The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Tuesday that it has initiated a preliminary evaluation of 280,000 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The investigation follows twelve complaints from Tesla owners regarding sudden loss of steering control and power steering in their 2023 model vehicles.
One Model 3 owner detailed an incident that occurred in May where the car’s steering “felt stuck,” leading the vehicle to slide off the road and collide with a tree. Another Tesla driver in Alpharetta, Georgia reported a terrifying experience in a Tesla Model Y only two weeks old, stating, “suddenly the steering wheel did not steer…Went to very close to the opposite side of traffic.”
This probe is the initial stage of a formal investigation designed to determine whether these steering control issues pose an unreasonable safety risk. Should the issue be deemed critical, the NHTSA may escalate the preliminary investigation to an engineering analysis, which could potentially result in a mandated recall, reports Reuters.
Among the complaints, one cited an incident involving a Tesla Model Y less than 30 days old. When switched on, the “wheel jerked hard right and made a thud” while an alert warning “Steering Assist Reduced” appeared on the screen, along with an error code. The driver reported to NHTSA that the power steering was disabled and unsafe. “Tesla has moved my service visit… due to a backlog of parts,” the owner added, citing a possible need for a full steering rack replacement.
Another driver from Honolulu reported that a week after purchasing a Tesla, the steering wheel started locking up randomly. This issue “occurred six times on different dates before we were able to get it to the Tesla service department.” The car remained with Tesla for three weeks as they awaited a new steering rack/motor.
The summary of the Office of Defects Investigation is stated below, dated July 28, 2023:
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on 2023 model year Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles due to reports of inability to steer the vehicle and the loss of power steering.
ODI has received twelve complaints alleging loss of steering control and power steering in 2023 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Five reports indicate an inability to steer the vehicle. Seven additional reports cite loss of power steering resulting in increased effort to control the vehicle.
A PE has been opened to assess the scope, frequency, manufacturing processes, and severity associated with this condition.
