Shocking Tesla Fails
The conversation lights up every time Tesla announces another recall. Most car recalls are rather standard stuff, like a loose bolt here and a squeaky brake there. As for Tesla, some of their recalls are in a league of their own. The more you learn about the reasons behind these 20 insane recalls, the more you'll start to think we're just making it all up.
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1. Flying Roof Trim
Tesla called back 9,000 Model X SUVs because the roof trim could detach while driving down the road. Yes, nobody wants their car to lose parts on the highway, so this recall was more about keeping cars looking sharp than big safety issues.
2. Smoky Backup Cable
Tesla pulled back 439 Roadsters because a backup power cable could rub against the car's body and start smoking. While it wasn't the main battery causing trouble, nobody wants their luxury electric car releasing smoke near the headlight.
3. Rolling Through Stop Signs
Tesla's failure to meet the standards set by the NHTSA is quite famous. One of them is where the vehicles were rolling through stop signs due to performance issues. The company had recalled multiple vehicles that didn't stop when they should.
4. Rearview Camera Went Cluless
A short circuit issue in 240,000 Teslas meant drivers couldn't always see what was behind them when backing up for a few seconds. The rearview camera would even show a blank screen sometimes, turning a simple reverse into a nerve-wracking experience.
5. Luxury Steering Inconvenience
Drivers of certain Model 3 and Y vehicles built between May 2022 and September 2023 found their steering felt more like a workout than luxury driving. Though it didn't affect basic safety, the firmware made smooth turning feel notchy in cold temperatures, and a recall was issued.
6. Windshield Wipers Were Not Wiping
Some Cybertruck owners discovered their windshield wipers weren't exactly reliable in rainy weather. While not immediately dangerous in fair weather, having wipers that might quit during a downpour isn't exactly what buyers expected from their premium electric truck. Hence, 11,688 trucks were recalled.
7. Seat Belts Didn't Nag
Tesla pulled back over 125,000 cars in the US due to a software glitch. It turns out that the seat belt warning system was not giving drivers a proper heads-up to buckle up with a "continuous or intermittent audible signal."
8. Boombox And Musk vs. Feds
Elon Musk was none too pleased when federal officials muted Tesla's "Boombox" feature, which let drivers blare fart sounds from their cars. The recall, affecting nearly 600,000 vehicles, stemmed from concerns that the bizarre noises might drown out the mandatory Pedestrian Warning System.
9. Touch Screen Issues
Tesla had to recall almost 130,000 vehicles due to infotainment systems overheating. The culprit was just a little faulty computer chip that couldn't chill. Thankfully, there was no immediate safety hazard, like fire, that was involved with the screen overheating issues.
10. Small Font Size
Tesla tackled a recall for nearly 2.2 million vehicles (including almost every Tesla model), where warning light fonts on the instrument panel were, apparently, a bit too small. Safety officials deemed the information regarding the park, brake, and antilock brake systems "tough to read."
11. Doors That Unlock Themselves
Tesla's recall for over 120,000 vehicles due to doors that could unlatch and open in a crash sounds like a scene from a high-stakes action movie. The affected Model X and Model S vehicles needed a fix because no one wanted an unexpected exit!
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12. Tire Pressure Lights Wouldn't Glow
Something as small as a tire pressure warning light caused Tesla to recall 700,000 vehicles. The warning light would ghost its drivers by not staying illuminated when it should, and the drivers might not notice as soon as their tires need attention.
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13. Autosteer Abuse
In the US and Canada, some drivers started misusing the Autosteer function, so the company had to pull back two million vehicles. Teslas are not fully self-driving yet, and these people ignored the fact that their hands must be on the wheel and their eyes must be on the road at all times.
14. Speedometer Went Missing
Some drivers were cruising without a clue about their speed. In April 2022, Tesla recalled some cars because their speedometers didn't show readings in "track mode." They know that when it comes to speed limits, guesswork is not allowed on the roads.
15. Phantom Braking
There were hundreds of complaints about Tesla cars suddenly braking for no apparent reason. Drivers reported their cars would slam on the brakes automatically when facing shadows, overpasses, or large trucks. Now, that's something dangerous and calls for serious fixes.
16. Hood Latch Didn't Latch
In many Tesla vehicles, the front trunk could pop open while driving. Just imagine you're driving down the highway when suddenly your hood blocks your view. It's definitely not the kind of surprise anyone wants. Due to this mechanical issue, two million Tesla vehicles were called back.
17. Suspension Separation
Tesla recalled thousands of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles because their suspension links could separate from the vehicle. Cars aren't supposed to lose their suspension components. That's definitely not part of the "breaking away from convention" Tesla advertises.
18. Power Steering Loss
What's the use of power steering assistance when you could lose that help on rough roads or after hitting a pothole? You'd suddenly have to muscle your luxury EV around corners. This is not what the 40,000 Model X and Y owners signed up for.
19. Heat Pump Didn't Heat Up
Around 26,000 Tesla EVs were called back because their heat pumps could fail in cold weather, leaving passengers shivering. For a company based in California, it seems they initially underestimated how cold other parts of the world can get.
20. Faulty Power Windows
In many Tesla vehicles, power windows didn't properly detect obstacles. This means they might not stop closing when they should. There was the risk of fingers, kids, and other objects not safely escaping the window's grasp. Thankfully, they voluntarily recalled the vehicles to fix this.
