Ocean (1st)
Verdict Treat a used Ocean as a project car with no working warranty, and buy one only with an independent EV specialist nearby. For a daily driver, choose a used Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E or Equinox EV instead.
Reliability Score
Complaints by Engine Code
Every complaint of any kind (brakes, airbags, electrical and the rest) whose VIN names the engine, across all model years. The score above counts only engine, transmission and drivetrain complaints, so its figures for the same engine are smaller. Fire, injury and death figures count complaints that report one.
Fisker Ocean Unidentified Engine
View details
Complaint Breakdown
Reliability Overview
The Fisker Ocean is a 2023-2024 electric crossover built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria for Fisker Inc., the second EV company founded by designer Henrik Fisker. Fisker Inc. filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 17, 2024, after delivering roughly 7,500 Oceans to US customers. American Lease, a New York City-based leasing operator, acquired the unsold inventory and limited service rights from the bankruptcy estate that November. Customers who took retail delivery before the filing now own Oceans backed by a company that no longer operates as a going concern.
The Ocean carries 884 NHTSA complaints, all of them filed against the 2023 model year, 12 crashes, 3 fires, 6 complaints reporting an injury, and six federal recalls. Four of those six recalls involve loss of drive power, reduced braking, or roll-away conditions: a motor control unit software fault that drops the vehicle into safe-state mode (NHTSA 24V-404), a cabin water pump communication failure that puts the high-voltage battery into limp mode (24V-499), a regenerative-braking software error (24V-623), and a transmission shift-position failure (24V-865). Two more cover instrument cluster warning-light coding (24V-405) and exterior door handles that can stick in the closed position (24V-466). Every recall was issued in calendar 2024, most of them after the bankruptcy filing.
For current owners, the practical question is whether the Ocean can be kept running, not whether it was a good car at launch. Recall remedies depend on functional service infrastructure and parts supply, and both shrank sharply after the bankruptcy. American Lease is operating ex-fleet Oceans through a service portal but availability for retail-owned vehicles is uneven across the country. Software OTA updates from Fisker's original servers stopped flowing reliably after the company ceased operations. The Fisker Owners Association has organized owner-led parts pools and software preservation efforts. Magna Steyr in Austria built the vehicle and supplied many components, which gives some technical hope for longer-term support, but no formal commitment has been announced.
The Ocean data on this page captures what NHTSA recorded through Fisker Inc.'s brief operating life. The complaint count should be read in that context: the Ocean was a first-year production EV from a financially distressed startup, and the complaint volume reflects both real defects and the chaotic delivery experience. Anyone considering a used Ocean should treat it as a vehicle without effective warranty support, verify every open recall before signing (using the NHTSA VIN lookup at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov), and budget for repairs that may require independent EV specialists rather than a brand service network. Magnuson-Moss federal warranty protection exists in theory; practical recourse against a liquidated entity is limited.
Battery & Propulsion Reliability
Battery Electric (BEV)
Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean
About 2,378 battery-related complaints per 100,000 electric vehicles built. The median across 56 electric vehicle generations in this database is 69. Newer models have had less time on the road to draw complaints.
What kind of battery complaint?
What the 178 battery-related complaints describe. One complaint can name more than one of these, so the shares add up to more than 100%. They describe what owners complained about, not how often the vehicle fails.
Regen brake feel, one-pedal driving, B-mode complaints.
Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.
Low-voltage battery deaths, common on EVs and hybrids that use a 12V for accessories.
Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.
Charge port, cable, mobile connector, or session failures.
Battery & propulsion recalls (2)
Fisker Group Inc (Fisker) is recalling all 2023 Ocean vehicles. The Motor Control Unit (MCU) and Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) software may cause the vehicle to enter a safe state protection mode unexpectedly, causing a loss of drive power.
Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fisker Group Inc (Fisker) is recalling all 2023-2024 Ocean vehicles. A communication failure with the cabin electric water pump can cause the high voltage battery management system (BMS) to enter limp mode, causing a loss of drive power.
Consequence: A sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Sample complaint excerpts
Regenerative Braking
- [2023] Several Fisker Ocean recalls have been issued including 24V865000 (Regen Braking OTA-2.2) and 24V499000 (Water pump). On the first recall, I was not provided the 2.2 software as the recall provided - on or about Feb 19th I received a partial update to software version 2.2.2. Since that time, I have been waiting for the full 2.2 recall, but that is not longer possible as the recall administrator c
- [2023] 24V865000 (Roll away OTA-2.0) 24V865000 (Regen Braking OTA-2.2) 24V499000 (Water pump) 24V466000 (Door Handles) 24V405000 (Warning Lights OTA-2.1) 24V404000 (MCU/VCU Loss of Power OTA-2.1)
- [2023] Recall campaign # 24V865000 (Roll away OTA- 2.0) OTA updated on 7/1/2024 after the the updated the V12 battery was dead and our car was bricked for 6 months and it cost us $1,400 to unbrick and part replacement and our Fisker technician told us our car has drive unit software discrepancies therefore it can't take any software update until it fix On 2/26/2025 American Lease Company pushing over OT
Electric Propulsion
- [2023] Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding a critical safety failure of my Fisker Ocean One. This incident involved a sudden and total loss of power while driving, which created a severe safety hazard for myself and other motorists. Date of Incident: [Date the incident occurred] Location of Incident: [Name of Highway, City, State, e.g., Interstate 35, Austin, TX] Detai
- [2023] Vehicle recall 24V499000 was a sudden loss of power due to a faulty water pump. Fisker or its assigned agent in the bankruptcy proceeding was supposed to replace the water pump including labor and part, free of charge to each owner affected. I had the water pump replaced through a Fisker authorized recall location, privately owned, and was not charged for the part. However, I was charged $228 f
- [2023] There was a formal recall on waterpumps for Fisker. I have had the waterpump replaced, but Fisker owners were due a $75 refund on the cost of the pump (Not the labor). I have not received said refund. The old pump is no longer available, but I can produce a receipt to show that the work was done by a recognized Fisker servicer. Had I not gone forward, the risk was that the electric motor would s
12V Auxiliary Battery
- [2023] FORMAL DEFECT AND SAFETY HAZARD COMPLAINT TO: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Washington, DC 20590 DATE: May 17, 2026 SUBJECT: Urgent Request for Recall Investigation: Systemic Cloud-Dependency, Hypervisor Power Management Failures, QNX Boot-Looping/Blackouts, Unix Epoch Clock Drifting, High
- [2023] The contact owns a 2023 Fisker Ocean. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V499000 (Electrical System) and 24V466000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that after the manufacturer went bankrupt, the court ordered the Trustee of the manufacturer, Indigo, to complete the recall repairs; however, Indigo was co
- [2023] An over the air software update was sent and has messed up my car causing it to not sleep, run high voltage and 12v battery down. I have lost 4g connectivity after this update as well.
High-Voltage Battery
- [2023] I have 2 complaints. 1. Driving the car into the sunrise or sunset, the car generates ADAS alerts stating imminent accident, and to stop. Stopping in the heavy traffic, as the warnings told us is a safety hazard! This happened twice when driving on [XXX] in Costa Mesa, CA at [XXX] in February and March 2025. At that time, we are basically driving into the bright sunlight. Traffic was heavy with l
- [2023] I was scheduled for the 2.2 update (to fix various recalls) on 11/11/24, with a healthy 12V battery, connected to a tender. I left the car alone for 3 days, to be sure that there was plenty of time for the update to be pushed. When I went to drive the car on [XXX], the car would not drive. It showed to be in "N" (neutral), would not shift to park or drive, every warning light possible was lit o
- [2023] My 2023 Fisker Ocean One (VIN [XXX] ) was in the first cohort of cars to receive the Ocean OS 2.2 update during the 24 hour period starting on [XXX]. The update seemed to have completed successfully, but six days afterwards on [XXX], I stopped for lunch after driving a few errands that morning, and afterwards I came out to my car, opened it, then stepped on the brake pedal to start up the car -- u
Charging System
- [2023] My fisker has multiple issues. I am unable to get in my car, unable to unlock, unable to get to charge port to charge. I am unable to drive Fisker was to send vent replacement parts that were ordered for my car to fix ac vents , but did not send them before bankruptcy. I was unable to use my ac in the car in texas There is a water pump recall, but have been unable to locate someone to order part
- [2023] My car pushed required recall updates without any indication that it was coming and the next day or two the battery died and car is now showing a red light at charging port and is stuck in neutral. I only received 1/3 updates so I don’t know if that was also the issue. It was executed poorly and bricked my car. I have no idea how to unbrick it to life.
- [2023] I am still waiting on full OTA 2.2. I have been on 2.2.1 for weeks now with no communication as to when, or if, I will ever receive the mandated update. I drive my Fisker every day and experience the failed breaking when trying to stop on rough terrain, bumps, or holes in the road. This was supposed to be addressed in recall 24V865000. I am still waiting for replacement of my water pump from re
Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. The rate divides those complaints by the electrified versions built, from the production counts makers report to NHTSA, and it is not adjusted for age. Death and injury figures count complaints that report one, not the number an owner typed in.
Battery: Fisker Ocean Hyper Range pack (113 kWh)
Pack overview
Known issues
How this pack ages (industry context)
Industry fleet aggregates: 2.3% average annual capacity loss across 22,700 EVs / 21 models (Geotab, 2026), and 95% range retention at 5 years on average across 30,000+ vehicles (Recurrent, 2026).
OEM warranty floor on this pack: 10 yr / 100k mi to 75% capacity.
Public per-pack degradation curves are not available for most models. Individual results vary materially with climate, charging behavior, and DC fast-charge frequency.
Battery: Fisker Ocean Sport pack (LFP, about 75 kWh)
Pack overview
Known issues
How this pack ages (industry context)
Industry fleet aggregates: 2.3% average annual capacity loss across 22,700 EVs / 21 models (Geotab, 2026), and 95% range retention at 5 years on average across 30,000+ vehicles (Recurrent, 2026).
OEM warranty floor: terms not confirmed for this pack. The US-market EV baseline is 8 yr / 100,000 mi to a 70% capacity floor, but that should not be assumed here.
Public per-pack degradation curves are not available for most models. Individual results vary materially with climate, charging behavior, and DC fast-charge frequency.
Owner Complaints by System
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Fisker Ocean, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.
Buyer's Guide
Who the used Ocean still works for. Used 2023-2024 Ocean values have fallen to roughly a third of the original $40,000 to $70,000 MSRP range, which puts a 250-plus-mile crossover in territory occupied by base Chevrolet Equinox EV and entry Hyundai Kona Electric. For a price-sensitive buyer willing to accept no factory warranty, treat the vehicle as a project car, and live within reach of an independent EV specialist or American Lease service touchpoint, the math can work. Single-driver households using the Ocean for short commuting and city use will avoid the highway-charging scenarios most likely to surface software faults.
Who it does not fit. The Ocean does not work for buyers who need warranty backstop on a major-systems failure, depend on dealer-network service availability, or live more than reasonable driving distance from an independent EV specialist. Major pack work, motor-control unit replacements, and software calibration depend on tooling and codes that were never widely distributed outside Fisker's own service network. Anyone needing the vehicle to be a daily-driver replacement for a current car should look at a comparably priced used Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E, or Equinox EV instead. The six federal recalls are not theoretical; four of them describe failure modes with direct safety consequences (loss of drive power, reduced regenerative braking, roll-away).
Inspection priorities before buying any Fisker Ocean. Verify every open recall via the NHTSA VIN lookup at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov before signing, with particular attention to campaigns 24V-404 (drive-power loss), 24V-499 (BMS limp mode), 24V-623 (regen-brake reduction), and 24V-865 (transmission roll-away). Confirm the current software version and the date of the last successful OTA update with the seller. Verify the door-handle recall (24V-466) has been completed by physically operating all four exterior handles in cold conditions. Inspect the high-voltage battery for any pack-warning indicators in the instrument cluster. Current-owner priorities. Complete any outstanding recalls while service capacity remains available, document the current software build for your records, join the Fisker Owners Association for parts-pool access, and identify an independent EV specialist in your region before a failure forces one. Treat the warranty as expired in practice, regardless of the original odometer date.
What to check on a used 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean
On a used 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean, the systems with the most NHTSA owner complaints are the electrical system (380), the brakes (323) and the airbags and driver-assist systems (284). Each one has an inspection step below, with counts as of 2026-10-08. A complaint is an owner report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
- Switch on every electrical item in turn: lights, windows, locks, wipers, climate fan, screen and power outlets.Costly repair. NHTSA has 380 owner complaints on the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean about the electrical system.
- On an empty road, brake firmly from 40 mph with a light grip on the wheel.Safety. NHTSA has 323 owner complaints on the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean about the brakes.
- Switch the ignition on and watch the airbag light. On the drive, check the backup camera and any collision or lane warning.Safety. NHTSA has 284 owner complaints on the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean about the airbags and driver-assist systems.
- Shift between Drive, Reverse and Park several times, then make slow, tight turns in both directions.Costly repair. NHTSA has 91 owner complaints on the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean about the drivetrain, which NHTSA files under its power train category.
- Lift off the accelerator at 40 mph in the strongest regeneration setting, then brake to a stop.Safety. NHTSA has 88 owner complaints on the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean about regenerative braking.
- Open and close every door, the hood and the trunk or hatch. Check the latches, the seals and the gaps between panels.Minor. NHTSA has 65 owner complaints on the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean about the body and structure.
Recalls (6)
Fisker Group Inc (Fisker) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Ocean vehicles. The transmission may not shift into the selected gear, allowing the vehicle to roll away while in Drive or Reverse.
Fisker Group Inc (Fisker) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Ocean vehicles. The brake module software may cause an unexpected reduction in regenerative braking, decreasing the braking performance.
Fisker Group Inc (Fisker) is recalling all 2023-2024 Ocean vehicles. A communication failure with the cabin electric water pump can cause the high voltage battery management system (BMS) to enter limp mode, causing a loss of drive power.
Fisker Group Inc (Fisker) is recalling all 2023-2024 Ocean vehicles. The exterior door handles can stick and fail to open.
Fisker Group Inc (Fisker) is recalling all 2023 Ocean vehicles. The instrument panel displays the incorrect font size of the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights, and displays certain warning lights in amber instead of red. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems" and 101, "Controls and Displays." Additionally, multiple warning lights fail to illuminate during the ignition cycle bulb check, failing to comply with the requirements of FMVSS 138 and 208.
Show 1 older recall
Fisker Group Inc (Fisker) is recalling all 2023 Ocean vehicles. The Motor Control Unit (MCU) and Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) software may cause the vehicle to enter a safe state protection mode unexpectedly, causing a loss of drive power.
Alternatives in Compact SUV
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean complaints?
Owners have filed 884 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean. The systems they name most often are the electrical system, the brakes and the safety systems.
Is the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean a good used car?
That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 884 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean have?
NHTSA has 884 owner complaints on file for the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
What recalls affect the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean?
NHTSA lists 6 recalls covering some 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.
What should I check before buying a used Fisker Ocean?
Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the electrical system, the brakes and the safety systems, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.
Does the Ocean have NHTSA crash test ratings?
NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2023-2024 Fisker Ocean. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 884 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-10-18.