Tesla made headlines earlier this week for its record production and delivery performance in Q4 of 2021. Today, the automaker finds itself in the spotlight once again, but this time it isn’t good news. Currently, Tesla is facing a major recall of over 475,000 Model 3 and Model S vehicles due to safety issues.
Specifically, the automaker is recalling 359,309 2017-2020 Model 3 sedans due to an issue with the rear-view camera cable harness which “may be damaged by the opening and closing of the trunk lid, preventing the rear-view camera image from displaying.”
Tesla is also recalling 119,009 2014-2021 Model S vehicles due to possible “misaligned trunk latch assemblies”. According to the NHTSA, a misaligned assembly could “prevent a secondary latch from engaging, creating the possibility of the trunk opening while driving.”
In the past, Tesla has always been able to address and mitigate safety-related issues with their vehicles using “over-the-air software fixes”, like in the case of a brake performance issue in 2018. However, since this latest recall involves assembly/hardware error, it will require in-person inspection at a Tesla service centre to be appropriately remedied. Replacement of components will be free of charge for affected drivers.