Tesla is recalling more than 475,000 of its Model 3 and Model S electric cars from model years 2014 to 2021 because of rearview camera and trunk issues that increase the risk of crashing.
The U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer is recalling 356,309 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles to address rearview camera issues and 119,009 Model S vehicles due to front hood problems, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced
The federal regulator has been discussing another camera issue with the automaker while probing the electric vehicle manufacturer’s driver assistant system and other issues.
According to the manufacturer’s sales figures, the total number of vehicles being recalled is about the same volume of vehicles Tesla delivered in 2020.
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Tesla: Recall Issues Continue
For Model 3 sedans, “the rearview camera cable harness may be damaged by the opening and closing of the trunk lid, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying,” the NHTSA said.
Tesla identified 2,301 warranty claims and 601 field reports regarding the issue for U.S. vehicles.
For Model S vehicles, front hood latch problems may lead a trunk to open “without warning and obstruct the driver’s visibility, increasing the risk of a crash,” the carmaker reported.
The carmaker said it was not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths related to the issues cited in the recall of Model 3 and Model S cars, the NHTSA said.
This month, the NHTSA said it was discussing with the manufacturer side-view camera issues in some vehicles.
According to some reports, the carmaker is replacing defective repeater cameras in the front fenders of some U.S.-made vehicles without recalling the parts.
Tesla Under Continued NHTSA Scrutiny
The NHTSA has been investigating 580,000 Tesla vehicles over the automaker’s decision to allow games to be played on car screens while the vehicles are in motion.
The manufacturer subsequently agreed to stop allowing video games to be played on vehicle screens while its cars are moving.
Under further NHTSA pressure, the carmaker in February agreed to recall 135,000 vehicles with touch-screen displays that could fail and raise the risk of a crash.
In August, the NHTSA opened a formal safety probe into the carmaker’s driver assistance system Autopilot after a series of crashes involving several models and emergency vehicles.
The carmaker said it will install a new cable harness and guide protector without charge to owners of the recalled models.
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Article Last Updated: July 28, 2023.
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