Hybrid car battery packs are not something that car brands seem to be having much success with. Now Volvo is recalling 73,000 cars worldwide.
73,000 Volvo hybrid cars are flammable. That is why they have now been recalled. Owners have also been told not to charge the cars.
There is a risk that a short circuit could start a fire in the battery packs. It is in the S60, V60, S90, V90, XC60 and XC90 models that Volvo has identified the possible short circuit.
A short circuit that can create a so-called thermal runaway, and thus a fire. Specifically, a thermal runaway is a very rapid increase in temperature that just continues until something eventually catches fire.
In Volvo's case, it's battery packs in hybrid cars. The defect poses a serious fire risk, especially if the fire occurs at night when the cars are being charged in a garage.
This is what Carscoops writes.
In the US, it is the authorities who have ordered Volvo to recall the cars. But it is not only American Volvo owners who are at risk.
In Sweden alone, Volvo Cars can say that they are recalling just over 8,000 cars. In a very brief response to Boosted, Volvo Cars in Denmark stated that 641 cars are being recalled in Denmark.
Several of the cars are built at Volvo's factory in Torslanda, Gothenburg. And it is here that a so-called deviation has been found in the battery packs, which come from LG.
Overall, battery packs from LG have not been something that car brands have been able to get away with well. In the US, Jaguar has had to buy back more than 3,000 electric cars with problematic battery packs from LG.
And even though the cars should technically be the same, the Jaguar importer in Denmark denies that there are problems with the Danish cars. In any case, they believe that they can keep the fire hazard in the battery packs at bay with a software update.
Back at Volvo, the fault was discovered after two burned-out cars were reported, but without any injuries.
A year ago, an XC60, a model now among the recalled cars, burned to the ground in a garage in Colorado . The car simply exploded.
However, it has not been confirmed whether that particular XC60 had the same problem that is now causing Volvo to recall the 73,000 cars.
– Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles as the recall has fixed the issue. Dealers will inspect and replace the high voltage battery module if necessary.
– In addition, dealers will update the software to monitor the battery. All repairs will be carried out free of charge. Owners will be notified of the recall, which we expect to be able to send out from May 15, 2025, Volvo writes in its US recall.
Audi has also had problems with battery packs from LG. Electric car owners were told not to charge more than 80 percent of their capacity, while people in hybrid cars were not allowed to charge at all.
Boosted heard from several Audi owners who were surprised that Audi took so long to recall the cars. However, it later emerged that Audi could not say anything about a time frame because a solution was not in place.
However, some Audi owners have said that Audi in Denmark has given them a date for when they should come to a workshop so that the cars can be checked.
