On another occasion, while driving 65 MPH, the collision warning light illuminated and made a beeping sound. The vehicle steered independently out the lane. The contact was able to steer the vehicle back into the proper lane. The dealer was contact but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was

NHTSA complaint 11515607, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Driver information display has not been turning on when car wakes from sleep on hot days, typically over 105 degrees and parked for over five hours. Driver unable to see current speed, current state of charge, etc. Display turns on, with no issues, the next morning or after the car is parked in the shade for more than 30 mins.

NHTSA complaint 11755691. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Electric vehicle DC charging pins have defective insulator on its tip. The insulator freely rotates, is loose, and one has fallen off or can get stuck in charger handles. The easily detachable insulator, if not present, can cause shorting and arcing of high voltage at the charge port. Polestar has specified the charge port is an important safety related component in communications with them. With the defective charge port DC insulator easily falling off, this could lead to electrocution, fire at charge port due to melting pins from arcing, damage to charging station plugs. The service center the vehicle has been taken to claimed damage was caused by a defective charging handle at charger

NHTSA complaint 11754613, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
When starting the vehicle and placing it in reverse, the center screen was frozen and did not show the backup camera or other sfaety information. Safety was put at risk because reverse visiblity / backover prevention were impaired. Other functions such as reverse auto brake were likely unavailable, or a least unmonitored (rear cross traffic allert was definitely unavailable as it depends on the center screen). This was resolved by re-parking the vehicle and rebooting the infotainment system / center screen. It has not been independently reproduced or inspected, as it's presenting as random flakiness and the driver stopped and took troubleshooting steps (out of an abundance of caution).

NHTSA complaint 11747674, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The rear view camera malfunctioned, despite complying with the recent recall. It is available for inspection upon request. Safety was compromised by reduced rear visibility due to the lack of a rear view camera. This is an intermittent issue, not reliably reproducible for a dealer or service center. There has been no third party inspection, and no warning. The failure correlated with switching drivers; this may be part of oingoing issues with the underpowered IHU not handling driver switching well. If you are trying to reproduce the issue on a sample vehicle, I encourage swapping a few times between two drivers.

NHTSA complaint 11746121. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
There was as turn signal malfunction. It is not clear if the issue was purely internal or external, or confirned to the sound versus also impacting the lights. The turn signal sound was slow / irregular, missing beats, and appeared to slow down and catch up. it is unlclear if safety was at risk as I can't see the outside of the vehicle to verify whether this was just an audio issue or a signal issue. It hasn't been independently reproduced, and can't be consistently reproduced, though there is a correlation with switching users (possibly due to the underpowered IHU). The only other symptom was an unusably slow IHU (like taking more than a minute to pull up recent destinations on the center

NHTSA complaint 11746122, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Polestar has issued the 3rd recall for issues with the Rear Camera not responding quickly enough on vehicle start up. They have claimed they will provide a software fix but that is what they claimed the last 2 times without any improvement in the operation of the camera. They offer a paid upgrade to a newer CPU that actually fixes the issue but they do not want to spend the money to provide this as a free upgrade to actually fix this problem. They should be forced to offer the hardware fix as the software fixes up to this point have not worked.

NHTSA complaint 11744880. 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 23 5
2023 114 4
2021 147 5

Every Polestar on this site — 5 vehicles, 17 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

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. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

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