According to Tesla's filing with the U.S. Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), the company is recalling more than 475,000 Model 3 and Model S electric vehicles to solve the problem of rearview cameras and engine cover locks.
One of the documents shows that repeatedly opening and closing the Model 3's trunk cover can cause excessive wear on the coaxial cables within the trunk harness, rendering the rearview camera image unavailable. As a result, Tesla recalled 356,309 Model 3 vehicles produced between 2017 and 2020.
As of February 18, 2022, Tesla will notify the owners of the affected vehicles by email and provide recall repair services free of charge. However, the 2021 Model 3 is not covered by the recall as it comes with a different trunk harness design.
Another document shows that the Model S's bonnet locks, when assembled, could cause the bonnet to open unexpectedly and obstruct the driver's view, increasing the risk of collision. As a result, Tesla is recalling 119,009 Model S vehicles, and the company will send a notification letter to the owners of the affected vehicles on February 18 next year to arrange overhaul services.
According to the two documents, the Model 3 and Model S have defect rates of 1% and 14%, respectively. Tesla recalled a total of 475,318 vehicles, affected model years ranging from 2014 to 2021, which is close to Tesla's total deliveries in 2020 — 500,000 vehicles.
Fortunately, Tesla said in the filing that there has not been a single crash related to rearview camera problems and engine cover locking problems.
Although Tesla has firmly established itself as the global leader in electric vehicles, the company's product problems have been common for a long time. A week ago, under pressure from NHTSA, Tesla sent a software update package to the car over the network, after which the ability to play the game will be locked and passengers will not be able to open any game apps while the car is driving.
This month NHTSA also said it was discussing the issue of the vehicle's side-view camera with Tesla. In addition, NHTSA is also investigating Tesla's driver assistance system, Autopilot, and fully autonomous driving systems, which may involve several car accidents.
Tesla closed down 1.46 percent at $1,070 on Thursday.