• Tesla is recalling 40,000 Model S and Model Y vehicles.
• The problem concerns the vehicle's power steering system, which may not be working properly.
• Tesla estimates that 97 percent of the models have already received an update of the software that manages the power steering system.
• Owners of the remainder will be notified by mail beginning December 31.
Tesla is recalling just over 40,000 of its vehicles, specifically 2017-2021 Model S and Model X cars. The campaign is in response to an issue with the electronic power steering system.
Documents sent by Tesla to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that the affected vehicles could lose the assistance after driving on rough roads or after hitting a pothole, both of which are more than likely in some parts of Canada.
As of Nov. 1, Tesla said it was not aware of any injuries or fatalities related to the issue. However, it has identified 314 vehicle alerts that it believes are related to the issue.
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Tesla said it discovered the problem by reviewing the vehicles' manufacturing, maintenance and firmware deployment records. It said the problem stems from a previous firmware update. The firmware update changed the steering system's calibration values so that it could misinterpret certain road conditions, such as potholes, as an unexpected force of vehicle torque. This resulted in a loss of power steering.
According to Tesla's filings, drivers experiencing this problem would have received audible and visual alerts.
The good news is that Tesla has already released a new firmware version. Tesla estimates that 97 percent of affected vehicles have already received it. Which means that owners who have updated their firmware (version 2022.36.5) need take no further action in regard to this recall.
Owner notification letters are expected to be sent out on December 31.