Tesla has initiated two new recalls over possible seatbelt defects affecting up to 7,696 vehicles in the United States. According to a CNBC news report, one recall applies to up to 5,530 of Tesla’s electric cars including the 2018 to 2019 Model 3s and 2019 to 2021 Model Ys. The potential issue concerns the safety belts in the driver’s and front passenger’s seats. The vehicles were manufactured between July 6, 2018, and March 21, 2020.
Details of the Recalls
Tesla told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a defect notice that this issue resulted from workers’ failures to always torque the seatbelts into place correctly or to properly verify that specifications were met after installing the seatbelts. NHTSA stated in a recall acknowledgment that a fastener that is not properly attached could prevent the seat restraint system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
The second recall applies to about 2,166 of Tesla’s 2019 to 2021 Model Y crossovers manufactured between Nov. 26, 2019, and March 30, 2021. During assembly, if the operator made several unsuccessful attempts to torque the second-row left- or right-side seatbelt retractor fastener to the correct specification, he may have unknowingly cross-threaded the fastener, which can compromise the ability to torque the fastener to the correct specification.
Tesla also noted that an abnormal noise in these vehicles could indicate a seatbelt problem. This week, Tesla has issued three separate recalls. In addition to these two recalls involving faulty seatbelts, the automaker also recalled 5,974 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles for potentially loose bolts in the brake calipers.
That problem could cause a loss of tire pressure and impact vehicle performance and safety. Tesla employees previously told CNBC that they did not have sufficient time to complete their tasks properly during vehicle assembly and were forced to take shortcuts to meet tough deadlines.
Auto Product Liability Issues
Vehicle defects that affect the performance of seat restraint systems and tires have the potential to result in catastrophic injuries or even deaths. Automakers are responsible for ensuring proper quality control systems are in place and that workers have a reasonable time to complete their tasks properly. Suppose you or a loved one has been injured due to a vehicle defect. In that case, you must contact an experienced auto defect lawyer to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/03/tesla-recalling-up-to-7696-vehicles-over-seatbelt-issues-in-us.html
