WASHINGTON — The nation's top auto safety regulator opened an investigation this month into more than 120,000 Tesla Model Y crossovers from the 2023 model year after reports of steering wheels detaching while driving.
In a document made public Wednesday, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation said it was aware of two reports of "complete detachment of the steering wheel from the steering column while driving."
Both vehicles were delivered to the owners with a missing retaining bolt that attaches the steering wheel to the steering column, the agency said in the document.
The steering wheels on both vehicles were removed and reinstalled.