The falling Tesla steering wheel issue leads to a U.S. probe.
(Photo : Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The inside of a Tesla vehicle is viewed as it sits parked in a new Tesla showroom and service center in Red Hook, Brooklyn on July 5, 2016 in New York City. The electric car company and its CEO and founder Elon Musk have come under increasing scrutiny following a crash of one of its electric cars while using the controversial autopilot service.
An investigation has been opened after auto safety regulators received two complaints involving the steering wheel defect.
The affected Tesla consumers received an end-of-line repair, which requires the removal and re-installation of the EV's steering wheel.
Although the giant EV maker helped the affected drivers, the issue is still too dangerous. This is why NHTSA wants to investigate hundreds of thousands of Tesla EVs.
Falling Tesla Steering Wheel Leads to US Probe!
According to Reuters' latest report, the falling steering wheel issue affects Tesla Model Y 2023 versions.
(Photo : Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Newly completed Tesla Model Y electric cars stand at the new Tesla Gigafactory electric car manufacturing plant on March 21, 2022 near Gruenheide, Germany. The new plant, officially called the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, will officially open tomorrow with an event with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Also Read: Used Tesla EV Prices Dropping at Fast Rates! Here's How To Buy 2nd-hand Electric Cars
NHTSA said that they opened a preliminary investigation that will check over 120,000 units of the said model.
The auto safety regulator explained that the falling steering wheel incidents happened even at low mileage.
Time Magazine reported that the two incidents investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that there were missing bolts.
These bolts were supposed to hold the steering wheel in place. The issue was hard to spot since the friction fit held the steering wheels.
However, when too much force is exerted, this friction fit will be loose, making the Tesla Model Y steering wheels fall off.
As of writing, it is unclear if the falling steering wheel issue could lead to a massive Tesla EV recall.
This will depend on whatever finding NHTSA will acquire from the preliminary investigation.
What to Do if Steering Wheel Falls Off
Falling steering wheels can also be experienced by other cars. This defect could put your life at risk, especially if it happens while you are on the road.
If ever you experience this problem with your car, here are the things you can do:
- Always remove your foot from the gas pedal. Instead, press the brake pedal as hard as you can.
- Try slowing your car down by down-shifting (if you are using a manual transmission).
- Don't be afraid to stop on the road. But, always remember to keep your hazard lights on while waiting for assistance.
In other news, next-gen Tesla EV models are expected to be around 50% cheaper than the existing Tesla vehicles. We also reported about the new Tesla Model Y called Juniper, which is expected to start production in 2024.
For more news updates about Tesla and other giant EV makers, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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