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]