Tesla Says It Has Recall Surge Under Control

Tesla is trying to reassure car drivers - not to mention investors and regulators - that its vehicles are safe, despite a string of recalls in recent years.

The company recalled more than 3.4 million vehicles between 2018 and February 2023. That includes 19 separate recalls in 2022 alone. 

But the total number of Tesla vehicles being recalled each year appears to be on the decline. The company also has emphasized that many recalls have been addressed with relatively simple software updates that do not require owners to bring their vehicles to authorized service providers.

“The word ‘recall’ for an over-the-air software update is anachronistic and just flat wrong!” Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on Twitter, now X, back in February.

Still, the recalls continue, and federal traffic safety regulators are taking a close look at some serious potential hazards that come with getting in certain Tesla vehicles.

Tesla announced earlier this year, for example, that it is recalling less than 150 Model Y sport utility vehicles over missing bolts in steering wheel columns. That could cause the steering wheels to come off, even while cars are in use, increasing the risk of crashes.

Meanwhile, Tesla continues to be embroiled in at least two federal investigations related to its Autopilot driver-assist mode. The probes stem from more than a dozen accidents, including in California, involving cars in which the driver assist system was reportedly engaged.

Even the seemingly more minor recalls often reveal defects that pose real threats to everyone on the road.

Earlier this year, for instance, Tesla called back some 55,000 Model X sport utility vehicles over malfunctioning warning lights. The SUVs' controllers may not properly detect low brake-fluid levels, so the cars’ low brake-fluid warning lights may not illuminate, Tesla told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That increases the risk of a crash in which drivers are not aware that their brake fluid is low, the company acknowledged.

California Tesla Owners: Know Your Lemon Law Rights

Fortunately, many California Tesla owners and lessors have some important rights and protections under the state’s lemon law. You do not have to wait for a recall in order to get a defective or malfunctioning vehicle fixed

The lemon law generally requires carmakers to perform various repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces the companies to buy back vehicles that they are not able to or flat-out refuse to fix. 

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must occur before the buyback requirement kicks in. An experienced California lemon law attorney can help you understand your rights and take action.

Our California Lemon Lawyers Can Help

At Bickel Sannipoli, our California lemon law attorneys have assisted hundreds of clients across the state stuck with defective or malfunctioning vehicles. 

We are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney today.