British luxury carmaker Jaguar has recalled more than 6,000 of its I–Pace electric SUVs and urges owners to park their vehicles outside until recall repairs are completed.
The recall notice, issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is due to the high–voltage battery made by LG Energy Solution, which may overheat and spark fires or force the SUVs to stall while driving.
“Vehicles have experienced thermal overload, which may show as smoke or fire, that may occur underneath the vehicle where the high voltage traction battery is located. Investigations are continuing,” the documents state.
Dealers will check recalled SUV batteries using software capable of identifying conditions linked to overheating and replace faulty modules for free. The US NHTSA shared documents Wednesday about the recall.
The announcement comes as the NHTSA launched an investigation into LG Energy Solution‘s lithium–ion batteries after five automakers issued recalls due to possible defects that could cause fires or stalling.
The investigation also comes as electric vehicles are increasingly in demand as governments phase out gasoline–burning vehicles to meet emissions goals.
To fix the issue, dealers will update the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) software that will monitor the battery pack assembly’s operational status and provide an enhanced warning system to drivers about battery conditions.
Where the software determines a risk exists, the High Voltage battery charging capacity will be limited to 75 percent. Jaguar plans to communicate the recall to dealers on June 8 and owners will receive direct communications by July 21.
LG Energy Solution noted that Jaguar is updating the battery–managing software on the vehicles during the recall investigation.
“LG Energy Solution continues to closely work with our client Jaguar Land Rover to ensure that the investigation is concluded,” it said in a statement Thursday.
The recall comes after Ford and BMW also recalled batteries in recent years, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigated a series of Tesla vehicle fires and said the high–voltage lithium–ion batteries pose safety risks to first responders after crashes.
Jaguar‘s recall comes as companies worldwide push for electric vehicles to reduce emissions and fight against climate change.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Jaguar Land Rover said, “The safety and security of our customers is always our highest concern. As part of our commitment to our customers, we are carrying out a voluntary recall concerning 2019–2024 I–Pace vehicles. We have identified a condition that may result in the vehicle stalling or the possibility of an under–hood fire.”
The spokesperson also said, “We are asking customers in affected vehicles to contact their Jaguar retailer and schedule an appointment for the software update.”
