Tesla is recalling almost 2 million vehicles in the US because the hood could unexpectedly open without warning the driver, the company announced on Tuesday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that an unlatched hood could completely open and block the driver’s view, increasing the likelihood of an accident.
Last month, Tesla started deploying an over-the-air software update to identify an unlatched hood, as reported by the NHTSA.
The new software is designed to detect an open hood and alert the driver.
Tesla reported that it has received three reports of this problem in the United States, but there have been no reports of accidents or injuries connected to the recall.
The recall involves 1.8 million vehicles, including certain models of the 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y, according to the regulator.
The hoods’ latches were manufactured in China, Tesla noted.
Tesla began looking into customer complaints about hoods opening in Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in China in March.
The company then started a process to recover and inspect the latch hardware, it said.
Tesla also inspected hood latch assemblies in Europe and North America, though these regions experienced fewer incidents with the latches.
Tesla shares fell approximately 1% on Tuesday morning.
This recall is Tesla’s largest since December, when it recalled 2.03 million US vehicles, which included nearly all of its cars on American roads at the time, to implement new safety measures in its Autopilot system.
Tesla recalled 2.03 million US vehicles in December to enhance its Autopilot system with new safety features, nearly all of its cars on the road in the country at the time.
However, after 20 crashes were reported involving vehicles with the new Autopilot update, the NHTSA launched an investigation, citing “several concerns” about the recall.
Last week, Tesla reported its worst quarterly profit margin in over five years, highlighting the company’s difficulty in boosting car sales amidst a decline in demand.
The company attributed its lower profit to increased operating expenses related to new AI projects.
Tesla has also been reducing its workforce, laying off more than 10% of its employees in the second quarter.
Tesla stated it is on track to produce “new vehicles, including more affordable models” in the first half of 2025.
{Matzav.com}
