Tesla Recalls 475,000 Model 3 and Model S Cars Over Safety Issues

A Tesla Model X electric car at the Brussels Motor Show, Belgium. Photo: Reuters.

Tesla is recalling more than 475,000 of its Model 3 and Model S electric vehicles (EVs) to address rearview camera and other issues that increase the risk of crashing, the US road safety regulator said.

The EV manufacturer is recalling 356,309 Model 3 and 119,009 Model S vehicles.

“Unavailability of the rearview camera display may affect the driver’s rear view and increase the risk of a collision,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.

Tesla is not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths related to the issues with its Model 3 and Model S cars, the NHTSA said, and the company estimated that just 1% of the recalled Model 3 vehicles have the problem,

The company’s shares were down 1.1% in premarket trading on Thursday.

Two Separate Recalls at Tesla

Elon Musk’s company has undertaken two separate recalls to address the issues that can disable the backup camera or cause the boot to open unexpectedly.

The company will inform owners and fix the issue free of charge. Tesla notified regulators on December 21 and the NHTSA formally acknowledged the issue on Wednesday.

The other recall involves nearly 120,000 Model S vehicles in which a problem with a latch assembly for the front luggage compartment. An estimated 14% of the recalled vehicles have the problem.

“If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, it may open without warning and obstruct the driver’s visibility, increasing the risk of a crash,” NHTSA said.

The company is expected to send letters to owners on February 18 and reimburse those who already paid to fix the issue.

AFP and Reuters, with additional editing by George Russell

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George Russell

George Russell is a freelance writer and editor based in Hong Kong who has lived in Asia since 1996. His work has been published in the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, New York Post, Variety, Forbes and the South China Morning Post.