Tesla is recalling more than 475,000 of its Model 3 and Model S electric cars to address rearview camera and trunk issues that increase the risk of crashing, the US road safety regulator said on Thursday (local time).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been discussing another camera issue with the automaker, while probing the company's driver assistant system.
For Model 3 sedans, "the rearview camera cable harness may be damaged by the opening and closing of the trunk lid, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying," the NHTSA said.
Tesla identified 2301 warranty claims and 601 field reports regarding the issue for US vehicles.
For Model S vehicles, latch problems may lead a front trunk to open "without warning and obstruct the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash," Tesla said.
Tesla said it was not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths related to the issues cited in the recall of Model 3 and Model S cars, the NHTSA said.
Tesla shares fell as much as 3 percent in the morning but rebounded and were last trading slightly higher around $1088.76. The world's most valuable automaker is expected to report record quarterly vehicles deliveries as early as Saturday.
Camera issue
This month, the NHTSA said it was talking with Tesla about sideview camera issues in some vehicles.
CNBC had reported that Tesla was replacing defective repeater cameras in the front fenders of some US-made vehicles without recalling the parts.
The NHTSA has been investigating 580,000 Tesla vehicles over the automaker's decision to allow games to be played on car screens while they are in motion. read more
Tesla has subsequently agreed to remove such gaming features while its cars are moving, according to the NHTSA.
Under pressure from NHTSA, Tesla in February agreed to recall 135,000 vehicles with touch-screen displays that could fail and raise the risk of a crash.
In August, the NHTSA opened a formal safety probe into Tesla's driver assistance system Autopilot after a series of crashes involving Tesla models and emergency vehicles.
Reuters
