Tesla on Friday announced it is recalling almost 700,000 cars in the United States over an issue with the tire pressure monitoring system, bringing the total number of recalls for the electric vehicle maker to 15 so far this year, impacting more than 2.7 million cars.
A Tesla Model Y on a Tesla car lot on May 31, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Friday's recall is over an issue with the tire pressure monitoring system of certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3 and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing.
The tire pressure lights may not be properly warning drivers of low pressure, the recall says, which could result in driving with improperly inflated tires and increase the risk of a crash.
The recall is the 15th for Tesla so far this year, amid safety challenges for the company being investigated by the NHTSA.
The largest recall for Tesla so far this year was issued in July and impacted 1.8 million vehicles when it was discovered certain Model 3, Model S, Model X and Model Y cars were failing to detect when the hood was unlatched, which could cause it to fully open and obstruct the driver's view.
Other issues included problems with the seat belt warning system, rearview cameras, front windshield wipers and trapped acceleration pedals.
Most issues for the brand's cars have been resolved with over-the-air software updates.
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6%. That’s how much Tesla stock fell in early trading Friday, likely the impacts of a larger sell off as investors take profits from the company's post-election rally. Shares rebounded quickly after opening and were up 1% as of 10:40 a.m. EST.
Tesla cars have been the subject of safety concerns for years as highlighted by several high-profile incidents. Last December, U.S. auto safety regulators opened an investigation into Tesla's autopilot system after crashes were reported following an update meant to improve safety. In March, Angela Chao, Foremost Group CEO and sister-in-law to Sen. Mitch McConnell, died after she reversed her Tesla Model X SUV over an embankment and into a stock pond and was unable to be rescued. The incident led to scrutiny of Tesla vehicles and their gearshifts, which have been criticized for allegedly being confusing and easy to shift incorrectly, as well as the company's use of laminated glass windows, which are advertised as “unbreakable.” Auto research firm iSeeCars last month released a new report analyzing fatal collisions from 2017 to 2022 involving 2018 to 2022 car models and found that Tesla Model Ss and Tesla Model Ys are among the most dangerous cars on the road. Tesla had 5.6 fatal accidents per billion miles traveled by its vehicles, double the national average of 2.8 per billion miles. Tesla cars are considered Top Safety Picks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
“Teslas are the safest cars on the road, but most people don’t know that,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on X last year.
Chrysler has issued more recalls than any other auto manufacturer this year, with 67 so far, according to NHTSA data. Chrysler is the 11th largest vehicle manufacturer in the world. Tesla, which had a 4.2% market share in 2023, does not make the top 12 auto manufacturers in terms of recalls issued this year.