Tesla recalled 2.2 million electric vehicles in the U.S. on Thursday, citing an increased crash risk.
The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the recall, which it attributed to incorrect font sizes on the vehicles’ warning lights, NBC News reported.
Tesla is recalling 2.2 million vehicles due to incorrect font sizes on warning lights, which increases the risk of a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says. https://t.co/2JHZnScSxL
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 2, 2024
“Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash,” the NHTSA said.
Tesla released a free over-the-air software update correcting the issue on Jan. 23, the regulator said. The update enlarged the font size of visual warning indicators for brake, park and antilock brake system (ABS), according to the outlet.
The recall affects various Tesla vehicles, such as its Model S, Model X, 2017-2018 Model 3, Model Y and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles, the NHTSA said. The software update has also been applied to Tesla Cybertrucks currently in production, the outlet reported.
Vehicles must be equipped with warning indicators of at least 3.2 millimeters high, according to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 135. Contrasting colors must be used for the written warning and its background, with one being red, according to NBC.
Tesla will notify vehicle owners as well as its stores and service centers of the recall through a letter in the mail, the outlet reported. (RELATED: City Council Members Urge Federal Government To Recall Kias And Hyundais Due To ‘Thousands Of Thefts’)
Tesla issued a separate recall on Tuesday covering nearly 200,000 vehicles over a software issue affecting its rear-view cameras, authorities said. The automaker informed the NHTSA that its Model S, X and Y vehicles were experiencing software instability that “increases the risk of a crash.”