US safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into Lucid Motor’s windshield defroster recall from this January.
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There were issues in the High Voltage Coolant Heater (HVCH) installed in certain Air models from 2022-2023, resulting in an internal delamination failure meaning vehicles lost defrost capability.
Approximately 2,042 vehicles were affected.
The solution Lucid offered was a software update, which then provided drivers with a notification that their windshield defroster was not working.
In its recall report, Lucid said: “Lack of defrost capability poses a safety risk due to a possibility of obstructed driver vision.”
The NHTSA says this does not go far enough to remediate the problem, citing that drivers will not be aware they have a failed HVCH until they “are operating the vehicle.” Additionally, it would mean a free parts replacement would not take place until after the driver discovers a failure.
The NHTSA noted a similar recall that took place in July 2023, filed by Jaguar Land Rover North America, which affected JLR vehicles equipped with the same HVCH as the Lucid.
These were from the same supplier, German firm Webasto AG.
In this instance, JLR replaced the HVCH in all the affected vehicles.
Lucid’s recall report cites that “any failed HVCH identified as part of this recall will be replaced by a Lucid Service Center at not cost the owner.”
