Porsche Taycan Faults: The Complete UK Owner’s Guide
Porsche’s first EV is the best-driving electric car on sale — and one of the most recalled. The battery fire recall covers 27,720 cars (free module replacement, 80% charge rule), 43,000 early cars needed the sudden-power-loss fix, and the 12V battery can lock you out of your own car. The good news: most Taycan faults are software, fixed free. Every fault ranked by cost — and the recall playbook that puts the expensive ones on Porsche’s account, not yours.
Read this first: the battery fire recall — and the 80% rule
1. High-voltage battery fire risk (2024 recall — 2020–2024 Taycans). Some 27,720 cars built between October 2019 and February 2024 have LG-made battery modules that can short-circuit internally — a fire risk with no warning signs. Porsche inspects every affected car and replaces faulty modules free, plus installs diagnostic software that monitors the battery and automatically limits charging if it finds trouble. Until your car is done: charge to a maximum of 80%. The DVSA goes further — the risk rises above 80% and rises again at rapid-charging speeds, so treat DC charging as needs-only until the remedy is complete.
2. Charging cable fire risk (2024 recall). The 220V/240V home charging cable can overheat while charging. Until it’s replaced free: don’t use it — charge at public stations.
3. Sudden power loss (2021 recall — the first ~43,000 Taycans). A flat 12V battery could deactivate the entire car at any speed, without warning — about 130 incidents were known to Porsche. Fixed free by software update. If your screen ever shows “Electrical System Error — Park Vehicle in Safe Place”, do exactly that and call Porsche Assistance.
Run your VIN through the DVSA recall checker (gov.uk) today. The battery work is free regardless of age, mileage or warranty — an out-of-warranty battery is a ~£40,000 part (est.); a recalled one is Porsche’s problem, not yours. That distinction is the whole game.
The Taycan at a glance
One platform, constant software evolution, and a reliability story that improved every year after a rough debut. The model year matters more on a Taycan than on almost any Porsche.
Launched in 2019 on the J1 platform with an 800-volt architecture (shared with the Audi e-tron GT), the Taycan was Porsche’s first electric car — saloon first, then Cross Turismo and Sport Turismo estates, from the base car to the 1,000hp+ Turbo GT. The 2020 model year had genuine problems; the 2024 facelift (2025 model year) brought a bigger battery, faster charging and the most sorted software yet. Depreciation has been savage, which is precisely why used Taycans are one of the bargains of the EV world — if you buy the right year with the recalls done.
Production history: a brilliant car with a rough first chapter
The Taycan outsold the 911 within a year of launch — then spent three years teaching Porsche what EV ownership really means. Each year got measurably better.
Timeline: 2019 to 2026
- Taycan launches — Porsche’s first EV, 800-volt architecture, Turbo and Turbo S first. It instantly becomes the benchmark for how an electric car should drive.
- The teething year: 4S and the RWD base car join, but 2020 becomes the most-issue-dense model year — software instability, early 12V battery failures, the most owner complaints.
- Sudden power-loss recall: every Taycan built to date (~43,000 worldwide) gets the 12V/software fix after cars deactivate at speed without warning. Cross Turismo and GTS join.
- Major software updates land for charging and power management; the 12V hardware issue is fixed mid-production. The sweet-spot years begin.
- April: 606 cars recalled for battery fire risk. October: the big one — 27,720 cars (2020–2024), LG cells, 80% charge cap, free module replacement. The charging-cable fire recall lands too. The facelift (2025 model year) is revealed with a bigger battery and faster charging.
- Diagnostic software rolls out; module replacements proceed free of charge. A US class action alleges Porsche knew of the battery defect for years; replacement batteries are estimated at ~$50,000 — the case is ongoing.
- Facelifted cars (105kWh battery, 320kW charging) lead the range; used pre-facelift cars with completed recalls are the value play.
Known faults, ranked from most to least expensive
Ranked by typical UK cost — with a twist: on a Taycan, the scariest rows are recalls, so they cost nothing. Costs marked est. are converted from documented dollar and euro figures. The pattern to notice: nearly everything below the recall rows is software or a consumable, not mechanical failure.
| # | Fault | Typical UK cost | Dealer-only? | Cheaper route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HV battery short circuit (2020–2024) — LG-made modules can short internally; fire risk, no warning. A US class action puts a replacement pack at ~£40,000 (est.) | FREE (recall) — modules replaced, monitoring software fitted | Free recall | VIN check today; 80% charge cap and minimal rapid charging until done. Never buy a car with this outstanding |
| 2 | Sudden power loss (2020–2021 cars) — a flat 12V deactivates the whole car at any speed, without warning; ~130 incidents documented before the recall | FREE (recall) — software update | Free recall | Confirm the update is done on any 2020–21 car; treat “Electrical System Error” as pull-over-now, not drive-on |
| 3 | 12V battery drain & failure (2020 worst) — the lithium 12V dies after 10–14 days parked; locks you out — no doors, no charging, no driving | £210–£380 battery + fitting · £60–£80 prevention | Indie OK | A lithium-compatible trickle charger (it must be lithium — lead-acid chargers don’t suit) ends the problem; document early failures for goodwill |
| 4 | Software bugs & PCM instability — frozen screens, mid-drive reboots, phantom warnings, red “stop safely” screens that are mostly false alarms; 2020 cars worst by far | Free (reboot/OTA) – £150 diagnostic | Dealer update | Hold both steering-wheel scroll buttons 10 seconds for a hard reboot — it cures most of it; keep OTA updates current |
| 5 | Depreciation — the fault that isn’t mechanical: £80,000+ cars trading at £28,000–£35,000 within four to five years, partly on reliability reputation | First owner’s problem — your opportunity | — | Buy used with recalls done and let someone else fund the learning curve |
| 6 | Charging inconsistency (DC) — 60–120kW at stations rated far higher; station compatibility errors, especially on early software | Free (pre-conditioning + updates) | Dealer update | Use battery pre-conditioning 30 minutes before a DC stop — the single biggest fix; keep software current |
| 7 | Tyre wear — 2.3 tonnes, instant torque, low-profile EV rubber: fronts wear fast, staggered fitments can’t rotate | £250–£500 per tyre (est.) · £1,200+ a set | Indie OK | Monthly pressure checks and regenerative braking over trailing throttle; check for uneven wear on any used car |
| 8 | Brake rotor rust — regen means the friction brakes barely work; rotors surface-rust, then judder if left for months | Free (technique) · £800+ if rotors are replaced (est.) | DIY | Weekly: a few firm stops from ~30mph on an empty road scrubs them clean — costs nothing, takes two minutes |
| 9 | Electrical gremlins & trim — HVAC/heating failures, squeaking seat frames and motors, charging-flap actuators, a wireless phone charger that cooks iPhones | £0 (warranty/goodwill) – £600 per item (est.) | Dealer mostly | Document everything in the 4-year warranty; these are exactly the faults goodwill exists for |
| 10 | Adaptive air suspension warnings — ride-height errors and mode refusals, usually calibration or voltage related rather than dead hardware | Free (OTA/recalibration) – £650 sensor (est.) | Dealer mostly | OTA update and reboot first — it clears many; warranty covers most sensor work in-period |
| 11 | Charging cable fire risk — the 220V home cable can overheat; the E-Hybrid family recall covers the Taycan too | FREE (recall) — temperature-sensing replacement cable | Free recall | Public charging until swapped; if the cable ever feels hot on unplugging, retire it immediately |
Case study: eleven Porsches in, and the Taycan broke the streak
One owner’s story sums up the early Taycan era better than any statistic. Eleventh Porsche, after a string of 911s and a Cayman GT4: a 2021 Taycan 4S. Over two years it spent three and a half months in the workshop — central heating failure, repeated software glitches, a full stop-loss of power, a driver seat that “squealed like a Lada” until the frame and motors were replaced, and six recalls. When he traded it (the passenger seat had just started the same routine — “someone else’s problem now”), the market had punished the car’s value on its reputation. His verdict stings because it’s fair: “A great car when it actually works and is not in the shop… the software and reliability is just not worthy of being branded a Porsche.”
Two lessons. First, on early Taycans the dealer relationship is the ownership experience — he was looked after, loaned petrol cars, and the work was done; budget time, not just money. Second, every fault on his list except the seats is dated: the power-loss recall is fixed, the software is generations newer, and the 12V hardware changed mid-run. The 2022+ car is not the 2020–21 car. Which is exactly what the buying rules below are for.
The counterpoint: most of this is dated — and the fundamentals are superb
For balance — specialists who live with these cars are clear: most Taycan problems are software or electronics, not mechanical, and the fixes are reboots and free updates, not rebuilds. The 2021–2022 cars resolved the 12V hardware issue and the worst instability; the 2025 facelift is the most sorted yet. Routine maintenance runs ~£400–£800 a year (est.) — less than a 911 — the 800V drivetrain itself has no pattern of failure, the battery recall work is free with no expiry, and the 8-year/100,000-mile HV battery warranty still covers the single most expensive component on every 2020–2022 car. And the bit that never changed: it is, by near-universal verdict, the best-driving electric car money can buy.
Recalls you should check today — every one is FREE
- HV battery fire risk (2024) — 2020–2024 cars; free module inspection and replacement plus monitoring software. 80% charge cap until done. No expiry, no mileage limit.
- Charging cable fire risk (2024) — free replacement cable; don’t use the 220V cable meanwhile.
- Sudden power loss (2021) — the first ~43,000 cars; free software update. Non-negotiable on a 2020–21 car.
- Rolling software campaigns — charging behaviour, PCM, power management and false-warning fixes arrive regularly; free, and worth asking for by name at every service.
- Buying used? Demand written proof of recall completion — especially the battery recall on 2020–2022 cars, where the most module replacements remain outstanding.
Run your VIN through the DVSA recall checker (gov.uk) and Porsche’s own lookup before anything else on this page — recall work is always free at any Porsche Centre.
What owners actually report
The Taycan has the widest sentiment gap of any Porsche: the drive inspires devotion, the early ownership experience inspired support groups. Later cars close the gap.
The praise
- The drive — “the most engaging electric car you can buy,” by near-universal verdict
- 800V charging when it works: 10–80% in under 20 minutes at the right charger
- Build quality and cabin — recognisably, expensively Porsche
- Post-2021 software: measurably, noticeably better with every update
- Free recall battery work with no expiry — and the 8-year HV warranty behind it
- Used values: the performance bargain of the EV world if you buy right
The frustration
- Early cars’ workshop time — months, not days, in documented cases
- The 12V that locks you out of your own car after a fortnight parked
- Phantom warnings and red screens — almost always software, always alarming
- Charging inconsistency: 60–120kW where the brochure promised 270
- Six-recall ownership on some 2020–21 cars, plus seats and heaters failing
- Depreciation that punished first owners without mercy
Taycan vs Audi e-tron GT: the same car, £10,000 apart
The e-tron GT is built on the same J1 platform with the same 800-volt architecture and the same battery family — Audi’s quiet twin to the Taycan. The fault lists rhyme; the prices don’t.
Both share the era’s recall picture (the Audi has its own battery and charging-cable recalls — check VINs on either side) and both suffer the same 12V and software family of niggles. The Taycan buys the sharper chassis, the Porsche badge, the bigger dealer network for EV work and stronger specialist knowledge. The Audi buys the same powertrain experience for meaningfully less money — and, anecdotally, a quieter ownership forum.
| Taycan (2019–) | Audi e-tron GT (2021–) | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform / voltage | J1 · 800V | J1 · 800V — identical |
| Used entry price | ~£28,000 | ~£33,000 (fewer built) |
| Recall picture | Battery modules · cable · power loss — all free | Same battery/cable family — VIN check equally |
| Signature issues | 12V drain, software, early-year workshop time | Same family, lower complaint volume |
| Character | Sharper, sportier, more variants (to Turbo GT) | Softer, stealthier, GT-biased |
| Verdict | You want the drive and the badge — buy 2021+ | You want the same tech with subtler clothes |
Cross-shopping within Porsche? The Panamera is the petrol sibling — our comparison of the two is on its page. The Porsche faults hub maps the whole range, and the VW side of the family is covered in the Volkswagen faults hub.
What to do next
On a Taycan, the order matters more than anywhere: recall status first, battery discipline second, everything else third.
Already own one? Your action plan
Work through this list before paying for anything.
- Run your VIN through the DVSA recall checker — battery modules, charging cable and power-loss fixes are all free, no expiry.
- Battery recall outstanding? Cap charging at 80% and minimise rapid charging until the remedy is complete.
- Buy a lithium-compatible trickle charger (£60–£80) if the car ever sits a fortnight — the 12V is lithium; a standard lead-acid charger won’t do.
- Learn the reboot — both scroll buttons, 10 seconds; it cures most warning screens without a dealer visit.
- Weekly friction-brake scrub — a few firm stops keeps the rotors clean and free.
- Keep OTA updates current — charging, power management and false-warning fixes land constantly, free.
Buying one? The golden rules
The depreciation is your friend — if you buy the right year.
- The pick: 2021–2022 — post-teething, pre-facelift prices; 4S is the sweet spot of the range.
- 2020: only with everything documented — every recall done, full software history, and priced accordingly.
- Battery recall status in writing — outstanding module work on a 2020–22 car is Porsche’s bill; make sure it stays that way.
- Check the 8-year battery warranty start date — it transfers, and it’s the safety net under the whole deal.
- Test the 12V’s health — slow wake-up, low voltage warnings or a car that “sometimes won’t open” is the battery, not a mystery.
- Budget tyres honestly — £250–£500 a corner on a 2.3-tonne performance EV is routine, not a failure.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Porsche Taycan reliable?
Is the Taycan a fire risk?
What is the Taycan 12V battery problem?
Which used Taycan should I buy?
How much does a Taycan battery cost?
Taycan or Audi e-tron GT?
Sources and method
This page consolidates NHTSA recall filings (24V732 — 27,720 cars, ARB5/6/7; the 606-car April 2024 battery recall; the 2021 power-loss recall covering ~43,000 cars; the charging-cable recall), DVSA charging guidance for HV battery fire-risk recalls, class-action filings (N.D. Georgia, with the ~$50,000 battery estimate), TaycanForum and TaycanEVForum owner threads (including the documented 3.5-month workshop history), tacticengineering’s specialist maintenance data, Robb Report and KBB recall reporting, and UK used-market pricing. Costs marked est. are conversions from documented dollar/euro figures; UK quotes will vary.
Disclaimer: Repair costs are indicative UK figures compiled in 2026 and will vary by garage, region and vehicle history. Recall statuses change; always check the DVSA recall checker and obtain written quotes before authorising work. MotorBeast is independent and not affiliated with Porsche AG or Volkswagen AG. Sister guides: Porsche faults hub · Porsche Panamera faults · Porsche Cayenne faults · Porsche Macan faults · Volkswagen Group hub