More than 180,000 cars recalled over Samsung battery fire risk
What's the story
More than 180,000 vehicles from three major automotive brands have been recalled over a potential fire risk from Samsung's high-voltage battery packs.
The recall includes models from Ford, Audi, and Stellantis.
It is still not clear how the company plans to solve the issue at this stage. However, all affected vehicles show similar symptoms from the faulty battery packs.
Brand #1
Stellantis vehicles most impacted by recall
The recall mainly affects Stellantis vehicles, with 155,096 units at risk.
The affected cars include the 2020-2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe and the 2022-2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, both of which are plug-in hybrids.
As per the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these vehicles' battery packs may have separator damage which could potentially lead to a fire when combined with other cell interactions within the battery.
Brand #2
A look at the affected Ford cars
The recall also covers select Ford and Audi models. It impacts 2020-2024 Ford Escape and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair. Investigations have found that "the high voltage cell's separator layer between its cathode and anode may be susceptible to damage as a result of cell manufacturing process."
Brand #3
Audi models and potential risks
The recall covers the 2022 Audi A7 and 2022-2023 Q5 cars.
The only known problem with the affected units is that thermal overload could lead to smoke or fire.
While the two issues are different, the first one can potentially lead to the second, making fires almost inevitable and difficult to extinguish in cases of thermal runaway.
Solution
No concrete fix yet for battery fire risk
Samsung has admitted it still doesn't have a concrete solution for the battery fire risk.
However, Ford owners will get a "Stop Safely Now" warning on their dashboard if their car detects an issue.
Sadly, no such warning system exists for Audi and Stellantis owners.
The only possible solution across all brands appears to be a software update that will warn owners if the battery system detects a problem.