Washington DC: Tesla is issuing a recall for the majority of its vehicles sold in the U.S. due to the presence of small warning lights on the instrument panel.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall of nearly 2.2 million vehicles, indicating increased scrutiny of the electric vehicle maker. The agency has recently announced an upgrade to its investigation into Tesla steering problems, bringing it one step closer to a potential recall.
The agency has announced that the recall for the warning light will be conducted through an online software update, according to documents posted on Friday. It includes the 2012 through 2023 Model S, the 2016 through 2023 Model X, the 2017 through 2023 Model 3, the 2019 through 2024 Model Y, and the 2024 Cybertruck.
The agency has identified an issue with the font size of the brake, park, and antilock brake warning lights, which does not meet federal safety standards. This can make important safety information difficult to read, which can increase the likelihood of a crash.
Tesla has begun rolling out the software update, with owners set to receive notifications via letter beginning March 30. The problem was discovered by the NHTSA during a routine safety compliance audit on Jan. 8.
Tesla has identified three warranty claims that may be linked to the issue, but fortunately, there have been no reports of any accidents or injuries.
Tesla Inc. shares continued their decline in early trading on Friday, dropping 2.7% to reach levels last seen in May of last year. This downward trend began in July and was further exacerbated by the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report last week.
In December, NHTSA urged Tesla to recall over 2 million vehicles for a software update and to address a faulty system meant to ensure driver attentiveness while using Autopilot.
The documents indicate that the update will enhance the notifications and warnings provided to drivers.
Following a thorough two-year investigation by NHTSA, a recall has been issued due to a series of crashes that occurred while the Autopilot partially automated driving system was engaged. There were some fatalities.