Tesla Announces Major Recall in the United States

Tesla Model S. (Doc. Tesla)

JAKARTA - Shocking news came from the famous electric car manufacturer, Tesla, led by Elon Musk. The manufacturer announced a recall of 1.85 million units of its electric vehicles in the United States.

According to a Reuters report, Thursday, August 1, this step was taken due to the risk of software failure that is responsible for detecting unlocked hoods. When the hood is unlocked, it can open completely and block the driver's view, increasing the risk of an accident. This information was conveyed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

To address this issue, Tesla has launched an over-the-air software update that is able to detect an open hood and provide a warning to the driver.

This recall covers several vehicle models, including the Model 3, Model S, and Model X produced in 2021-2024, and the Model Y produced in 2020-2024.

Tesla stated that there were three reports of this issue in the United States, but there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to the issue. The vehicles involved were equipped with hood latches manufactured in China by Magna Closed Co. Ltd.

In March, Tesla began investigating customer complaints related to unintentional hood opening incidents on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in China. They then began remediating latch hardware and inspecting vehicles at service centers. Although similar incidents are less common in Europe and North America, Tesla conducted engineering studies in the region and decided to conduct the recall in early July.

This is not the first time Tesla has made a major recall. In January, the company recalled 1.6 million vehicles in China. In total, Tesla has recalled 1,610,105 vehicles manufactured between August 26, 2014 and December 20, 2023, including locally produced Model 3 and Model Y, as well as imported Model S, X, and 3.

Data from China's State Administration for Market Regulation shows that the issue occurs when the automatic steering assist function is activated. Improper use of the function can increase the risk of accidents.