If you’re one of the unfortunate owners of a Fisker Ocean electric vehicle, I’ve got some bad news: you’re going to have to dig into your own pocket to pay for recall repairs. Yep, even though the cars are under recall for several issues, Fisker’s ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy means they’ll only provide the parts—labor costs? Those are on you.
What’s Happening with the Fisker Ocean Recalls?
This news comes at a time when Fisker Ocean has had multiple recalls over the past few months. One of the big ones was for faulty doors that might not open. More recently, in July, there was another recall for potential water pump failures that affect over 7,500 vehicles. And to add to the pile, there was even a recall in August due to an issue with the car’s regenerative braking system.
So, what’s Fisker’s plan to fix all of this? They’ve promised to get parts out to authorized service centers by the end of September, but the timeline isn’t exactly clear. While that’s not what most owners want to hear, it’s at least something, right? Well, sort of—because there’s a catch.
The Chapter 11 Twist
Due to Fisker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the company has stated in its FAQ section that they’ll only provide parts free of charge for these recalls, but labor costs will not be covered. That means owners will have to pay for inspections and any repairs themselves. This is a pretty unusual situation, as most automakers set up dealer funds to handle recall work when they go under. But Fisker doesn’t have a traditional dealership network, leaving owners in an awkward spot.
For some issues, like the regenerative-braking recall, Fisker is pushing out free over-the-air (OTA) software updates, which help address problems without needing parts or repairs. But these updates can only go so far—big issues like water pump failures or doors that don’t open still require physical parts and, well, paid labor.
No Dealerships, No Safety Net for Fisker Ocean
Another wrinkle? Fisker’s lack of a dealership network. When automakers with traditional dealer relationships go bankrupt, they often set up dealer funds to cover the costs of repairs. But Fisker doesn’t have that, leaving customers scrambling to find authorized service providers and foot the bill themselves.
To make things more complicated, many of the remaining Fisker Ocean models will likely end up with American Leasing, which cut a deal with Fisker to buy them at a steep discount of $14,000 per vehicle. It’s unclear what kind of service arrangement will be for these cars, but current owners are left waiting for answers.
For now, Fisker owners are in limbo—waiting for parts, paying out of pocket for repairs, and relying on OTA updates for smaller issues. But the bigger question is: are they driving their cars toward a dead end?
