Affected vehicles contain a small gear that may have been manufactured improperly by a supplier, according to a statement from Tesla. If the gear were to break, the parking brake could become stuck in place, the automaker said.
“While less than 5% of the vehicles being recalled may be affected by this issue, we are recalling 53,000 vehicles total out of an abundance of caution,” Tesla said. “Because of the design of the gear, it is difficult to tell exactly which vehicles are affected.”
Tesla will be sending an official recall notice to customers with information on how the parking brakes can be replaced.
To date, no accidents or injuries have been linked to the issue.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2013 awarded the Tesla Model S a 5-star safety rating after the vehicle “set a new record for the lowest likelihood of injury to occupants.”
In November 2015, Tesla recalled 3,000 of its Model S cars due to seatbelt connectivity problems.
Source: Bloomberg