Tesla Recalls 1.1 Million Cars Over Defective Windows

The headaches for Tesla owners continue as the luxury electric vehicle manufacturer recently announced yet another recall over defects that pose safety threats.

Tesla is recalling some 1.1 million vehicles, the company told federal regulators last month. The cars’ power windows may malfunction - they may not stop when they sense an obstruction - and could pinch occupants, according to Tesla.

“If a window is closing and detects an obstruction, the condition may increase the risk of a pinching injury to the occupant,” Tesla said in a defect notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall covers the 2017-2022 Model 3, the 2020-2021 Model Y, and the 2021-2022 Models S and X.

The company told NHTSA it planned to notify owners of recalled vehicles by the end of September. Tesla also said it would issue an over-the-air software update to address the situation.

The recall comes amid swirling safety issues for Tesla, people who drive its cars and anyone else on the road with them.

NHTSA over the summer sent investigators to two accident sites in which Teslas collided with motorcycles, a sign of increasing concerns about the company’s self-driving Autopilot technology. An ongoing NHTSA investigation already reportedly spans 830,000 Tesla vehicles equipped with Autopilot, including looking at crashes involving stopped emergency vehicles.

Tesla also announced in May that it was calling back some 48,000 cars because they may not display the speedometer while in "Track Mode.” The company said earlier this year that it was recalling roughly 54,000 vehicles over a “rolling stop” feature that may not allow cars to come to a full stop at intersections. It additionally called back nearly 600,000 vehicles because pedestrians may not be able to hear the required sounds of those cars as they approach.

Tesla Owner? Know Your Lemon Law Rights

There is some good news when it comes to defective and malfunctioning vehicles. Tesla owners in California have some important rights and protections under the state’s lemon law.

The law, formally known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, requires Tesla and other carmakers to perform a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. 

It also forces the companies to buy back vehicles that they are unable or simply refuse to fix. That means compensating the owner for the car’s purchase price, as well as for financing fees, rental car costs and other related expenses.

Although a vehicle manufacturer can instead offer to replace the car, it is up to the owner to decide whether to accept or reject this alternate arrangement. An experienced lemon law attorney can help you weigh your options.

Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, a California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney.