Tesla being investigated for steering wheels coming off on Mannequin Y Lalrp

New York

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Federal security regulators are investigating Tesla’s Mannequin Y SUV after at the least two cases during which house owners mentioned their steering wheels grew to become indifferent whereas the car was being pushed.

The Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration is wanting on the 2023 mannequin yr. It mentioned within the two cases during which the steering wheel got here off, the automobiles had been delivered to consumers with out the retaining bolt that attaches the steering wheel to the steering column.

The report from the company didn’t say if there have been accidents or accidents on account of the issue.

NHTSA mentioned round 120,000 autos on US roads may very well be affected by the issue. That is an investigation, a step the company takes earlier than ordering a recall.

In February, Tesla was required to subject a recall of almost 363,000 autos outfitted with what it calls its “Full Self Driving” software program after NHTSA decided it “led to an unreasonable threat to motorized vehicle security primarily based on inadequate adherence to visitors security legal guidelines.”

Among the many visitors guidelines the automobiles violated in FSD mode was “touring straight by way of an intersection whereas in a turn-only lane, coming into a cease sign-controlled intersection with out coming to an entire cease, or continuing into an intersection throughout a gentle yellow visitors sign with out due warning.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk objected to calling {that a} “recall,” saying it entailed solely an over-the-air software program replace that didn’t require the proprietor to deliver the automobiles to service facilities to be fastened.

However Tesla did order a recall final month of three,470 2022-2023 Mannequin Y automobiles because of bolts within the second-row seat again frames not being secured accurately, which might trigger the seat belts in these seats to not work correctly in a crash.

Tesla has not had a public relations employees for a number of years and electronic mail inquiries to its press workplace are not accepted.

’s Ramishah Maruf contributed to this report.