Tesla recalls over 2 million vehicles in US due to warning lights issue
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tesla's recall impacts nearly every one of its vehicle models
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Tesla is recalling about 2.2 million vehicles in the U.S. because of incorrect font size on warning lights, regulators said Friday.
The recall includes nearly all Tesla EV models, including Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
"Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash," the NHTSA said.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSLA | TESLA INC. | 249.85 | -7.70 | -2.99% |
Tesla has begun releasing an over-the-air software update free of charge to fix the issue, the regulator said.
2M TESLA VEHICLES RECALLED OVER AUTOPILOT SAFETY CONCERNS
A Tesla Model 3 is on display ahead of the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. (Yi Haifei/China News Service via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 30, the agency said.
Elon Musk's electric vehicle company has been forced to issue several recalls in recent months over safety issues.
In December, Tesla issued a recall for more than 2 million vehicles for a safety issue with its Autopilot feature. That recall impacted cars across the automaker's lineup from model years 2012-23.
The NHTSA began an investigation more than two years ago into 11 incidents involving "stationary first-responder vehicles and Tesla vehicles that were operating with Autosteer engaged," according to the recall documents.
TESLA RECALLING 1.6 MILLION EVS IN CHINA DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS
A staff member looks at Tesla's new Model 3 sedan displayed next to Model X SUV at the China International Fair for Trade in Services at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. (REUTERS/Florence Lo / Reuters Photos)
Tesla reportedly cooperated with the investigation, providing "extensive information" and participating in several meetings with the agency. Ultimately, the agency found that "Tesla’s unique design of its Autopilot system can provide inadequate driver engagement and usage controls that can lead to foreseeable misuse of the system."
As of Dec. 8, the electric vehicle maker identified nine warranty claims from July 2021 to September 2023 that may be related to the issue.
Tesla released a software update on Dec. 7 to "incorporate additional controls and alerts to those already existing on affected vehicles to further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility whenever Autosteer is engaged," according to the NHTSA.
TESLA RECALLS 120K VEHICLES WITH DOORS THAT MAY UNLOCK DURING CRASH
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc., participates during a fireside discussion on artificial intelligence in London on Nov. 2, 2023. (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Another 120,423 Tesla vehicles were recalled in December over the risk of doors unlocking during a crash. The issue affected 2021-23 Model S and Model X vehicles and was resolved with an over-the-air software update.
Earlier this month, Chinese market regulators announced that Tesla is recalling 1.62 million of its electric vehicles exported to China over similar safety concerns.
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The recall affected models S, X, 3 and Y in China made from 2014 to 2023 and was issued due to problems with automatic assisted steering and door latch controls.
Again, the issue was resolved with a remote software update.
FOX Business' Pilar Arias, Michael Dorgan and Danielle Wallace and Reuters contributed to this report.