Tens of thousands of Teslas recalled due to dangerous ‘manufacturing defect’

Tens of thousands of Tesla owners in Australia have been warned to urgently check their vehicles after a software bug was discovered which could cause the bonnet to rise unexpectedly.

The Federal Vehicle Recall Service issued a notice this morning warning owners of Tesla Model Y and Model 3 vehicles manufactured between 2020 and 2024. The issue is expected to affect 35,000 vehicles in Australia.

“Due to a manufacturing defect, the hood latch assembly may not detect when the driver opens the hood and consequently may not warn the driver of an ‘open hood’,” the notice reads.

How to Tell If Your Tesla Is Under Recall

“If a vehicle is driven with the bonnet not latched, it can open suddenly while driving and can restrict the driver’s view. Restricting the driver’s view can increase the risk of a crash that could result in injury or death to road users.”

The announcement said owners will be contacted by Tesla and an over-the-air (OTA) software update will be installed in all affected cars. An over-the-air update, also known as over-the-air programming, is an update to a built-in system that is delivered over a wireless network, such as Wi-Fi or a cellular network.

If Tesla owners are running software version 2024.20.3 or newer, they are not affected by this issue.

“You can check your vehicle’s software version by tapping ‘Controls’ > ‘Software’ on the touchscreen,” the notification continued. Customers with questions were asked to contact Tesla at [email protected] or 1800 646 952.

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