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8 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles recalled in 2025 and 2026 for battery fire risk

Federal regulators have opened a wave of recalls covering electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles whose battery packs can overheat, short-circuit or lose power without warning. The campaigns span mainstream and luxury brands alike, from compact crossovers to off-road SUVs, and trace back to defects inside the high-voltage battery itself. Here are eight EVs and plug-in hybrids currently under recall for battery fire risk.

1. Hyundai Ioniq 5: A Bus Bar Left Loose

Hyundai Ioniq 5 — Image Credit: Hyundai_Ioniq_5_Robotaxi at IAA 2021/
Image Credit: Hyundai_Ioniq_5_Robotaxi at IAA 2021/

Hyundai issued two separate recalls for the Ioniq 5, one in July 2025 and a second in February 2026, after engineers traced repeated fires to a loose battery bus bar inside the traction pack. Investigators found the connector was never tightened to specification on the assembly line, letting it work loose and arc against nearby components.

The first campaign was urgent enough that Hyundai told owners to park the SUV outdoors, away from structures, until a dealer could inspect and repair it. The second recall widened the fix after the same defect turned up on additional Ioniq 5 units built months after the initial repair window closed.

2. Kia EV6: Misaligned Battery Cells

Kia EV6 — Image Credit: Damian B Oh - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Damian B Oh – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

A July 2026 recall pulled in Kia EV6 models after the automaker found misaligned battery cell electrodes inside the high-voltage pack. The misalignment can create an internal short circuit that triggers a fire whether the EV6 is parked in a driveway or being driven on the highway.

Unlike a defect that only strikes while charging or sitting idle, this one carries risk during ordinary driving, which is why Kia is prioritizing inspections over routine software updates. Owners are advised to schedule the battery check promptly rather than wait for their next scheduled service visit.

3. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe: Fire Risk Parked Or Driving

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe — Image Credit: Alexander-93 - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Alexander-93 – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

NHTSA logged campaign 25V741000 for the plug-in hybrid Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe after a report received October 30, 2025 flagged the fifth-generation WL model’s high-voltage battery for a risk of internal failure. The agency’s own summary says the battery may fail internally and lead to a vehicle fire whether the SUV is parked or being driven.

Because the failure mode isn’t tied to charging or any single trigger, the risk applies to the 4xe’s battery at any time, not just under load. NHTSA’s consequence statement is blunt: a vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury, the same wording the agency used for the fire recalls elsewhere on this list.

4. Volkswagen ID.4: A Pack That Runs Hot

Volkswagen ID.4 — Image Credit: Dennis Elzinga - CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Dennis Elzinga – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons

Volkswagen recalled roughly three model years of the ID.4 in January 2026, covering 2023 through 2025 vehicles, after finding the high-voltage battery pack itself can overheat under normal use. The pack sits beneath the cabin floor, so excess heat can build before a driver notices anything is wrong.

Because the defect is in the pack itself rather than a single loose part, the fix requires deeper diagnostic checks than a simple bolt or connector swap. Owners are urged to schedule service as soon as Volkswagen’s notice arrives instead of waiting out the recall window.

5. Cadillac Lyriq: A Stabilizer Bar Gone Rogue

Cadillac Lyriq — Image Credit: Damian B Oh - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Damian B Oh – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

Cadillac recalled the Lyriq in October 2025 after finding its front stabilizer bar can detach from its mounting bracket while the SUV is being driven. A bar that comes loose can whip into the high-voltage cables or the battery coolant lines running along the underside of the vehicle.

That kind of damage can force the Lyriq into an abrupt shutdown, cutting power steering and propulsion at the same moment the suspension is already compromised. Cadillac dealers are inspecting the stabilizer bar mounts and replacing hardware that shows signs of wear before it separates.

6. BMW iX: Cell Modules Under Stress

BMW iX — Image Credit: Alexander Migl - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Alexander Migl – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

BMW recalled the iX in July 2025 after discovering some high-voltage battery cell modules were assembled under mechanical stress on the production line, a flaw traced to a specific manufacturing window at the cell supplier. That stress can crack the module frame over time, letting cells fail internally instead of simply losing charge capacity.

A failed module can cut power to the SUV without warning and raises the odds of an internal short circuit that leads to a fire. BMW is replacing the affected modules rather than relying on a battery management software fix, and owners are told to watch for warning lights or unusual battery behavior until the dealer visit is complete.

7. BMW i4: The Same Flaw, Another Badge

BMW i4 — Image Credit: Alexander-93 - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Alexander-93 – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The same July 2025 action also swept up the BMW i4, which shares the affected battery module assembly line with the iX and i7. Inspectors found the identical defect, cell modules built under mechanical stress that can crack their frames, in i4 units produced during the same window.

Because the flaw traces back to how the modules were built rather than to a part unique to one model, BMW pulled in every nameplate that drew cells from that supplier run at once. i4 owners face the same module replacement and the same advice to report any battery warning light immediately.

8. Jeep Wrangler 4xe: A Battery That Fails Alone

Jeep Wrangler 4xe — Image Credit: Dinkun Chen - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Dinkun Chen – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

Jeep recalled the plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe in October 2025 after finding its high-voltage battery pack can fail internally without any external trigger. An internal failure inside the pack can generate enough heat to start a fire even when the 4xe is parked and not charging.

That makes the 4xe’s recall distinct from a charging-related defect, since the risk exists whether or not the battery is plugged in at the time. Jeep dealers are inspecting the high-voltage pack and replacing units that show signs of internal cell damage before returning the SUV to its owner.


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