Tesla has issued a report stating that 53,000 of its vehicles are to be recalled due to a fault with their parking brakes. These vehicles include both the Model S and Model X.
Why are Teslas being recalled?
The issue is said to be caused by a “small gear that could have been manufactured improperly by our third-party supplier” and could effectively cause the parking brake to stick in place, preventing the car from moving.
So far, nobody has been injured due to parking brake issue, but Tesla wants to be extra careful. In fact, Tesla believes that only five per cent of the 53,000 vehicles it is recalling may actually be affected – and they include Model S and Model X vehicles produced between February 2016 and October 2016.
What is Tesla’s statement?
Tesla said in its statement: “Specifically, we have determined that the electric parking brakes installed on Model S and Model X vehicles built between February and October 2016 may contain a small gear that could have been manufactured improperly by our third-party supplier. If this gear were to break, the parking brake would continue to keep the car from moving, but the parking brake would then be stuck in place.
“There have been no reports of the parking brake system failing to hold a parked vehicle or failing to stop a vehicle in an emergency as a result of this condition, and this part has no impact on the car’s regular braking systems. We have also determined that only a very small percentage of gears in vehicles built during this period were manufactured improperly.”
What do I do if my Tesla is being recalled?
Tesla has said it will be contacting customers who may have been affected and advising them on how they can have their car repaired.
The process for repair is said to take less than 45 minutes and Tesla says that it is able to begin replacing parts immediately and that sufficient parts for all affected vehicles should be obtained by October 2017.
