Model Y steering wheel falls off Tesla under investigation / NHTSA has received at least two complaints of steering wheels falling off while driving.
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| Model Y steering wheel falls off Tesla under investigation |
U.S. auto safety agencies have launched an investigation into Tesla after reports that the Model Y SUV's steering wheel came off while driving. In documents released Wednesday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was aware of two separate incidents involving 2023 Tesla Model Y vehicles in which the SUV's steering wheel completely separated from the steering column.
The initial assessment began on March 4 and applied to more than 120,000 vehicles, according to NHTSA. In both cases, the vehicles were delivered brand new without the necessary set screws to secure the steering wheel to the column and had low mileage at the time of the accident.
The Associated Press reported that one of the complaints stemmed from a now-popular Twitter thread in which a family recorded the steering wheel falling off their new Tesla Model Y while driving the vehicle.
Tesla charged owners $103.96 to fix the defect before eliminating the fee. The family has since received a replacement Model Y.
NHTSA regulators will investigate the frequency of the problem before deciding whether a recall of affected Model Y vehicles is required. Last month, Tesla recalled thousands of Model Y electric vehicles after it was found that bolts in the back seats of the cars were not properly secured, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
There have been other recent Tesla EV recalls, including many that have been addressed with software updates, such as the more than 360,000 vehicles equipped with Tesla's Full Self-Driving software and a recall in February over vehicle safety concerns and traffic law concerns. There have also been reports of steering wheels coming off other Tesla EV models, but these incidents have not resulted in a recall of the affected vehicles.