EV maker Fisker Inc is recalling 8,204 of its model year 2023 Ocean SUVs in the U.S. citing concerns that their outer door handles may stick, preventing customers from entering or exiting the car.
What Happened: Inability to exit the car, particularly in case of emergencies, poses a significant risk to occupants, U.S. auto safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. As for a solution, the company will check and replace the door handles as required.
Fisker has also issued a stop sale notice to its dealers in the U.S., Canada, and the European Union requesting them to inspect their inventory for vehicles affected by the recall.
Fisker is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the incident, it said.
The company said in a separate statement on Friday that it has also recalled 513 vehicles in Canada and 3,806 vehicles in Europe over the issue, taking the overall recall population to 12,523 units.
Why It Matters: The recall follows a preliminary probe instigated by the NHTSA in April after receiving 14 complaints alleging that the doors on model year 2023 vehicles don't open.
Fisker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and listed estimated assets in the range of $500 million to $1 billion and liabilities in the $100 million to $500 million range earlier this month after potential investment talks with a major automaker collapsed in March.
Fisker also said earlier this month that it is recalling 18,000 of its Ocean SUV vehicles in North America as well as Europe over software issues and non-compliance with safety standards. NHTSA is currently investigating multiple issues with the Ocean SUVs including concerns of unintended activation of its automatic emergency braking system.
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Photo courtesy: Fisker
