Tesla Model 3 electric cars recalled for missing airbag warning info
That little warning label on the sun visor? It's not present in 89 cars.
File this one to the "minor recalls" section, but it isn't often we see a recall for Tesla vehicles. Nevertheless, some 89 Tesla Model 3 sedans need to head to a service center due to missing airbag warning information.
Without the warning info attached to the driver's side sun visor, the electric cars don't comply with federal safety standards. Obviously, this isn't a dire threat to drivers, but it still needs fixing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cites the lack of the airbag information as a potential increase of injury.
In the documents filed on Oct. 10, Tesla and NHTSA said the affected cars were built on Aug. 23. The problem was simply a batch of sun visors that were intended for a market with different regulations.
With a simple problem comes a simple fix, too. Tesla will send the owners of the 89 cars a mailed notice. Owners will need to bring their Model 3 to a Tesla Service Center where a technician will check to see if the label is missing, and if so, install a new sun visor with the warning information on it.
The fix will be free of charge for owners. Owners should have begun receiving mailed notices around Oct. 9, according to the electric car maker.
Meanwhile, NHTSA continues to investigate a Tesla software update that impacted battery management. The update was, specifically, designed to extinguish a potential fire risk. NHTSA wants to know if Tesla should have conducted a safety recall for the problem instead. Additionally, the agency has acknowledged incidents surrounding the new Smart Summon feature, which allows the car to drive to owners at low speeds and pick them up without anyone behind the wheel. NHTSA said earlier this month that it was in "ongoing contact" with Tesla about the latest feature.
