What to Know About Tesla's Recall Of 2.2 Million Cars

Tesla has recalled nearly 2.2 million cars over an issue with the font size on their instrument panels.  

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recalled vehicles have “an incorrect font size displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights.”

The too-small font size puts drivers at risk as it could make important safety information too difficult to read and thus can increase the risk of crash, NHTSA added.

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The recall impacts nearly all Tesla cars sold in the U.S., according to Fortune.

The vehicles affected are:

• Cybertruck 2024
• 2017-2023 Model 3
• 2012-2023 Model S
• 2016-2024 Model X 
• 2019-2024 Model Y

This marks the second Tesla recall in a week. On January 23, the electric car company recalled 200,000 vehicles over an issue with the rearview camera on certain models.

That January 23 recall affects Model S, X and Y vehicles in the 2023 model year that are equipped with a full self-driving computer 4.0 and running certain software release versions, according to the NHTSA. The software versions are 2023.44.30 through 2023.44.30.6 or 2023.44.100.

“Instability of these software versions may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying,” the NHTSA said. A rearview image that does not display as the driver is backing up decreases the driver's visibility and raises the risk of a crash, it added.

Software update fixes

For both issues, Tesla says it released over-the-air software updates to fix the issues at no cost to customers. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed on March 22 for the camera issue and March 30 for the incorrect font size problem. 

If you have questions about the recall, you can contact Tesla’s customer service at 1-877-798-3752.

Tesla’s number for the camera recall is SB-24-00-002. Its number for the font size recall is SB-24-00-003.

How to check for recalls

Last December, Tesla recalled more than 2 million vehicles over issues with its Basic Autopilot package. This recall affected vehicles in the 2012 and 2023 model years that are equipped with the company's Autosteer feature. An over-the-air software update to fix the problem was scheduled to be sent to affected vehicles on or shortly after December 12, 2023, with any remaining affected vehicles set to receive a software update at a later date, the NHTSA said.

Vehicle recalls are common. Manufacturers regularly monitor car safety and function issues to alert drivers of necessary repairs.

You can check for manufacturer recalls of any automotive make and model at the NHTSA website. 

You can search for Tesla vehicles specifically in the Recall section of its website. 

For both websites, you'll need to enter your vehicle identification number to perform a search.

To make your car last longer, experts advise that you make sure it gets regular maintenance service. 

When you need to take your car to the shop for repairs, doing some research ahead of time on websites such as YourMechanic and RepairPal could help you determine if the repair estimate matches the diagnosed problem.

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