Is your Tesla model X safe? Investigation uncovers flaws

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Is your Tesla model X safe? Investigation uncovers flaws (Image: tesla.com)
Is your Tesla model X safe? Investigation uncovers flaws (Image: tesla.com)

Delhi : The National Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA) is presently looking into two distinct seat belt failures that didn't involve crashes that happened in more recent Tesla Model X vehicles (pdf).

Two Model X owners have complained to the NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that their front safety belts have disengaged from the seat belt anchor pretensioner. The separation reportedly took place in a 2022 or 2023 model-year Model X SUV, according to both owners. "Both vehicles were provided to the owners with inadequately linked anchor links," the investigators wrote.

The inquiry was first launched by NHTSA on March 24th, and the agency estimates that up to 50,000 Model X vehicles may be impacted. Because they "were not correctly attached during assembly" and were only held together by friction fit in both instances, the agency claims that "connection failure" happened in the region where the anchor and pretensioner met. When "the force applied to the connection surpassed the resistance of the friction fit while the vehicles were in motion," separation took place.

To address a problem affecting more than 24,000 Model 3 vehicles, Tesla was forced to issue a different seat belt recall the previous year. They happened as a result of separate service centre visits where technicians improperly reassembled the rear seat anchor.

Recent Tesla recalls have all involved software-related problems, including those involving the "accident risk" Full Self-Driving capability, taillight illumination issues, and a pedestrian warning noise masking issue. Seat belt issues, however, are unlikely to be resolved by an over-the-air software update, in contrast to previous recalls.