Recall Check: Tesla Recalls Model Y Vehicles Over Defective Suspension Knuckle

By Anna Bradley-Smith | December 6, 2021

Category: Auto News

tesla" and "model y" and "recall — (Photo Credit: Robert Way/Shutterstock)

Tesla Model Y Recall Overview:

Who: Tesla is recalling more than 800 of its 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles.
Why: The vehicles could have been manufactured with suspension knuckles that don’t meet strength specifications and can break while in use, increasing risks of collision.
Where: The recall affects Tesla Model Ys across the United States.

Tesla, Inc. has recalled 826 of its Model Ys due to suspension knuckles that don’t meet strength specifications and can break while in use, increasing risks of collision.

In a recall notice, Tesla says a review of manufacturing and service records by the company and the parts supplier found that 826 of its 202-2022 Model Y vehicles are affected by the defect, which was most likely caused by the knuckles not being fully quenched in the heat treatment process.

“If a knuckle deforms or fractures such that the suspension links separate from the knuckle, the wheel alignment could shift and cause instability, which may adversely impact vehicle controllability and increase the risk of a collision,” Tesla says in the recall notice.

Drivers may hear an abnormal noise or feel a shift in the car if the knuckle separates from the suspension links, the company adds. So far, Tesla is not aware of any injury, warranty claims, or customer complaints related to the issue.

Tesla Discovers Problem in Model Y, Investigation Prompts Recall

Tesla says the defect was discovered in September in its Shanghai factory and it spent October investigating the issue with its supplier before issuing the recall in November.

The supplier has since introduced new production controls to ensure sufficient quench tank fluid levels as well as a hardness check of each knuckle, the recall notice says.

Model Y owners will be notified of the defect by mail on January 18, 2022. Tesla will inspect the knuckles on affected vehicles and replace them if necessary.

The Model Y recall isn’t the only one Tesla is currently facing. More than 7,000 2021 Model S and Model X vehicles were recalled earlier this year due to an airbag issue.

In a safety recall report filed Nov 9, Tesla said testing had revealed about one percent of the listed models had airbag issues that could cause them to tear when deployed.

“A tear in the airbag cushion fabric may decrease airbag performance during deployment, which may increase the risk of injury during a collision,” the report says.

Also in November, Tesla announced a recall for the software in almost 12,000 vehicles after discovering the software can force cars to wrongly slam on the emergency brakes, putting passengers at risk of being rear-ended. The issue affects 11,704 Tesla Model S, X, 3, and Y vehicles sold in the United States since 2017, says the recall.