• Damage to the batteries’ separator could lead to shorts and/or fires
• Recall campaigns from Stellantis, Ford, and Audi allow replacement of battery packs
• New paperwork filed by battery supplier Samsung SDI says the issue remains under investigation

Plug-in hybrids from multiple automakers have been recalled due a potential issue with vehicles’ Samsung SDI-supplied battery cells that could cause loss of power or fires. And new paperwork filed with the federal government this week suggests that the issue has not yet been fully resolved.

A total of 180,196 vehicles are affected in the U.S., including 155,096 from Stellantis, 20,484 from Ford, and 4,616 from Audi. Each automaker, in recent months, already announced an individual recall for its respective vehicles.

Stellantis issued a battery-related recall for the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe SUVs last October. Audi then recalled its Q5 and A7 plug-in hybrids in December, and Ford then issued a recall for plug-in hybrid versions of the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs in January.

All of these vehicles have Samsung SDI cells that are broadly similar, according to documents filed with the NHTSA, which emphasizing that exact specifications are still unique to each automaker. Each automaker told the safety agency that defects in these cells could lead to internal short circuits or fires. Ford and Stellantis also reported damage in the separator layer between the cathode and anode in some cells, which could lead to short circuits and fires. Ford and Audi both said internal analysis pointed to manufacturing defects, and both said they would install new software as a temporary remedy.

2022 Audi Q5 55 TFSI e plug-in hybrid

These new documents filed by Samsung SDI don’t expand the list of vehicles recalled, but they underscore that the issue lacks a clear resolution, as of yet. In paperwork filed February 5, Samsung SDI calls the issue “still under investigation” for both Ford and Audi. A letter from the NHTSA, reacting to the Samsing SDI filing and dated February 6, asks the battery supplier for a “summary of all warranty claims, field or service reports, and other information.”

In a statement provided to Green Car Reports Friday, Jeep parent Stellantis underscored that for its vehicles, the issue has been remedied. “The remedy includes a software update and, if necessary, replacement of the high-voltage battery, both provided at no cost to owners,” it stated, pointing to notification letters sent out in December. “Customer safety is our highest priority, and we appreciate the patience of our customers as we worked to resolve this matter and implement a solution for all affected vehicles.”

For now, owners of affected vehicles can call the respective automakers’ customer service departments for more information. Stellantis can be reached at 800-853-1403, Audi at 800-253-2834, and Ford at 866-436-7332.

–with reporting by Bengt Halvorson