May 31, 2024 – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Wednesday that it has launched an investigation into potential power steering failure issues in Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The agency has requested relevant records from Tesla to aid in the investigation.
Having escalated its preliminary assessment to a full-blown investigation in February, the NHTSA sent a letter to Tesla on Tuesday, giving the electric car manufacturer a deadline of July 24 to provide detailed records on steering components. The content of the letter has been made public on the NHTSA website.
The scope of the requested records encompasses the processes involved in identifying issues and developing solutions for potential defects. Furthermore, the agency is keen to learn whether Tesla has made any improvements to the power steering components and if there are any plans for further enhancements in the next four months.
As of press time, Tesla has not commented on the investigation.
The probe affects approximately 334,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from the 2023 model year. Prior to this, the NHTSA had received 115 complaints related to steering control malfunctions, including steering system failures or associated issues. These complaints described problems such as the steering system getting “stuck,” “locked,” or becoming “unresponsive” or requiring excessive steering effort. Other grievances mentioned “stuttering” or “unusual noises” from the steering system, as well as error messages or warnings linked to steering.
In July 2023, the NHTSA initiated a preliminary evaluation based on reports of steering control issues in 280,000 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. By February this year, the agency had received a total of 2,388 complaints.
According to a Reuters report from December last year, based on Tesla documents and interviews with customers and former employees, tens of thousands of Tesla owners have experienced premature failures in suspension or steering components since 2016. The report alleged that internal Tesla documents showed the automaker had been aware of defects in these parts but had attempted to blame drivers for the frequent failures.
Some Tesla owners reported being unable to turn the steering wheel, while others noted the need for increased steering effort. The NHTSA stated that it was aware of at least 50 Tesla vehicles being towed for repairs due to this issue.
NHTSA records indicate that Tesla has conducted a total of nine recalls in the United States related to steering and suspension problems since 2018.
