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Tesla Model Y steering wheel bolt issue causes recall of over 400 vehicles

Tesla Model Y interior (Photo: Teslarati)

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Tesla has issued a recall of up to 437 Model Y all-electric crossovers because of a steering wheel bolt issue, NHTSA documents state.

“The subject population is comprised of Model Y vehicles built during a 2-month period in which manufacturing records cannot confirm that the front upper control arm was properly fastened to the steering knuckle,” an NHTSA document that outlines the issue says. The production dates are from August 28, 2020, to November 6, 2020.

The bolts that connect the front upper control arm to the steering knuckle may not have been torqued to the recommended level. This can cause the upper control arm to separate from the steering knuckle, which can result in “excessive negative or positive camber and adverse impact to steering.”

The NHTSA states that it is not aware of any accidents, incidents, or injuries that may have occurred from the condition. However, the organization did state that the possible separation of the two vehicle components could increase the likelihood of an accident and that improper installation and manual checks may not have been performed, which could have contributed to the issue.

The issue was first spotted on November 1, the report states. The NHTSA’s Field Quality teamed learned of the repair of two vehicles where the upper control arm had separated from the steering knuckle. The repairs were reviewed by engineering and production teams. An investigation was launched, and a third vehicle was spotted with the issue on November 18th. Tesla executives were made aware of the first two incidents on November 10 and determined that the defect does exist and could cause safety issues.

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Tesla’s service centers and stores will be notified about the repair process, and owners with affected vehicles will have their components torqued to the correct specifications, the NHTSA said.

Tesla initially launched the Model Y in March 2020, when the first deliveries of the crossover began. Since then, several Tesla models have been recalled due to production errors, but they are frequently spotted among automakers’ products. Simple fixes are usually required, which is what will solve the problem with the Model Y steering column bolt.

The full NHTSA report on the issue, which was initially obtained by Electrek, is available below.

Tesla Model y Steering Bolt by Joey Klender on Scribd

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Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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First Look at Tesla’s Robotaxi App: features, design, and more

Tesla is using a Robotaxi section of its normal smartphone application to enable access to driverless vehicles roaming around Austin.

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Tesla has officially launched the Robotaxi platform to a limited number of people, giving them the ability to ask for a ride from a driverless Model Y in Austin, Texas. But how do you hail a ride?

Through the Tesla Robotaxi app, which officially launched on June 22 as the company initiated the first rides for non-employees, people can request rides from driverless cars that are traveling around Austin. Teslarati gained access to the app as we are members of the Early Access Rider program.

There are only a very limited number of vehicles operating within the fleet currently, as Tesla has said the number is between 10 and 20 vehicles.

Tesla is using a Robotaxi section of its iOS smartphone app for the launch, confirming what the company said prior to the program’s maiden voyage: there would not be a separate app for the Robotaxi.

First Look at the Robotaxi App

The Tesla Robotaxi app, similar to the official Tesla App, features a simple interface that should be familiar to anyone who has used a ride-sharing app in the past. Downloading the app brings users to a sign-in page, which features a Tesla Model Y Robotaxi as a header image. Users can then log in or create an account to access the service.

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A Clean, Simple UI

Upon logging in, users are presented with a clean user interface that allows them to select a destination and pickup point. Upon booking, users are provided with a real-time update on when their Robotaxi will arrive. Users could also select some settings for their upcoming ride, such as their preferred temperature in the cabin.

Smart Suggestions

If there is one evident thing about Tesla’s Robotaxi App, it is the fact that it is smart and designed to make driverless ride sharing services feel as normal as possible. While waiting for their ride, customers are presented with a number of tips that should help them understand their robotaxi better.

These include tips on how to use the Model Y’s door handles, as well as information about the vehicle’s light signals. The app also includes smart suggestions on destinations that riders can visit using their Robotaxi. These include cafes, restaurants, parks, shopping centers, and other pertinent locations.

Credit: @BLKMDL3/X

Cybercab Theme

Another thing that is evident with the Robotaxi App is its Cybercab-inspired color theme. This is evident from the login page, which already features the golden hues of the dedicated two-seater autonomous car. The golden Cybercab color theme is used to great effect inside the app itself as well.

No Tips, at Least for Now

As observed by Tesla owner-enthusiast @BLKMDL3, Tesla is not accepting anything more than the service’s flat $4.20 rate per ride for now. If customers wish to leave a tip for the service, they would be presented with a page featuring Tesla’s hedgehog mascot saying “Just Kidding.”

Tips will likely be an option in the future, but for this stage of the Robotaxi rollout, it appears that the service really will follow a flat rate system.

 

 

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Watch Tesla’s first driverless public Robotaxi rides in Texas

Tesla’s first driverless Robotaxi rides for non-employees are starting with the first drives beginning today.

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Tesla has finally launched its Robotaxi platform to members of the public for the first time in Austin, Texas.

The Tesla Robotaxi platform is a driverless ride-hailing service that will enable people to use their cars for passive income as they will ride around, find riders, and drive them to their destinations in exchange for money. For right now, Tesla is using company vehicles, the Model Y specifically, and has opened up rides to a small number of people who are a part of the Early Access Program.

Teslarati is a member of the Early Access Program, as we were invited to Austin for the launch. We have gained access to Tesla’s new Robotaxi app, which lies within the main Tesla iOS app, and we are able to use the Robotaxi fleet during the Early Access Program.

The first rides are already occurring as Tesla launched the platform at around noon local time in Austin on Sunday:

The video shows that Tesla’s initial Robotaxi rides are being quite cautious. Currently, the Robotaxis can only travel within a geofenced portion of Austin. This area will eventually be expanded.

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For the time being, Tesla is keeping a safety rider in the vehicles with occupants, but they do not take up the driver’s seat. Instead, they are sitting in the passenger’s seat. This is simply a safety precaution that Tesla is using to keep Early Access riders safe, although there are ways riders can alert Tesla of any issues.

In the initial communication Tesla sent to members of the Early Access Rider program, the company said the Cabin Camera would be deactivated for the duration of their rides, but can be used if the rider needs support. Additionally, the in-cabin microphone will be deactivated, but can also be used to get in contact with support if there are any issues during the ride.

We have seen a variety of different Robotaxis rolling around Austin for the past several weeks. The company has been testing the vehicles in a very limited way for the time being, and it only has between 15 and 20 Robotaxis in the city for the launch. This number will slowly grow over time.

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Tesla to launch in India in July with vehicles already arriving: report

Tesla is finally making serious moves toward launching in India, with showrooms opening in July, a report claims.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is finally bringing its business to India, a new report indicates, as the company is already shipping vehicles from China to the market where it has attempted to launch business for several years.

We first heard of Tesla planning to launch in India about a decade ago when CEO Elon Musk and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in California at the Fremont Factory in 2015.

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Over the years, the two have hinted that the automaker would eventually land in India, but issues with import duties have delayed Tesla’s attempts.

Now, there seems to be some serious movement in Tesla’s plans, as it has reportedly shipped the first batch of vehicles from China to India, according to Bloomberg. The outlet says these are Model Y Rear-Wheel-Drive configurations.

Tesla is also planning for other parts of the launch, like preparing for Supercharging, aftermarket parts and merchandise purchasing for vehicle owners and fans, and spare parts from various regions, including the United States, China, and the Netherlands.

The company and the Indian government must have come to some sort of agreement that was catalyzed by Musk and Modi’s meeting in February in the U.S.

It is a long time coming, and it now gives Tesla access to an incredibly vast market in India, where a very small percentage of 2024’s total automotive sales were comprised of electric vehicles.

Another interesting tidbit about the launch is that the vehicles will be coming from Gigafactory Shanghai and not Gigafactory Berlin as previously thought. Reports from other publications, like Reuters, indicated the German production facility was building vehicles for India early last year.

India has a very strict policy that favors domestic manufacturing, which is why the import duties were so high for foreign automakers looking to bring their product into the market. These duties were reduced from 110 percent to just 15 percent, as long as companies aim to invest in India and meet certain investment and sales targets.

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