Owners have filed 144 complaints
about the 2023 Polestar Polestar 2 with NHTSA between 2023 and 2026.
The largest single group is the driver assist & collision avoidance.
Across this model's run it ranks 4 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 — 39
Against the median year of the Polestar Polestar 2. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 22
4.2% 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 2023 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
8184.4%
Rearview System Braking
66.3%
Warnings
44.2%
Automatic Emergency Braking
11.0%
Assist
11.0%
Warnings
11.0%
Blind Spot Detection
11.0%
Hatchback/Liftgate
11.0%
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.
Oct 2023peak 37Jul 2026
NHTSA investigations into the 2023 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...
Recalls on the 2023 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.
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.
23V476000
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2023 Polestar 2 vehicles. The front left lower ball joint may have been incorrectly installed, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the steering knuckle.
Risk: The control arm disconnecting from the steering knuckle can cause a loss of steering, 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 202338118 units in Canada
Suspension
Issue: On certain vehicles, the left-front lower ball joint may not have been installed correctly in the steering knuckle. As a result, the ball joint could separate from the knuckle and cause a loss of vehicle control. Safety Risk: A ball joint that separates could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Polestar will notify owners by mail and advise you to bring your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the fastening bolt for the left-front lower ball joint, and replace it if necessary.
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.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Marco Island, FLCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I have started to experience sudden acceleration issues. The car, when you are attempting to pull into a parking spot or garage, will seem to accelerate, sensors beeping. I have jumped curbs and even crashed into bikes in my garage. The car has had a slew of issues (engine propulsion, losing power), and I have had it at the dealer 4 times. Polestar stopped communicating with me when I let them know this happened. I have read others online claiming the same thing. I had had others witness this happening
NHTSA complaint #11590284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Marco Island, FLCrash
SERVICE BRAKES
I have started to experience sudden acceleration issues. The car, when you are attempting to pull into a parking spot or garage, will seem to accelerate, sensors beeping. I have jumped curbs and even crashed into bikes in my garage. The car has had a slew of issues (engine propulsion, losing power), and I have had it at the dealer 4 times. Polestar stopped communicating with me when I let them know this happened. I have read others online claiming the same thing. I had had others witness this happening
NHTSA complaint #11590284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Marco Island, FLCrash
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I have started to experience sudden acceleration issues. The car, when you are attempting to pull into a parking spot or garage, will seem to accelerate, sensors beeping. I have jumped curbs and even crashed into bikes in my garage. The car has had a slew of issues (engine propulsion, losing power), and I have had it at the dealer 4 times. Polestar stopped communicating with me when I let them know this happened. I have read others online claiming the same thing. I had had others witness this happening
NHTSA complaint #11590284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fox Island, WA2 injured
SEATS
The vehicle improperly sensed an impending rear collision when there was no vehicle present. The vehicle entered a mode where the electronic seatbelt tensioners aggressively pulled the occupants and did not release until the seatbelt latches were depressed. This happened in traffic. The occupants sustained soft tissue injuries. The manufacturer refused to acknowledge the situation.
NHTSA complaint #11568932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fox Island, WA2 injured
SEAT BELTS
The vehicle improperly sensed an impending rear collision when there was no vehicle present. The vehicle entered a mode where the electronic seatbelt tensioners aggressively pulled the occupants and did not release until the seatbelt latches were depressed. This happened in traffic. The occupants sustained soft tissue injuries. The manufacturer refused to acknowledge the situation.
NHTSA complaint #11568932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fox Island, WA2 injured
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
The vehicle improperly sensed an impending rear collision when there was no vehicle present. The vehicle entered a mode where the electronic seatbelt tensioners aggressively pulled the occupants and did not release until the seatbelt latches were depressed. This happened in traffic. The occupants sustained soft tissue injuries. The manufacturer refused to acknowledge the situation.
NHTSA complaint #11568932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Parker, CO
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2023 Polestar Polestar 2. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V615000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer informed the contact that the recall remedy could not be completed because previous software updates were not completed. The contact stated that the dealer would only complete the recall if the previous software updates were completed, and the updates were not covered under the recall. The contact stated that the dealer failed to complete the software updates previously. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure.
NHTSA complaint #11749104 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Colorado Springs, CO
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
Over the last 1.5 months, the liftgate system on the vehicle has failed to fully close and latch. The vehicle shows the liftgate as unsecured and the liftgate has play despite being partially latched. Investigation of the vehicle shows that the tailgate damper drive unit wiring harness is designed in a way that the wires pinch and short to ground. This design flaw causes the vehicle to lose communication with the position sensors in the tailgate damper drive unit and prevents the tailgate from closing fully.
NHTSA complaint #11736507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Polestar 2 software version 4.2.13. While reversing out of a parking spot the rear camera briefly turned on, but after a second, the infotainment system crashed, with the screen shutting off. The infotainment system automatically rebooted after ~1min of driving. This system crash also temporarily disabled rear cross traffic alert and the parking sensors. Backup cameras are a federally mandated safety feature which reduce the risk of collisions when reversing. Without this safety feature, the risk of a collision increases.
NHTSA complaint #11728323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Polestar 2 software version 4.2.13. While reversing out of a parking spot the rear camera briefly turned on, but after a second, the infotainment system crashed, with the screen shutting off. The infotainment system automatically rebooted after ~1min of driving. This system crash also temporarily disabled rear cross traffic alert and the parking sensors. Backup cameras are a federally mandated safety feature which reduce the risk of collisions when reversing. Without this safety feature, the risk of a collision increases.
NHTSA complaint #11728323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
Polestar 2 software version 4.2.13. While reversing out of a parking spot the rear camera briefly turned on, but after a second, the infotainment system crashed, with the screen shutting off. The infotainment system automatically rebooted after ~1min of driving. This system crash also temporarily disabled rear cross traffic alert and the parking sensors. Backup cameras are a federally mandated safety feature which reduce the risk of collisions when reversing. Without this safety feature, the risk of a collision increases.
NHTSA complaint #11728323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Novato, CA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The backup camera consistently fails and displays a "Backup Camera is Temporarily Unavailable" message. Polestar is only issuing a software fix for this on model year 2026 Polestar 2s and a solution has not been offered for over 8 months now.
NHTSA complaint #11728097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
the rear camera on this car has been having issues for well over a year. The dealership says they are well aware of the issues and that it's common but there is nothing they can do about it and that I just need to wait for an update to eventually come. They do not know when the update is coming. This has been an ongoing issue that is a big safety issue. The rear visibility on these cars is bad to begin with, so the rear camera is essential for safety. it either doesn't go on at all every other time I try to go in reverse, or it will just cut off mid-reverse driving. This is just on top of all the rest of the infotainment system issues this car has.
NHTSA complaint #11725216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Beaverton, OR
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Rear‑view camera intermittently fails to provide a usable image when shifting into reverse. Symptoms include delayed activation, black screen, frozen frame, or extremely choppy video. This results in intermittent loss of rear visibility and does not comply with FMVSS 111. The defect has persisted for several years despite multiple Polestar software updates and multiple NHTSA recall campaigns intended to correct the issue. The failure is reproducible and appears strongly load‑dependent. It occurs most often immediately after vehicle startup or when the infotainment system is busy with background activity such as app initialization, updates, or UI redraws. Under these conditions, shifting into reverse frequently produces no usable camera image. If I wait several seconds for the system to stabilize before shifting into reverse, the camera usually works, which indicates a resource‑contention or performance‑limitation issue within the Intel Atom–based infotainment head unit used in earlier Polestar 2 vehicles. The recall remedies have not resolved the defect, and the failure continues to occur under predictable, real‑world conditions. Because rear‑view camera activation is time‑critical for detecting pedestrians, children, pets, and obstacles, this ongoing defect presents an unreasonable safety risk. The repeated failure of software‑only remedies suggests the underlying cause may be hardware‑related. Newer Polestar and Volvo vehicles equipped with the Snapdragon‑based infotainment unit do not exhibit this behavior, which further supports the possibility of a hardware limitation in the original head unit. I request that NHTSA re‑evaluate the effectiveness of the current recall remedies and determine whether a hardware‑based fix is required to bring the vehicle into full compliance with FMVSS 111. This defect remains active despite multiple attempts to correct it and continues to compromise rear visibility and overall safety.
NHTSA complaint #11724728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Highlands Ranch, CO
VISIBILITY/WIPER
When put into reverse, display just shows Camera is temporarily unavailable. This is after the OTA update 4.2.13 that was supposed to fix the issue. Rear cross traffic braking is also unavailable at this time.
NHTSA complaint #11717689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Highlands Ranch, CO
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
When put into reverse, display just shows Camera is temporarily unavailable. This is after the OTA update 4.2.13 that was supposed to fix the issue. Rear cross traffic braking is also unavailable at this time.
NHTSA complaint #11717689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PA
POWER TRAIN
Constant camera issues. The rear camera only works half the time and when it does go it, it'll just cut off while driving in reverse. It's completely unreliable and dangerous. New update has affected the cars acceleration. Now when its below a certain degrees outside they changed it so the car can no longer accelerate at its normal speed and instead, barely responds when you hit the gas causing a multiple second delay before the car moves. It's incredibly dangerous and makes it impossible to move out of the way if needed in an emergency. Issue was reported and was told that just how it is now and there is nothing they can do about it. This is dangerous and not the vehicle I purchased.
NHTSA complaint #11717270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Constant camera issues. The rear camera only works half the time and when it does go it, it'll just cut off while driving in reverse. It's completely unreliable and dangerous. New update has affected the cars acceleration. Now when its below a certain degrees outside they changed it so the car can no longer accelerate at its normal speed and instead, barely responds when you hit the gas causing a multiple second delay before the car moves. It's incredibly dangerous and makes it impossible to move out of the way if needed in an emergency. Issue was reported and was told that just how it is now and there is nothing they can do about it. This is dangerous and not the vehicle I purchased.
NHTSA complaint #11717270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Constant camera issues. The rear camera only works half the time and when it does go it, it'll just cut off while driving in reverse. It's completely unreliable and dangerous. New update has affected the cars acceleration. Now when its below a certain degrees outside they changed it so the car can no longer accelerate at its normal speed and instead, barely responds when you hit the gas causing a multiple second delay before the car moves. It's incredibly dangerous and makes it impossible to move out of the way if needed in an emergency. Issue was reported and was told that just how it is now and there is nothing they can do about it. This is dangerous and not the vehicle I purchased.
NHTSA complaint #11717270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shoreview, MN
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Rear backup camera continues to not function reliably, even after updating to the latest firmware 4.2.13
NHTSA complaint #11715971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kennedale, TX
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
After multiple software OTA updates due to previous NHTSA recalls, the rear backup camera consistently has issues to where the image of the rear of the vehicle cannot temporarily be displayed.
NHTSA complaint #11707307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kennedale, TX
VISIBILITY/WIPER
After multiple software OTA updates due to previous NHTSA recalls, the rear backup camera consistently has issues to where the image of the rear of the vehicle cannot temporarily be displayed.
NHTSA complaint #11707307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Plano, TX
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Despite a recall, rear camera does not activate when putting the car into reverse. This poses immense safety risks as the rear of the vehicle is poorly visible from the driver seat and mirrors when backing up. I have previously noted this instance a few months ago after the recall for this issue, and yet the issue is persisting. There are no warnings or indicators of an electrical or other problem. I have not taken this in for servicing for this problem. But this issue is reproducible every time getting into the car and putting it into reverse, on the center display where the cameras would display, an error message appears, again, exactly as occurred prior to the recall. In summary, despite recall, rear view cameras/backup cameras do not properly work when putting the car into reverse to reverse.
NHTSA complaint #11703091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgeview, IL
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Car rear camera constantly freezes, doesn’t appear or just stops during vehicle usage
NHTSA complaint #11703101 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Melrose, MA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
An ongoing issue with Polestar 2 vehicles has been its unreliable rear camera. When reversing, the rear camera does not always engage, leaving either a blank space on the dashboard screen or sometimes the phrase “Rear camera currently unavailable”. This continues to occur despite software updates from the manufacturer.
NHTSA complaint #11702172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Irvine, CA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
-The rearview camera fails intermittently when gearshift is placed in reverse and when the car drives in reverse. -Passengers and pedestrians are at risk of collision due to restricted view around vehicle. -I have not reported the problem to the dealer or manufacturer because they are well aware that this problem exists, although they claim it was remedied by software updates. -I have not had my vehicle inspected by anyone to date, but will do so if the problem is not effectively addressed soon. -There is a warning message at the time the vehicle is placed in reverse that the rearview camera is temporarily unavailable. -The problem, and the error messages, have been recurring for months. -In addition, as a result of the software changes, the vehicle radio and Google maps fail intermittently.
NHTSA complaint #11698981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dayton, OH
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The back up camera repeatedly fails, and does not work, when I put my car into reverse.
NHTSA complaint #11693369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mount Prospect, IL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Infotainment system continues to be intermittently unresponsive. Today, the system was totally frozen which made it so heat/air conditioning could not be controlled, no sound for turn signals were present, and backup camera was not functioning.
NHTSA complaint #11692572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Princeton Jct, NJ
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear camera does not work quite often and I get a message that the system the rear camera is unavailable. This is a safety hazard when reversing the vehicle. Polestar stated that the new software they released a few months back would fix this but it did not fix it at all (software version 3.6.4)
NHTSA complaint #11690853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Minneapolis, MN
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
I received the NHTSA Recall No. 25V-280 and had the vehicle updated to Software 3.6.4 in July 2025. Following this update I still have issues with the rear camera while the vehicle is in reverse. This includes 1) the camera not available with the system showing this error, 2) the camera not available with the screen continuing to show content not related to the camera, and 3) when the camera is available there are refresh issues that cause interrupted visibility concerns.
NHTSA complaint #11689653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jackson, NJ
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The rear view camera does not always work when putting the car into reverse and gives a "Camera Unavailable" error. My car is on the latest software revision which was supposed to resolve this, but it is still occuring. With the very small rear window, having a 100% working rear camera is imperative.
NHTSA complaint #11686386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.