Tesla is recalling over 125,000 vehicles due to a fault in their seat belt warning system, which could heighten the risk of injury in the event of a collision.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall affects certain models spanning from 2012 to 2024, including the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y.
The seat belt warning system is designed to alert drivers audibly and visually if their seat belt is not fastened. However, on some vehicles, these signals are not activating as intended, failing to meet federal safety standards.
As of the latest update from the NHTSA, Tesla has identified 104 warranty claims possibly linked to this issue. However, there have been no reported collisions, fatalities, or injuries attributed to the problem.
Tesla, led by CEO Elon Musk, plans to rectify the issue by deploying a free over-the-air software update to affected vehicles starting in June. This update will eliminate reliance on the driver seat occupancy switch in the software, instead activating the seat belt reminder signals based solely on the status of the driver seat belt buckle and ignition.
This recall follows a recent incident where 3,878 2024 Cybertrucks were recalled due to a potential accelerator pedal sticking, which could lead to unintended acceleration and a higher risk of accidents.
Additionally, in February, the NHTSA announced the recall of nearly 2.2 million Tesla vehicles in the United States because certain warning lights on the instrument panel were deemed too small. Around the same time, the agency escalated an investigation into Tesla steering issues to an engineering analysis, a step closer to issuing a recall.
In April, the NHTSA launched an investigation into whether Tesla’s Autopilot driving system’s previous recall adequately ensures driver attention to the road.
