Tesla Recalls Almost 135,000 Vehicles Over Touchscreen Failures

The Model S and X recalls come after NHTSA pressure.

By Jon Fingas

Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji via engadget

This story originally appeared on Engadget

Tesla is acting on the NHTSA's pressure to recall cars over touchscreen failures, if begrudgingly. The Wall Street Journal reports the EV maker will recall just under 135,000 cars, including 2012-2018 Model S sedans and 2016-2018 Model X SUVs, over potential touchscreen failures. As the NHTSA previously outlined, models with a Tegra 3 chip risked losing key touchscreen functionality if their 8GB eMMC flash storage cards wore out, including the rear camera view, defrost settings and turn signal lighting.

The recall officially starts on March 30th. Like Tesla offered in November, technicians will replace the affected boards for free.The issue can take about five to six years to surface if it happens.

The company isn't all that enthusiastic, however. It rejected the notion that the chip wear represented a defect, arguing to officials that it was "economically, if not technologically, infeasible" to expect the eMMC storage to last a vehicle's whole useful lifespan. It was conducting the recall to end the investigation and improve the customer experience. In the recall notice, the NHTSA said it "does not agree" and that this didn't change Tesla's obligations.

This isn't Tesla's only recall in recent memory. It asked some Model X owners to have their vehicles serviced over corroded power steering bolts in early 2020.

The touchscreen failures are concerning, though. While it's true that eMMC storage isn't guaranteed to last (flash memory by its nature eventually loses write ability), it's linked to important car functions — and many drivers might not know about that longevity. Ideally, car makers like Tesla would make it clear when components like this are likely to fail and ask drivers to come in well before those failures happen.

Jon Fingas
Jon Fingas is an associate editor at Engadget.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Business News

I Live on a Cruise Ship for Half of the Year. Look Inside My 336-Square-Foot Cabin with Wraparound Balcony.

I live on a cruise ship with my husband, who works on it, for six months out of the year. Life at "home" can be tight. Here's what it's really like living on a cruise ship.

Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Business News

A Mississippi News Anchor Is Under Fire for Quoting Snoop Dogg

WLBT's Barbara Bassett used the rapper's "fo shizzle" phrase during a live broadcast, causing the station to let her go.

Career

Thinking of a Career Change? Here Are 4 Steps You Can Take To Get There.

Author Joanne Lipman on what experience and science tell us about successful job pivots.