Audi and Porsche are recalling 6,676 electric vehicles due to a potential fire risk. At the heart of the issue is a possible leak inside of the battery that could lead to arcing and then a thermal event. Audi and Porsche plan to have dealers inspect each car and then go to the costly measure of replacing the entire battery if needed.
According to Porsche, it first became aware of this issue back in 2022 due to reports of “reduced insulation values” in some Taycan batteries. It determined that in some of these cases, liquid intrusion into the battery was the main culprit. In September 2022, it incorporated a Teroson sealant into battery production at the supplier to mend the issue.
In March, Porsche received word that some cars outside of the U.S. market still had liquid intrusion issues despite also having the Teroson sealant in place. As it continued to investigate the issue, it changed the production protocol of the battery to include an enhanced Teroson sealant in May. Since then it’s received more reports of low resistance values and liquid ingress into the battery.
More: The 729-HP 2024 Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Is Porsche’s Most Powerful SUV Ever
Now, it’s recalling 4,777 Taycans, all from the 2023 model year and in every body style. In addition, Audi is recalling 1,899 e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT models, again, only from the 2023 model year. Notably, the automakers say that they suspect that only three percent of the 6,676 vehicles in total (approximately 200 cars) have an actual problem. Interestingly, the companies called this a global recall.
Dealers will inspect the cars and specifically test for liquid ingress into the battery pack. If testing indicates the “potential for leakage, the battery will be replaced,” says Porsche and Audi. The two companies reported no field events in the U.S. market involving fire, injury, or death.
Owners can contact their local dealer or the NHTSA to confirm whether or not their car is included. In addition, these cars have a built-in warning system if they experience a drop in insulation resistance values. First, a yellow warning light will appear on the dash, and should those values continue to drop a red warning light will appear. Maybe don’t wait until those show up to get the car into the dealer though.
