Polestar POLESTAR 3 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
78 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
745 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2025 to 2025 model years. Data snapshot: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 49 of 78 complaints (62.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 12 | 15.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 14.1% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 7.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 2.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 49 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 10 |
| Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 7 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 6 |
| Power Train | 6 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 5 |
| Service Brakes | 4 |
Electrical System: 49; Fuel/Propulsion System: 10; Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera: 7; Unknown Or Other: 7; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 6; Power Train: 6; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 5; Service Brakes: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 77 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 |
| 2026 | 19 |
2025: 59; 2026: 19
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11637492 · 2025-01-21 (January 21, 2025)
There are several issues with this vehicles, but here are the two most glaring safety issues: 1.) Emergency Braking System - on two occasions this was activated with no actual emergency. The first was simply turning left at an intersection. I was ~10ft away from the car in front of me and keeping the same speed or less than that car. The emergency braking was activated and the vehicle came to an almost full stop. The vehicle behind me nearly hit me. There was no reason for this to be activated and nearly caused an accident rather than prevente…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11637492 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11640090 · 2025-02-01 (February 1, 2025)
On a curvy, 2-lane road, moderate traffic both ways, my vehicle performed unnecessary emergency braking for on oncoming vehicle while negotiating an “S” curve. There was no vehicle in my lane in front of me, the oncoming vehicle was squarely in its lane, I was in my lane, both of us had several cars following behind. But we had both just passed the apex of our respective curves and were approaching each other in the “middle” of the “S”. All warning lights flashed, my car applied emergency braking, and vehicle behind me took evasive action to th…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11640090 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11664905 · 2025-06-04 (June 4, 2025)
After being away for a couple days the car has been completely unresponsive. I can not access the car and doors will not open. The car had to be towed and seems to be an issue with electrical powertrain such as 12V battery that is dying for some reason. This should not be the case as car was driven before hand and should have recharged the 12V battery. This is very concerning as this can leave you trapped and have to access to the car while traveling. Please investigate as I've seen many issues with this car.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11664905 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11670008 · 2025-06-28 (June 28, 2025)
The vehicle loses 2-3% battery a day, while parked. I've communicated with several Polestars reps, from service technicians, corporate support, etc. and no one can offer a fix. Since leasing the vehicle I've estimated I've lost the equivalent of 540% of battery over six months while the vehicle was parked.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11670008 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11640083 · 2025-02-01 (February 1, 2025)
Lane Keeping and Lane Departure: Lane Departure warnings cannot be disabled, but steering interventions also cannot be disabled, contrary to manual’s instructions and control panel button. With feature turned “off”, vehicle still intervenes and self-steers. Car has steered back toward potholes and bicyclists that I was trying to avoid. I could have destroyed a wheel in the 1st case or killed somebody in the second case.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11640083 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11649147 · 2025-03-18 (March 18, 2025)
Changing the gear to Drive while car is already in Drive is the normal way to put the car on cruise control at highway speeds. This should not be permitted when car is under a certain speed. However, it appears you can turn on cruise control when the car is at 0 mph. When car is already in Drive and at a stop (0 mph), shifting gear changer into drive again, and letting foot off brake and lightly tapping the gas pedals causes car to suddenly lurch forward in a highly disproportional manner to any light pressure applied to the gas pedal. Car …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11649147 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11658534 · 2025-05-02 (May 2, 2025)
There is a documented bug with Polestar. If you shift the car into reverse, the rear camera comes on (point back, like it should). If you shift out of reverse, and back into reverse, the camera defaults to an overhead view. With this view it is very difficult to see what is behind you. This happens 100% of the time...it is not a "sometimes happens" bug.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11658534 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 |
2025: 6
Year-by-year records
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Change in recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78 | 6 | Not available |