Tesla Recalls Over 120,000 Vehicles Due to Safety Concerns: Unlocked Doors in Crashes Pose Risks

(CTN News) – More than 120,000 Tesla vehicles are being recalled due to safety concerns. Regulators have determined that unlocked doors provide a greater risk of injury in the event of a catastrophe.

A filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that the problem impacts certain Model S and X vehicles sold in the US between 2021 and 2023.

The flaw was discovered by Tesla during a routine crash test on December 6, and the company has not received any reports of injuries or claims related to the issue.

Vehicles impacted by the safety issue can now get a software upgrade from the manufacturer through over-the-air (OTA) updates. By February 17, 2024, the owners of certain vehicles should have received notification letters in the mail.

One more way owners can contact Tesla is by dialing 1-877-798-3752. SB-23-00-009 is the recall number assigned by Tesla.

Last week, Tesla limited the use of its Autopilot system by recalling nearly all its 2 million vehicles in the United States. The US safety inspectors conducted a two-year investigation into about 1,000 crashes involving the feature, leading to the recall.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has voiced concerns that Tesla’s Autopilot system can mislead drivers into thinking the system is safe in scenarios when it isn’t.

A new over-the-air update from Tesla increases the number of alerts that go off if the driver isn’t paying attention when using Autopilot’s “Autosteer” feature.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said that these alerts will gently remind motorists to maintain complete focus on the road and their safety.

The recall was announced just two days after a comprehensive investigation by the Washington Post revealed that at least eight incidents, including several casualties, were caused by the improper engagement of the Autopilot system.

Despite having lower sales than rivals like Toyota and Ford, Tesla (TSLA) is still the most valuable automaker in the world, with a market worth of over $791 billion.

Forecasts of sales, Tesla’s software, and the company’s progress in artificial intelligence are the main pillars upon which that valuation rests.

However, Tesla’s dominance could be in jeopardy due to recent recalls.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, told Wall Street investors in October that the company may become the most valuable in the world in the long run. “The boundary becomes less apparent when fully autonomous cars reach a certain point and fully autonomous humanoid robots prove to be genuinely valuable.”

In response to CNN’s request for comment, Tesla did not immediately provide one.

Despite a 1.6% decline in the final half of 2023, Tesla shares are still up 105% for the year.