2023 Fisker Ocean transmission and drivetrain problems
91 of the 884 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Fisker Ocean name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 8 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 of the 91 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2023: 1 · 2024: 47 · 2025: 42 · 2026: 1
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
884 complaints in all about the 2023 Fisker Ocean, 1 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Fisker Ocean transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
When coming to a stop, the brakes “slip” causing the braking distance to increase. This significantly increases the potential of a crash. Secondly, the car puts itself in PARK and engages parking brake when at a stop sign or traffic light. This significantly increases the potential of a crash.
Our Fisker Ocean has experienced occasional power lapses, but we could overcome them by switching driving modes. This afternoon on our return drive home the car shuddered when approaching a red light, and my ADAS alert went off. A few miles later the car would not proceed at all, and I switched driving modes but without luck.
The vehicle accelerates when foot is off accelerator and vehicle going over a small bump on road that causes the vehicle to lift a little. This lifting causes the vehicle to accelerate without warning. The accelerate is quite sudden and at high speeed. The ADAS system often malfunction.
Was driving vehicle on highway. Road was being milled. Went over the transition from milled to normal asphalt pavement. Vehicle lost power, error message appeared about battery, transmission shifted to neutral. Once vehicle was on the side of the highway, stopped, it turned itself off
1. Center screen is completely off. It controls everything in the car: safety feature (blind sport, lane keep assist, traffic light alert, regenerative braking, and many others), AC/heating system, communication, navigation, etc. 2. Whistling noise started coming from the electric motor (I guess!).
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- PE24005 Unintended vehicle movementopened Feb 14, 2024 · closed Dec 6, 2024
- On February 14, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE24005 to investigate reports of unintended vehicle movement in model year (MY) 2023 Fisker Ocean vehicles manufactured by Fisker Group Inc. The complaints allege the inability to shift into the park gear and/or vehicle rollaway. The investigation found that the subject vehicles contain a logic that prevents the engagement of …
8 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Other systems with a record on the 2023 Fisker Ocean
Source: the same files- electrical problems 380 complaints
- brake problems 324 complaints
- automatic emergency braking problems 262 complaints
- body and structure problems 59 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2023 Fisker Ocean?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 91 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (10% of everything owners filed about it), and 8 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the 2023 Fisker Ocean?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 6 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2023 Fisker Ocean?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.