Welcome back to another edition of ‘The NHTSA is Investigating Tesla.’
Jokes aside, it’s almost every other week that investigations surrounding Tesla’s vehicles pop up (1), (2), (3), (4), (5). This time around, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating 280,000 Teslas over loss of steering control and power steering.
This isn’t the first time the NHTSA is investigating Tesla regarding its steering wheel. Earlier this year, reports of Tesla’s Model Y’s steering wheel detaching prompted an investigation.
However, this time, the issue primarily affects Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. According to the NHTSA, it received 12 complaints from owners who experienced the steering problem, often accompanied by a warning message on the driver’s display, as shared by TechCrunch.
Some of the incidents that lead us to this point describe situations where the steering wheel locked up or became very stiff while driving, causing the vehicle to veer off the road or crash. Some owners said the problem occurred shortly after taking delivery of their new Tesla, while others said it happened after several months or years of use.
A Model Y owner said in April that Tesla service centers were unable to fix the problem and had delayed their appointments due to a lack of parts.
If the investigation finds that the defect affects vehicle performance or functionality, it could result in a recall.
Source: TechCrunch
