Total Complaints
178 filings
POLESTAR POLESTAR 2 · model year
178 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2021POLESTARPOLESTAR 2 carries 178 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2021 POLESTAR 2 is back over prevention: sensing system: camera with 100 filings, followed by unknown or other (13) and visibility/wiper (13). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2021 POLESTAR 2, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
178 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA | 100 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 13 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 13 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING | 9 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 8 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS | 5 |
| SUSPENSION | 4 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING | 4 |
| LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION | 4 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST | 2 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| STEERING | 2 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Polestar 2 vehicles. The Infotainment Head Unit (IHU) software may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Polestar 2 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visi
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM):SOFTWARE
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.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Polestar 2 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. (Polestar) is recalling certain 2021 and 2024 Polestar 2 vehicles. In certain driving scenarios while coasting down a hill and using "One Pedal Drive," the vehicle may lose brake function.
The rear view camera fails repeatedly and the rear window is not large enough to safely reverse.
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
Cameras stopped working when backing out and collision with pole when reversing out
I am reaching out to bring to your attention an urgent issue regarding the backup camera in the 2021 Polestar 2. The backup camera frequently fails to work when the car is put into reverse or, even more concerning, it intermittently cuts out while backing up. Given the limited visibility when relying solely on the rearview and side mirrors, this malfunction poses a significant safety risk. The inability to see small children or obstacles behind the vehicle without the aid of the backup camera is a major concern that needs to be addressed promptly. Polestar has attempted several fixes over several years, none to date have resolved the issue. Neither Polestar or NHTSA have taken this issue seriously.
I am reaching out to bring to your attention an urgent issue regarding the backup camera in the 2021 Polestar 2. The backup camera frequently fails to work when the car is put into reverse or, even more concerning, it intermittently cuts out while backing up. Given the limited visibility when relying solely on the rearview and side mirrors, this malfunction poses a significant safety risk. The inability to see small children or obstacles behind the vehicle without the aid of the backup camera is a major concern that needs to be addressed promptly. Polestar has attempted several fixes over several years, none to date have resolved the issue. Neither Polestar or NHTSA have taken this issue seriously.
I am reaching out to bring to your attention an urgent issue regarding the backup camera in the 2021 Polestar 2. The backup camera frequently fails to work when the car is put into reverse or, even more concerning, it intermittently cuts out while backing up. Given the limited visibility when relying solely on the rearview and side mirrors, this malfunction poses a significant safety risk. The inability to see small children or obstacles behind the vehicle without the aid of the backup camera is a major concern that needs to be addressed promptly. Polestar has attempted several fixes over several years, none to date have resolved the issue. Neither Polestar or NHTSA have taken this issue seriously.
The backup camera fails to activate, freezes up, or turns off while backing up. The rear window of this vehicle and the height of the trunk block visual sight lines making the camera essential. I am a software engineer, it is clear to me that the combination information screen has an underpowered processor and memory. Polestar have attempted software updates which have been ineffective. Other aspects of the system also struggle to load and be responsive as well such as switching modes from bluetooth audio to radio or loading the navigation system. I see that there is a second recall but it appears this is a software based update as well. I doubt that software can fix what is very likely a hardware performance issue.
Intermittently, when shifting into reverse, the rear camera does not work, with error stating that the camera is unavailable. Dealer states there is no fix.
When the car is put into reverse the rear camera activates and then goes dead. There is no image from the camera and an error appears on the screen saying camera is temporarily unavailable. There have been multiple recalls on this issue and the updates have not resolved the issue. My car is on software 3.6.4
Under regen braking the car has very loud ticking in the rear and feels as if the axles are sheering themselves. Looking into the issues with other owners the culprit is the ERAD motor turns to recoup the energy. It looks like this component is used in a wide variety of Volvo based vehicles like this one and other models report the same issue. The worry comes with failure, as this is a braking component, failure while braking would be highly dangerous.
Under regen braking the car has very loud ticking in the rear and feels as if the axles are sheering themselves. Looking into the issues with other owners the culprit is the ERAD motor turns to recoup the energy. It looks like this component is used in a wide variety of Volvo based vehicles like this one and other models report the same issue. The worry comes with failure, as this is a braking component, failure while braking would be highly dangerous.
Under regen braking the car has very loud ticking in the rear and feels as if the axles are sheering themselves. Looking into the issues with other owners the culprit is the ERAD motor turns to recoup the energy. It looks like this component is used in a wide variety of Volvo based vehicles like this one and other models report the same issue. The worry comes with failure, as this is a braking component, failure while braking would be highly dangerous.
Back up camera not available. Again.
The back up camera constantly fails to turn on. It appears to be a known defect of the car. Service centers seem to have no fix for the issue.
The backup camera on my 2021 Polestar 2 has never functioned reliably. It frequently fails to activate when the vehicle is placed in reverse and instead displays an error message. This is a manufacturer defect. Although the vehicle was recalled for this defect and I had the recall repair performed, the issue persists. The repair did not fully resolve the problem, and the backup camera continues to malfunction intermittently. Reduced Rear Visibility: Without a functioning backup camera, drivers lose critical visibility directly behind the vehicle, especially in blind spots not covered by mirrors. Risk to Pedestrians and Children: Backup cameras are designed to prevent accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists, or children who may be behind the vehicle. A malfunctioning system increases the risk of striking someone. Parking and Maneuvering Hazards: In tight spaces, garages, or crowded parking lots, the lack of a reliable rear camera increases the likelihood of collisions with other vehic
ever since I bought the vehicle, I would often get an alert when putting into reverse that the rear reverse camera "Camera is Temporarily Unavailable". I did have the recall linked to this issue executed on the car. While the issue occurs less, it still does occur.
Rear camera constantly âunavailableâ
When making a sharp left turn at full steering lock the car makes clicking noises. Service center states it is CV joint related and several cars with this performance suspension have this problem. It may be a safety hazard should the CV joint fail and it is a known issue.
When making a sharp left turn at full steering lock the car makes clicking noises. Service center states it is CV joint related and several cars with this performance suspension have this problem. It may be a safety hazard should the CV joint fail and it is a known issue.
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.