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What to do if…
your electric vehicle displays a high-voltage or battery system warning and you don’t know what it implies

Short answer

Pull over safely and stop. If the warning is red/urgent or the car limits power, treat it as “do not continue driving” and get roadside assistance (or 911 if there are any fire/heat/smoke signs).

Do not do these things

  • Don’t keep driving to “make it home” if the warning says stop, turns red, or the vehicle reduces power.
  • Don’t keep cycling the vehicle on and off trying to clear the warning; stop safely first and follow the on-screen instruction and roadside advice.
  • Don’t touch, cut, or open anything high-voltage, and don’t go near orange high-voltage cables or damaged components.
  • Don’t plug in to charge if the warning suggests a battery/high-voltage fault, or if you notice smoke, heat, hissing, popping, or a burning smell.
  • Don’t park in an attached garage or close to buildings/other vehicles if you suspect a battery issue (heat/smell/smoke or escalating warnings).
  • Don’t accept towing that drags driven wheels on the ground unless your owner’s manual explicitly allows it; ask for a flatbed if unsure.

What to do now

  1. Get to a safer pause. Signal, slow down, and pull over to a safe location. If you can choose, stop away from heavy traffic and away from buildings/other vehicles.
  2. If you’re stopped somewhere risky (narrow shoulder, low visibility, fast traffic): prioritize personal safety and call for help. If you feel in danger, call 911.
  3. Secure the vehicle. Put it in Park, set the parking brake, turn on hazards, and power the vehicle fully off.
  4. Quick safety check (no troubleshooting): from outside the vehicle, look/listen for smoke/steam/vapour, hissing/popping/whistling, unusual heat, burning smell, leaking fluids, or visible damage.
  5. If any of those are present, or there’s any fire: move well away, keep others back, and call 911. Tell dispatch it’s an electric vehicle and you suspect a battery/high-voltage issue.
  6. If there are no danger signs: read the exact wording and color of the message. Treat “Stop safely now / pull over / high-voltage system fault / battery system malfunction / limited power” as do-not-drive-until-checked unless your manufacturer’s roadside service explicitly advises otherwise.
  7. Call EV-appropriate help and say it up front. Call your manufacturer’s roadside assistance, your insurer’s roadside assistance, or AAA. Tell them:
    • “High-voltage / battery system warning” and the exact message,
    • your location and whether you’re in a risky roadside position,
    • whether there’s any smell/heat/smoke/hissing,
    • whether the warning appeared while charging.
  8. If it needs towing: ask the provider to follow your owner’s manual towing method. If you can safely access it on your phone, look up the manual’s towing/recovery page so you can relay any special requirements.
  9. Document the alert (30 seconds). Photo of the warning message, time, mileage, and what you were doing (driving/charging). This helps service teams without you guessing.
  10. Until you’re told it’s safe: don’t charge it, don’t move it unnecessarily, and keep people clear of the vehicle.

What can wait

  • You don’t need to diagnose what the warning “really means” right now.
  • You don’t need to decide whether it’s the traction battery, inverter, or 12V system at the roadside.
  • You don’t need to negotiate repairs immediately—focus on safe stop + safe recovery.

Important reassurance

These warnings can happen for a range of reasons, including issues that are repairable. The safest approach is to treat any high-voltage/battery-system alert as potentially safety-relevant until a qualified technician confirms otherwise.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first actions only. The next steps depend on the exact message and what roadside assistance finds.

Important note

This is general safety information, not mechanical or legal advice. If the vehicle tells you to stop, or you notice smoke/heat/hissing/odours, treat it as urgent and involve emergency services and professional roadside recovery.

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