Tesla is voluntarily recalling approximately 239,000 electric vehicles in the U.S. to address a rearview camera issue that could result in failure, according to filings published Friday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website.
"A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash," Tesla wrote in a letter to the regulator.
The recall affects Tesla's 2024-2025 Model 3 and Model S sedans, as well as its 2023-2025 Model X and Model Y SUVs. Tesla noted in an acknowledgment letter that it has already issued a free over-the-air (OTA) software update to address some of the rearview camera issues.
In 2024, Tesla initiated 16 recalls in the U.S., impacting 5.14 million electric vehicles, according to NHTSA data. These recalls involved a combination of software updates and parts replacements. Over 40% of these recalls were linked to the Cybertruck, Tesla's angular steel pickup truck that began customer deliveries in late 2023.
For the current recall, Tesla reported 887 warranty claims and multiple field reports related to rearview camera failures. However, the company stated it was not aware of any injuries, fatalities, or collisions resulting from the issue. Customers experiencing circuit board failures or stress that could lead to such failures are eligible for a free replacement of their vehicle's computer system, Tesla confirmed.
Additionally, NHTSA announced this week that it is investigating 2.5 million Tesla vehicles over reports linking multiple crashes to the vehicles' remote Smart Summon or Actually Smart Summon features. These features allow users to remotely move their vehicles to a designated location using a phone app, according to the agency.
The investigation is currently in its preliminary evaluation phase. Following this step, the NHTSA will determine whether to advance the probe to an engineering analysis, a necessary step before potentially issuing a recall, Reuters reported.
