Tesla has been forced to recall almost 700,000 vehicles over a problem which could see drivers more likely to be involved in an accident.
Elon Musk’s brand announced the changes in new documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States.
The recall noted that the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles.
The issue could mean the driver is not warned of low tyre pressure and may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138 (Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems).
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The NHTSA documents warn that the TPMS malfunction telltale may not adequately warn the driver, thus increasing the risk of a collision.
The issue impacts the Tesla Model 3 (2017-2025), Tesla Model Y (2020-2025) and the controversial Tesla Cybertruck (2024).
The NHTSA reported that the issue would be fixed with an over-the-air software update. From November 15, 2024, vehicles in production received the software remedy.
All Tesla stores and service centres will be notified about this recall on or shortly after December 19, 2024.
The issue was first identified on November 6, 2024, during “routine compliance tests for non-US markets”, prompting an investigation from Tesla.
As of December 13, 2024, Tesla identified 76 warranty claims and one field report related to this condition, and added that it was not aware of any collisions, injuries or fatalities related to this condition.
In total, 694,304 vehicles have been recalled. According to data from Reuters, Tesla accounted for 21 per cent of all US recalls in the first three quarters of the year.
While Tesla vehicles may be included in a number of vehicle recalls, the vast majority of them can be fixed with an over-the-air software update, removing the need for a physical recall.
In total, Tesla recalled 2,400 Cybertruck models in the September quarter – the highest number in the United States.
The steel-clad Tesla Cybertruck has been particularly prone to recalls, with this being the seventh recall this year alone.
Other issues noted by the NHTSA include an inverter fault leading to a loss of drive power, the rearview camera image not displaying and the front windshield wiper failing.
While he has not commented on the latest recall, Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk took to social media site X, which he owns, to congratulate the brand on a “great year”.
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Successes include producig 400,000 Model Y vehicles at the Berlin Gigafactory, producing the three-millionth vehicle at the Shanghai Gigafactory and unlocking Cybertruck deliveries in Canada and mexico.
