Tesla is recalling over 125,000 vehicles due to an issue with a seat belt warning system.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration specified that the recall covers certain models from 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y.
Driving the news: The seat belt warning system is designed to provide both audible and visual signals to remind drivers to fasten their seat belts.
- However, the NHTSA noted that on some vehicles, these signals were not activating when necessary, failing to meet federal safety standards.
The big picture: Tesla has identified 104 warranty claims possibly linked to the issue.
- As of now, there have been no reported incidents of collisions, fatalities, or injuries attributable to the seat belt warning system problem.
- In response to the recall, Tesla plans to roll out an over-the-air software update to affected vehicles at no cost beginning in June.
- This update will modify the software to depend solely on the driver seat belt buckle and ignition status for triggering the seat belt reminder signals, removing the dependency on the driver seat occupancy switch.
Flashback: Last month, Tesla recalled 3,878 of its 2024 Cybertrucks due to a defect that could cause the accelerator pedal to become stuck, potentially leading to unintended acceleration and an increased risk of a crash.
- Earlier this year, the NHTSA recalled nearly 2.2 million Tesla vehicles in the US due to small warning lights on the instrument panel and escalated an investigation into Tesla steering issues to an engineering analysis, bringing it closer to a recall decision.
- In April, the NHTSA opened an inquiry into whether the previous recall of Tesla’s Autopilot driving system was thorough enough in ensuring that drivers maintain attention on the road.
