Tesla's largest ever recall: Electric vehicle giant issues recall of nearly all its US vehicles

Tesla, the electric vehicle giant, is undertaking its most extensive recall in the United States, involving nearly all electric vehicles sold in the country.

The recall is prompted by concerns related to warning lights, posing potential safety risks due to difficulties in reading critical information on the instrument panel, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

This recall, affecting approximately 2.19 million vehicles sold between 2012 and 2024, marks a substantial setback for Tesla, adding to a series of recent challenges for the automaker.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted the safety issue, stating that warning lights with a smaller font size could impede the readability of critical safety information, consequently elevating the risk of accidents.

This recall represents Tesla's response to rectify thefont size concern, aiming to enhance safety measures for vehicle occupants.

Scope of recall

The recall encompasses a significant number of Tesla vehicles sold over a 12-year period, from 2012 to 2024. Approximately 2.19 million electric vehicles fall under the scope of this recall, making it the largest in Tesla's history.

The company plans to address the issue through an over-the-air software fix, demonstrating its commitment to resolving the problem efficiently.

As of now, Tesla has not provided an official statement in response to the recall. However, the automaker has outlined its strategy to address the problem by implementing an over-the-air software fix, said the Wall Street Journal report.

This recall adds to a series of safety challenges faced by Tesla. In December, the company initiated a recall of around two million vehicles to update the Autopilot software and incorporate new safeguards against driver misuse.

Subsequently, numerous complaints were lodged with USauto-safety regulators, particularly regarding excessive warnings triggered by routine tasks, leading to concerns about the effectiveness of the software update.

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Global impact: Largest recall in China and ongoing competition

Tesla's challenges extend beyond the US, as the company conducted its most extensive recall in China last month, addressing issues similar to those related to driver-assistance features.

This move came amidst heightened competition in the Chinese auto market, where Tesla competes with local rival BYD. In 2023, Tesla delivered approximately 1.8 million vehicles globally, emphasising the significant impact of these recalls on the company's operations and reputation.

(With inputs from agencies)