- Tesla is recalling 376,241 EVs due to a problem with their steering.
- Certain 2023 Model 3s and Ys need an OTA for revised software.
- Some owners reported heavier steering when moving from a stop.
Tesla has announced a recall of nearly 380,000 vehicles in the United States due to a power steering assist failure. The problem affects 2023 Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers equipped with older software versions. Some owners reported finding their EVs’ steering heavier than usual, but others experience a complete loss of steering control.
The root cause of the problem has been identified as an overvoltage breakdown, which places undue stress on motor drive components within the circuit board. This malfunction can lead to the power steering assist system failing, though the design means drivers will never lose assist when their EV is in motion.
Related: US Probes Tesla EVs For Losing Power Steering, Over 50 Cars Left Stranded
But when the cars reach a standstill the power assist vanishes. It’s still theoretically possible to steer a 3 or Y if this happens, but have you tried to heave a 4,400 lbs (2,000 kg) car around without power steering recently? It’s seriously hard work.
As if the sweat on their brows and the ache in their shoulders, wrists and forearms wasn’t enough to let drivers know their steering had failed, a visual alert appears on the screen with the message “Steering assist reduced. Steering may require increased effort.”
Though the recall has only been announced this month, Tesla has acknowledged over 3,000 warranty claims related to the issue and began an internal investigation almost two years ago in response to customer complaints about high steering effort. The glitch was also the subjects of a formal investigation starting in December 2023 by a non-US market and America’s NHTSA opened its own probe in February 2024. But the automaker states it has received no reports of crashes or injuries associated with the defect.
As with many Tesla quality and safety goofs, this is another software one, which means it’s an easy and inexpensive one to put right. To address the problem, Tesla is rolling out an over-the-air software update for 376,241 EVs.
This recall comes on the heels of a previous one in January 2025, where Tesla recalled approximately 240,000 vehicles due to faulty rear-view cameras. The affected models in that instance included the 2024-2025 Model S, 2023-2025 Model X, 2023-2025 Model Y, and 2024-2025 Model 3. The issue was traced back to a firmware problem that could cause a shorting failure on the car’s computer board, leading to rear-view camera malfunctions.
