Automotive recalls can range from huge issues that impact millions of vehicles – like GM’s 1971 call back for engine mounts that could break, leading to unintended acceleration – to the silliest of things – such as a vehicle having an inaccurate owner’s manual. Recalls run the gamut from extreme to mundane, but fortunately for owners, a recent issue with the Lucid Air all-electric luxury sedan is more of the latter than the former.
New Decade, Familiar Problem
The issue with this car is silly, but also extremely familiar. The automaker is calling back 4,294 copies of this battery-powered four-door for a problem with the all-weather floor mats. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this applies to mats that do not have anchors, specifically model numbers ending in “-00.” It’s estimated that 100 percent of those 4,000-plus Air sedans have this issue.
And what exactly is the problem here? Well, it’s one that many drivers are probably familiar with. Those floor mats can, unfortunately, move around, which could trap the accelerator pedal leading to unintended acceleration. And in the case of the ultra-high-performance Air Sapphire model, which has a whopping 1,234 horsepower, you absolutely DO NOT want the car accelerating without the driver calling for it.
- All-weather floor mats without anchors can cause pedal entrapment
- 4,294 Air sedans are affected by this recall
- Drivers are advised to remove these floor mats
- Lucid will reimburse drivers for the original cost of these components
Reportedly, there have been some complaints in Europe of the Air’s floor mats moving around. Additionally, one U.S. customer noted that the accelerator pedal in their car did not return when released, something that vehicle telemetry data confirmed.
Of course, Lucid is not the first automaker to face this issue. Back around 2010, Toyota had a huge problem with unintended acceleration because of either misapplication or entrapment of the pedals, though recalls were also posted for sticking accelerator pedal assemblies. And well before all that, Audi faced the exact same problem way back in the 1980s, though reportedly its runaway vehicles were caused by driver error, good ol’ pedal misapplication.
Fortunately, The Fix Is Simple
To prevent any issues, owners are instructed to remove these all-weather floor mats from their Air sedans. Lucid will reimburse drivers for the original cost of these components. This recall applies to Air sedans built between November 18, 2022, and December 19, 2023.
Electric vehicles have dramatically fewer moving components than competing combustion-powered cars and trucks. But just because they’re simpler does not mean EVs are free of defects. In fact, the controversial Tesla Cybertruck was recently recalled because the so-called cant rail, a piece of stainless steel exterior trim, can detach from the vehicle, which could cause a roadway hazard.
If you own a Lucid Air sedan impacted by this recall, keep an eye on your mailbox as the automaker should be sending out notices around May 23. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact Lucid customer service at 1-888-995-8243 or NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 25E021000 and Lucid’s is SR-25-01-1.
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