Tesla announced on Friday that it is recalling nearly 380,000 vehicles in the U.S. due to a power steering assist issue that could make steering more difficult, especially at low speeds. This issue may increase the risk of an accident.
The recall follows over a year-long investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after several Tesla owners reported problems with steering, including difficulty turning the wheel and increased effort required. More than 50 vehicles were reportedly towed due to this issue, according to NHTSA’s statement last year.
In late 2023, reports emerged that tens of thousands of Tesla owners had faced premature failures in suspension or steering components since 2016, based on Tesla documents and interviews with customers and former employees.
Tesla’s filing with NHTSA revealed that some 2023 Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers with older software versions could experience an overvoltage problem that might damage motor drive components on the printed circuit board.
Tesla explained that if this issue occurs while the vehicle is in motion, the steering will not be affected, but a visual warning will appear. However, when the vehicle comes to a stop, the power steering assist may fail and stay disabled when the car starts moving again.
As of January 10, Tesla reported 3,012 warranty claims potentially related to this issue. However, the company stated it has not received any reports of accidents or fatalities linked to the problem.
Tesla has rolled out an over-the-air software update to resolve the issue.
This recall is Tesla’s second large recall of the year, following a January recall of approximately 239,000 vehicles due to malfunctioning rear-view cameras.
Tesla’s stock dropped slightly in premarket U.S. trading, having declined around 10% this year after a strong performance in 2024.