— Porsche Taycan battery recalls have allegedly failed to properly repair the vehicles at risk of fires.
A class action lawsuit alleges the Porsche Taycan electric vehicles are dangerous because of defects in the 800-volt lithium-ion batteries.
The Porsche class action lawsuit includes the 2020-2024 Porsche Taycan, Taycan 4S, Taycan Turbo S, Taycan 4 Cross Turismo, Taycan 4S Cross Turismo, Taycan S Cross Turismo, Taycan GTS, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo, Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo and Porsche Taycan Turbo.
The class action was filed by Pennsylvania plaintiff Miodrag Kukrika who purchased a new 2020 Taycan 4S in June 2020 for about $120,000.
Porsche Taycan battery fire recalls have been issued (here, here and here), but the class action alleges the recalls have failed. Porsche says the “high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery modules.” In addition, the “short circuit in the battery increases the risk of a fire.”
Porsche had warned Taycan owners to only charge their vehicles to 80% maximum battery capacity until the vehicles were repaired. This means the vehicles won't receive the advertised ranges and owners will need to charge the batteries more often.
But the lawsuit says Porsche didn't agree to replace all the high voltage batteries.
In some cases, the Porsche Taycan battery recalls said dealers might replace the batteries, but the primary repair involves a software update that will allow Porsche to monitor data from the recalled Taycans for anomalies in the batteries.
Taycan owners who do not have the software update receive no warnings if the battery modules experience a short circuit.
"Porsche has been aware of the Battery Defect for more than four years, at least since news outlets reported in February 2020 that a Porsche Taycan parked in a residential garage in Florida caught fire, resulting in significant damage to the home and a complete loss of the car. Porsche investigated the incident and since then, has learned about several other fires and about numerous owner complaints about the Battery Defect." — Porsche Taycan battery fire lawsuit
The plaintiff contends Taycan customers have overpaid for their vehicles and the Taycans allegedly have diminished values.
The plaintiff wants Porsche to "adequately repair or replace the batteries" in all the Taycans and/or buyback all the Taycans from customers. And the plaintiff says Porsche should also "fully reimburse and make whole all members of the Class for all costs and economic losses."
The Porsche Taycan battery fire class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta Division): Miodrag Kukrika v. Porsche Cars N.A., Inc.
The plaintiff is represented by Caplan Cobb LLC, and Gibbs Law Group LLP.
