Audi & Porsche 240V Charging Cable Recall Explained (23V-841 / 23V-842)

TL;DR

In December 2023, Porsche and Audi filed related U.S. recalls covering 240V charging supply cables provided with certain EVs and plug-in hybrids. NHTSA campaign 23V-841 covers 41,345 Porsche vehicles; 23V-842 covers 93,196 Audi vehicles — 134,541 potentially affected vehicles combined. The recalls concern overheating at or around the high-current wall-receptacle/supply-cable interface, but the manufacturers describe the causes differently. Porsche documented cable damage following overheating with certain receptacles; Audi reported that analyzed cases pointed to household outlets or wiring unable to sustain the required load. Both remedies use redesigned supply cables with temperature sensing. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your Audi/Porsche dealer rather than relying on model year alone.

Disclosure: WenStorm sells J1772 and Tesla/NACS vehicle-side extension cables and portable EV chargers. This article is regulatory-context education, not a recall-remedy substitute. WenStorm products do not replace the recalled Audi or Porsche 240V supply cables and are not on any NHTSA recall notice — if your car is subject to these campaigns, follow the manufacturer's dealer-provided remedy exactly.

By Erik Nyholm, EV Charging Specialist. Educational content covering the NHTSA recall record. Not vehicle-specific advice — check your VIN via the manufacturer or NHTSA before acting on any information here.

Table of contents

• Porsche 23V-841 vs Audi 23V-842 — what each recall actually says
• Vehicles covered — model families and the VIN reality
• Where the heat originated
• The manufacturer explanations, in detail
• The remedy — supply cables with temperature sensing
• Related NHTSA history — Tesla 16E-091 (2016)
• What this pattern means for any EV owner
• What this recall does — and does not — prove about extension cords
• If you own an affected Audi or Porsche
• Frequently asked questions
• Related WenStorm products for vehicle-side reach

Porsche 23V-841 vs Audi 23V-842 — what each recall actually says

The two campaigns are related but describe the failure differently. Both involve 240V charging supply cables that shipped with the vehicle. Both remedies add temperature sensing. But the manufacturer explanations, model families, and campaign scope are distinct.

	Porsche 23V-841	Audi 23V-842
Potentially affected population	41,345 vehicles	93,196 vehicles
Affected item	240V NEMA supply cables (multiple types: NEMA 6-30, 14-30, 6-50, 14-50)	220/240V industrial supply cable supplied with the vehicle
Manufacturer explanation	Certain receptacles could cause overheating; overheating could subsequently damage the cable and connector crimps, producing further increased resistance and temperature	Analyzed cases pointed to household outlets and/or wiring/circuitry unable to sustain the required current — did NOT show an issue with the charging equipment itself
Is the complete charger affected?	The 240V supply cable is the principal recalled component	Audi's filing explicitly says the charging unit itself and the 110V cable are not affected
Remedy	Updated 240V supply cable with integrated temperature sensing; Porsche service documentation also lists a charger software update as part of the applicable service procedure	Redesigned 220/240V cable with temperature sensor
Manufacturer campaign code	APB6	93U6 / 93U8

The article that follows treats the two campaigns separately where they differ, and jointly where they agree (both involve 240V high-current supply cables; both remedies add temperature sensing). Neither campaign is a recall of the vehicle's onboard charger, battery, or drivetrain.

Vehicles covered — model families and the VIN reality

The two campaigns cover distinct model families.

Porsche 23V-841 model families include configurations of the Taycan, Cayenne E-Hybrid, and Panamera E-Hybrid across affected build ranges. The specific model years and trim configurations covered depend on which supply cable shipped with the vehicle.

Audi 23V-842 model families include configurations of the A7, A8, e-tron / e-tron Sportback, e-tron GT, RS e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron / Q4 Sportback, and Q5 across affected build ranges. Coverage varies by model year, trim, and the specific supply cable configuration shipped with the vehicle.

Model and model year alone cannot confirm eligibility. The VIN is the only authoritative check. NHTSA's recall lookup tool at nhtsa.gov/recalls returns the current status of any specific VIN, and Audi or Porsche dealers can confirm eligibility through the manufacturer service systems. Do not assume a vehicle is or is not covered based on model family alone.

Where the heat originated

Both manufacturers' explanations describe overheating at or around the high-current wall-receptacle/supply-cable interface — the segment between the household 240V receptacle and the EVSE's control box.

Portable EV chargers move continuous current at up to 40A for many hours per session. At 40A, that's roughly 9.6 kW of continuous power delivery, and by NEC's 80% derating rule for continuous loads, a 40A EVSE draws close to the safe limit of a 50A branch circuit.

Any high-resistance connection along the plug/receptacle interface generates heat proportional to the square of the current (Joule heating: P = I²R). At 40A continuous, a marginal connection — a slightly loose plug blade, a slightly worn receptacle contact, a corroded terminal — becomes a heat source over hours of use.

This segment is a known thermal-risk point in any AC portable charging setup. The NHTSA recalls confirm that both Porsche and Audi identified overheating in this segment; they do not, on their own, establish that this segment is universally the highest-thermal-stress point in every EV charger architecture.

The manufacturer explanations, in detail

Porsche 23V-841

Porsche's filing describes a sequence: certain lower-quality receptacles could cause elevated resistance and heat at the plug/receptacle interface; that heat could damage the supply cable and its connector crimps; the damaged crimps could then produce further increased resistance and higher temperature, which feeds back on itself. Porsche's analysis attributed the initiating condition to the specific quality of the receptacle in use, and the resulting damage to the supply cable and crimp connections carrying the current from the receptacle.

Porsche's current service instructions for applicable Taycan, Cayenne E-Hybrid, and Panamera E-Hybrid units include both the redesigned NEMA supply cable with temperature sensing and, where applicable, a charger software update as part of the complete service procedure.

Audi 23V-842

Audi's filing reads differently. Audi analyzed reported cases and concluded that they did not show an issue with the charging equipment itself. The apparent contributor Audi identified was household outlets, wiring, or circuitry unable to sustain the current required by the charger under continuous operation. Despite that root-cause characterization, Audi issued the recall and provided a remedy: a redesigned 220/240V supply cable equipped with temperature sensing that can detect overheating and interrupt charging before damage occurs.

The two positions do not contradict each other. Porsche traces the issue to cable and crimp damage triggered by receptacle-side elevated resistance. Audi traces it to receptacle-side thermal limits without concluding the cable is defective. Both remedies add temperature sensing at the supply-cable side.

The remedy — supply cables with temperature sensing

Both campaigns' remedies add a temperature sensor at or near the supply-side plug end of the charging cable. The sensor monitors the plug/receptacle interface temperature during continuous charging. When the reading exceeds a preset threshold, the EVSE's internal control electronics reduce the charging current (derating) or interrupt charging entirely, preventing the interface from reaching a temperature that could damage the cable, the receptacle, or the surrounding installation.

This is a mitigation architecture that multiple manufacturers use — Tesla's Gen 2 Mobile Connector uses plug-end temperature monitoring, the Porsche/Audi recall-remedy cables use it, and other manufacturers publish similar plug-end thermal-monitoring architectures in their portable EVSE lines. It is not a universal industry standard or a regulatory requirement, but it is a common response to the thermal risk that shows up in continuous high-current AC charging.

The remedy is targeted: it detects one failure signature — elevated temperature at the supply-side plug interface — and does not protect against every possible failure mode along the charging path. A degraded branch-circuit conductor, a compromised breaker, or damage elsewhere in the equipment is outside the sensor's scope.

Related NHTSA history — Tesla 16E-091 (2016)

The Porsche/Audi 2023 recalls are not the first plug-interface event in the AC portable EV charger space. In 2016, Tesla issued NHTSA campaign 16E-091, which covered approximately 6,729 specific NEMA 14-30, NEMA 10-30, and NEMA 6-50 adapters used with the Tesla Mobile Connector. Tesla identified the root cause as poor ultrasonic welds inside the adapter housings, which contributed to elevated internal resistance and heat under continuous load. The remedy was replacement adapters with improved internal construction — not a firmware change or a sensor addition.

What the two events have in common: a manufacturing or interface issue at a current-carrying joint under continuous EV load produced elevated resistance and heat. Both recalls addressed specific components — supply cables in the 2023 campaigns, adapters in the 2016 campaign — not the whole vehicle and not the vehicle's onboard charger.

What the two events do not prove: they do not prove every portable EV charger faces a similar recall, or that any single design architecture is universally safer. They document specific manufacturing or component issues that reached NHTSA's threshold for a safety campaign.

What this pattern means for any EV owner

The recall record points to a few habits worth adopting regardless of which EV or EVSE you own.

Inspect the wall-plug end regularly. After the first few sessions on any new equipment or new outlet, touch the plug body after 30 to 60 minutes of continuous charging. Slight warmth is normal for a 30–48A continuous load; a plug body too hot to hold for several seconds is a reason to stop and inspect the receptacle before resuming.

Look for visible damage at the receptacle face. Discoloration, blackening, or visible melt marks around the plug slots indicate the interface has reached elevated temperatures at some point. Do not resume charging on that receptacle until an electrician inspects it. See our 7 signs your EV charging outlet is failing for the full symptom checklist.

Know what your equipment's internal protection does. Some EVSE units include plug-end temperature sensors (like the recall-remedy Audi and Porsche cables); others do not. Read your equipment's owner manual to understand what internal safety systems it has. The presence of internal temperature sensing is not a substitute for good receptacle installation.

Take Audi's explanation seriously if it applies to your setup. Audi's finding — that the analyzed cases pointed to household outlets and/or wiring/circuitry unable to sustain the required current — is a real diagnostic possibility for any AC portable charger. A dedicated 50A circuit installed to current NEC standards with a high-quality industrial-grade receptacle is a different thermal environment than a marginal existing outlet.

What this recall does — and does not — prove about extension cords

Do not use these recalls as evidence that every supply-side extension cord will fail in the same way. Neither NHTSA campaign was caused by an aftermarket extension cord — both concern the manufacturer-supplied 240V charging cable at the receptacle interface.

Still, EV charging places a long-duration load on the supply connection, and adding another plug-and-receptacle interface (as a supply-side extension cord does) creates another current-carrying joint that must reliably carry that load. Tesla's Gen 2 Mobile Connector owner's manual, for example, explicitly prohibits supply-side extension cords, and other EVSE manufacturers publish similar restrictions in their installation guides — the added joint is another potential high-resistance point.

For the full separate discussion of manufacturer restrictions, NEC 625.17(C) cable-length limits, and the supply-side-vs-vehicle-side distinction, see our full guide on extension cords and EV chargers. Treat the recall record and the general extension-cord guidance as related but distinct topics.

If you own an affected Audi or Porsche

1. Verify your VIN against NHTSA campaign 23V-841 (Porsche) or 23V-842 (Audi). The manufacturer's service system or the NHTSA search tool at nhtsa.gov/recalls confirms whether your specific vehicle is included. Model year alone is not sufficient.
2. Contact your Audi or Porsche dealer to schedule the remedy. The manufacturer supplies the replacement cable at no cost per the recall terms. For Porsche, the service procedure may include both the redesigned cable and a charger software update where applicable.
3. In the interim, follow the manufacturer's guidance on continued use. The recall notices from Audi and Porsche include interim usage instructions; consult those and follow them exactly rather than relying on secondary sources.
4. Inspect the wall receptacle you have been using. If the receptacle shows discoloration, melt marks, or a loose plug fit, an electrician should replace it regardless of which cable you use in the future. Audi's specific finding — household outlets/wiring unable to sustain the required current — is a reason for affected owners to have the receptacle side of the installation checked.

Do not substitute a WenStorm extension cable for the recalled Audi or Porsche primary charging cable. A WenStorm extension is a vehicle-side accessory that runs between the primary EVSE's connector and the car — it does not replace the primary EVSE, and it is not on any NHTSA recall notice. The manufacturer's recall remedy is the correct action for affected vehicles.

Frequently asked questions

How many vehicles were affected?

134,541 potentially affected vehicles combined: 41,345 Porsche (campaign 23V-841) + 93,196 Audi (campaign 23V-842). Audi's population was revised from an earlier 93,179 figure. Verify current numbers via the NHTSA campaign summaries.

Does the recall affect the vehicle's onboard charger or battery?

No. Both campaigns cover the 240V charging supply cable that shipped with the vehicle. The onboard charger, battery pack, high-voltage architecture, and drivetrain are not affected. Audi's filing explicitly states the charging unit itself and the 110V cable are not affected.

Are Porsche and Audi describing the same failure?

Not exactly. Porsche identifies overheating at the receptacle interface leading to cable and crimp damage. Audi identifies household outlets or wiring unable to sustain the required current, and states the analyzed cases did not show an issue with the charging equipment itself. Both remedies add temperature sensing to the redesigned cable.

What is a plug-end temperature sensor and how does it work?

A small thermistor embedded in the supply-side plug body monitors the plug/receptacle interface temperature during charging. If the reading exceeds a preset threshold, the EVSE's internal control electronics derate or interrupt charging, preventing the interface from reaching a damaging temperature. The recall-remedy Audi and Porsche cables use this pattern, as do Tesla's Gen 2 Mobile Connector and the Porsche and Audi recall-remedy cables.

Can I use a third-party portable EVSE while I wait for the recall remedy?

Consult your Audi or Porsche dealer. The manufacturer's recall notices include interim guidance on charging — including whether continued use of the original cable is permitted under specific conditions, and what alternatives the manufacturer recommends during the wait.

Is a NEMA 14-50 outlet safe for a 40A EV charger?

A properly installed NEMA 14-50 receptacle on a 50A dedicated circuit is designed for 40A continuous load per NEC's 80% derating rule. Neither recall indicates the receptacle standard itself is unsafe. Audi's specific finding is that some household wiring/circuits may not sustain the required current in service — which points to installation quality rather than the receptacle standard.

Does WenStorm's extension cable have a plug-end temperature sensor?

No. WenStorm's extension cables are vehicle-side extensions between the primary EVSE's connector and the car. They do not have a wall-side plug, so supply-side temperature sensing does not apply. Wall-side protection is the job of the primary EVSE itself.

Are all 40A EV chargers subject to a similar recall risk?

No. NHTSA campaign records document specific manufacturing or component issues in specific product lots. They do not indicate a category-wide problem with 40A EVSEs. The industry has converged on temperature sensing as a common mitigation for the thermal risk at continuous high-current supply interfaces, but that is a design pattern, not evidence of a widespread defect.

Can I search for other EV charger recalls?

Yes. The NHTSA recall database at nhtsa.gov/recalls covers vehicle-associated recalls, including chargers packaged with vehicles. For aftermarket charging equipment not shipped with a vehicle, the Consumer Product Safety Commission database at cpsc.gov covers most product categories.

Related WenStorm products for vehicle-side reach

Need extra vehicle-side reach after your primary EVSE is compliant? WenStorm vehicle-side extensions do not replace the recalled Audi or Porsche 240V supply cable and are not a recall remedy. They are unrelated accessories that add reach between the EVSE's built-in vehicle connector and the car — not the wall-plug segment the NHTSA recalls addressed.

WenStorm's J1772 EV Extension Cable is available in 32A and 50A versions; the NACS extension line is rated 50A. Both use UL 2263-certified EV cable at the cable-component level (Cert No. UL-US-2407470-0). Neither product replaces a recalled Audi or Porsche supply cable.

Related reading

• Can You Use an Extension Cord With an EV Charger? — the full safety framework including NEC 625.17(C)
• 7 Signs Your EV Charging Outlet Is Failing (Before Fire) — receptacle symptom checklist
• UL 2263 vs UL 2251 vs UL 2231: What They Cover — the certification decoder
• EV Extension Cable Buyer's Guide: J1772 vs NACS, Length, and What Not to Do — the vehicle-side decision walkthrough