JAKARTA Tesla is again facing serious problems. The electric car company announced the recall of 376,000 vehicles in the United States (US) due to the potential failure of the power steering assist feature. This problem can make vehicles difficult to control, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of accidents.
This withdrawal includes the Model 3 sedan model of 2023 and the Model Y crossover. According to a Tesla statement submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this problem was caused by potential damage due to overvoltage breakdown on motor driving components on printed circuit boards.
The announcement of this withdrawal had a significant impact on Tesla’s share value. Launching Reuters, February 22, the company’s shares fell 3 percent in the middle of the day. Overall, Tesla’s shares have fallen about 10 percent this year, after experiencing a significant increase in 2024.
“If this excess voltage condition occurs when the vehicle moves, the steering remains unaffected, and a visual warning will appear. However, once the vehicle stops, the steering assistance can fail and remain disabled when the vehicle moves back,” Tesla explained.
This problem caught NHTSA’s attention after many reports from Tesla owners suffered a steering failure. Some owners were unable to even turn the steering wheel, while others reported increased efforts needed to control the vehicle. According to NHTSA, more than 50 vehicles are reported to have to be towed due to this problem.
This withdrawal comes after a more than a year of investigation by NHTSA. Reuters reports in late 2023 also revealed that tens of thousands of Tesla owners had experienced premature failure in suspension or steering components since 2016. Although Tesla had released an over-the-air software update in October to address the issue, an official recall was announced this week. Tesla claims that on January 23, 99 percent of US-affected vehicles had installed the update.
“Tesla has identified 3,012 warranty claims and 570 field reports that may be linked to these conditions, but stated no related accident reports,” Tesla said in a statement.
This withdrawal is not a response to NHTSA’s investigation into the alleged loss of steering control, which is still ongoing. Tesla also stated that this withdrawal was made after unnamed foreign regulators opened an investigation and raised concerns about the matter.
This withdrawal is Tesla’s second major recall this year. In January, the company also recalled around 239,000 vehicles due to an out-of-funct rear view camera.
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