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severe Owners of the 2025 Polestar Polestar 3 have filed 45 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Electrical accounts for 58% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 4 categories tracked.
All 2 active electrical recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
A damaged HLCM reduces the system's ability to convert energy, causing a sudden loss in drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Damage to harnesses can cause various electrical malfunctions, such as a loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Complementary action to upgrade P2023-2025 Polestar 3, central core computer, VCU1 to the upgraded VUC2, and download total software upgrade for the new VCU2.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Complementary action to upgrade P2023-2025 Polestar 3, central core computer, VCU1 to the upgraded VUC2, and download total software upgrade for the new VCU2.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Polestar Automotive USA, on behalf of Polestar Performance AB, have decided to launch Recall RP1063 on certain model year 2025 Polestar 3 vehicles. Polestar has identified that the inline connector located between the engine bay cable harness the front bumper cable harness may experience water ingress into the connector housing, which has led to corrosion on the connector pins. As a result, water entering the connector housing may affect the vehicles’ electrical systems, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. To remedy the affected vehicles, Polestar will replace the entire front bumper cable harness AND •Replace the two inline front bumper/engine bay connectors (
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Polestar Automotive USA, on behalf of Polestar Performance AB, have decided to launch Recall RP1063 on certain model year 2025 Polestar 3 vehicles. Polestar has identified that the inline connector located between the engine bay cable harness the front bumper cable harness may experience water ingress into the connector housing, which has led to corrosion on the connector pins. As a result, water entering the connector housing may affect the vehicles’ electrical systems, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. To remedy the affected vehicles, Polestar will replace the entire front bumper cable harness AND •Replace the two inline front bumper/engine bay connectors (
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Polestar Automotive USA, on behalf of Polestar Performance AB, have decided to launch Recall RP1063 on certain model year 2025 Polestar 3 vehicles. Polestar has identified that the inline connector located between the engine bay cable harness the front bumper cable harness may experience water ingress into the connector housing, which has led to corrosion on the connector pins. As a result, water entering the connector housing may affect the vehicles’ electrical systems, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. To remedy the affected vehicles, Polestar will replace the entire front bumper cable harness AND •Replace the two inline front bumper/engine bay connectors (
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The dominant electrical complaint is onboard AC charger (GHCA/OBC) failure occurring as early as first charge or within months of ownership. Owners report the unit fails with a loud pop or no warning at all, displaying error messages like "AC Charging Fault" or "Charging System Fault." Replacement parts sit on backorder for 2–6 weeks. Several owners had two or three charger replacements before reaching a stable state. With AC charging unavailable, owners are forced to use DC fast charging exclusively at roughly triple the cost of home charging, or sit at dealerships for weeks.
Several owners also report sudden unintended acceleration or loss of braking control at low speeds in parking situations, with no warning lights and multiple safety systems (collision avoidance, pre-collision warning, automatic emergency braking) failing to engage. One owner experienced a propulsion failure (limp mode at 6 mph) that recurred after 24 days in the shop; Polestar engineering denied the service center's request for a Vehicle Control Unit replacement—twice.
Additional electrical gremlins include driver displays turning off unexpectedly while driving, excessive 12V battery drain causing complete loss of vehicle access, intermittent brake application without input (unverifiable by dealers), and software updates that disabled regenerative braking and emergency brake function. One owner reported audible electrical crackling after charger replacement. A few owners mention AC charger degradation issues—slow charging rates with no clear root cause—and frontal shutters that won't open, forcing the air conditioning to overwork.
The onboard AC charger (GHCA—also called OBC) fails repeatedly, preventing AC charging. Multiple owners report 2-3 failures within months of ownership. Failures occur with no advance warning. When it fails, the car displays error messages like 'AC Charging Fault' or 'Charging System Fault,' but no diagnostic codes are retained. Replacement parts are on backorder for 2-6 weeks. One owner reports a loud pop preceding failure, and another reports audible electrical crackling noises after replacement.
When: As early as first charge out of dealership; recurring within 1–4 months; one owner at 500 miles, others at 2,000–3,600 miles
Symptoms owners cite: AC charging will not initialize or complete; Car displays 'AC Charging Fault; Book a Service' or 'Charging System Fault' messages; Car stays in 'Initializing' or 'Waiting' state indefinitely; Loud pop or electrical crackling sounds during or before failure; DC charging unaffected; only AC charging fails
Repairs/costs cited: GHCA/OBC unit replacement. Multiple owners required 2–3 replacements within under 12 months. Parts on 2–6 week backorder. One owner reported dealership could not locate loaners; another spent significant time and 3x charging costs using DC fast chargers.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Referenced NHTSA manufacturer communications DP1035, DP1037, DP1038. No recall issued. Polestar has acknowledged the issue but provided no remedy or communication timeline to owners.
At least two owners report sudden unintended acceleration at low speed (3–5 mph) in parking situations. One owner depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle did not slow down, jumping a curb and rolling over a retaining wall. Another owner removed foot from accelerator and the vehicle violently accelerated straight into a parked car, traveling ~270 degrees across the lot. Neither owner reports warning lights or driver input triggering acceleration.
When: One at 745 miles; timing not specified for second incident
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates without driver input or ignores brake pedal input; No warning lights illuminate beforehand; No pre-collision or collision avoidance alerts activate; No automatic emergency braking deploys; Vehicle uncontrollable despite multiple brake applications
Repairs/costs cited: First incident resulted in damage to bumper, wheel well, and curb/wall collision; vehicle towed to collision shop (no dealer diagnostic yet). Second incident resulted in collision with parked vehicle; multiple safety systems (pre-collision warning, collision avoidance, AEB, airbags) failed to engage.
Vehicle enters 'turtle mode' (limp mode), limiting speed to 6 mph or less and inability to climb hills. Dashboard displays dashes instead of normal readouts. Vehicle will not enter drive or reverse; had to be dragged onto tow truck. Issue recurred, stranding vehicle at repair facility. Service center requested VCU replacement; Polestar engineering denied both requests.
When: First failure at unspecified mileage during driving; recurrence ~5 days after first repair attempt
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of full propulsion; vehicle limited to 6 mph; Cannot climb hills or accelerate normally; Dashboard shows dashes instead of normal information; Vehicle will not enter drive or reverse gears; No warning lights prior to failure
Repairs/costs cited: Service center diagnosed need for VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) replacement. Polestar engineering denied replacement request twice. Vehicle returned to owner after 24 days without repair completed. Recurred after 5 days; vehicle held at service center 40+ days total without resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: VCU replacement requests denied by Polestar engineering. Owner offered buyback/lease termination process with 4–6 week response time; customer service unresponsive.
Vehicle charges at much slower rate than expected on home AC chargers. One owner lowered amp setting from 48A to 15A to get car to charge at 3 kW instead of intended 9–11 kW. Another reports car charging at only 5.4 kW on 48A charger, with error message 'Charging Interrupted.' Dealer attributed to software update or defective OBC; some cases told to wait for software fix with no ETA.
When: Reported after months of normal operation; also immediately upon new ownership in some cases
Symptoms owners cite: Charging rate significantly lower than expected (e.g., 3 kW instead of 9–11 kW, or 5.4 kW at 48A); Charger shows correct status lights but vehicle charges slowly; 'Charging Interrupted' or 'Charging System Fault' error messages; Unplugging and re-plugging restores normal charging temporarily
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer suggests software update (no ETA) or OBC replacement. One case involved second OBC replacement. Workaround: reduce amp settings or use DC fast charging at 3x home charging cost.
Vehicle battery drains 2–3% per day while parked, unrelated to normal parasitic drain. One owner estimates 540% battery loss over six months of parking. Multiple contacts with Polestar service, technicians, and corporate support yielded no explanation or fix.
When: Observed during periods of vehicle inactivity
Symptoms owners cite: Rapid battery depletion while vehicle is parked (2–3% per day); Vehicle becomes completely unresponsive; doors will not open; No user controls accessible
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle required towing. No repair identified. Polestar support unable to offer solution.
Driver and main displays become unresponsive, stay black or off, or unexpectedly shut off while driving. With no physical buttons, owners cannot control heating or access backup camera when displays are non-functional. One software update caused loss of regenerative braking, emergency brake function, and constant airbag warnings.
When: Intermittent; one instance tied to June 16, 2025 software update
Symptoms owners cite: Driver display turns off unexpectedly while driving; driver cannot see speed or gearing; Main display unresponsive or black; Cannot access climate or camera controls without working display; Airbag warning constant after software update despite seat belts locked; Loss of regenerative braking capability; Loss of emergency brake function
Repairs/costs cited: One update (06/16/25) caused multiple system losses. System resets sometimes resolve display issues temporarily.
While driving normally in traffic, the vehicle suddenly applies brakes without driver input. Service center was unable to duplicate the fault or retrieve diagnostic codes. Issue recorded as 'No Problem Found.' No warning lights or messages preceded the event.
When: November 13, 2025
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden, unexpected brake application while driving in traffic; No warning lights or messages prior to event; Creates immediate danger of rear-end collision
Repairs/costs cited: Service center unable to duplicate; no codes stored. Recorded as 'No Problem Found.' Vehicle available for inspection but no repair performed.
Synthesized from 45 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Onboard charger (OBC), which is the unit that converts AC power (what home wall outlets have) to DC power (what the battery holds/uses has failed 3 times now in less than a year of ownership. Brand new car, leased from Polestar. 3/21/25 - Picked up car from Polestar Lisle, as soon as I got home from the dealership, it didn’t work out of the gate, couldn’t home charge. Ever. 5/8/25 - OBC…
There were multiple cases while driving at speed where the driver's display unexpectedly and without warning turned off. I was not able to see the car's speed or gearing until the next time the car was reset.
The malfunction I experienced involved the vehicle's electronic safety system, which caused the brake to apply suddenly and without my input. The service center was "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE" the specific fault during their inspection and found "NO CODES STORED," noting that the problem was intermittent and not verifiable by the technician. The car is, however, available for inspection. My safety…
Date of Incident: [XXX] US Eastern Time Location: [XXX] Incident Type: Safety defect and vehicle malfunction due to Sudden Unintended Acceleration with multiple safety system failures On the date referenced above, while traveling at approximately 5 mph and preparing to park in a gravel parking lot, I removed my foot from the accelerator pedal to bring the vehicle to a complete stop using the…
The Polestar 3 failed while driving with my family on 8/16/25. It had a propulsion failure (with "turtle mode") and it would only go 6 mph or less and would not go up a hill. With nowhere safe to pull over while on the hill, I had to perform an unsafe maneuver to get the car down a hill to a safe place. Once parked it showed dashes on the dashboard and would not go into drive or reverse. The…
The onboard charger has failed twice now in less than 1,800 miles. Bought the car new and it has been in the shop this time for 31 days and parts are not available to fix it until at least Sept. 30th. Also, Volvo Marin never seems to have loaner cars available. Horrible experience with this dealership and car.
Leased a new 2025 Polestar 3 and took delivery Dec 28, 2024. I expected some growing pains as it’s a new car model and relatively new brand, but have had to take it to the dealer and/or call support almost monthly. Most of the issues are resolved via resetting some system, but the major issue has been charging at home. Around March I had an issue where it wouldn’t charge at home and the car…
Car does not AC charge
AC Charging Fail. Unable to use home charger to charge car even after polestar took car in to replace OBC.
Vehicle has had onboard charger failure twice
It's a meaningful issue. 45 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover electrical issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.