Porsche, Audi recall plug-in EV chargers over outlet fire risk

Porsche and Audi issued recalls for more than 130,000 battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to address two unrelated fire risks. The larger of the two campaigns is actually directed not at the cars themselves, but at the charging cables that were sold with them. This recall covers all vehicles sold with the company's 40-amp, 220/240V "industrial" charging cable designed to fit a NEMA 14-50 outlet. Parent company Volkswagen says Porsche and Audi were made aware of instances where the cable could overheat due to a poor-quality, outdated or defective home electrical setup, potentially leading to a house fire.

VW said the issue was discovered because over time, an overheating wall socket can damage the charging cable itself, leading to increased electrical resistance in the wiring. When those same charging cables are later used at public charging stations, the higher temperatures resulting from the increased resistance can trigger fault codes in the chargers, potentially leaving motorists stranded. The company said a similar fault at home without the redundancies of a public charging station could lead to equipment damage and even fire. Because the recalled units are merely charging cables and not hard-wired boxes, they have only basic safeguards against misuse. The recalled cables will be replaced by new units with more robust thermal overload protection.

If you own an Audi or Porsche with a 220/240V, 40-amp charging cable, VW says the first sign of trouble is excess heat in the cable itself. We're hard-pressed to find any PHEV or BEV models sold by either brand that doesn't appear in this recall; the full list is at the end of the article for reference.

The second recall announced by Porsche this month targets a much smaller population of its electric cars. Just 205 Taycans are being recalled due to the potential for fire caused by battery overcharging. Porsche says the recall population may fluctuate with time as it is targeting vehicles whose diagnostic systems have reported anomalous battery conditions that may indicate the potential for a similar failure. Vehicles produced after June 22, 2023 are outside of the recall population entirely.

Vehicles with battery cables being recalled by manufacturer: