- Tesla is recalling 1.85 million vehicles in the US over a hood-latching issue.
- Certain Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles built between 2013 and 2024 might not detect and warn the driver that the hood is unlatched.
- The automaker has already released an over-the-air software update to fix the problem so no dealer visit is necessary.
Looks like we have a new recall king. Earlier this month we totted up all of the recalls announced in the first half of 2024 and Ford came out top – or bottom, if you like – with Tesla taking second spot. But a new Tesla recall concerning faulty hood latching equipment has just added almost 2 million cars to the automaker’s total, pushing it easily past Ford.
The issue is purely a software one, and means that affected vehicles fitted with a Chinese-made latch mechanism might not sense that the hood is unlatched and therefore fail to warn the driver of the danger.
Related: Tesla Recalls 125,000 EVs Over Seatbelt Warning System That Doesn’t Warn
Though hoods have a safety catch to prevent them turning into a full-coverage windshield sun shade the minute you hit the highway and a bit of a breeze works its way over the slam panel, there is a danger that a hood could still fold back, obscuring the driver’s vision.
For that reason Tesla has announced a recall of 1,849,638 EVs built right the way through from 2013 to 2024. The affected cars are the 2013-24 Model S, 2016-24 Model X, 2017-2024 Model 3 and 2020-24 Model Y SUVs.
The good news for busy Tesla owners is that this recall won’t require them to visit a dealer. In fact, the company has already rolled out a software correction via over-air-update during the last couple of weeks in June.
Adding the 1.85 million affected vehicles to the 2.55 million we counted in the first half of the year brings Tesla’s recall total to 4.4 million vehicles so far in 2024. Ford is still on 3.66 million affected vehicles though it has announced far more recall campaigns – 31 versus eight – than Tesla. And we’re sure it won’t be long before Ford adds to its own list, potentially stealing the wooden spoon back from Tesla.
