“Thermal Overload” has a sinister ring to it. But that is the reason why Jaguar has to take a second stab at recalling its I-Pace EVs. Jaguar said that this first recall in May 2023 would fix the issue. Then, last month, an I-Pace that was one of 6367 from the first recall had a thermal overload of the battery. That has led to the recall announcement today.

This past May, Jaguar said not to park I-Pace EVs outside until they went into a dealership for an update. There was concern that overheating batteries could start a fire. By then, reports of eight fires resulted from the overheating issue. 

What was the original Jaguar I-Pace recall, and why didn’t it work?

The fix was to update the battery energy control module or replace it. Owners were to receive recall letters by mid-July. If the control module didn’t need replacing, then an over-the-air (OTA) update was necessary. 

Unfortunately, some dealers did the OTA with a diagnostic tool that was not Jaguar-approved. At the time, Jaguar and its dealers thought all of the I-Pace EVs were properly fixed. Once Jaguar became aware of the most recent overheating episode, it made contact with several dealers. That is when it was discovered that some of the software fixes didn’t work. 

After determining which dealers were performing improper software fixes, it found that 199 I-Pace EVs needed a second round of software fixes. As was the case before, these EVs run the risk of overheating, which could lead to fire. Letters will go to owners by December 15 and will require them to return to the dealership for another software update. 

Does the Jaguar I-Pace have a history of needing recalls?

Since its introduction as the first Jaguar EV in 2019, the I-Pace has seen five recalls, not including the one today, according to Cars.com. The first in 2019 for regenerative brake failures. Owners were experiencing delays in acceleration. 

Then, in 2020, another recall was over front seat fasteners missing, with only a single I-Pace in this recall. So far in 2023, there have been three recalls, including a software fix over the low volume of the pedestrian warning when the car is in Reverse, then the first recall that led to the recall today, and another in July for the windshield defroster working improperly. 

What I-Pace owners should do

Also, early on in its first year of production, there were several OTA fixes necessary. There was also a steady stream of complaints over manufacturer range numbers versus the actual in-service range. This year and into next, the I-Pace will remain the only EV that Jaguar makes. 

Should you have any concerns or questions about this latest round of recalls, you can contact the Jaguar USA website or the NHTSA recall center. In either case, have your VIN handy, as you’ll need it to look up recall information.