NHTSA Ends Probe of Tesla Model Y Vehicles Without Manufacturer Action

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has closed a probe into 120,089 2023 Tesla Model Y vehicles without action from the carmaker, the regulator said on Tuesday.

The agency had opened the preliminary evaluation in early 2023 after two reports that the steering wheel of the car could detach from the steering column due to a missing retaining bolt.

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Tesla had confirmed both vehicles were delivered without a retaining bolt and had fixed the cars under warranty.

NHTSA said both vehicles were built in the first week of January 2023 at Tesla’s Austin, Texas, and Fremont, California, plants and had undergone end-of-line repairs before delivery that required the steering wheel to be removed and reinstalled.

The regulator said it found no additional incidents involving the issue and said the two failures occurred within the first 400 miles of driving, indicating that any other affected vehicles would likely have already experienced a steering wheel detachment.

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The agency concluded that closing the investigation does not constitute a finding that no safety-related defect exists and said it may take further action if new information emerges.

(Reporting by Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar and Mrigank Dhaniwala)