Tesla recalls 40,000 U.S. vehicles over potential loss of power steering assist

WASHINGTON -- Tesla Inc. is recalling just over 40,000 2017-2021 Model S and Model X vehicles that may experience a loss of power steering assist when driving on rough roads or after hitting a pothole.

The Texas-based EV maker has released an over-the-air software update to recalibrate the system after it began rolling out an update on Oct. 11 to better detect unexpected steering assist torque, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

NHTSA said a loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the crash risks.

Tesla said it had identified 314 vehicle alerts for this condition among U.S. vehicles that may be related to the recall but said it is unaware of any injuries or deaths related to this condition.

The automaker said that as of Nov. 1 more than 97 percent of the recalled vehicles have installed an update that has already addressed the recall issue.

Separately, Tesla is recalling 53 2021 Model S exterior side rearview mirrors that were built for the European market that do not comply with U.S. "rear visibility" requirements. The mirrors were installed during U.S. service visits.

So far this year, Tesla has issued 17 recalls covering more than 3.4 million U.S. vehicles, the 10th highest among U.S. vehicle producers, according to NHTSA data.