Tesla is recalling certain Model 3s because a coaxial cable for its backup camera can become worn and fail to transmit images to the dashboard console.
All Model 3s from model years 2017 to 2020 are included in the recall, with as many as 356,309 cars affected, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Tesla is not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths caused by the defect.
The coaxial cable is attached to a harness on the trunk lid and can become worn after repeated opening and closing of the trunk. If the core of coaxial cable separates due to excessive wear, the rearview camera feed will not be visible on the center display, affecting the driver's view and increasing the risk of collision, the NHTSA said.
Tesla will inspect the trunk harnesses in affected vehicles and equip the harness with a guide to protect it from further wear if necessary. Owners who paid to replace or fix the trunk harness for the same issue prior to the recall may be eligible for reimbursement from Tesla.
Tesla discontinued the problematic trunk harness at the end of the 2020 model year. All 2021 Model 3 vehicles have a different harness design.
A letter notifying owners of the issue will be mailed beginning on Feb. 18.
Tesla reported a surprise increase in sales in the third quarter as the electric car maker likely benefited from a rush by consumers to take advantage of a $7,500 credit before it expired on Sept. 30. The company reported Thursday that sales in the three months through September rose 7% compared to the same period a year ago. The gain follows two quarters of steep declines as people turned off by CEO Elon Musk’s foray into right-wing politics avoided buying his company’s cars and even protested at some dealerships. Sales rose to 497,099 vehicles, compared with 462,890 in the same period last year.
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