Audi E-Tron and Porsche Taycan EVs Recalled for Battery Fires

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling ~7000 2023 model Audi E-Tron and Porsche Taycan EVs for battery fires. The high-voltage battery may have an insufficient amount of sealant. “Over time, if a sufficient amount of conductive liquid accumulates in the battery, arcing can occur, which could increase the risk of a thermal eve. (recall euphemism for fires – AutoCrat) Volkswagen said in the required National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall filing documents made public today by NHTSA today “that Insufficiently robust sealant of the high voltage battery can lead to the defect condition, which can allow liquid to accumulate in the battery leading to electrical arcing and fires.”

Battery fires pose a public health threat since they cannot be extinguished with conventional first-responder tools.

Dealers will test the battery for leakage and replace the battery as necessary, free of charge as dictated by US safety regulations. The maker of the potentially defective batteries is DRÄXLMAIER Group in Germany.

Owner notification letters are not expected to be mailed before 31 October 2023. Owners may contact Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 93T7. Owners may contact Porsche’s customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche’s number for this recall is APB2. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Recall Timelines

Audi

• July 2022: Audi became aware of a potential issue involving reduced insulation resistance values which may indicate liquid intrusion into the battery. A detailed engineering investigation into the influencing factors and root cause was started together with the supplier. (DRÄXLMAIER Group)
• In September 2022, the HV battery supplier introduced a Teroson sealant into the battery production process in an effort to increase sealant robustness. Field monitoring continued.
• March 2023 – August 2023: Additional evaluations and testing were initiated based on reports of reduced insulation resistance values in vehicles with the Teroson sealant from non-US markets.
• Audi continued investigating the cause of the liquid intrusion and concluded that an improved and further enhanced Teroson sealant should be added to the HV battery. The enhanced Teroson sealant was implemented in May 2023 in the production process of the supplier.
• August 25, 2023: The results of the ongoing analysis were presented to the Audi Product Safety Committee. It was determined that there have been no reports of potential liquid intrusion in vehicles with the enhanced Teroson sealant that was implemented in May 2023. However, for the population built with the original Teroson sealant introduced by the supplier in September 2022 it cannot be ruled out that further cases of reduced insulation resistance values may occur in the field.
• Out of an abundance of caution the Audi Product Safety Committee decided a worldwide recall, based on the evaluation that, over time, if a sufficient amount of conductive liquid accumulates in the battery, arcing can occur which could increase the risk of a thermal event. Audi is not aware of any field reports in the US for HV batteries with the original Teroson sealant.

Porsche

• Beginning in 2022 Porsche became aware of a limited number of non-US field cases involving reduced insulation resistance values, some of which indicated liquid intrusion into the battery. None of these incidents resulted in a fire or thermal event of Porsche vehicles. In September 2022 a Teroson sealant was incorporated into the battery production process for Taycan vehicles in an effort to increase battery sealing robustness. In March 2023 Porsche began receiving reports of reduced insulation resistance values in vehicles with the Teroson sealant outside of the US, and in April 2023 one incident in the US was reported.
• Porsche continued investigating the cause of the liquid intrusion and concluded that a further enhanced Teroson sealant should be added to the battery. The enhanced Teroson sealant was added in May 2023 in the production process of the supplier. There have been no reports of liquid intrusion in vehicles with the enhanced Teroson sealant added.
• Porsche continued to receive reports of reduced insulation resistance values in vehicles with the original Teroson sealant.
• In July and August 2023 two additional U.S. incidents were reported. These incidents were reported when reduced insulation resistance values lead to warning messages displayed in the vehicle causing vehicle owners to bring their vehicles to workshops for repair, at which time liquid in the battery was detected. None of these incidents involved a fire or thermal event. On August 25, 2023, in an abundance of caution Porsche has determined to conduct a recall of these vehicles with the original Teroson sealant.