Tesla is recalling over 1.8 million EVs because of a crash hazard: What to know

Tesla is recalling over 1.8 million vehicles over a defect in which the cars could fail to alert the driver that its hood is not latched correctly, leading it to open unexpectedly and put the vehicle and its occupants at risk for crashes.

This recall is just the latest in a line of recalls Tesla has initiated in 2024, including recalls involving some of its vehicles’ backup cameras and its use of fonts. The company’s flagship Cybertruck has also been affected by multiple recalls since the start of the year.

As for the latest Tesla recall, here is what you need to know.

Which Tesla vehicles are included in the recall?

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notice, seventeen Tesla vehicles are impacted by this latest recall. They include:

• 2021-2024 Tesla Model 3
• 2021-2024 Tesla Model S
• 2021-2024 Tesla Model X
• 2020-2024 Tesla Model Y

An associated safety recall report dated July 25, 2024 says that a total of 1,849,638 vehicles are included in the recall. The estimated percentage of those with the defect is 1%.

Why are the cars being recalled?

The reason for the recall is that the hood latch assembly on the affected models may fail to detect that the hood is still unlatched after it has been opened. Because of this failure, a driver may not be made aware that the hood is not secure. The hood could then open unexpectedly, causing a risk of crash.

“Unknowingly driving a vehicle with an unlatched hood may result in the hood fully opening and obstructing the driver’s view, increasing the risk of a collision,” the safety report states.

Has anyone been harmed due to the hood defect?

As of July 25, Tesla said it “is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths related to this condition.”

What is the remedy for the situation?

Tesla says it released a software update on July 18, which remedies the issue: “Firmware release 2024.20.3 or a later firmware release detects the open hood and provides a customer-facing user interface notification of the hood open state.”

The software update is provided at no cost to customers. The company also says it expects to mail owner notification letters to customers on September 22.

What can I do if I have questions?

You can contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s identification number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.

Alternatively, you can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 24V554000.

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