2021 Polestar POLESTAR 2
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2021 Polestar POLESTAR 2 has 191 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is driver assist/cameras problems (71% of all complaints), specifically: the backup camera system frequently malfunctions when in use. the image may flicker black, freeze, or delay longer than 2 seconds after switching to reverse. on some occasions the camera shows as completely unavailable. it happens nearly every day, nearly every drive. as a federally mandated safety .
191
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
2.4x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS
136 complaints- • The backup camera system frequently malfunctions when in use. The image may flicker black, freeze, or delay longer than 2 seconds after switching to reverse. On some occasions the camera shows as completely unavailable. It happens nearly every day, nearly every drive. As a federally mandated safety
- • The backup camera system frequently malfunctions when in use. The image may flicker black, freeze, or delay longer than 2 seconds after switching to reverse. On some occasions the camera shows as completely unavailable. It happens nearly every day, nearly every drive. As a federally mandated safety
- • The rear/backup camera is unstable when in reverse, backing up. The camera cuts in and out repeatedly as the car moves and sometimes switches back and forth to the 360 view over and over. It can stay black for almost 2 seconds at a time!
“The backup camera system frequently malfunctions when in use. The image may flicker black, freeze, or delay longer than 2 seconds after switching to reverse. On some occasions the camera shows as completely unavailable. It happens nearly every day, nearly every drive. As a federally mandated safety ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
13 complaints- • The backup camera system frequently malfunctions when in use. The image may flicker black, freeze, or delay longer than 2 seconds after switching to reverse. On some occasions the camera shows as completely unavailable. It happens nearly every day, nearly every drive. As a federally mandated safety
- • The rear/backup camera is unstable when in reverse, backing up. The camera cuts in and out repeatedly as the car moves and sometimes switches back and forth to the 360 view over and over. It can stay black for almost 2 seconds at a time!
- • When first getting started for the day and backing up the backup camera cuts in and out while backing up in an unsafe manner. This is repeatable almost every time I back out of the garage.
“The backup camera system frequently malfunctions when in use. The image may flicker black, freeze, or delay longer than 2 seconds after switching to reverse. On some occasions the camera shows as completely unavailable. It happens nearly every day, nearly every drive. As a federally mandated safety ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
VISIBILITY
13 complaints- • Camera constantly lags and glitches in and out when reversing, emergency brakes will activate without warning or any reason to do so.
- • Since the latest software update, the rear camera feed flickers unpredictably, blocking the rear view. As I understand it these systems are mandated for all cars on US roads and to be more functionally operational than this. I have two of the same model car and this problem started with both with th
- • Since the latest software update, the rear camera feed flickers unpredictably, blocking the rear view. As I understand it these systems are mandated for all cars on US roads and to be more functionally operational than this. I have two of the same model car and this problem started with both with th
“Camera constantly lags and glitches in and out when reversing, emergency brakes will activate without warning or any reason to do so.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
9 complaints- • This car will periodically lose all interior audio function. This includes safety alerts like parking, forward collision, rear collision, cross traffic, and any other alert you can think of including the sound the turn signal makes. Bluetooth audio and radio also unavailable. This is a commonly docu
- • There was a recall due to the rearview camera not coming on when the car is put in reverse. My car was at the shop 3 times for this issue to be fixed and they are unable to fix it. Now the site says there are no recalls on my car. How do I get this fixed? They should be fined for letting this go for
- • Polestar has issued several software updates over the past year that have resulted in serious safety issues: A previous software recall for issues with the vehicle's backup camera has not fixed the issue. About 50% of the time, the vehicles backup camera flashes, freezes, and then fails while rever
“This car will periodically lose all interior audio function. This includes safety alerts like parking, forward collision, rear collision, cross traffic, and any other alert you can think of including the sound the turn signal makes. Bluetooth audio and radio also unavailable. This is a commonly docu”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SUSPENSION
4 complaints- • While turning at moderate speed into a parking lot across traffic, a rear passenger side suspension component (potentially lower control arm) failed, causing excessive toe and camber on both sides of the rear axle as the components shifted around. At this point, the car stopped driving straight, and
- • There is a TBS out for a strut mount bearing replacement that causes clunking/rattling of the front suspension while driving on slight rougher roads or while turning left or right. However, this TSB does not solve the issue. Polestar claims they have an updated component/strut mount bearing that s
- • 1 - The rear axles have failed. 2- A rear axle failure while driving presents extreme safety hazards, including sudden loss of vehicle control and stability, potential wheel separation, and abrupt loss of drive power, greatly increasing the risk of a severe accident 3 - Polestar has created a repo
“While turning at moderate speed into a parking lot across traffic, a rear passenger side suspension component (potentially lower control arm) failed, causing excessive toe and camber on both sides of the rear axle as the components shifted around. At this point, the car stopped driving straight, and”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 191 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: The backup camera system frequently malfunctions when in use. The image may flicker black, freeze, or delay longer than 2 seconds after switching to reverse. On some occasions the camera shows as completely unavailable. It happens nearly every day, nearly every drive. As a federally mandated safety
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: The backup camera system frequently malfunctions when in use. The image may flicker black, freeze, or delay longer than 2 seconds after switching to reverse. On some occasions the camera shows as completely unavailable. It happens nearly every day, nearly every drive. As a federally mandated safety
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐VISIBILITY: Camera constantly lags and glitches in and out when reversing, emergency brakes will activate without warning or any reason to do so.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: This car will periodically lose all interior audio function. This includes safety alerts like parking, forward collision, rear collision, cross traffic, and any other alert you can think of including the sound the turn signal makes. Bluetooth audio and radio also unavailable. This is a commonly docu
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Polestar POLESTAR 2 — Year Comparison
How does 2021 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 191
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 6
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2021 Polestar POLESTAR 2