Tesla electric cars are recalling almost half a million 2018 Model S, X, and 3 vehicles. This is the automaker’s second major recall in as many months. In February, Tesla recalled over 123,000 Model S and X vehicles to replace faulty power inverters.
The company said that the power inverter could fail and cause the cars to unexpectedly stutter during acceleration or at low speeds. It’s not clear why the automaker is issuing another recall for its electric cars, but it is likely due to a manufacturing flaw.
When you own an electric car, one of your biggest concerns should be battery degradation, not something that happens with other makes and models as well.
What is the Tesla recall?
Tesla is recalling almost half a million electric cars in North America to address issues with the power inverter that powers the car’s electric motors. Tesla said it was planning to begin the recall on June 7, which will affect almost 500,000 cars globally.
Tesla said that during a voluntary accelerated repair program, it identified a potential problem with the power inverter hardware in certain vehicles that could result in the loss of vehicle power. Essentially, the issue is that the inverter could fail, the company said, which would result in the loss of power to the car’s interior.
If someone were in the car, the loss of power would mean that there wouldn’t be any way to get the car’s doors to open or be driven from inside. Tesla said it had already begun contacting customers with affected vehicles to advise them of the recall, and that a repair would be free.
Why is Tesla issuing a recall?
Tesla said it was issuing this recall after discovering that the inverter in certain vehicles may have been manufactured improperly. While it’s not certain that the issue was caused by the manufacturing process, Tesla said it is issuing this recall to “address the potential risk of a power inverter failure that could cause a loss of vehicle power and result in a vehicle stall.” Tesla has received fewer than three reports of power inverter failures in the recalled vehicles, which is “well below” the rate of such losses in other vehicles, Tesla said. Still, the automaker said it is issuing this recall as a “precautionary step” to address the issue.
What cars are being recalled?
Tesla said that the affected vehicles are Model S and Model X vehicles built before October 2016 with a 75 kWh battery pack. The cars were manufactured between October 2016 and May 2018. The company also said that Model 3 vehicles built before August 2018 with the standard rear-wheel drive motor have been included.
Tesla says it’s not sure why its cars are having issues.
Tesla said it is not sure why its cars are experiencing issues with the inverter, but it said it is looking into the matter. The company said it is also sending a team to investigate the potential manufacturing flaw in the affected cars.
Tesla said it is not aware of any injuries or damage as a result of this issue, and that it has not received customer complaints about this issue at all. It’s possible that this might have something to do with the infamous “Hertz Cavro” video, which appeared on YouTube last year.
The latest finding is an unexpected stall issue.
Tesla said it discovered an unexpected stall issue while investigating the inverter manufacturing issue. The company said it has identified the root cause of the stall issue and is implementing a fix to prevent it from happening.
Will Tesla fix the issue on all recalled cars?
Tesla said it will provide a free upgrade to under-the-bonnet software that should fix the issue on all affected vehicles. Owners will be able to update the software remotely using a mobile app. The automaker said it will begin the update program in two weeks, and that the process should take one to two hours.
Tesla said that all affected customers will be notified by email and will be offered the opportunity to either receive a replacement vehicle or to choose a cash settlement. Tesla said that it expects to be able to complete the update and make repairs on all recalled cars within two to three weeks.
How long will it take to replace the battery in a Tesla car?
Tesla said that it expects the battery pack for its vehicles to take about three hours to replace. The automaker said it will have “trained technicians available at select Tesla stores and online” to complete the process.
Customers will be able to choose from a variety of replacement options that include a simple swap out of the original battery, a new battery, and an additional service fee, or a completely new battery, a new vehicle, and no service fee.
Tesla said it will notify customers when the upgrade is available, and that customers can also check the software version on the car remotely using the mobile app.
Safety Recommendations at end of the article
Tesla’s recall comes at a time when it’s facing a number of regional and national safety and regulatory concerns. It’s worth considering whether these factors might be contributing to the company’s decision to recall some cars. Tesla is facing an NTSB investigation into two recent Model S fires and a potential investigation by the SEC over securities and accounting fraud.
The company is also facing a lawsuit from a man who says his Model X caught fire after the car’s battery pack exploded. Tesla’s Model 3 sedans have also been plagued with production issues, and the company recently admitted that it will miss its target production rate of 5,000 vehicles per week this month. Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment from TheStreet.
Conclusion
Tesla’s Model S and Model X vehicles are all relatively new, so it’s not surprising that some owners have reported issues with their vehicles. Tesla is taking these problems seriously and is confident that they can be traced to a faulty software update and corrected without impacting the vehicle’s performance.
Tesla’s Model 3 is an entirely new design that incorporates many of the lessons learned from older vehicles. Because the Model 3 is a completely new design, Tesla can use the Autopilot features as a launchpad for autonomous driving technology. Although the Model 3 is still a few years away from general availability, Tesla is already taking steps to prepare for self-driving use.
