Tesla recalls more than 2 million domestic vehicles following federal probe

Ryan Maxin, Austin American-Statesman
Updated ·2 min read
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Nearly 2.2 million Teslas, almost all the vehicles the company has sold in the U.S., are covered by a new recall involving warning lights on the vehicles' instrument panels.

Tesla is recalling nearly all the vehicles it has sold in the U.S. to patch issues with the cars' Autopilot safety features.

The recall affects more than 2 million Tesla vehicles across its model lineup, according to The Associated Press, which first reported the story. The defect affects the cars' abilities to ensure drivers are paying attention when using the cars' partially automated driving system feature.

Safety regulators from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posted documents Wednesday indicating the company will fix the problems through a software update sent to Tesla owners, according to the AP. The recall comes on the heels of a two-year investigation by regulators into crashes — some fatal — that occurred while Autopilot was in use.

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The recall affects models Y, S, 3 and X produced between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7, 2023. The vehicles' software will be patched through additional controls and alerts “to further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility,” the documents said.

Certain Tesla owners received the software update on Tuesday, while others will get it at a later, unspecified date, according to the AP.

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Federal traffic safety investigators began meeting with Tesla in October to discuss the issues, according to the AP. Though Tesla did not agree with the investigators' assessment, it agreed to the recall on Dec. 5 to try to resolve the investigation.

In a statement Wednesday, the traffic safety administration said the Tesla investigation is ongoing “as we monitor the efficacy of Tesla’s remedies and continue to work with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.”

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Tesla recalls nearly all U.S.-sold vehicles over safety concerns