Tesla, already under the NHTSA’s microscope, is facing more scrutiny over reports that some Model 3 and Model Y vehicles lost power steering. The agency posted a letter to its website earlier this week, asking for Tesla’s record on the vehicles by July 24.
The NHTSA is looking at around 334,000 vehicles from the 2023 model year after receiving 115 reports of loss of steering control. Owners reported the steering becoming “locked,” “immovable,” or “stuck,” with some saying their steering required increased effort or felt notchy. Thankfully, there has only been one reported crash related to the steering problems. More than 50 vehicles have had to be towed.
Tesla will have to provide defect complaints, detail its problem identification process, and show how it initiated improvements. The NHTSA also wants “all communications with the supplier and related documents which are related to or may relate to” the defects. We’re not at the recall stage yet, but the currently ongoing engineering analysis is a required step before one can be initiated.
The NHTSA’s announcement comes almost a year after it opened a preliminary evaluation, upgrading it to an engineering analysis earlier this year. The automaker has an opportunity to present its findings and can voluntarily initiate a recall, but the NHTSA can ask for one if the analysis shows a defect.
[Images: Tesla]
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