Lucid Air Recall Expands Over Half-Shaft Bolt Problem

Key Takeaways

• Lucid has issued two recalls involving improperly secured half-shaft bolts on certain Air Pure RWD models.
• The original October 2025 recall covered 225 vehicles identified through Lucid’s telematics-based detection system.
• A March 2026 recall expanded the campaign to another 3,627 vehicles after Lucid identified additional half-shaft disengagement incidents.
• Former Lucid manager Neil Milne alleges that he warned the company about multiple failure modes involving the component in April 2025.
• Milne’s lawsuit alleges retaliation and wrongful termination after he raised concerns about safety-related engineering and manufacturing practices.
• The combined recall population is 3,852 vehicles, all involving certain Lucid Air Pure RWD models built before the July 25, 2025 production cutoff.

What Is the Lucid Air Half-Shaft Problem?

Lucid has recalled certain Air Pure rear-wheel-drive vehicles because bolts securing the half-shafts may not have been properly secured. If a half-shaft disengages from the drive unit while the vehicle is moving, the car can experience an unwarned loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

The issue involves the connection between the half-shaft and the vehicle’s drive unit. According to Lucid’s filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the primary cause was an interruption in the bolt torque process during the adhesive curing period. Lucid also identified other possible contributing factors, including damaged adhesive, contamination and the reuse of bolts with cured adhesive.

The problem is particularly significant for the Air Pure RWD because it uses a single drive unit. Lucid’s other Air variants have multiple drive units and were not included in these particular half-shaft recalls because they are not at risk of an unwarned complete loss of drive power from a single half-shaft disengagement.

How Many Lucid Air Vehicles Are Recalled?

The half-shaft issue has resulted in two separate U.S. recalls.

The first recall, filed in October 2025 under NHTSA campaign number 25V669, covered 225 Lucid Air Pure RWD vehicles. Lucid used vehicle telematics data and a lash-detection algorithm to identify vehicles believed to be at risk.

After that recall was issued, Lucid discovered additional half-shaft disengagements in vehicles that had not been included in the original campaign. The company’s Product Safety Working Group identified 26 customer incidents between October 2025 and February 2026 that it attributed to the same root cause.

That investigation led to a second recall filed in March 2026. The expanded campaign covers another 3,627 vehicles.

Combined, the two campaigns cover 3,852 vehicles.

Why Did Lucid Expand the Recall?

The original recall relied on a telematics-based algorithm to identify vehicles showing characteristics associated with a potential half-shaft problem.

Lucid later determined that the algorithm had not identified every vehicle that could experience the failure. After investigating additional customer incidents, the company’s Product Safety Working Group reevaluated the scope of the original recall.

Lucid ultimately determined that certain Air Pure RWD vehicles built before the July 25, 2025 production cutoff presented an unreasonable risk to safety. The expanded recall applies to vehicles that meet the specified production and mileage criteria and were not already included in the first recall.

Lucid’s NHTSA filing states that the company found no incidents after the July 25, 2025 clean point and that the affected incident vehicles had not exceeded 25,000 miles before failure.

What Did Former Lucid Manager Neil Milne Claim?

Former Lucid manager Neil Milne has filed a lawsuit alleging that he raised concerns about the half-shaft problem before the first recall was issued.

According to the lawsuit, Milne warned Lucid in April 2025 about what he described as multiple failure modes involving the component. He also alleges that he repeatedly challenged the company’s testing, validation and documentation practices surrounding safety-critical engineering work.

Milne claims that raising those concerns had consequences for his career at Lucid. His lawsuit alleges that he was passed over for a promotion, received a poor performance review and eventually lost his position.

Those allegations are claims made in the lawsuit and have not been established as facts by a court.

What Is Milne Suing Lucid For?

Milne is suing Lucid over what he characterizes as retaliation and wrongful termination.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for alleged lost wages and other employment-related benefits, including bonuses and equity. It also seeks damages for emotional distress and punitive damages.

The case is separate from the NHTSA recall process. The recalls are based on Lucid’s safety filings and the company’s determination that certain vehicles presented an unreasonable safety risk, while Milne’s lawsuit concerns his allegations about how Lucid responded to his warnings and employment status.

Has Lucid Responded to the Lawsuit?

Lucid has not publicly commented on the allegations described in the lawsuit.

That means the claims made by Milne should be distinguished from the facts established through Lucid’s recall filings. NHTSA documents independently confirm the half-shaft defect, the two recall campaigns and the additional failures that led to the March 2026 expansion.

What Is Lucid Doing to Fix the Problem?

For the recalled vehicles, Lucid’s remedy involves replacing the affected half-shaft bolts.

Lucid has also been developing a revised software detection strategy designed to monitor vehicle signals continuously and identify conditions that could indicate a potential half-shaft disengagement. The company’s NHTSA filing says the revised algorithm could be delivered through an over-the-air update and used to determine which vehicles require bolt replacement.

The recall remedy is being provided at no cost to affected owners.

Could a Half-Shaft Failure Cause the Car to Stop Moving?

Yes. On the affected Air Pure RWD models, a half-shaft disengagement can cause an unwarned loss of drive power.

That is why NHTSA classifies the issue as a safety defect. A sudden loss of propulsion while driving can create a dangerous situation, particularly in traffic or at higher speeds.

The risk is different for other Air models with multiple drive units. Lucid’s recall documentation states that Touring and Grand Touring models were not included in these campaigns because a single half-shaft failure would not result in the same risk of complete loss of drive power.

Which Lucid Air Models Are Affected?

The half-shaft recalls apply specifically to certain 2024-2026 Lucid Air Pure rear-wheel-drive vehicles.

The vehicles involved were manufactured before Lucid’s July 25, 2025 production cutoff. The March 2026 recall also applies only to vehicles meeting Lucid’s additional criteria, including mileage and whether the vehicle was already included in the earlier campaign.

Owners should check their vehicle identification number through NHTSA or Lucid rather than assuming that every Air Pure is affected.

What Should Lucid Air Owners Do?

Owners of an affected vehicle should follow the recall instructions provided by Lucid and arrange the required repair through an authorized Lucid service location.

The recall repair is performed at no cost to the owner. Owners can check whether their vehicle is subject to an open safety recall through the official NHTSA recall lookup.

Because the defect can potentially cause an unexpected loss of drive power, owners should take recall notices seriously and avoid delaying the required repair.

Why the Two Recalls Matter

The unusual aspect of this recall sequence is that the second campaign was substantially larger than the first.

Lucid initially believed its telematics-based system could identify the vehicles most likely to experience the problem. After additional failures occurred outside the original recall population, the company reconsidered the sensitivity of that approach and expanded the campaign.

The second recall therefore does not simply represent a routine addition of vehicles. It reflects Lucid’s conclusion that the original method for identifying at-risk vehicles did not capture the entire affected population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Lucid Air half-shaft problem?

Certain Lucid Air Pure RWD vehicles may have half-shaft bolts that were not properly secured. The half-shaft can disengage from the drive unit, potentially causing an unwarned loss of drive power.

How many Lucid Air vehicles are affected?

The two half-shaft recalls cover a combined 3,852 vehicles: 225 in the October 2025 recall and another 3,627 in the March 2026 expansion.

Which Lucid Air models are affected?

The recalls cover certain 2024-2026 Lucid Air Pure rear-wheel-drive vehicles built before the July 25, 2025 production cutoff. Touring and Grand Touring models are not included in these particular recalls.

What caused the Lucid Air half-shaft problem?

Lucid identified an interruption in the bolt torque process during the adhesive curing window as the primary cause. Damaged adhesive, contamination and reuse of bolts with cured adhesive were also identified as possible contributing factors.

What did Neil Milne allege?

Milne alleges that he warned Lucid about multiple failure modes involving the component in April 2025 and was later subjected to retaliation, including being passed over for a promotion, receiving a poor performance review and eventually being terminated.

Has a court determined that Lucid retaliated against Milne?

No. The retaliation and wrongful-termination allegations are claims made in Milne’s lawsuit and have not been established by a court.

How is Lucid fixing the recalled vehicles?

Lucid’s recall remedy involves replacing the affected half-shaft bolts at no cost to the owner. The company is also developing a revised software detection strategy for identifying vehicles that may require the repair.

Can a half-shaft failure cause a Lucid Air to lose power?

Yes. On the affected Air Pure RWD models, a half-shaft disengagement can result in an unwarned loss of drive power and increase the risk of a crash.

Specifications

Specification	Value
Affected model	Lucid Air Pure RWD
Model years	2024-2026
Original recall	225 vehicles
Expanded recall	3,627 vehicles
Combined recall population	3,852 vehicles
Original recall date	October 2025
Expanded recall date	March 2026
NHTSA recall numbers	25V669 and 26V193
Defect	Half-shaft bolts may not be properly secured
Potential consequence	Unwarned loss of drive power and increased crash risk
Production cutoff	July 25, 2025
Recall remedy	Half-shaft bolt replacement at no cost

Official sources: NHTSA Recall 25V669 | NHTSA Recall 26V193