TESLA RECALLS OVER 2 MILLION VEHICLES DUE TO FONT SIZE ISSUES
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a recall for more than 2 million Teslas manufactured between 2012 and 2024, including the highly anticipated Cybertruck. The issue at hand is the font size used for the dashboard warning lights, which has been deemed too small. Surprisingly, it took NHTSA over a decade to realize this problem, as the font sizes have remained unchanged across all Teslas.
The Tesla Cybertruck, which was only on the road for two months, is now being sent back to the service shop. It has been found that the electric pickup truck does not meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 105 and 135, which pertain to Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems and Light Vehicle Brake Systems, respectively.
The non-compliance with these standards is due to an incorrect font size displayed on the instrument panel. This font size is used to indicate whether the vehicle is in Brake or Park gears, as well as whether the Antilock Brake System (ABS) is active.
In total, the recall affects 2,193,869 Tesla vehicles, including the Model 3, Model S, Model X, Model Y, and the Cybertruck. Essentially, this means that nearly every Tesla sold in the United States over the past 12 years is affected. However, Tesla has come up with a solution that will save owners a trip to the service shop. The company plans to release an over-the-air (OTA) update that will replace the undersized fonts with larger and more visible ones.
Tesla has already started rolling out the software update, and owners can expect to receive notification letters by March 30, 2024. To ensure that their vehicles are fixed, owners can reach out to Tesla customer service. It remains to be seen if a similar recall will be issued for Teslas sold outside of the United States.
CYBERTRUCK OWNERS REPORT ISSUES WITH AERO DISC COVERS
In addition to the font size problem, Tesla is also facing another issue with the Cybertruck. Owners have noticed that the plastic aero covers on the wheels can come into contact with the sidewall of the tires while driving, causing premature wear. Brian Reese, CEO and co-founder of T Sportline, reported that the aero covers on his Cybertruck have worn the sidewall by approximately 120 thousandths of an inch.
This issue has also been brought up by drivers on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum, who claim that Tesla has stopped delivering the pickup truck with the aero covers installed. The company is taking the time to address the issue and is considering a redesign of the covers. Furthermore, some owners have experienced the aero covers accidentally detaching while driving.
