Tesla, a leading electric vehicle manufacturer, is recalling nearly 2.2 million vehicles in the United States due to an issue with the size of some warning lights on the instrument panel, which are found to be smaller than federal safety standards require. This recall affects a wide range of models including the Model S from years 2012 to 2023, Model X from 2016 to 2023, Model 3 from 2017 to 2023, Model Y from 2019 to 2024, and the 2024 Cybertruck. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced this recall as part of its increased scrutiny on Tesla, alongside upgrading an investigation into Tesla steering problems to an engineering analysis, which could potentially lead to another recall.
The issue identified involves the brake, park, and anti-lock brake warning lights, where the font size used is smaller than what is mandated by safety regulations. This could potentially make it difficult for drivers to read critical safety information, thereby increasing the risk of accidents. Tesla plans to address this recall through an online software update, notifying affected owners starting March 30. The problem was discovered during a routine safety compliance audit on Jan. 8, and while Tesla has identified three warranty claims that may be related to this issue, there have been no reports of crashes or injuries linked to it.
This recall comes amid other concerns with Tesla’s vehicles, including a December recall of more than 2 million vehicles for software updates related to the Autopilot system’s driver monitoring capabilities. NHTSA’s investigations and recalls of Tesla vehicles in recent times highlight ongoing safety and compliance challenges for the electric vehicle maker, including issues with its Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” systems, which have been scrutinized for their effectiveness and safety.
Furthermore, Tesla is addressing recalls in China for more than 1.6 million vehicles due to issues with the automatic assisted steering and door latch controls. These recalls are being managed with remote upgrades to fix the identified problems. Despite these challenges, Tesla remains a significant player in the electric vehicle market, competing closely with companies like China’s BYD, especially in key markets such as China.
