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The most common causes of a defective electric car

Content

1. Motor and electronics

2. Cooling system defective on electric car

3. Locking system does not work

4. Wheel suspension and suspension

5. Defective steering in the electric car

6. Problems with the low-voltage system

An electric car has fewer parts than an equivalent vehicle with an internal combustion engine. But do electric cars break down and break down less often? Not at all, because electric cars are also prone to breakdowns. The Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobilclub, ADAC for short, recently published its breakdown statistics for the year 2022, comparing combustion engines and purely electric cars for the first time. We show you the most common causes of breakdowns in electric cars.

Motor and electronics

One or more electric motors provide the electric car’s fast propulsion. The drive motors are usually installed directly in the area of the front and rear axles as a compact unit. The drive motor is controlled by motor electronics, which are usually designed as a separate control unit.

Electric motor and high-voltage system frequent cause of breakdowns

According to statistics, defects in the motor, motor management and high-voltage system are among the five most frequent causes of breakdowns in electric cars. Both the drive motor and the electronics can break down and thus be the cause of a breakdown with the e-car. The vehicle then stops unexpectedly or can no longer be set in motion.

All components such as the control units for the engine, the control technology of the accelerator pedal or even the engine itself can be replaced after a failure, and are also available second-hand. The compact drive units can be replaced with an intact unit relatively easily. Work on the high-voltage system may only be carried out by authorised specialists.

Cooling system defective on electric car

Like cars with combustion engines, electric cars also have a cooling system. This system takes over the thermal management of the installed components, i.e. it ensures the appropriate temperatures. The drive batteries of the electric car or the installed electric motor can be cooled in this way if necessary.

No cooling in case of cooling system failure

If parts of the cooling system in the electric car fail, the installed systems can no longer be kept at the correct temperature. Under certain circumstances, the electric car can no longer be used. The defect can make itself felt through corresponding error messages; less frequently, components can overheat. A leakage of coolant from the cooling system can also indicate a defective component.

One or more coolant pumps are installed as components of the cooling system in the electric car, as are one or more radiators with electric fans. Hoses, lines, sensors and sometimes valves are also part of the cooling system. Replacing the defective component quickly makes the electric car fit again. All parts can be replaced if they are defective and can also be exchanged for used components.

Locking system does not work

Interestingly, according to statistics, the locking system of electric cars breaks down more often than that of cars with combustion engines. This may be due to the fact that keyless entry systems with electronic locking are more often installed in electric cars. If components of the locking system are defective, the car can sometimes no longer be unlocked or started.

All components of the locking system of e-cars, such as actuators and control elements, can be replaced. In this way, the defect is quickly remedied. Used parts in good condition can also be installed. Keyless access systems may have to be recoded by the manufacturer or a workshop after a defect.

Wheel suspension and suspension

Defective components of the chassis are often noticed during the technical inspection of e-cars. However, defects in the wheel suspension or the suspension sometimes occur suddenly and thus lead to a breakdown with the electric car. A sudden defect can occur, for example, if the component breaks.

High vehicle weight possibly the cause

Experts assume that the higher breakdown rate of e-cars in the area of suspension is related to the higher weight of the vehicles. Defects in the wheel suspension or the suspension sometimes make themselves felt through unusual grinding noises or a loss of suspension comfort. Occasionally, the suspension of the electric car sags lower on one side.

Some models of electric cars show weaknesses in the area of the front axle suspension, whereby components such as wishbones in particular can be prone to defects. Springs and shock absorbers can also be defective. It is not recommended to continue driving with a defective suspension part. Instead, the part should be replaced with a new or good used car part.

Defective steering in the electric car

The steering system of an electric car can tend to wear out prematurely and become defective while driving. This can manifest itself, for example, in unusual steering behaviour or handling. The reason may be similar to that for the suspension. A high weight of the electric car puts stress on the steering components. In some specific models of electric cars, for example, the tie rods show increased wear and are particularly prone to defects and failure.

Mechanical or electrical defects in the steering system

Electric cars often use electric power steering systems in which the steering movement is supported by electric motors. The defect in the steering of electric vehicles can therefore be of an electronic as well as mechanical or electromechanical nature. In the future, there will even be no direct contact at all between the steering wheel and the mechanics of the steering in electric cars, as manufacturers are increasingly relying on fully electric steering systems without.

Until steering without a steering column occurs in an electric car, the same components can fail as in a combustion engine. These include the steering gear, the universal joint or defective tie rod ends. Damaged steering components must always be replaced immediately in an electric car; if the steering is defective, the vehicle should no longer be moved. Numerous components for the steering of electric cars can also be purchased cheaply as good used car parts.

Problems with the low-voltage system

What even e-car drivers are often not aware of is that electric cars, like internal combustion engines, have a low-voltage system, i.e. an on-board network with 12 volts DC. This exists as a second network alongside the high-voltage system with its high-voltage battery and the electric drive. What many people also do not know: Without a functioning low-voltage network, the electric car cannot be used.

Defective on-board battery is the most common cause of breakdowns

It was astonishing that a defect in the low-voltage battery is the most frequent cause of breakdowns in electric cars, according to ADAC breakdown statistics. The battery for the low-voltage system is similar to the starter battery of vehicles with internal combustion engines. Some models have a lead battery, while some manufacturers also use a lithium-ion battery.

If the low-voltage system has failed, for example due to low battery voltage, nothing will work in the electric car. The vehicle can often no longer be unlocked, and the charging plug can also no longer be unlocked. The high-voltage system and thus the drive cannot usually be activated either. Replacing the low-voltage battery with a new one or a very good used part often helps.

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