Tesla is being urged to recall nearly 160,000 vehicles over faulty display consoles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported. Because the media control units can disable the vehicle’s backup camera, Autopilot driver assistance system, and climate controls, the agency urged Tesla to recall thousands of vehicles.
Regulators reported that the failing consoles can increase the risk of an accident, making the vehicles a risk to drivers and passengers.
According to the NHTSA, the issue behind the media control unit failures is associated with the flash memory chips used in the 2012 through 2018 Model S sedans and 2016 through 2018 Model X SUVs. Because the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory chips onboard the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processors lose some of their total capacity every time the driver turns the vehicle on, the capacity reaches its limits within five to six years.
In its response to the NHTSA, Tesla confirmed that the chips would “inevitably fail,” and that planned 2022 repairs should last up until 2028. In order to determine whether the issue needed a faster response, regulators opened a probe into the matter. Now, they are telling Tesla to recall impacted vehicles as soon as possible.
Tesla Issues Software Update To Help Avoid Accidents
The NHTSA reported that the company issued over-the-air software updates to help prevent accidents caused by the faulty display consoles. However, officials were not confident that the updates alone would help prevent accidents. Instead, they want Tesla to address the flash memory issue promptly.
Hopefully, Tesla will take heed and make sure that these vehicles are repaired quickly to avoid preventable collisions.
If you own a Tesla vehicle that might experience media control unit failures and you are worried about your safety, contact Tesla directly to learn more about what they are planning to do to fix this issue.
For more on the NHTSA’s investigation into this matter and the recalled vehicles, follow this link.
