Palo Alto, Calif. – Oct. 13, 2017 – Tesla Inc. has recalled approximately 11,000 vehicles with defective backseat assemblies, The Associated Press reported. The campaign affects 2017 Tesla Model X sport utility vehicles with production dates ranging from Oct. 28, 2016 to Aug. 16, 2017. The automaker suspects 3 percent of the vehicles referenced in the recall contain the defective components.
The Defect
Affected models are equipped with backseat assemblies with improperly installed seat cables. These fixtures prevent the left seat from locking when upright, which poses a serious safety hazard, as the seat may move forward suddenly during a collision. However, Tesla has yet to receive field reports connecting the defect to any accidents or injuries.
Timeline of Events
The automaker discovered the defect during recent internal testing, TechCrunch reported. Tesla launched a voluntary safety recall as a result.
The Solution
The car company has directed dealers to replace the seat cables in affected models free of charge. Owners received notification via email Oct. 12. Those with vehicles included in the recall will be able to schedule service via the Tesla mobile application, which the automaker has employed to great effect recently.
“In the past two months, we have conducted roughly 40 percent of the Takata air bag recall repairs via mobile service, and customer satisfaction results for our mobile service offering are consistently above 97 percent,” a Tesla spokesperson told TechCrunch.