Source | Sohu Auto New Car Consumption Report
A few days ago, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it is conducting a preliminary investigation into 120,000 Tesla Model Y after receiving two reports of steering wheels falling off while driving. At present, Tesla has not responded to this.
Just in January this year, an American Tesla owner broke the news on social media that the Tesla Model Y electric car he had just purchased fell off the steering wheel while driving on the highway. And the owner's request to return the car was initially rejected by Tesla, and he was charged for the maintenance of the replacement steering wheel. The matter has sparked widespread discussion on overseas social media.
Subsequently, Tesla officials responded under pressure from public opinion that it had determined that the vehicle did not have quality defects, but out of goodwill, it would buy back the owner's Model Y and provide a scooter, and a new Model Y would be provided to the owner in the future. In addition, the $104 repair cost incurred by replacing the steering wheel Tesla was also refunded to the owner.
NHTSA claims to have received two accident complaints in which the steering wheel detached from the steering column while driving a Model Y SUV electric car produced in 2023. The focus will be on investigating whether these issues are prevalent and reviewing Tesla's manufacturing and quality control processes. The Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) has been aware of two reports of Model Y steering wheels falling off while driving, both of which were delivered to owners without a bolt that secures the steering wheel to the steering column.
On March 4, NHTSA launched an initial assessment covering about 120089 vehicles. NHTSA said Wednesday it was currently evaluating "the scope, frequency and manufacturing processes associated with this scenario." ”
Cases of steering wheels falling off are rare in the automotive industry, but similar recalls have been held before. In February, Nissan recalled about 1,000 Ariya electric vehicles because the steering wheel could come off the steering column due to a loose bolt. If domestic car owners encounter similar problems, they can log in to Sohu's "Woodpecker Exposure Circle" to submit relevant information, and we will keep an eye on it.