Polestar 2 (1st)
NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings
Engine Reliability Ratings
E400V6
402 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
Known Issues
Battery & Propulsion Reliability
Battery Electric (BEV)
Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2
That's near the typical rate for BEVs in this dataset (median 5.5 per year). Within the normal range for the category.
What kind of battery complaint?
Among the 10 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.
Regen brake feel, one-pedal driving, B-mode complaints.
Low-voltage battery deaths, common on EVs and hybrids that use a 12V for accessories.
Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.
Charge port, cable, mobile connector, or session failures.
Battery & propulsion recalls (1)
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Polestar 2 vehicles. The Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) microprocessor may reset and cause the high voltage system to disconnect.
Consequence: A disconnected high voltage system can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Sample complaint excerpts
Regenerative Braking
- [2022] The polestar 2 continues to be unsafe. When reversing the rear camera freezes up always, and takes minutes to stop lagging, being very unsafe when backing up onto a busy road out of the driveway. One pedal drive glitches and fails to brake when letting off the foot, another safety concern. TCAM and connection issues, my IPhone 16 constantly drops Bluetooth to the car, and when it drops connectio
- [2022] Polestar release version 3.6.4 update that when applied did not inform us that the one pedal drive was set. The vehicle prior to the update was set to 2 pedal meaning when the gas pedal was let go it would coast and slowly come to a stop. The one pedal immediately was enabled which is a safety as I was not aware and the software did not mention it being activated. It nearly caused me to have a saf
- [2022] After the update that should fix the car, it now has several issues. One Pedal Driving doesn't work. When using One Pedal Driving the car should stop when you release the gas. Now the car continues to roll. It is reporting "Brake Failure" and "Collision Detection Failure". Polestar is saying this is normal after the update and it should fix itself in time. Unacceptable, the car has has issues fo
12V Auxiliary Battery
- [2021] Car was stopped, battery died
- [2022] The polestar 2 continues to be unsafe. When reversing the rear camera freezes up always, and takes minutes to stop lagging, being very unsafe when backing up onto a busy road out of the driveway. One pedal drive glitches and fails to brake when letting off the foot, another safety concern. TCAM and connection issues, my IPhone 16 constantly drops Bluetooth to the car, and when it drops connectio
- [2022] Vehicle becomes nonrespive and becomes disabled. The only way to get vehicle to function is by disconnecting the 12v battery and waiting for the car to reset and then proceed. This happened multiple times and the manufacturer is not taking care of the problem.
Electric Propulsion
- [2022] The contact owns a 2022 Polestar PS2. The contact stated while exiting a parking lot, the vehicle started jerking and decelerated, followed by the turtle mode warning light being illuminated. The contact was able to make it home safely. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing, but the dealer stated that no failure was found. On another occasion, while driving 65 MPH, the collisi
- [2022] We were driving our car with two little kids in it on a rainy day at 60mph and the car screeching braked to 5mph on a highway with a ‘propulsion system failure’ message. The car would knock at 5mph and continue in turtle mode. We could have been killed if there was a car behind us in that rain. When we took the car to polestar service (prestige Volvo) they did a software upgrade in 30 mins and sa
Charging System
- [2022] Error message comes on dash " eCall service required" . I leave the car and come back outside and the all the doors are locked which I did not initiate. Key fob won't open the door. The manual key won't unlock. EV charging cable won't release. What would have happened if there was a child or pet in the back seat? The car unlocked itself after an hour or so. The car is not safe and the softw
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. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.
Battery: Polestar / Volvo CMA Platform Pack (78 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: 8 yr / 100k mi to 70% 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.
Vehicle-Level Issues
These issues affect the Polestar Polestar 2 regardless of engine variant.
Alternatives in Luxury Sedan
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2 problems?
The 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2 has accumulated 565 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Safety Systems, Electrical System, Fuel System. As with any used vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection and vehicle history report are recommended.
Which Polestar Polestar 2 engine is most reliable?
The 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2 was offered with 1 engine option. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the ?L ?-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.
Is the 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2 a good used car?
The 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2 can be a solid used car purchase depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 565 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2 have?
The 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2 has 565 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.
What recalls affect the 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2?
There are 0 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2021-2025 Polestar Polestar 2 vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.
What should I check before buying a used Polestar Polestar 2?
Before buying a used Polestar Polestar 2, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Safety Systems, Electrical System, Fuel System, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.
What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the Polestar 2?
The 2025 Polestar Polestar 2 received an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 5 stars. Side crash: 5 stars. Rollover: 5 stars (8.3% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: Standard. Lane Departure Warning: Standard. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 565 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-04-07.