Volvo Cars faces Thai legal threat after fresh EX30 fires

Fixes dateline to May 20 (not May 19)

* Two new EX30 battery fires prompt Thai watchdog to weigh civil action

* Volvo faces complaints as customers await battery fixes after global recall

* Repair timelines vary, with some markets waiting until late-2026 for replacements

By Chayut Setboonsarng and Marie Mannes

STOCKHOLM/BANGKOK, May 20 (Reuters) - Two new battery-related fires involving Volvo Cars' EX30 has prompted Thailand's consumer watchdog to consider civil action, adding to pressure on the Swedish automaker as it grapples with a global recall of the electric SUV. Reuters reported in February that Volvo would recall more than 40,000 EX30s and replace battery modules due to a defect that could cause packs to overheat and potentially catch fire.

The Thai watchdog said on Tuesday it would escalate fire-risk complaints to an internal committee, a move that could lead to civil action against Volvo Thailand and its dealers. The agency is seeking refunds plus interest for 45 complainants.

Civil action seeks remedies rather than criminal punishment.

DISRUPTIONS

Volvo is due to meet the watchdog on Thursday, according to Patcharin Sumsiripong, secretary to the Prime Minister's Office. Volvo Cars did not comment on the possibility of a civil suit.

The move follows mounting customer frustration over delays in replacement parts. In December Volvo started advising owners in more than a dozen countries, including Brazil, Australia, Britain and Thailand, to limit charging to 70% as an interim measure. Thai officials said this had proved insufficient.

A Volvo Cars spokesperson said there was some delay due to the Iran war. They added that incidents remain rare, with fires reported in 0.1% of affected vehicles, and the recall has been reduced to 37,802 cars from 40,323.

Chief Commercial Officer Erik Severinson acknowledged that customers were annoyed.

"Rightfully so - a lot of customers were frustrated," he said, adding the company now had a good pipeline of batteries.

"We're working as fast as we can to get the new battery modules out to the retailers and to the service workshops ... But I'm not happy for any customer that needs to wait".

In notices seen by Reuters, Volvo Cars Thailand said after the latest fire that repairs would begin on May 23, urging customers to continue limiting charging until fixes are completed, though timelines vary globally. A customer in New Zealand has been told replacements will not begin until the third quarter of 2026.

EX30 owner Jakkapong Tawarom, 32, said he was disappointed by the delay. "Volvo's response and problem-solving was not worthy of the trust we had," he said. (Reporting by Marie Mannes in Stockolm and Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat in Bangkok. Editing by Mark Potter)