[ad_1]
Directly
More than 15,000 Tesla electric vehicles are being recalled in Australia because of faulty taillights, which authorities warn “may increase the risk of serious injury or fatal crashes”.
The recall, issued late on Thursday, affects 15,914 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles sold in Australia in 2022.
This is the second recall for the company in just two weeks, after more than 1,000 Tesla Model S and Model X cars were recalled on November 16 due to a steering fault.
It’s also a difficult time for the electric vehicle pioneer after its shares fell to a two-year low earlier this week.
Tesla’s latest safety issue in Australia involves a software bug affecting the vehicles’ rear lights, including the brake, reverse and rear lights, according to the Department for Transport.
“Due to a software error, taillights on one or both sides may not light as intended,” the department warned.
“If this happens in the dark, the traffic behind is impaired and may not be able to detect the vehicle.”
The problem can be fixed through software and drivers have been urged to check if their vehicle needs a digital update.
Tesla’s recall is the third in Australia this month, after a software problem affecting the power steering in Model S and Model X vehicles was identified last week, and 326 Model 3 vehicles were recalled on November 2 due to a seatbelt problem.
In the US, Tesla has also been hit by a recall of nearly 30,000 Model X vehicles due to a malfunction in their passenger airbag system. No similar recall has yet been identified in Australia.
The company, led by CEO Elon Musk, has also suffered a financial meltdown, with its share price hitting a two-year low earlier this week, down 52 percent this year.
The decline followed Tesla’s taillight recall in the US, as well as ongoing supply chain issues and rising raw material prices.
Ford’s global recall over engine fire fears
Tesla’s recall follows a similar move by Ford on Thursday. It is recalling 634,000 commercial vehicles worldwide because of the potential for fuel injectors from cracked fuel injectors, and is urging owners to have their cars inspected.
The No. 2-selling U.S. automaker said the recall covered the 2020-2023 model years of the Bronco Sport and Escape with three-cylinder, 1.5-liter four-wheel drive engines.
Among them were many recalled in April because the oil separator housing can crack and leak, potentially causing an engine fire.
Vehicles repaired under the previous recall will still need a new recall fix, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.
Ford said that when the engines of the four-wheel drive vehicles covered by the latest recall were running, a cracked fuel injector could cause fuel or fuel vapors to collect near hot surfaces, which could cause a fire under the hood.
When a fix is available, dealers will update the vehicle’s software to detect if the fuel injector is cracked and send a message to the dashboard to alert drivers.
“When a drop in fuel line pressure is detected, engine power is automatically reduced to minimize risk while allowing customers to drive to safety, stop the vehicle and arrange for service,” said Ford.
Dealers will also install a pipe that drains fuel away from the cylinder head and away from hot surfaces, and check the top of the engine for excessive fuel odors.
The recall covers about 520,000 vehicles in the United States and about 114,000 vehicles in other countries.
Ford said it has had a total of 54 reports of fires under the hood of the 1.5L, including four cases of cracked fuel injectors.
About 13 others were probably caused by a leaking fuel injector.
There are no deaths related to the recall.
Ford said it did not tell owners to stop driving the vehicles as part of this recall.
The company predicted a low failure rate for fuel injectors in case of external leakage.
[ad_2]
Source link
