It’s time for an honest review: With Stellantis OBC we have observed frequent technical issues with several EV models, which raises questions about their long-term reliability. The level of questionable engineering in their designs borders on the absurd, and it’s time to highlight the issues where owners ultimately pay the price. We’re all aware of the shortcomings in their diesel, gasoline, and hybrid vehicles, but what’s happening with their EVs is truly unacceptable. These problems could discourage buyers from EVs and lead them back to diesel – an unfortunate outcome that benefits no one
Our experience has exposed a range of problems, from restricting “right to repair” access for independent workshops (blocking schematics, software, updates, parts) to the absence of essential tools and documentation. Their support practices appear to violate the spirit of EU Regulation 2018/858, Article 61, by limiting independent repair access. Warranty conditions are extremely strict – for instance, skipping a minor service (like a wiper change) can void the battery warranty – which customers find unreasonable.
The situation is even worse for official service centers, whose technicians receive inadequate training, lack reliable hotline support, and often resort to blindly swapping parts at the owner’s expense. And even when they can identify the problem, replacement parts are frequently unavailable, leading to delays of 2-6 months, which is especially damaging for businesses left without a replacement vehicle under warranty. Worst of all are the warranty terms—these conditions border on extortion. They tie the vehicle’s overall warranty to specific components; for example, skipping a windshield wiper change could void the battery warranty, even during critical recalls where they refuse to replace faulty parts.
We’ve documented three cases of catastrophically flawed MAHLE OBC and DCDC units integrated into a single module, with eight circuit boards that overcomplicate the system to an extreme. The final IGBT board is epoxy-bonded to the cooling plate along with the DCDC inverter, with almost every board running its own microcontroller. In two cases, damage was undetectable, but Type 2 charging simply didn’t work. In one case, an inductor wire to the IGBT output burned out. We couldn’t repair any of these units after three attempts. For the second part, we’ve been waiting six months, and despite it being a factory defect, it’s neither covered by warranty nor recognized in a recall, leaving owners no option but to switch manufacturers or face potential financial ruin. This issue affects all Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Toyota, and DS vehicles—and it’s just the beginning.
It’s as if they’re making EVs so that you’ll hate them.
Peugeot Ion, Citroën C-Zero, and Mitsubishi i-MiEV – one and the same vehicle, one of the unbreakable pioneers and one of the few that outlasted most of the competition in that segment. Back in 2012, at the age of 24, while I was dreaming of buying a Tesla that was just being promoted, I didn’t even have enough money for this Ion, but it would have been sufficient for most needs if my diesel didn’t swallow up everything I earned. With the Ion, we do absolutely nothing except for the OBC module, which is an integrated ‘rectifier’ module in the vehicle, converting 220 AC to DC 400. Many mainstream disinformants would be surprised if they managed to ‘digest’ the fact that in almost all EVs (except the Nissan Leaf), the biggest problem isn’t the battery but rather the electric motors or OBC, depending on the model. OBC usually fails due to overheating, unstable power grid interruptions, lightning strikes, or simply material fatigue in the chips, causing one component to burn half of the controller. The OBC for this vehicle, at an authorized service center, costs an incredible €8000 new, which makes it no longer profitable for many to even repair these old power units. Finding a used one is nearly impossible, and there are 3 different series that are not cross-compatible.
Last week, we received two units, one from ZG and one from VŽ, both with the same problem but this time with an issue we hadn’t encountered, meaning we have to spend another 20-30 hours investigating the cause and how to solve it. After 2 weeks, both owners were saved from the guillotine, and the OBC was repaired. The vehicle doesn’t have to go to the scrapyard, and the mission of the vehicle continues to prove that the lifespan of an EV isn’t just 7 but over 11 years with the original battery and motor. A fairly solid, not overly luxurious EV, but excellent for city commutes and short distances to work without clogging your DPF every Friday.
HRVATSKI
Peugeot Ion Citreon C0 i Misubishi iMiev – Jedno te isto vozilo, jedan od neslomljivih pionira i jedan od rijetkih koji je nadživio vecinu konkurencije iz tog segmenta. Te davne 2012 sa 24 godine dok sam sanjario kako kupiti Teslu koja se tek promovirala, nisam ni za ovaj Ion imao love ali bio bi dovoljan za vecinu potreba samo da mi dizelas ne guta sve sto zaradim. Na Ionu ne radimo apsolutno nista osim OBC modula, koji je integrirani modul “ispravljac” u vozilu a koji pegla 220AC u DC400. Mnogi mainstream dezinformatori bi se začudili kad bi uspjeli “progutati” činjenicu da na skoro svim EV (osim nissan leaf) nije najveci problem baterija već elektromotori ili OBC ovisno od modela do modela. OBC strada najčešće zbog nekog uzroka pregrijavanja, nestabilne mreže napajanja/prekidanja, grom ili samog zamora materijala u čipovima pa jedna komponenta skuri pola kontrolera. OBC za ovo vozilo, u ovlastenom servisu košta novo nevjerovatnih 8000€ zbog čega mnogima nije isplativo vise ni popravljati ove stare strujice. Rabljen je skoro nemoguce naci i postoje 3 razlicite serije i nisu kompatabilne unakrsno.
Prosli tjedan dobili smo dva komada, jedan iz ZG i jedan i VŽ, oba sa istim problemom ali ovaj put sa problemom sa kojim se nismo sretali sto znaci opet moramo potrositi 20-30 sati istrazivati sto je uzrok i kako rijesiti. Nakon 2 tjedna oba vlasnika su spašena giljotine i OBC repariran, vozilo ne mora na otpad a misija vozila nastavlja i dalje dokazivati da vjek EV nije 7 vec preko 11 godina sa original baterijom i motorom. Sasvim solidan, ne pretjerano luksuzan EV ali odličan za grada i na posao par kilometara a da vam se ne začepi DPF svaki petak.
STELLANTIS – Toyota Proace, Citroën ë-Jumpy, Peugeot e-Expert, Opel Vivaro-e, etc.: Consumer Concerns About Warranty and Service Practices
Electric vehicles (EVs) have transformed the automotive industry, promising lower maintenance and environmental benefits. However, as with any emerging technology, challenges arise—particularly with certain manufacturers. Recent reports highlight issues with Stellantis EVs, raising questions about warranty policies and service practices.
Concerns Over Warranty Denial A notable case involves the Citroën ë-Jumpy, where a battery defect occurred within 14 months and only 1,600 kilometers driven. The warranty claim was denied because the vehicle was purchased at auction from a bankrupt company, and despite the first service being completed, the lack of paper documentation was cited as the reason for rejection. This decision left the owner with a repair bill of €25,000 for a new battery.
Further compounding the frustration, the authorized service center charged €200 for diagnostics and initially refused to provide a printout of the error codes. Upon insistence, they eventually produced the documentation but offered conflicting justifications for denying the warranty. Their explanation ranged from a missing “initial action” to the absence of a trivial service action—filling 1 liter of wiper fluid. This incident highlights a lack of transparency and consumer-friendly processes.
Technical Analysis The battery in question was later inspected independently, revealing that the cells were functional, but the Battery Management System (BMS) had triggered a “LOCK lvl2 error,” rendering the pack unusable. This issue appears to be a potential serial defect that could warrant a recall. Despite this, the manufacturer offered a used battery replacement for €9,000, which is still under consideration.
Broader Issues with Stellantis EVs This case is not isolated. Stellantis’ general warranty ties vehicle coverage to powertrain maintenance, an approach not followed by many other manufacturers like Tesla, Renault, or Ford, which maintain separate systems for general and drivetrain warranties. This policy has reportedly led to denied warranty claims for minor omissions unrelated to the drivetrain.
Owners and independent workshops have also reported other recurring issues across Stellantis EVs, including software and hardware faults that result in disproportionately high repair costs.
Recommendations for EV Buyers
Research Warranty Terms: Before purchasing an EV, confirm whether the general warranty is separate from the drivetrain warranty. Avoid models where minor service omissions can void essential coverage.
Stay Informed: Be cautious of promotional materials and paid reviews that may not fully disclose potential drawbacks.
Advocate for Change: Consumer protection agencies and regulatory bodies must address practices that unfairly burden owners with the costs of factory defects.
Conclusion While the future is undoubtedly electric, it is critical to hold manufacturers accountable for their products and warranty practices. Stellantis, in particular, should reevaluate its policies and invest in transparent, customer-focused service systems to regain trust. Until these issues are addressed, prospective buyers may wish to consider alternatives.
Catalog: 1677671480, 9841848180, 9694347580, 9835785980, 9840685180 Error: P1069 Battery: new €25,000, used €9,000 Malfunction: serial error of the BMS system Processor: SAK-TC275
STELLANTIS – Toyota Proace, Citroën ë-Jumpy, Peugeot e-Expert, Opel Vivaro-e, itd.: Problemi s jamstvima i servisnim praksama
Električna vozila (EV) revolucionirala su automobilski sektor, obećavajući niže troškove održavanja i ekološke prednosti. Međutim, kao i kod svake nove tehnologije, pojavljuju se izazovi – posebno kod nekih proizvođača. Nedavna iskustva korisnika ukazuju na probleme s EV vozilima Stellantisa, osobito vezano uz jamstvene uvjete i servisne prakse.
Problemi s odbijanjem jamstva
Jedan značajan primjer uključuje Citroën ë-Jumpy, kod kojeg je došlo do kvara baterije unutar 14 mjeseci i nakon samo 1.600 prijeđenih kilometara. Zahtjev za jamstvom je odbijen jer je vozilo kupljeno na aukciji od tvrtke u stečaju. Iako je prvi servis obavljen, nedostatak papirnatih dokaza o tom servisu iskorišten je kao razlog za odbijanje jamstva. To je vlasnika ostavilo s troškom popravka od 25.000 € za novu bateriju.
Situaciju je dodatno pogoršalo to što je ovlašteni servis naplatio 200 € za dijagnostiku, ali isprva nije htio dostaviti ispis kodova grešaka. Nakon opetovanih zahtjeva, dokumentacija je ipak dostavljena, ali razlozi za odbijanje jamstva ostali su nejasni. Objašnjenja su varirala od “neizvršene početne akcije” do toga da nije nadolivena 1 litra tekućine za brisače, što ukazuje na manjak transparentnosti i poštenja u procesu.
Tehnička analiza
Neovisna inspekcija baterije pokazala je da su sve ćelije ispravne. Međutim, sustav upravljanja baterijom (BMS) aktivirao je “LOCK lvl2 grešku”, koja je trajno onemogućila korištenje baterijskog paketa. Ovaj problem izgleda kao serijska greška koja bi trebala biti riješena opozivom. Unatoč tome, proizvođač je ponudio rabljenu bateriju za 9.000 €, ostavljajući vlasnika s ograničenim opcijama.
Širi problemi sa Stellantis EV vozilima
Ovaj slučaj nije izoliran. Opća jamstvena politika Stellantisa povezuje pokriće vozila s održavanjem pogonskog sustava, za razliku od proizvođača poput Tesle, Renaulta ili Forda, koji odvajaju jamstva za opće komponente i pogonski sustav. Ta praksa navodno je dovela do odbijanja jamstva zbog manjih propusta koji nisu povezani s pogonskim sustavom.
Vlasnici i neovisni servisi također su prijavili druge ponavljajuće probleme s EV vozilima Stellantisa, uključujući softverske i hardverske kvarove koji uzrokuju visoke troškove popravka. Ti problemi, u kombinaciji sa strogim uvjetima jamstva, narušavaju povjerenje potrošača u brend.
Preporuke za buduće kupce EV vozila
Provjerite uvjete jamstva: Prije kupnje EV vozila, provjerite je li opće jamstvo odvojeno od jamstva za pogonski sustav. Izbjegavajte modele kod kojih trivijalni propusti mogu poništiti ključna pokrića.
Istražite reputaciju proizvođača: Budite oprezni prema promotivnim materijalima i recenzijama koje možda izostavljaju potencijalne nedostatke.
Zagovarajte odgovornost: Potičite veću transparentnost i odgovornost proizvođača te zahtijevajte aktivniju ulogu agencija za zaštitu potrošača u rješavanju nepoštenih praksi.
Zaključak
Iako je budućnost nesumnjivo električna, proizvođači moraju dati prioritet poštenim i transparentnim politikama servisa i jamstva. Stellantis, posebice, trebao bi riješiti ove probleme i posvetiti se rješenjima usmjerenima prema korisnicima kako bi povratio povjerenje. Dok se ti problemi ne riješe, potencijalni kupci možda bi trebali razmotriti alternative.
This is Research and Development lab for EV and PHEV vehicles. Our primary sponsors are defect Hybrids and ICE Dismiss
Important for ALL customers! 🚗⚡
Our lab is located on a secured site with access control and closed gates, spontaneous visits are not possible!
Due to high demand and our limited capacity, we may not be able to respond to your requests immediately. Delays of up to 2 weeks are possible due to multiple employees being sick and a shortage of workforce.
📅 Please schedule an appointment in advance via email so we can register your access. Visits without invitation is forbiden.
