Owners have filed 193 complaints
about the 2021 Polestar Polestar 2 with NHTSA between 2022 and 2026.
The largest single group is the driver assist & collision avoidance.
Across this model's run it ranks 3 of 4 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 52
Against the median year of the Polestar Polestar 2. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 16
3.1% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
How 2021 compares with every other Polestar Polestar 2
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a
system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and
knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
Camera
10676.8%
Rearview System Braking
107.2%
Warnings
75.1%
Automatic Emergency Braking
53.6%
Blind Spot Detection
42.9%
Warnings
32.2%
Assist
21.4%
Lock
10.7%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Feb 2022peak 47Aug 2026
NHTSA investigations into the 2021 Polestar Polestar 2
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
1
investigation is
still open.
RQ25004Opened 9 Jul 2025Still openBACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Loss of rear-view camera image
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 capabi...
DP22005Opened 27 Jan 2023Closed 7 Aug 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM
Pedestrian alert sounds
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 Marc...
Recalls on the 2021 Polestar Polestar 2
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
25V615000
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
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.
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.
25V409000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
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.
Risk: A loss of brake function increases the risk of a crash.
25V280000
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
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."
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.
24V477000
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE
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."
Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display decreases the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
21V110000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM):SOFTWARE
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.
Risk: A disconnected high voltage system can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 20254857,881 units in Canada
Visual System
Issue: On certain vehicles, the recall repairs completed by a Polestar dealer during recall RP1056 (Transport Canada recall no. 2025-230) may not be effective. As a result, a second repair may be required. On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image to display the wrong camera view or to not display at all when the transmission is shifted into reverse. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that doesn't display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Polestar will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the vehicle software.
Recall 20252307,881 units in Canada
Visual System
Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image to display the wrong camera view or not to display at all when the transmission is shifted into reverse. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that doesn't display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Polestar will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the vehicle software.
Recall 20245576,299 units in Canada
Label
Issue: On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "NONE" when it should read as "NONE / AUCUN". Canadian regulations require the information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: This error does not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Polestar has corrected the tire and loading information label for all new vehicles.
Recall 20224901,356 units in Canada
Visual System
Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the top-view camera to display instead of the rearview camera image when you are reversing. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display when reversing. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with a 360-degree park assist camera. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Polestar will notify owners in writing and send a wireless over-the-air update to each vehicle. If the update cannot be completed successfully, you will be notified to schedule an appointment to have the update performed by a dealer.
Recall 2021098642 units in Canada
High Voltage
Issue: On a small number of vehicles, a software problem could cause the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) to reset. This can cause the high voltage system to disconnect while driving. If this happens, there could be a sudden loss of power to the wheels. Safety Risk: A loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Polestar will notify owners in writing and send a wireless over-the-air update to each vehicle. If the update cannot be completed successfully, you will be notified to schedule an appointment to have the update performed by a dealer.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Tracy, CACrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tracy, CACrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tracy, CACrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CACrash
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
NHTSA complaint #11717160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CACrash
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
NHTSA complaint #11717160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CACrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
NHTSA complaint #11717160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Centennial, CO
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kyle, TX
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tracy, CACrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tracy, CACrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tracy, CACrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
York, PA
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 vehicle history report and the car was never in a collision. #2 is the only viable reason based on vehicle use. If this is the case, it's a design flaw that must be addressed by the manufacturer. More investigation should be conducted to find the cause (e.g. electronic seat adjustments damaging SRS wiring, faulty electrical components, OTA software patches, etc.). Regardless, it's unacceptable for customers to bear the financial responsibility of an SRS failure.
NHTSA complaint #11735978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
York, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 vehicle history report and the car was never in a collision. #2 is the only viable reason based on vehicle use. If this is the case, it's a design flaw that must be addressed by the manufacturer. More investigation should be conducted to find the cause (e.g. electronic seat adjustments damaging SRS wiring, faulty electrical components, OTA software patches, etc.). Regardless, it's unacceptable for customers to bear the financial responsibility of an SRS failure.
NHTSA complaint #11735978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Los Angeles, CA
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lakeville, MN
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2021 Polestar 2, consistently the rear back up camera fails to display. In my case the issue did not occur until my car was updated past 3.2.8. The issue is caused by extremely dated hardware. The processor, and memory are insufficient for the more modern software that is being released. I also believe this is why my car will slam on the brakes in reverse when there is no object behind the car while I am reversing. Polestar has released a IHU hardware upgrade in other Polestar markets, but has not given any dates or information for this to be released in the US. A further software update is not going to rectify this issue, unless features are removed to fre up resources. Not a safety concern but Media will stop playing in SiriusXM and have to be restarted after 20 minutes of driving. After parking over night the IHU will take 2-3 minutes to fully wake up to be able to set navigation or activeate Apple Car play.
NHTSA complaint #11722842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cary, NC
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Backup Camera still doesn't function when reversing after multiple recalls.
NHTSA complaint #11722803 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charlotte, NC
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
2021 Polestar 2, consistently the rear back up camera fails to display. In my case the issue did not occur until my car was updated past 3.2.8. The issue is caused by extremely dated hardware. The processor, and memory are insufficient for the more modern software that is being released. I also believe this is why my car will slam on the brakes in reverse when there is no object behind the car while I am reversing. Polestar has released a IHU hardware upgrade in other Polestar markets, but has not given any dates or information for this to be released in the US. A further software update is not going to rectify this issue, unless features are removed to fre up resources. Not a safety concern but Media will stop playing in SiriusXM and have to be restarted after 20 minutes of driving. After parking over night the IHU will take 2-3 minutes to fully wake up to be able to set navigation or activeate Apple Car play.
NHTSA complaint #11722842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charlotte, NC
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
2021 Polestar 2, consistently the rear back up camera fails to display. In my case the issue did not occur until my car was updated past 3.2.8. The issue is caused by extremely dated hardware. The processor, and memory are insufficient for the more modern software that is being released. I also believe this is why my car will slam on the brakes in reverse when there is no object behind the car while I am reversing. Polestar has released a IHU hardware upgrade in other Polestar markets, but has not given any dates or information for this to be released in the US. A further software update is not going to rectify this issue, unless features are removed to fre up resources. Not a safety concern but Media will stop playing in SiriusXM and have to be restarted after 20 minutes of driving. After parking over night the IHU will take 2-3 minutes to fully wake up to be able to set navigation or activeate Apple Car play.
NHTSA complaint #11722842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seattle, WA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The vehicle was serviced on 2/13 at the Polestar service center in Seattle. I believe this is when software version 4.2.13 was installed. In the last week, I've noticed a new behavior. When I accelerate from a stop, the vehicle intermittently does not accelerate as it used to. For approximately 2 - 3 seconds, I have no control over acceleration and the vehicle only operates around 5 mph. This put me in a scary situation as I was making a quick turn in front of oncoming traffic, and did not have the acceleration I expected to safely make the turn. It's happened to me about six times in the last week.
NHTSA complaint #11721804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seattle, WA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The vehicle was serviced on 2/13 at the Polestar service center in Seattle. I believe this is when software version 4.2.13 was installed. In the last week, I've noticed a new behavior. When I accelerate from a stop, the vehicle intermittently does not accelerate as it used to. For approximately 2 - 3 seconds, I have no control over acceleration and the vehicle only operates around 5 mph. This put me in a scary situation as I was making a quick turn in front of oncoming traffic, and did not have the acceleration I expected to safely make the turn. It's happened to me about six times in the last week.
NHTSA complaint #11721804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lodi, CA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The rear view camera fails repeatedly and the rear window is not large enough to safely reverse.
NHTSA complaint #11718764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CACrash
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
NHTSA complaint #11717160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CACrash
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
NHTSA complaint #11717160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CACrash
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
NHTSA complaint #11717160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bothell, WA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
I am reaching out to bring to your attention an urgent issue regarding the backup camera in the 2021 Polestar 2. The backup camera frequently fails to work when the car is put into reverse or, even more concerning, it intermittently cuts out while backing up. Given the limited visibility when relying solely on the rearview and side mirrors, this malfunction poses a significant safety risk. The inability to see small children or obstacles behind the vehicle without the aid of the backup camera is a major concern that needs to be addressed promptly. Polestar has attempted several fixes over several years, none to date have resolved the issue. Neither Polestar or NHTSA have taken this issue seriously.
NHTSA complaint #11712423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bothell, WA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
I am reaching out to bring to your attention an urgent issue regarding the backup camera in the 2021 Polestar 2. The backup camera frequently fails to work when the car is put into reverse or, even more concerning, it intermittently cuts out while backing up. Given the limited visibility when relying solely on the rearview and side mirrors, this malfunction poses a significant safety risk. The inability to see small children or obstacles behind the vehicle without the aid of the backup camera is a major concern that needs to be addressed promptly. Polestar has attempted several fixes over several years, none to date have resolved the issue. Neither Polestar or NHTSA have taken this issue seriously.
NHTSA complaint #11712423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bothell, WA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
I am reaching out to bring to your attention an urgent issue regarding the backup camera in the 2021 Polestar 2. The backup camera frequently fails to work when the car is put into reverse or, even more concerning, it intermittently cuts out while backing up. Given the limited visibility when relying solely on the rearview and side mirrors, this malfunction poses a significant safety risk. The inability to see small children or obstacles behind the vehicle without the aid of the backup camera is a major concern that needs to be addressed promptly. Polestar has attempted several fixes over several years, none to date have resolved the issue. Neither Polestar or NHTSA have taken this issue seriously.
NHTSA complaint #11712423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Minneapolis, MN
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The backup camera fails to activate, freezes up, or turns off while backing up. The rear window of this vehicle and the height of the trunk block visual sight lines making the camera essential. I am a software engineer, it is clear to me that the combination information screen has an underpowered processor and memory. Polestar have attempted software updates which have been ineffective. Other aspects of the system also struggle to load and be responsive as well such as switching modes from bluetooth audio to radio or loading the navigation system. I see that there is a second recall but it appears this is a software based update as well. I doubt that software can fix what is very likely a hardware performance issue.
NHTSA complaint #11706054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Highland Park, NJ
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Intermittently, when shifting into reverse, the rear camera does not work, with error stating that the camera is unavailable. Dealer states there is no fix.
NHTSA complaint #11704442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Winter Garden, FL
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
When the car is put into reverse the rear camera activates and then goes dead. There is no image from the camera and an error appears on the screen saying camera is temporarily unavailable. There have been multiple recalls on this issue and the updates have not resolved the issue. My car is on software 3.6.4
NHTSA complaint #11704119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.