66 of the
750 complaints filed about the Polestar Polestar 2
are about the other systems —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2022.
Purchased a used 2024 Polestar from Kia Van Nuys, CA on 5/18/2026. The Acknowledgement Regarding Recalls form noted that "The Report indicates that the Vehicle is NOT subject to an open recall at this time. I was having difficulty with the vehicle i.e charging, Internet connection and electronic driver information feedback. I took the vehicle to the Polestar service center on June 1, 2026 and found that the previous 2 recalls for TCAM Reload and a recall on VIDA soft wear version 4.2.13 which required a total soft wear update.
NHTSA complaint #11744735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
During reversing the rear view camera stopped functioning. Attempts to toggle the camera setting did not correct the issue. After years, this problem still exists and is unacceptable. When will the NHTSA enforce an actual fix from Polestar? The computer has insufficient processing power and RAM to reliably function and the cameras are included in that function.
NHTSA complaint #11720557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
First off, I should say that I generally love my Polestar 2. I've enjoyed owning it. However, I the infotainment system performance is dangerous. The incredibly slow time to open apps and the lag in response to inputs forces a driver to split attention between the screen and the road for far too long. For example, after clicking on Google Maps it may take 3-4 seconds to load, an additional few seconds to be ready to accept inputs (such as an address), a few seconds to return search results, a few seconds to respond to a tap on a location, and a few more seconds to load directions. All told it can be 15-30 seconds to load directions, even for saved locations. The issues are most noticeable with Maps given how often I use them. But there are also lags in vehicle controls, such as climate, radio controls, and other apps like Amazon Music. As best as possible I use the infotainment system before I start driving or while I'm stopped at a light. Sometimes I will pull over to avoid distraction. But there are times when that isn't possible (such as freeway driving). But it shouldn't be this hard. Or this dangerous. You should not be forced to split attention for this long between the screen and the road. Unfortunately, voice controls are similarly slow and unreliable. I try to use OK Google when possible but even here I have to split my attention. After saying "OK Google" it can take several seconds to load and I have to watch the screen to see when it's ready to listen. And then it responds to commands at best half the time with lags or failures for command that should work "Navigate to location X" or "Play Musician Y on Amazon Music". You then have to go back to the slow manual inputs on the screen. This goes beyond an inconvenience to a danger. This is a known issue and Polestar has not taken steps to resolve it. I believe they should for all Polestar 2 owners.
NHTSA complaint #11719405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Failure of backup camera to display. This is a persistent problem that remains, despite having the latest software. I have a video showing the camera not working, that the vehicle is in reverse, and showing software version.
NHTSA complaint #11714860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
Polestar has not provided a remedy for over six months. This is a major safety issue during back up and has almost caused accidents already. The issue is the recall of the backup camera.
NHTSA complaint #11706586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving, the center display screen has shut off and remains to be unfunctional. This screen is the primary way any collision warnings and rear view video. This car is not driveable and extremely unsafe without the display screen as there is almost no rear view visibility without it. The rear view video did not always work beforehand either, but this makes it completely unfunctional.
NHTSA complaint #11705136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system malfunctioned: Rear auto brake, but the underlying issue may be the underpowered processor / IHU Is it available to inspect? Only if you want to visit me in North Carolina, but you're welcome to look at the car. How was the safety at risk? After leaving a parking space (with a fairly tight exit), and placing the car in Drive and driving forward, there were two instances where rear auto brake activated (Despite driving forward) and caused sudden deceleration of the vehicle. Safety would have been at risk if this happened on a busy street; there were no damages or injuries because this happened on a quiet residential street with no traffic. Reproduction - has not been reproduced at all, it was a one-off. Reported to others - not yet, but I do plan to report it to the manufacturer. There were no warnings prior to the failure.
NHTSA complaint #11703107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed? The backup camera regularly fails to show the view behind the vehicle, with the message "camera not available". This appears to be connected with an overloaded / underpowered computer / IHU. Safety is put at risk because the rear visibility is limited when the backup camera is not functional, and the failure is a distraction to the driver. The dealer has seen the problem but says another firmware update to fix it might be coming at some point. The vehicle has not been inspected by anybody else, because it's a model/year-wide known issue. There were no warnings prior to the failure. This has occurred on many dates, including today.
NHTSA complaint #11703110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What failed? There have been a couple instances of the screen (IHU) rebooting while just driving down the road. This temporarily disables the HVAC (including defroster) and turn signal sounds. It is unclear which ADAS functions are impacted. It is available for inspection upon request, if you visit me in NC. How was safety put at risk? Disabling the defroster could cause the windshield to fog up quickly, and the distraction of the IHU rebooting could cause the driver to focus on the issue instead of the road. Safety related ADAS functions may also have been impacted, that is unclear. This has not been confirmed or reproduced by a third party, it has only happened a couple of times and is fairly random. If I had to guess it's an OOM (out of memory) condition in the IHU caused by an under-spec'd IHU plus a memory leak somewhere. Has it been inspected by anybody else? Nope. Where there any warnings? The IHU was more sluggish than usual, but there were no other warnings.
NHTSA complaint #11703112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The backup camera has progressively been made worse by software updates. It is often nonfunctional, shows a black screen, or excessively flickers, making it hard or impossible to see.
NHTSA complaint #11691248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
When reversing the car, the backup camera is not available. So when I am backing up the car, the camera cutting out means that I can't see if there are any pedestrians or cars behind me. It has not been taken to a service center, as the nearest one is not currently possible to visit for me. It has not been inspected by manufacturer or anyone else, and there were no warning lamps or symptoms prior.
NHTSA complaint #11685479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ALL CAMERAS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. I ALSO CANNOT ACCESS THE REAR-AUTO BARKE CONTROL. I ALREADY REPORTED THIS TO NHTSA. THE DEALERSHIP LEFT ME 1 MESSAGE TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT, AND HENCE IGNORED MY RETURN PHONE CALLS.
NHTSA complaint #11683669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A recall was issued April 25 because the rear camera fails. It is supposed to be addressed by OTA software update. I have NOT received an update, and I've been unable to get an appt to have it installed by Service. It's been 4 months, and I'm told there are no appts for several more months. This seems very dangerous...
NHTSA complaint #11681966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The backup camera will not work at all. In fact none of the cameras are working. My firmware/software is up to date. The service center can’t book me until 2 months from now. That’s too much time. It isn’t safe because the rear window is so small. This car was designed to work with cameras. The screen says “Camera is temporarily unavailable.”
NHTSA complaint #11679473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This complaint relates to NHTSA Action Number: RQ25004 The rear view camera image consistently does not appear and reads as unavailable on the driver's view screen even after a recent recall repair.
NHTSA complaint #11678458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Drove car to the grocery store 5 minutes down the street. Shopped for ~20 minutes, returned to my car and loaded my groceries in my trunk. Shut the trunk and returned the cart to the cart corral. Returned to the vehicle, unlocked via the door handle, put the car in reverse, and was greeted with a "Camera system unavailable" message. My car is on the latest OTA update 3.6.4, which is intended to fix the backup camera issues.
NHTSA complaint #11675434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.