According to reports, the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles may lose steering control while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating these claims. The government estimates that the investigation’s findings may impact 280,000 automobiles. CNBC was the first to break the story.
According to NHTSA, 12 complaints about the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y’s power steering and lack of steering control have been made. Seven more users said a lack of power caused their steering problems, while five complained about their inability to drive the car.
The inquiry into accusations that steering wheels on Tesla Model Y SUVs have come off while being driven is one of several defect probes Tesla is now the subject of. More than 800 allegations of “phantom braking” issues, in which Tesla vehicles abruptly braked in reaction to undetectable risks, have also been submitted to NHTSA.
Due to a braking and acceleration fault, the business was compelled to distribute an over-the-air software upgrade to 1.1 million vehicles in China. Some owners are also suing the business over the problem.
Additionally, the firm may have to recall its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving devices due to more than a dozen incidents in which Tesla vehicles employing driver-assist capabilities have collided with stopped emergency vehicles.
The California attorney general and the US Department of Justice are only two of the law enforcement organizations looking into Tesla’s safety and business operations.
All automakers are subject to recalls and defect investigations; recently, Ford was compelled to recall almost 900,000 F-150 trucks due to emergency brakes that can activate while the vehicle is in motion. However, Tesla is unusual in that it can sometimes fix flaws with software upgrades.
Additionally, Tesla is subject to more recalls than other cars. On a list of the 400 recalls announced in 2022 that affected more than 25 million vehicles, Tesla took four of the top five spots. Source