Feds Close Investigation of Tesla Model X and S Recall

Tesla recently got some good news from federal vehicle safety regulators, even as concerns about the electric automaker’s cars continue to pile up.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has closed an investigation into Tesla’s recall of Model X and Model S vehicles over a touchscreen defect, the agency says. It found that the company appears to have properly addressed the issue.

The 2021 recall covered nearly 160,000 vehicles. That includes Model X sport utility vehicles from model years 2016 to 2016 and Model S sedans from 2012 to 2019.

Tesla, under pressure from NHTSA, said it would call back the cars to fix touchscreens that could fail, Reuters reports. The agency said at the time that the defect “posed significant safety issues, including the loss of rearview or backup camera images, exterior turn-signal lighting, and windshield defogging and defrosting systems that ‘may decrease the driver’s visibility in inclement weather,’” the news outlet reports.

The touchscreens’ memory capacity units’ life expectancy is five to six years, Tesla told investigators. That means all of them will eventually fail and need to be replaced.

The issue also could impact Tesla’s controversial Autopilot systems, according to NHTSA.

The driver-assist function is designed to allow cars to steer, accelerate and brake automatically while staying in their lane. A slew of crashes, including some in California, have raised safety questions. 

NHTSA recently ratcheted up a separate probe into Tesla’s massive Autopilot recall. The company in December recalled some 2 million vehicles in the U.S alone. Tesla called back another 1.6 million cars in China the following month.

The company said at the time it would issue a software update for those vehicles to provide more safeguards against misuse of the Autopilot mode. NHTSA is focusing on whether Tesla has done enough to ensure that drivers remain attentive while using the technology.

Legal Rights for California Tesla Drivers

The California lemon law gives Tesla owners and lessors in the Golden State some important rights and protections.

The lemon law generally requires carmakers to perform a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces manufacturers to buy back vehicles that they are unable or simply refuse to fix. That means compensating the owner for the vehicle’s purchase price, as well as financing charges, rental car costs and other related expenses.

A carmaker can instead offer to replace the vehicle, but it is up to the owner to decide whether to accept or reject this alternative arrangement.

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must occur before the buyback requirement kicks in. An experienced California lemon law attorney can help you understand your rights and take action.

Talk with an Orange County Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, an Orange County lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an Orange County lemon law attorney.