Tesla, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s electric vehicle manufacturer, said in a press release that it has “voluntarily issued a non-compliance recall on certain model year 2021-2023 Model X vehicles.”
According to the United States auto regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the carmaker is set to recall a total of 54,676 Model X vehicles made between 2021 and 2023.
The recall was prompted by concerns that the vehicle controller could fail to detect low brake fluid levels, a crucial component in a vehicle’s braking system.
“Low brake fluid levels may alter brake pedal feel or impact braking performance. A vehicle controller that does not correctly indicate low brake fluid levels to the owner may impact braking performance and may increase the risk of a collision.” Tesla explains.
Without the ability to detect low brake fluid levels, a vehicle would not trigger a warning light, which is required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
“The vehicle controller may fail to detect low brake fluid and will not display a warning light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, “Light Vehicle Brake Systems,” the NHTSA said.
To address this issue, Tesla says it has released a software update, provided at no cost to affected vehicle owners. The update is designed to rectify the problem, ensuring compliance with safety standards. It is expected to be received by owners on or after December 12, 2023.
“Software version 2023.32.7 or newer includes the remedy that corrects the vehicle controller’s set threshold range at low brake fluid levels and ensures compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 135, Section 5.5.4,” Tesla writes in its press release about the recall.
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The company also says it is “not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths that may be related to this condition.”
Tesla has faced previous scrutiny over similar incidents, with the NHTSA launching an investigation, in August, into 280,000 new Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The investigation was initiated following reports of steering control loss and power steering issues in these vehicles.
This incident serves as a reminder of the rapidly evolving landscape of automotive technology, where software updates are becoming increasingly instrumental in addressing potential safety concerns and maintaining compliance with safety standards.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of Impakter.com — In the Featured Photo: Tesla Supercharger, September 7, 2018. Featured Photo Credit: Rawpixel.
