Tesla initiates recall of approximately 380,000 automobiles in the U.S. due to a power steering assist concern.
Tesla's latest investigation, stretching over a year, unfolds following reports of steering troubles from several drivers. Some claimed they couldn't turn their wheel, while others dealt with increased effort. Over 50 vehicles apparently required towing due to these issues, as revealed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last year.
In late 2023, Reuters unveiled that tens of thousands of Tesla owners had experienced premature failures of suspension or steering parts since 2016. These findings were corroborated by Tesla documents and interviews with customers and former employees.
According to Tesla, certain 2023 Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers running older software are susceptible to an overvoltage breakdown. This issue may overstress motor drive components on the printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist.
If this overstress condition arises while the vehicle is moving, the steering remains unaffected, and a visual alert is triggered. However, once the vehicle comes to a halt, the steering assist may fail and stay disabled when it resumes movement.
As of January 10, Tesla has tracked around 3,000 warranty claims that may be related to this condition. The automaker isn't aware of any collisions or fatalities attributed to the condition.
Tesla has address this issue by releasing an over-the-air software update. This software upgrade aims to tackle the overvoltage breakdown problem on the affected models. This update will be deployed remotely without requiring any on-site repairs at Tesla service centers.
Letters are scheduled to be dispatched to vehicle owners on March 25, informing them about the recall and the necessary software update.
This recall marks Tesla's second significant recall this year, following a January recall of about 239,000 vehicles due to malfunctioning rear-view cameras.
Tesla shares showed a slight decrease in premarket U.S. trading. Despite this, the stock has experienced a decline of around 10% this year, after an impressive 2024.
Tesla has issued a recall for over 375,000 vehicles in the United States due to a power steering assist issue affecting certain 2023 Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers. The recall is attributed to an overvoltage breakdown that can overstress motor drive components on the printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist.
The root cause of the problem is an overvoltage breakdown, which can overstress motor drive components within the circuit board. This malfunction can lead to a loss of power steering assist when the vehicle comes to a stop and then accelerates again, requiring more effort to control the car, particularly at low speeds.
The loss of power steering assist increases the risk of a crash, but Tesla is not aware of any reports of crashes, injuries, or deaths related to this condition. Tesla has acknowledged over 3,000 warranty claims related to the issue and began an internal investigation almost two years ago in response to customer complaints about high steering effort.
This glitch was also the subject of a formal investigation starting in December 2023 by a non-US market. America’s NHTSA opened its own probe in February 2024. This is the second major recall this year by Tesla, following a recall in January for approximately 240,000 vehicles due to faulty rear-view cameras. In December 2024, Tesla recalled nearly 700,000 vehicles due to issues with the warning light of the tire pressure monitoring system. In July 2024, Tesla recalled about 1.85 million vehicles in the U.S. due to a risk of software failure to detect an unlatched hood. The software update will be rolled out remotely without any physical repairs at Tesla service centers. Letters are expected to be sent to vehicle owners on March 25, informing them of the recall and the necessary software update.
- Despite the ongoing investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla's 2023 business operations were not significantly impacted by the steering issues, with no reported crashes or fatalities allegedly linked to the power steering assist problem.
- In response to the alleged steering issues in some 2023 Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers, Tesla has issued a recall for over 375,000 vehicles in the United States, offering a software update to address the overvoltage breakdown that affects the electronic power steering assist.
- Allegedly, some Tesla vehicle owners faced steering troubles in 2023, with reports of issues like steering wheel lock and increased effort, prompting Tesla to conduct a thorough investigation into potential business operations implications, resulting in a recall and subsequent software update.
