The encyclopedia · Engineering & Operations · Product decision · 2025
Tesla recalled 10,500 Powerwall 2 units after overheating led to fires
Lithium-ion cells in Powerwall 2 could overheat and catch fire, prompting Tesla to recall around 10,500 US systems.
Tesla · 2025-11-13
What happened
On 13 November 2025 Tesla recalled around 10,500 of its Powerwall 2 home backup battery systems in the United States due to a risk of overheating, burns and fires. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the recall alongside Tesla.
The affected systems used lithium-ion cells that could overheat, presenting a fire and burn hazard with a risk of serious injury or death. The recall followed a separate Powerwall recall in Australia earlier in the year.
Tesla remotely discharged, or removed energy from, affected Powerwall 2 systems that were online to prevent overheating until a replacement unit could be installed. Customers were told to check the Tesla app to see whether their unit was included.
The recall forced Tesla to replace a significant share of installed Powerwall 2 units in the US, turning a battery defect into a large-scale field service effort and a reputational hit for its home-energy product line.
Why it happened
- Lithium-ion cells that could overheat meant a home battery carried a fire and burn hazard
- A product shipped at scale became a recall once the defect surfaced, forcing replacements across the installed base
- The second Powerwall recall of the year showed the failure was not isolated to one market
- Remote discharge could only manage the risk, not remove it — every affected owner still needed a replacement unit
The lesson
A battery defect found after deployment turns a product line into a field-replacement program — test the cell before it ships.
Sources
- Tesla Recalls Powerwall 2 AC Battery Power Systems Due to Fire and Burn Hazards — US CPSC, November 2025
- Tesla recalls 10,500 Powerwall 2 systems due to overheating — CNBC, November 2025
- Tesla recalls over 10,000 Powerwalls in the US after several fires — Electrek, November 2025
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