Here you can find “typical” issuses and “preheating” issues with some EV that are used and is for sale.
Note that preheat issues is of least importance if you charge at home and rarely charge on DC chargers
If you drive your EV mostly long distances and i cold weather you need good preheating – otherwise
you will go crazy.
- Cabin preheating = warming/cooling the interior before departure
- Battery preheating = actively heating/cooling the high-voltage battery before DC fast charging
Almost all modern EVs have cabin preheat; what really differs is battery preconditioning – especially important for you in Nordic winters.
Legend for battery preheating:
- ✅ = Has proper battery preconditioning for DC fast charging
- ⚠️ = Limited / only on newer model years or via specific conditions
- ⛔ = No real battery preconditioning (only passive warming / very basic behavior)
1. Typical “teething problems” seen across many EVs (2021→)
From FB groups, EV forums (SpeakEV, Reddit etc.) and EV YouTubers:
- 12 V / DC-DC / ICCU failures
- Hyundai Ioniq 5/6, Kia EV6 (E-GMP): well-known issue where the ICCU/DC-DC stops charging the 12 V battery, often after DC fast charging → car won’t start and needs recovery. Large recall programs have been rolled out. (electrive.com)
- Skoda Enyaq and some other MEB cars: various 12 V warnings and “car won’t go into drive” issues reported by owners. (Reddit)
- Charging glitches
- VW ID.3/ID.4/Enyaq: broken AC charging sessions, issues with certain home EVSEs, misbehaving charge flap. (Polestar – Electric cars | Polestar UK)
- Ioniq 5 / EV6: “Charging fault” messages and aborted DC sessions, often interlinked with the ICCU issue. (electrive.com)
- MG4: reports of fussy charging behavior and sticky charge flap, especially in cold conditions. (speakev.com)
- Infotainment / software
- Volvo XC40 Recharge: Android Automotive crashes, profile issues (“stuck in guest mode”), random reboots. (Volvo Cars)
- Polestar 2: cars that won’t wake up after OTA updates, 12 V problems, persistent camera bugs despite recalls. (Polestar – Electric cars | Polestar UK)
- Volvo EX30: early cars had buggy app connection, scheduled charging/preconditioning problems; later software has improved but not perfect. (Volvo Cars)
- MG4: small screen, cluttered user interface and laggy software frequently mentioned. (speakev.com)
- ADAS / safety quirks
- Tesla Model 3/Y: “phantom braking” on 2021–22 cars with Autopilot still under investigation in the US. (teslaownersonline.com)
- Polestar 2: rear-view camera faults keep coming back despite previous recall fixes, so regulators are looking again. (Polestar – Electric cars | Polestar UK)
- Mercedes EQE/EQS family: recalls for high-voltage battery management software that could shut the pack down → sudden loss of drive. (Reddit)
- Renault Megane E-Tech / Scenic: recall over electronic parking brake that may not apply correctly → roll-away risk. (renault.ie)
- Winter performance & heating
- MG4: heavy winter range loss compared to WLTP; widely discussed in owner groups. (speakev.com)
- Ioniq 5/EV6: earlier cars had heat pump/inverter issues in cold climates, later mitigated with hardware and software updates. (electrive.com)
- Mechanical details (doors, flaps, axles)
- Tesla Model Y (2021): investigations about electronic door handles not opening when low-voltage system is unhappy – there are documented cases of people unable to open doors from outside. (teslaownersonline.com)
- Skoda Enyaq: charge flap not opening/closing correctly and associated error messages. (Reddit)
- VW ID.3: complaints about clicking front drive shafts and some AC charging issues. (Reddit)
2. Model-by-model summary with preheating notes
Tesla Model 3 / Model Y (2021→)
Typical issues
- Phantom braking with Autopilot on some 2021–22 cars. (teslaownersonline.com)
- Occasional problems after OTA updates (UI glitches, cameras, HVAC), usually fixed in later releases.
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – via the Tesla app and “Schedule” in the car (precondition cabin and charging). (Tesla) - Battery preheating for DC charging:
✅ Yes – battery is automatically preconditioned when you navigate to a Supercharger. (Tesla)
✅ From software 2025.2 the car can also preheat for some third-party fast chargers, not only Superchargers. (Reddit)
👉 So: Tesla does not lack battery preheating – it’s one of the strongest implementations.
VW ID.3 / ID.4 & Skoda Enyaq (MEB platform)
Typical issues
- Sluggish or buggy infotainment, especially on early cars. (Polestar – Electric cars | Polestar UK)
- AC/DC charging that stops early or refuses some wallboxes. (Reddit)
- 12 V warnings and random error messages. (Reddit)
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – all have climate timers & app-based cabin preheat. - Battery preheating:
- ⛔ ID.4 2021–2023 Europe: no true user-facing battery preconditioning; owners confirm there’s no native “preheat battery for DC” function, only a basic heater that kicks in around 0 °C. (Reddit)
- ⛔ Early ID.3, Enyaq, Born, ID.Buzz: InsideEVs and owner forums note that many early MEB cars lack proper battery preconditioning even though hardware exists – DC charging in cold weather can be very slow. (InsideEVs)
- ⚠️ Later ID.4 (approx. MY2024→): software updates add a “Battery preconditioning” option that warms the pack to about 21 °C/70 °F ahead of fast charging. (Vwidtalk)
👉 Notice:
- ID.4 2021–23, ID.3 2020–22, early Enyaq/Born/Buzz effectively lack proper battery preheating. This is important if you DC-charge a lot in winter.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 / Ioniq 6 (E-GMP)
Typical issues
- ICCU / 12 V failures leading to “dead car” after DC charging – subject of a major recall. (electrive.com)
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – timer, app and seat/steering heating. - Battery preheating:
- ⚠️ Early Ioniq 5 (MY2021–early 2022): some regions got cars without battery preconditioning; you needed a later software/hardware upgrade to enable it. (electrive.com)
- ✅ From roughly MY2023 onwards, Ioniq 5 comes with real battery preconditioning (when you navigate to a DC charger in the built-in nav; the car warms the pack before arrival). (electrive.com)
👉 Notice:
- Some early Ioniq 5s on the road lack battery preheating unless upgraded. Worth double-checking VIN/software if you look at a 2021–22 car.
Kia EV6
Typical issues
- Shares ICCU/12 V related problems with Ioniq 5/6 (same platform). (electrive.com)
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – app/timer works like other modern Kias. - Battery preheating:
- ✅ EV6 has Battery Conditioning Mode – if you enable it and set a DC fast charger as destination in the built-in navigation, the car will preheat the pack. (kia.com)
- ⚠️ There is no fully manual “just preheat battery now” on early EV6; it’s tied to navigation logic. (kiaevforums.com)
👉 So: EV6 does have battery preheating, but only via nav to a DC charger – not a missing feature, but restricted UI.
MG4
Typical issues
- Buggy and cluttered infotainment; some reports of rattles and general low-cost feeling. (speakev.com)
- Strong winter range loss vs WLTP in real-world Nordic use. (speakev.com)
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – via app or key-fob depending on market. - Battery preheating:
✅ Owners report a battery heater that can be scheduled or turned on before charging; typically via a menu (“battery heating” toggle). (speakev.com)
👉 So: MG4 does not lack preheating – but it’s a simple manual function, not an advanced nav-based system.
Renault Megane E-Tech / Scenic E-Tech
Typical issues
- False alarms from the theft alarm system; some small bugs in infotainment/CarPlay. (Reddit)
- Parking brake recall and some PHEV-related emergency-stop incidents. (renault.ie)
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – remote climate via app and timers. - Battery preheating:
✅ With Google built-in / EV Route Planner, Megane E-Tech automatically preconditions the battery when you enter a DC charger as destination; Renault explicitly sells this as a key feature for faster charging. (renault.ie)
⚠️ Some early owner threads talk about “no preconditioning”, but they typically refer to not having a dedicated “Preheat battery” button in the UI, even though route-based preconditioning exists. (Reddit)
👉 So: the Megane E-Tech does have battery preheating – but mainly via Google Maps route planning, not a big manual toggle.
Volvo XC40 Recharge / C40 / EX30 / EX90
Typical issues
- XC40/C40: software crashes in Android Automotive, profile/app annoyances; efficiency not great vs rivals. (Volvo Cars)
- EX30: early software bugs (app, scheduled charging/preconditioning) and winter-test criticism; improving with updates. (Volvo Cars)
- EX90: some early reliability stories (power loss, screens freezing), but Volvo is pushing updates and recalls. (Cision)
Preheating
- Cabin preheating (all):
✅ Yes – “Preconditioning” climate function via centre screen and Volvo Cars app. (Volvo Cars) - Battery preheating:
- ✅ XC40 Recharge / C40: when you use Google Maps in the car and add a fast charger to your route, the car preconditions the battery for faster DC charging. (Volvo Cars)
- ✅ EX30: Volvo documents and owner threads confirm battery preconditioning both via preconditioning timer (while plugged in) and when navigating to a DC fast charger. (Volvo Cars)
- ✅ EX90: official docs say the battery is automatically preconditioned for fast-charging performance when a charging station is set in the navigation; also preconditioning via the app while connected. (Cision)
👉 So: none of these Volvos lack preheating – they are actually quite strong here, especially when used with Google Maps.
Polestar 2
Typical issues
- Early recall: car could shut down while driving (fixed via workshop update).
- Ongoing complaints about OTA updates that occasionally brick the 12 V system or lead to “dead car” situations; plus rear-camera issues that keep coming back. (polestar-forum.com)
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – timers and app control. (Polestar – Electric cars | Polestar UK) - Battery preheating:
✅ Initially, preconditioning was cabin-only, but firmware later added battery preheating when a timer is set and the car is plugged in; also when navigating to a fast charger. (Polestar – Electric cars | Polestar UK)
👉 So: Polestar 2 started a bit weak here but now has proper battery preconditioning on recent software.
Nissan Ariya
Typical issues
- Some owners mention “headlight system error” messages and occasional reduced DC charging performance in repeated fast-charge sessions. (Reddit)
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – app and in-car timers. (The Times) - Battery preheating:
✅ The Ariya does have battery preconditioning:- A “Battery Heater” setting for cold-weather charging. (Reddit)
- Manual preconditioning function to warm the battery on the way to a public DC charger for faster charging. (greencars.com)
👉 Important: some YouTube videos claim Ariya has no preconditioning – those claims are incorrect according to owners and documentation. (Reddit)
BMW iX3
Typical issues
- Generally good reliability; most complaints are minor (creaks, occasional software quirks).
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – standard BMW EV climate scheduling. (bmw.com.au) - Battery preheating:
- ⛔ Pre-facelift 2021 iX3: owners report there is no real battery preconditioning function, and DC charge is slow for the first 10–15 minutes in winter. (Reddit)
- ✅ Newer BMW EVs (i4, i5, iX, Neue Klasse iX3 2025→) can precondition the battery when you set a high-power charger in BMW’s own navigation, and some have a manual option in the charging menu. (BMW BLOG)
👉 Notice:
- The original 2021 iX3 is one of the EVs that basically lacks battery preheating.
- The upcoming Neue Klasse iX3 (2025→) does have it.
Mercedes EQ models (EQA/EQB/EQE/EQS/EQS SUV etc.)
Typical issues
- Some recalls around HV battery control modules, with risk of sudden loss of drive if not updated. (Reddit)
- Otherwise issues are more “premium annoyances” (MMI complexity, occasional MBUX bugs) than fundamental failures.
Preheating
- Cabin preheating:
✅ Yes – via the Mercedes Me app and climate timers. (mercedes-benz-laval.ca) - Battery preheating:
✅ EQ models can precondition the high-voltage battery when you set a DC fast charger as your destination in the built-in navigation and enable preconditioning in the charging menu. (Reddit)
👉 So: Mercedes EQ cars do not lack preheating – but you need to use the built-in nav and have the option enabled.
3. Quick list of models that clearly lack / had weak battery preheating
Based on current info (Europe, 2021→), from a battery preheating point of view the problem children are:
- ⛔ VW ID.4 2021–23 (and early ID.3, Skoda Enyaq, Cupra Born, ID.Buzz) – no proper user-controlled battery preconditioning, only basic cold-protection heating; very slow winter DC charging. (InsideEVs)
- ⛔ BMW iX3 pre-facelift 2021 – owners confirm no battery preconditioning, just passive warm-up while you charge. (Reddit)
- ⚠️ Early Hyundai Ioniq 5 (2021–early 2022) – battery preconditioning absent or limited until upgrade; later cars are fine. (electrive.com)
Most later EVs (2023–2025) do have battery preheating in some form – typically when:
- The car is plugged in and you set a preconditioning timer, and/or
- You navigate to a DC fast charger using the built-in navigation (Google Maps in Volvos/Polestar/Renault, OEM nav in Kia/Hyundai/Mercedes/BMW etc.). (Volvo Cars)