Electric Vehicle manufacturer Tesla has announced that it is recalling around 15,000 Model X SUVs citing power steering issues. The issue could make steering harder because of a loss of power steering and increases the risk of an accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stated that aluminum bolts attaching the gear housing with the electric power steering gear assist motor may corrode causing loss of control on steering. The Model X vehicles that are being recalled are built before mid-October 2016. So Model X vehicles built after this date are not affected by the recall. According to NHTSA, no injuries have been reported associated with the Model X recall. There are 14,193 vehicles recalled from the United States and 843 from Canada.
The electric car manufacturer said that it is making arrangements for replacing the mounting bolts. The company said it will also get the steering gear replaced if required. Tesla had issued a similar recall worldwide for Model S vehicles in 2018. The recall was ordered by Tesla after it noticed excessive corrosion on the bolt. The cases were reported primarily from the area having cold climate conditions that use road salts. Tesla has stated that it is not aware of any injuries caused by the power steering issue. The California-based company said that Model X SUV owners can continue to operate their vehicles until the issue is fixed.
The company said it would start contacting the owner to fix appointments as soon as parts are made available. Tesla is also planning to use a corrosion-preventative sealer in all Model X SUVs to make it more suitable for use in highly corrosive and cold environments. The company will be providing this service for free. Tesla assured owners that if bolts are found broken, they replace the steering gear without charging any penny. The company has made several voluntary recalls for reasons like faulty gear and some Mobile Connector Adapters. Recently it recalled Model X cars for a second-row seats problem. Meanwhile, Tesla has moved a step closer to start construction of Giga Berlin in Grunheide.
