Tesla to Recall 13,000 US Vehicles Over Battery Risk

Tesla is recalling 12,963 vehicles in the U.S. due to a defect in a battery pack component that could lead to a sudden loss of drive power, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

The issue in certain 2025 Model 3 and 2026 Model Y vehicles could result in the driver losing the ability to accelerate the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash, the regulator said.

Tesla said it will replace the affected battery pack contactor free of charge. The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Tesla identified 36 warranty claims and 26 field reports related to this condition as of October 7, but said it was unaware of any collisions, injuries, or fatalities linked to the defect.

Earlier this month, the auto safety agency said it was opening an investigation into 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving system after more than 50 reports of traffic-safety violations and a series of crashes.

The probe comes amid growing scrutiny of Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system from Congress and weeks after a new NHTSA administrator was confirmed.

The EV company is scheduled to report its financial results for the third quarter after market close on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Rajan and Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Arun Koyyur)