Tesla Has More Bad News About Its Popular Electric Vehicles

Tesla car owners might need to take their vehicles in for repairs as a safety precaution.

When a consumer buys a new electric vehicle, the owner doesn't expect to get a notification from the EV manufacturer that the vehicle needs repairs after purchase.

EV safety recalls issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, however, have been a common occurrence lately with several automobile manufacturers. Ford  (F) - Get Free Report in September 2022 recalled certain 2022 Mustang Mach E Crossovers, because the vehicles' axles could break.

General Motors  (GM) - Get Free Report in October 2022 recalled 735 of its 2022 Hummer EVs and 85 of its BrightDrop EV600 electric vans due to a battery pack sealing problem. Later in December 2022, GM recalled 140,000 of its Chevrolet Bolt EVs due to a fire risk.

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Nissan  (NSANY)  on March 1 began a voluntary safety recall of 1,063 of its 2023 Ariya Electric SUVs after the company discovered missing steering wheel bolts that could cause loss of steering control and an increased risk of a crash.

Tesla Issues Several Recalls

Tesla TSLA in February issued a safety recall of 362,758 of certain Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles for an over-the-air software update of its Full Self-Driving feature. The NHTSA considers this a recall, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk considers the use of the word "recall" a case of semantics believing that using the word recall for an over-the-air software update is "anachronistic and just flat wrong!" according to one of Musk's tweets.

Tesla's recent recalls, however, have not just been "over-the-air software updates." The NHTSA also in March opened an investigation into 100,000 Tesla 2023 Model Y SUVs over an issue with steering wheels coming off while driving. The Model Y is one of Tesla's bestsellers.

Unfortunately for Tesla, the recalls just keep coming. The Austin, Texas-based EV maker's latest recall is for 2,649 Tesla Model S vehicles in China that were manufactured in the company's Fremont, Calif., plant, InsideEvs reported. The Model S recall was issued for EVs purchased in China that were produced between Oct. 14, 2015 and Aug. 23, 2020. The Model S currently is only produced in Fremont.

Front Trunk Lid Could Pop Open

The safety recall was issued due to a problem with the front trunk, or frunk, latch lock that could cause the front lid to pop open while driving. The issue with the frunk poses a safety risk, as forward visibility could be obstructed if the front trunk lid pops open while driving.

The problem with the vehicles is a secondary latch alignment, described as "slightly backward," could prevent the front trunk lid from from locking. The frunk's primary latching system is unaffected.

The Model S recall is a continuation of a previous recall on Dec. 31, 2021, when Tesla recalled 19,697 Model S vehicles in China for related reasons. Those vehicles affected by the recall were manufactured between Jan. 21, 2015 and Nov. 18, 2020. The latest recall is not currently included in Recall Information on Tesla's website. 

Tesla will perform free inspections of the front trunk lid's secondary latch, and if it isn't working properly, it will repair the secondary latch free of charge. The EV maker encourages any owners of the Tesla Model S built in those timeframes from January 21, 2015 to Nov. 18, 2020, to contact a Tesla service department for a free inspection. They suggest Model S owners from those timeframes drive with caution until the car can be serviced.