Tesla Recalls 11,000 Model X SUVs Over Uncooperative Rear Seats
Tesla is issuing a voluntary recall of the Model X before the government can whip out its red pen. The company claims a small percentage of SUVs suffer from a manufacturing defect that could prevent the rear seats from locking into place securely.
The risk comes in the event of a crash, when the center row — and those occupying it — could become projectiles aimed squarely at the back of the driver’s seat.
Affecting Model Xs assembled between October 28th of 2016 and August 16th of 2017, Tesla has stated there are no known incidents and only discovered seats with improperly tensioned cables after some internal testing. Still, better to get out ahead of something like this than have to explain why a person driving one of your cars had to scrape someone off their seatback with a spatula.
The company has been pretty good about issuing voluntary fixes without much prodding from safety agencies. Tesla called back 90,000 Model S sedans over possible seatbelt defects in 2015, 2,700 Model X SUVs for third-row seats in 2016, and 53,000 vehicles earlier this year over a faulty parking brake. Let’s chalk it up to the growing pains of a still-green automaker and a public less willing to accept a substandard product. It’s not as if other manufacturers weren’t recalling things left and right during the same timeframe. Tesla just handled it better than some.
In a statement to CNBC, the company said affected customers can take advantage of its mobile repair service but are welcome to take their cars to any Tesla Service Center if they prefer.
The automaker will issue notifications to its customers via email this week. In the notice, the company states the seat cables only need an minor adjustment. There are no replacement parts to install and the entire fix should only take about ten minutes. Tesla’s only request is that you refrain from placing adults in the second row’s left side and center seats until after the cable adjustment has been made. Children are, however, totally fine to occupy those areas of the vehicle.
[Image: Tesla Motors]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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The joke that is Tesla keeps getting funnier.
I think Tesla has also replaced some Model 3 seats already. They obviously have a problem with seats for some reason.