Tesla Recalls 200,000 Vehicles Due to Faulty On-Board Computers

Tesla has announced a recall affecting over 200,000 of its electric vehicles due to a problematic computer hardware issue. This malfunction can cause a short circuit, potentially disabling crucial safety features such as the rearview camera.

The company submitted the recall notice on January 6th, acknowledging that the faulty computers are present in some recent builds of its Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles. The manufacturing dates for these vehicles range from as early as January 25th, 2023, for some Model X units to as late as December 16th, 2024, for certain Model Ys.

This action follows due to non-compliance with the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) stringent rules regarding rearview camera reliability. Notably, Tesla issued separate recalls in January 2024 for rearview camera issues in other models, including the Cybertruck, which were later resolved through over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

Tesla is utilizing its OTA capabilities again for remedying this latest recall. The updates began rolling out on December 18th and were incorporated into new vehicles manufactured after December 16th.

However, as highlighted by Electrek, these software updates cannot address the broader underlying computer issues. As of December 30th, there have been 887 warranty claims and 68 field reports concerning Tesla's latest hardware, known as HW4 or AI4, which is integral for its shift towards full autonomy.

For vehicles that cannot be fixed via the OTA update, Tesla has committed to replacing the computers. This replacement action is crucial particularly if CEO Elon Musk intends to advance the company's heavily anticipated robotaxi service.