Tesla Issues Recall for Nearly 240,000 Vehicles Over Camera Glitch

Tesla is initiating a recall for 239,382 of its electric vehicles after identifying a fault with the rearview camera displays that might malfunction.

The models affected include the 2024-2025 Model 3 and Model S sedans, along with the 2023-2025 Model X and Model Y crossovers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a potential short-circuit on startup could render the rearview camera’s display inoperative.

This flaw violates the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, which mandates a fully functioning rearview camera for all vehicles.

The issue arises from reverse current at startup that might cause the circuit boards to short out, leaving drivers with a blank screen when switching to reverse.

This would compel drivers to revert to using mirrors and performing shoulder checks to navigate backwards safely.

Despite Tesla receiving 887 warranty claims and 68 field reports concerning this defect, the company has assured NHTSA there have been no collisions, injuries, or fatalities linked to this problem.

In response, Tesla has rolled out a free over-the-air software update to rectify the issue for many of the vehicles.

However, they will also inspect the affected vehicles for potential hardware failures in their circuit boards and replace the necessary components at no cost to the owners.

Vehicle owners can expect to receive notification letters by March 7, 2025, but in the meantime, they can reach out to customer service at 877-798-3752, referencing Tesla’s recall number SB-25-00-001.

This is not the first time Tesla has had to call back vehicles; they recently recalled some Model S and Model X EVs to address an airbag issue.

Unlike the camera issue, the airbag problem requires a physical replacement, demonstrating that not all Tesla recalls can be managed with a software update.

Last year, Tesla’s Cybertruck was subject to seven recalls due to various hardware issues during its first year of release.

The NHTSA is also scrutinizing Tesla for other safety concerns, including a preliminary investigation into 2.6 million vehicles equipped with the ‘Actually Smart Summon’ feature and a separate probe into 2.4 million vehicles with the ‘Full Self-Driving’ system, which has been associated with several crashes, including one fatal incident.