Tesla has to recall nearly half a million Model 3s, almost as many as they shipped in 2020.
(Photo: Reuters)
New York, Düsseldorf The US electric car maker Tesla has to recall more than 475,000 vehicles in the US – almost as many as it delivered worldwide in 2020. A technical defect could increase the risk of an accident, as reported by the Bloomberg news agency.
The wiring harness that connects the reversing camera to the on-board computer could be damaged when the trunk is opened and closed. As a result, the image may no longer be displayed when resetting, as the company announced to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US agency for road and vehicle safety.
Tesla is therefore recalling all Model 3s built between 2017 and 2020, a total of 356,309 cars.
In addition, according to a separate statement by the NHTSA, there are also problems with the upper-class model Model S: The locking of the front trunk could be faulty – the “hood” could unexpectedly open on the models produced from 2014 and obstruct the driver’s view . A total of 119,009 Model Ss are affected by the problem. Tesla wants to fix the problems free of charge.
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Vijay Rakesh, US analyst at Japanese bank Mizuho, doesn’t think the recalls could lead to any major problems at Tesla. Some of the recalls will be resolved via software updates, he said on the US stock exchange broadcaster CNBC. “All of this could be resolved quickly.”
The analyst expects 2022 to be another strong year for the electric car maker, with Elon Musk at the helm. The new factories in Brandenburg and the US state of Texas would start production. “The battery costs, which make up around 30 percent of total production, will continue to fall and the bottlenecks in the supply chains will presumably be resolved.”
Still, the recalls are a setback for Musk. The competition in the market for e-cars has increased significantly this year. Tesla faces competition from both young companies such as Rivian and Lucid, as well as from traditional manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford and Volkswagen. Quality problems are particularly bad for the image. Tesla shares were a good three percent in the red in early New York trading. The paper has increased by around 50 percent this year.
The Tesla autopilot is also currently being tested
It is not Tesla’s first dispute with the NHTSA: Since the beginning of December, the agency has been investigating a software update for electric cars that allows video games to be played on the on-board computer – even while driving.
The Tesla Autopilot system for autonomous driving is also currently being tested. There had been repeated accidents involving cars fitted with the system.
There was also trouble with the authorities in China this year: Tesla had to install a software update for more than 285,000 cars – almost all of the vehicles delivered there – following security concerns from the local regulatory authority.
More: Chip shortages and e-car boom: these are the challenges German car manufacturers will have to master in 2022.