Tesla recalls 475,000 vehicles due to camera and front trunk issues

By Jennifer Korn

Over 475,000 Tesla (TSLA) cars have been recalled due to technical defects that may increase the risk of accidents. Two separate recalls are in place, one regarding the rear-view camera in the Tesla Model 3 and the other involves the frunk, or front trunk, latches in the Model S.

The large recall nearly equals Tesla’s total global deliveries last year, as just under 500,000 total cars were delivered in 2020, according to Tesla’s annual report.

Two voluntary recall reports were filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with Tesla stores and service centers notified last week of the recalls.

All Model 3 cars made between 2017 and 2020, a total of 356,309 vehicles, are being recalled due to a cable that, over time, may separate after wear and tear, blocking the rear-view camera feed.

A substantial number of Model S cars are under recall as well, due to issues with the front-trunk latch that could result in the hood opening unexpectedly. 119,009 vehicles have the faulty trunk latch, according to the NHTSA filing.

Tesla began investigating the frunk issue in January 2021 after a frunk opened up while a Tesla Model S was in Drive, one of the reports said. The company began investigating the camera issue in June 2021 after it noticed a “potential trend” in wiring harness consumption at its service centers, the other report said.

The recalls come after a federal safety investigation into the Tesla “Passenger Play” feature that allowed video games to be played on the cars’ touchscreens when in motion. Tesla said last week that the feature would now only be available when a car is in park after the preliminary evaluation of the play feature was announced by NHTSA.

The administration is also investigating the automaker for at least 11 accidents related to the Autopilot and other self-driving features. These collisions occurred when Tesla cars hit emergency vehicles arriving at earlier crash scenes, resulting in 17 injuries and one death, according to the report.

Tesla’s shares declined 1.1% in premarket trading Thursday but later rebounded. The stock has gained about 54% this year. Tesla has not responded to request for comment on the recalls.

The-CNN-Wire
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