NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 11 recalls, 23 owner complaints and NHTSA crash-test ratings for the 2023 Lucid Air.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Complaints for the 2023 Lucid Air are spread across a small sample, but the electrical system draws the most reports, followed by scattered issues with structure and lane departure. On the electrical side, owners describe sudden, complete loss of drive power while in motion, what some call a "drive unit failure", leaving the vehicle inoperable without warning. A handful of reports involve unexpected acceleration or unintended forward movement, with owners describing the car surging ahead independently rather than slowing or staying stopped, in some cases leading to low-speed collisions. Two complaints point to the lane departure or driver assistance system failing to detect a stopped vehicle ahead while an automated driving mode was active. A couple of structural reports mention premature cracking and tearing of perforated leather seat surfaces.
23
Total Complaints
6
Crash-Related
2
With Injuries
By System
The 2023 Lucid Air has 11 recalls, the most serious being a cluster of issues where the electric drive system can cut out without warning while the vehicle is moving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The drive power loss problem stems from several overlapping electrical and software issues: the high-voltage contactors that feed energy to the drive motors can open unexpectedly, the safety interlock software can disconnect those contactors when it detects a communication fault, the adaptive cruise control software can trigger a sudden power cutoff, and older software versions can fail to handle an inverter module failure gracefully. All of these result in the same experience for the driver: the car loses propulsion without warning.
On the visibility side, the windshield heater can fail to clear frost or fog, and the wiper arm nuts can loosen and cause the wipers to stop working, both of which reduce what the driver can see ahead. The rearview camera has its own set of issues across multiple software versions: the image can fail to appear at all, show a delayed or inaccurate picture, or remain blank when shifting into reverse, limiting the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle. There is also a concern with the rear seat heaters, where a temperature monitoring failure can cause the seats to overheat and potentially burn a passenger.
At a glance
What can fail
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
The rearview camera image may not appear on the screen when you shift into reverse, affecting your ability to see behind the vehicle.
What the fix does
Lucid will send a free software update to your vehicle automatically over-the-air to restore the rearview camera display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The lower console display may fail to show the rearview camera image or display a delayed or inaccurate view of what is behind the vehicle.
What the fix does
Lucid will install a free over-the-air software update to fix the rearview camera display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When the vehicle detects a hardware communication problem, the high voltage system may shut down while driving, cutting off engine power.
What the fix does
Lucid released a free software update on June 24, 2024, that prevents this shutdown from occurring during motion.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The high voltage coolant heater may fail, preventing the windshield defroster from working properly.
What the fix does
A software update will detect heater failures and alert you. Failed heaters will be replaced. Updates and repairs are free.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Software versions 2.1.2 through 2.1.26 may cause a fault when adaptive cruise control is active, resulting in loss of drive power.
What the fix does
Lucid released a free over-the-air software update in October 2023 to fix the issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The high voltage coolant heater may fail, preventing the windshield defroster from working.
What the fix does
Software will be updated to detect heater failure and alert you. Failed heaters will be replaced at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear seat heater temperature monitoring system may stop working, allowing the rear seats to overheat.
What the fix does
Lucid will install a free software update over the air to restore proper temperature monitoring.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may not display on the screen in certain 2022-2023 Air vehicles with specific software versions, limiting rear visibility.
What the fix does
Lucid will install a free software update over-the-air to restore rearview camera display functionality.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The inverter power module may fail. If it does, older software versions won't detect the failure, causing sudden loss of engine power.
What the fix does
Lucid released a free software update that addresses this issue. Install it through the over-the-air update system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The nuts that attach the windshield wiper arms can loosen over time, which may cause the wipers to stop working.
What the fix does
Lucid Service Centers will inspect and tighten the wiper arm nuts, and replace any damaged parts at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The electrical switches that send power to the drive motors may unexpectedly open, cutting off power to the motors.
What the fix does
Lucid will update your vehicle's software and replace the contactor switches as needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.