A recall has been issued for just about every Karma Revero EV sold inside the United States over an intermittent issue with the turn signals that place the model out of compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). While the defect isn’t dangerous in itself, the fact that turn signals could fail can exacerbate the likelihood of a crash.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Revero, don’t feel bad. Most people have never seen one.
The history of the vehicle is a tad convoluted. Henrik Fisker originally launched Fisker Automotive in 2007, with the Karma being the first model. But the EV company went bankrupt and the assets were purchased by Chinese auto-parts supplier Wanxiang Group in 2014. While the company is presently supposed to be rebranding itself, its initial play was to sell off the one vehicle Fisker has managed to produce before going under. The Karma went from being a model to an entire brand and a limited number of Karma Reveros were sold.
While Henrik Fisker would move on to helm another automotive company carrying his name, Karma pivoted toward suing Lordstown Motors over a technology dispute and trying to raise some money. However, its website is still taking reservations for automobiles manufactured in California and notes that it even has some new models in the works. But the Revero was the only arrow in its quiver and will reportedly be returning as a new-and-improved model once the company has reinvented itself.
Now, 269 examples of the original are under recall due to a faulty indicator circuit. The details stipulate that it impacts every trim and applies to all vehicles manufactured between July 2019 and December 2022 — which should encompass every unit sold inside the U.S.
The defect is said to occasionally cause the turn signal in the front headlamp to remain active for longer than it’s supposed to due to a faulty signal from the Vehicle Control Module. The company said the nature of the defect makes it impossible to repeat between vehicles. However, it’s supposed to take place a few times per month on average.
Drivers will notice the telltale sign of a fast-clicking turn signal indicator. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has cautioned that the problem can create scenarios that could increase your risk of an accident, the real issue is that the issue places these vehicles out of regulatory compliance.
The manufacturer has said there have been no injuries, deaths, or property damage is related to the defect. But you could see how a stuck signal might cause confusion on the road for other drivers and eventually lead to one. The issue can be overcome (at least temporarily) by restarting the vehicle or manually canceling the signals. But Karma is still obligated to issue a recall.
Karma says dealers will fit new headlights to affected vehicles and update the software free of charge. It’s also going to be notifying customers by mail on July 25th. However, based upon the number of people that have reported the issue, it sounds like almost everyone in possession of a Karma Revero would be aware of the defect already.
If you happen to own one, you’ll need to get it checked out. Additional information can be acquired by contacting Karma at 855-288-6109 or using the NHTSA recall website. You’ll probably want to have your VIN handy either way. The recall number is 24V-379.
Meanwhile, Karma plans on handling the issue while it prepares the next Revero and Gyesera sedan that’s assumed to supplant the Revero GS-6. The Kaveya electric grand tourer is also under development. But we haven’t heard much about it since it debuted in 2023 with some of the juiciest performance specs ever bestowed upon an EV. That said, it might be wise to temper expectations.
[Images: Karma Automotive]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.