Greater than 100 electrical automobiles have been urgently recalled in Australia on account of a severe battery fault that might “result in a car fireplace”.
The federal transport division issued the pressing recall for 123 Audi e-Tron automobiles on Friday in what’s the second main recall for Audi electrical automobiles this 12 months.
Nevertheless, the federal government additionally warned that software program to deal with the fault was nonetheless being developed and car house owners might have to attend months for a repair.
The newest Audi recall was issued for its e-Tron 55 and 55 Sportback SUVs manufactured between 2018 and 2022, with considerations its battery might catch fireplace.
“Resulting from a producing defect, the high-voltage battery might expertise a thermal overload if charged over 80 per cent capability,” the recall stated.
“If this happens, the battery might overheat and result in a car fireplace.”
Automobile house owners are suggested to schedule an appointment with Audi to have their car’s battery inspected, and to “briefly restrict the charging goal to 80 per cent capability”.
The recall famous that Audi had but to develop a software program repair for the battery defect, and house owners might need to return their car “each 4 months” for inspection till one is obtainable.
An Audi spokeswoman advised AAP affected car house owners could be contacted by the corporate to organise an inspection and potential {hardware} restore.
“The recall requires the high-voltage battery information to be checked and in some instances it might be mandatory to interchange battery modules,” she stated.
“Remoted instances of the difficulty have been reported by clients in different nations and no instances have been reported throughout the Australian market.”
The fault is the second main security challenge recognized in Audi’s electrical automobiles this 12 months in Australia, with the producer recalling 222 Audi e-Tron GT automobiles in January on account of an issue with the sealing round their batteries.
Regardless of considerations about electrical car security, Australia has recorded solely six electrical automotive fires since 2010, in keeping with EV FireSafe, together with one case of arson, two collisions, and three that have been parked close to a blaze.
EV FireSafe chief govt Emma Sutcliffe stated electrical automotive house owners ought to take care to notice all security recollects, nonetheless, and take motion if their electrical automotive was broken.
“If I’ve been in a collision, if my car has been submerged in floodwaters, if my car is on recall for battery fireplace threat or if the automotive has been uncovered to a bushfire, we all know there’s a better threat there,” she stated.
“Don’t take it someplace in an enclosed house or begin driving it.”
AAP