Tesla has announced a small recall affecting 27 Model Y vehicles from the 2024 model year due to a potential defect in the seat recliner mechanism. The recall applies to vehicles built between October 28 and October 30, 2024, at Giga Texas.
According to the recall document posted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, the issue stems from insufficient penetration in the welds attaching the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back, which can compromise the durability and integrity of the seat assembly.
In the event of a collision, the seat back frame may fail to properly restrain occupants, significantly increasing the risk of injury.
Tesla began investigating the defect on October 29, 2024, after discovering non-conformances in its manufacturing systems during routine inspections. Engineers noted that the weld penetration fell below the required specification, prompting a teardown review and subsequent analysis of the manufacturing equipment.
On October 30, Tesla halted production of the affected seat frame to prevent further defects and initiated a comprehensive review of the issue. By November 15, Tesla completed its assessment and voluntarily decided to recall the vehicles to address the defect.
Tesla says owners of affected vehicles might notice warning signs such as loose or rattling seats, difficulty reclining the seat, or an inability to fully recline.
Tesla will replace the defective seat assemblies free of charge with components meeting certified weld standards.
The company has also implemented quality control improvements at its manufacturing facility in Texas to avoid this incident from occurring again. These include stricter restrictions on equipment parameter changes, enhanced weld integrity validation processes, and the installation of an interlock system to monitor potential defects.
Tesla has confirmed there have been no warranty claims, accidents, injuries, or fatalities related to the defect.
You can read the full NHTSA recall notice below.
