China is the world’s largest auto market and the country plays a major role in Tesla’s success, but a recent recall is affecting over 100,000 electric vehicles (EVs) built between 2019 and 2022.
Tesla plans to recall as many as 127,785 Model 3 units in China due to issues with a semiconductor component that could cause accidents, according to Reuters.
The recall affects Model 3 units built between January 2019 and January 2022, accounting for 34,207 imported units and 93,578 units made in Shanghai, according to a statement from the State Administration for Market Regulation.
Tesla will address the issue related to the rear motor inverter of its cars, by sending an over-the-air software update. Those cars unable to be fixed via update will be addressed at service centers. The issue at stake causes the rear inverter to fail, thus making the car inoperable after it has been stopped.
Image via Eletric-Vehicles
The news comes amidst a major production halt and lockdown for Tesla during the highest COVID-19 surge since the pandemic began.
Due to the production halt and the ongoing lockdown, which applies to several companies and not just Tesla, manufactured semiconductor chips are piling up at production facilities in Taiwan and elsewhere, without having automakers ready to accept the excess product.
In February, Tesla sold 56,515 Shanghai-built vehicles in China and beyond, with demand still skyrocketing and some wait times for the Model 3 reaching as far as 20 weeks.
Tesla recalled almost 200,000 vehicles in China over trunk issues in December, and the global issue with Tesla’s heat pump forced the automaker to recall 26,000 vehicles in China in February.
