Tesla recall impacts 2M vehicles in the U.S.; almost 200K in Canada
Tesla’s autopilot features are in question after significant recalls hit the U.S. and Canada this past week.
According to recall information from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada, the respective U.S. and Canadian auto regulators, Tesla is dealing with a recall that involves the majority of the cars it has sold in the U.S., as well as 193,000 north of the border.
The U.S. recall impacting more than 2 million vehicles comes after an investigation by the NHTSA, and cars involved include those produced between Oct. 5, 2012 and Dec. 7 of this year.
The U.S. regulators were investigating a series of crashes involving Tesla’s autopilot features before the recall. Some of these were fatal, and further investigation information can be found in the NHTSA’s database of recalls and investigations.
The recall has also spread to Canada, impacting almost 200,000 models.
Recall information on both the regulators’ websites showed these recalls include 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy.
According to Transport Canada, in certain circumstances when Autosteer, Tesla’s autopilot feature, is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature’s controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the advanced driver-assistance feature.
The regulators said Tesla will notify owners by email and supply an over-the-air software update to enhance the controls and the visual and audible alerts of the Autosteer advanced driver-assistance feature.
Tesla reminds owners in the U.S. and Canada recall details that Autosteer is only an advanced driver-assistance feature, and that the driver must always pay attention and be ready to take control when the feature is engaged.
Both NHTSA and Transport Canada have added the recall to their database of vehicles with safety recalls.
Tesla had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.