Tesla recalls Model 3s with unsecured seat belts

Tesla recalls Model 3s with unsecured seat belts

November 11, 2022 Bojan Popic

Austin, TX – November 11, 2022 – Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is recalling 24,064 2017-2022 Tesla Model 3 electric cars, whose seat belts may not restrain occupants in the event of a crash. This ups the risk of injury. 

Recall summary

In the listed vehicles, the second-row left seat buckle and the middle seat anchor are held in place with one bolt. When servicing the vehicles, technicians failed to re-assemble the components correctly. This may result in the seat belts in the second row being loose.

Recall risks

A loose or otherwise defective seat belt might not hold the passenger in place if there is a crash, increasing the risk of an injury. 

Warning signs

If not reassembled properly, one or both of these components will be loose. 

Other Tesla Model 3 recalls

You can find comprehensive information about all Tesla recalls that took place in 2022 in this article. 

Additionally, some of 2017 Tesla Model 3 cars, as well as many others, were recalled last month because their windows may malfunction and catch passenger limbs. 

The repair

Dealers will inspect the seat belt anchoring points on these vehicles and rearrange them correctly if needed. This repair is free of charge. 

In addition, to stop this from happening in the future, Tesla has updated their service procedure manuals. 

Owners will be notified on December 20, 2022. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Nearly 25,000 electric cars are recalled over this Tesla seat belt issue. To do a Tesla recall check and see if yours is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool. 

Bojan PopicTesla recalls Model 3s with unsecured seat belts
Tesla recalls four models over faulty seat belt chime

Tesla recalls four models over faulty seat belt chime

February 12, 2022 Joseph Estabillo

Austin, TX – February 12, 2022 – Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has issued a recall for 817,143 vehicles across four models over a defective seat belt chime. The absence of an audible reminder to wear the seat belt may cause the driver to operate the vehicle without it, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. 

The recall covers the following models:

  • 2021-2022 Tesla Model S
  • 2021-2022 Tesla Model X
  • 2017-2022 Tesla Model 3
  • 2020-2022 Tesla Model Y

Recall summary

The vehicles have a seat belt chime that activates when the vehicle is started, reminding the driver to fasten the seat belt. This works together with a visual seat belt reminder that can be seen on the vehicle’s dashboard.

If the chime is interrupted when the vehicle was previously used while the seat belt was not fastened, a software error will prevent the chime from sounding off the next time the vehicle is used.  This will happen if, for example, the driver left the vehicle while the chime was still going off with the engine running and then returned.

Recall risks

Drivers may not fasten their seat belts, which augments the risk of an injury in a crash.

While the chime will go off at speeds over 13.7 miles per hour (mph), this may not give the driver enough time to fasten the belt before an accident occurs.

Other Tesla recalls 

The latest Tesla seat belt recall is the electric vehicle maker’s fourth, barely two months into 2022. There was a Tesla Model 3 recall  spanning more than 356,000 vehicles in early January over faulty rearview cameras. This was followed by a Tesla Model S recall involving over 119,000 units for hoods that may open while the vehicle is traveling, obscuring the driver’s view.

The third advisory concerned over 53,000 Tesla vehicles over a “rolling stop” feature that allowed them to go through a stop sign without halting completely, presenting a higher risk of collision with other road users.   

In addition to the recalls, the automaker is subject to two investigations, including one for potentially allowing drivers to play video games on the front console while on the road.

The repair

Tesla already released new firmware to correct the software error, enabling the chime to go off. The firmware update was deployed over-the-air (OTA) to the affected vehicles in late January and early February.

Owners will also receive letters with more information on April 1, 2022.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

More than 800,000 vehicles are included in this Tesla recall. To do a Tesla recall check, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.  

Joseph EstabilloTesla recalls four models over faulty seat belt chime
Tesla recalls Model 3 and Model Y over risk of seat belt failure

Tesla recalls Model 3 and Model Y over risk of seat belt failure

July 25, 2021 Bojan Popic

Palo Alto, CA – July 25, 2021 – Tesla  (NASDAQ:TSLA) is recalling 5,530 cars and SUVs, whose front drive and passenger seat belts could have been fitted incorrectly. During a collision, the seat belts may fail to operate as designed, increasing the risk of an injury. This recall includes the following vehicles: 

  • 2018 Tesla Model 3­­­­
  • 2019 Tesla Model 3
  • 2020 Tesla Model 3
  • 2019 Tesla Model Y
  • 2020 Tesla Model Y
  • 2021 Tesla Model Y

Recall summary  

The shoulder belt portion of the seat belts is attached to the B-pillar – which is the upright frame section between front and rear doors – with several fasteners. In the recalled vehicles, one or both fasteners were “improperly attached” to the B-pillar.

Risks

The fasteners cannot provide sufficient grip, which may allow the seat belt assembly to move out of its position. If the affected vehicle is involved in a collision, seat belts may not perform as designed, which increases the risk of an injury.  For more information on how seat belts help save lives during a crash, please refer to this article about a GM recall for damaged seat belts.

Warning signs

The driver and front-seat passenger may be alerted to this condition if they are not able to adjust the upper section of the seat belt vertically.

Other Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y recalls

Earlier this month, Tesla recalled close to 6,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles because their tires could lose pressure, increasing the risk of a crash. That recall included 2020-2021 Tesla Model Y and 2019-2021 Model 3 cars.

In June, the manufacturer recalled 285,200 Model 3s and Model Ys in China over a cruise control issue, as reported.

The repair

To fix the issue, Tesla dealers will “inspect and repair both fasteners.” The owners were notified of the recall on July 23.

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

This Tesla recall includes more than 5,500 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. To see if your vehicle is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicTesla recalls Model 3 and Model Y over risk of seat belt failure
Tesla Motors Recalls Model S Sedan

Tesla Motors Recalls Model S Sedan

December 15, 2015 Sean Reyes ,

Fremont, CA – December 15, 2015 – Although no related injuries have yet been reported, Tesla Motors is spearheading an all-encompassing recall for every Model S sedan due to a faulty seat belt. Owners will be able to schedule a repair appointment to fix possible seat belt problems.

This voluntary action concerns 90,000 vehicles and is the largest Tesla Motors recall so far, according to USA Today. As of November 20, Tesla’s investigations had only discovered one vehicle with seat belt issues, the model in Europe that sparked concerns over these systems in the first place. Owners were notified via email earlier this month.

Owners could also test for the problem themselves by pulling lap portions of seatbelts with at least 80 pounds of force, although this isn’t a substitute for an official inspection, the source said. This inspection is expected to only take six minutes.

Thanks for watching!

Sean ReyesTesla Motors Recalls Model S Sedan
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