Electric vehicles, with their absence of traditional engines, have brought some unintended consequences, as demonstrated by a recent recall of 668 Jaguar I-Paces in the United States.
The recall targets model year 2021-2022 vehicles that do not feature a heated windshield. In these specific I-Pace models, the High Voltage Coolant Heater (HVCH) may fail due to delamination of the aluminum oxide and zirconium oxide coatings in the heating elements.
The failure of the HVCH can lead to more than just discomfort during cold drives. Without a functioning heater or a heated windshield, the electric I-Pace may struggle to defrost the windshield, posing a risk to the driver’s visibility and potentially increasing the likelihood of accidents.
Jaguar initiated investigations into this issue after receiving initial field reports of heater failures. The company’s Product Safety and Compliance Committee began looking into the matter in April 2022 and has since received 64 complaints related to the problem in the U.S.
However, the investigation team faced challenges due to insufficient data. The analysis conducted in the winter of 2023 revealed that some of the manufacturing information provided by its supplier, Webastos, was unreliable for identifying failure-based trends.
Fortunately, data experts hired by Jaguar were able to assist in assessing the scope of the failure by summer. As a result, the company concluded that a total of 668 I-Paces need to be recalled. Owners will be notified on September 22, 2023, and asked to bring their vehicles to a nearby dealer for a high voltage coolant heater replacement, which will be performed at no cost to them.
