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| FILE PHOTO: People check a Tesla Model X sport utility vehicle at a new Tesla showroom in Shanghai, China May 8, 2020. REUTERS/Yilei Sun |
Tesla has announced a recall affecting approximately 9,100 Model X SUVs in the United States due to a potential issue with the roof trim that may detach. This marks the second recall related to this problem since 2020.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated that the cosmetic trim pieces on the front and center of the roof might not have been properly adhered with primer, posing a risk of separation that could create a road hazard and increase the likelihood of an accident.
The recall pertains to Model X SUVs from the 2016 model year. Tesla noted that a process change was implemented at the supplier in July 2016 to mitigate this issue in subsequent models.
The company plans to assess the adhesion of the roof trim and will reattach any loose pieces at no cost to the vehicle owners.
Since 2022, Tesla has been investigating reports related to vehicles that had previously undergone the recall remedy and has conducted aging tests, including exposure to heat and humidity. The findings revealed that the 2020 recall remedy was insufficient to identify cosmetic roof trim pieces that could detach due to the absence of primer.
Tesla reported being aware of around 170 claims and reports that may be associated with this issue, although it stated that there have been no incidents of crashes or injuries linked to the recall.
This recall is notable for the Austin, Texas-based manufacturer, which typically addresses issues through over-the-air software updates.
In the first half of the year, Tesla recalled nearly 2.6 million vehicles due to safety concerns, ranking second to Ford Motor, which recalled approximately 3.6 million vehicles in the U.S., according to data from recall management platform Bizzycar.