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Tesla tops list of predicted lifetime ‘recalls’: iSeeCars

Credit: Tesla

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Update: 4/18 5:26 pm EST – Reworded headline for improved accuracy.

New data based on recalls from the NHTSA found that Tesla vehicles are by far the most likely to be “recalled” over a projected 30-year vehicle lifespan.

The term “recall” has become quite contentious over the past two years as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has hammered Tesla with recall after recall, many of which are fixed by over-the-air updates. Nonetheless, the government agency has yet to change its terminology, and new data from iSeeCars has found that Tesla vehicles are significantly more likely to be recalled over their lifetime than essentially any others.

iSeeCars compiled its list of the top 25 most and least recalled vehicles by analyzing ten years of recalls issued by the NHTSA and projecting that number over a 30-year lifespan, concluding that Tesla took all but one of the top five spots. The top ten most recalled vehicles over their lifetimes are as follows:

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Rank

Model

Expected 30-yr lifetime Recalls

Compared to the Overall Average

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1

Tesla Model Y

62.4

15.60x

2

Porsche Panamera

61.8

15.45x

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3

Tesla Model 3

56.8

14.2x

4

Tesla Model X

27.3

6.83x

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5

Tesla Model S

26.4

6.60x

6

Lincoln Aviator

23.0

5.75x

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7

Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

22.4

5.60x

8

Volkswagen Atlas

20.8

5.20x

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9

Ram 1500

20.5

5.13x

10

Ram 1500 Classic

20.5

5.13x

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Besides the obvious discrepancy of Tesla recalls predominantly being recalled for issues fixed by OTA update, iSeeCars also noted that Tesla vehicles are more likely to be recalled later in life than their counterparts. Typically, as a vehicle ages, the number of times it is recalled in any given year decreases. However, this is less the case with Tesla vehicles, which are continually updated with newer software, hence introducing new recalls.

Outside of Tesla, other brands that fared poorly in the iSeeCars analysis include Porsche, which also appeared four times in the top 25; BMW and Jeep, which both appear three times; and Ford, Lincoln, Ram, and Volkswagen, which all appear twice.

On the opposite end of the study, analysts found that Mercedes, Lexus, and Toyota vehicles had the lowest number of lifetime recalls, with most of them not even having one. However, the top spot was taken by the MINI Cooper Convertible with only 0.2 lifetime recalls. The top 10 least recalled vehicles are as follows:

Rank

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Model

Expected 30-yr lifetime Recalls

Compared to the Overall Average

1

MINI Convertible

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0.2

0.05x

2

Lexus NX 300h

0.3

0.08x

3

Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

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0.5

0.13x

4

Mercedes-Benz CLA

0.5

0.13x

5

Lexus RX 450h

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0.5

0.13x

6

Nissan 370Z

0.5

0.13x

7

Hyundai Elantra GT

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0.6

0.15x

8

Mercedes-Benz GLA

0.6

0.15x

9

Mercedes-Benz GLC

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0.7

0.18x

10

Lexus IS 300

0.7

0.18x

What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!

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Will is an auto enthusiast, a gear head, and an EV enthusiast above all. From racing, to industry data, to the most advanced EV tech on earth, he now covers it at Teslarati.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk

The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.

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Credit: Andre Thierig/X

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”

Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.

According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.

While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report. 

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The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.

The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.

Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.

The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.

A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:

We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.

This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.

FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.

Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.

When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:

There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.

Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil

By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.

The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.

According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.

“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”

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By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.

“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.

The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.

The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.

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