Tesla is voluntarily recalling 376,241 vehicles in the U.S. due to a power-assisted steering system failure, according to records from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Affected Models and Cause of the Issue
The recall affects Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured for sale in the U.S. between February 28, 2023, and October 11, 2023. The vehicles in question were equipped with an older software version linked to the power steering issue.
Tesla reported that the printed circuit boards in the steering systems of affected vehicles could become overstressed, potentially causing power-assisted steering to fail when the car rolls to a stop and then accelerates. In such cases, drivers would need to exert more force to steer, increasing the risk of a collision.
Tesla informed the NHTSA that no crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to the power steering issue have been reported. The company is offering an over-the-air software update to resolve the problem.
Related Investigations and Recalls
This recall follows an earlier investigation and voluntary recall in China concerning similar power steering systems. The NHTSA has been conducting a long-term investigation into safety defects related to Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) options, which require human drivers to remain alert and ready to steer or brake.
Regulatory Environment and Workforce Cuts
President Donald Trump appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk to lead a team tasked with reducing the federal government workforce, including cuts affecting the NHTSA. The Washington Post reported that Musk’s team implemented mass layoffs at the agency, reducing its workforce by about 10% and impacting its capacity to investigate companies like Tesla.
Musk has previously criticized the NHTSA, viewing it as a regulatory hurdle for some of Tesla’s ambitions in the autonomous driving space.
