Tesla Recalls Over 1 Million Cars Because Windows Could Injure Drivers

Electric car maker Tesla is recalling nearly 1.1 million cars in the U.S. because the automatic windows may not detect a person's fingers when going up, Reuters reported on Thursday. 

The recall affects nearly all Tesla models manufactured since 2017, according to recall documents posted by federal regulators. Tesla says it first noticed the issue during testing in late August of this year, when technicians found the "window automatic reversal system performance that had greater than expected variations in response to pinch detection." The testing continued nearly into mid-September when Tesla decided to do a voluntary recall. 

The issue is basically non-compliance with regulations around window reversal systems. As Tesla puts it, "When closing in circumstances subject to FMVSS 118, Section 5, the window may exert more force than Section 5 permits before retracting. The window may also retract less than the distance required under Section 5." The result is that, "If a window is closing and detects an obstruction, the condition may increase the risk of a pinching injury to the occupant," according to the automaker. 

The recall cuts almost across Tesla's entire range of cars, from the pricey Model X down to the more affordable Model 3. The affected models are: Model S and Model X vehicles produced between 2021 and 2022, Model Y cars produced between 2020 and 2022, and Model 3 cars produced between 2017 and 2022. Tesla says 100 percent of the cars in these categories are affected by the issue. 

According to Tesla, the company is not aware of any "warranty claims, field reports, crashes, injuries, or deaths" related to the problem. Its plan is to issue a free software update to affected cars, and cars coming off the assembly line have been loaded with the new software since last week. The company plans to notify customers in mid-November.