Tesla recalls 200,000 vehicles over rearview camera software glitch

[midian182]

What just happened? Tesla has issued yet another recall in the US. This time, the EV giant is recalling almost 200,000 vehicles due to what it calls a software instability that prevented the rearview camera feed from displaying, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In documents posted by Tesla, the NHTSA writes that 199,575 of its 2023 vehicles, including the Model S, X, and Y, have been affected by the issue. That represents more than 10% of the 1.8 million vehicles that Tesla delivered in 2023.

All are equipped with Full Self-Driving computer 4.0 and run software version 2023.44.30 through 2023.44.30.6 or 2023.44.100. Tesla owners can check which software versions their vehicles are running themselves.

Tesla Motors Club

Drivers who put the impacted cars into reverse will see a blank screen instead of the video feed, thereby reducing a driver's visibility and increasing the risk of a collision, according to the NHTSA. Tesla became aware of the problem in December and issued the recall on January 12.

Tesla says that no crashes, injuries, or deaths associated with this issue have been reported. However, it has identified 81 warranty claims that are potentially related to the malfunctioning rear video camera.

The documents state that Tesla has fixed the problem using an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 22, 2024.

It was less than two months ago when Tesla recalled all of its 2 million US vehicles due to autopilot flaws. Cars sold between 2012 and 2023 received automatic over-the-air software updates. The company also recalled more than 54,000 Model X vehicles in October over a brake fluid detection bug, and over 360,000 cars in February due to concerns that its self-driving feature could cause crashes.

As we always point out in these situations where the software is at fault, using the legal technical term "recall" for these incidents is a misnomer. The solution tends to be an over-the-air update that doesn't require the vehicle to be returned to the shop for any type of repairs.

In other Tesla news, CEO Elon Musk last week warned workers that they will be sleeping on the factory floor when the new $25,000 EV goes into production next year.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/101677-tesla-recalls-200000-vehicles-over-rearview-camera-software.html

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I remember our work focus' having this issue, or occasionally the video would be upside down. Ford's response was "they are not under warranty, so shove it where the sun dont shine".

 

[yRaz]

In 2022 the NTSA said that car manufacturers recalled 30.8 million vehicles in the USA. Assuming that the amount of recalls for 2024 is similar then it can he assumed that this recall accounts for 0.6% of all recalled vehicles.

This is fear mongering for click bait and it's just as bad on the other end with Tesla getting free advertising anytime they announce a product.

I'd also like to point out that this is a software problem and they could just issue an OTA update, there is no reason this car has to goto a dealership. It's not like a parts or safety failure.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

In 2022 the NTSA said that car manufacturers recalled 30.8 million vehicles in the USA. Assuming that the amount of recalls for 2024 is similar then it can he assumed that this recall accounts for 0.6% of all recalled vehicles.

This is fear mongering for click bait and it's just as bad on the other end with Tesla getting free advertising anytime they announce a product.

I'd also like to point out that this is a software problem and they could just issue an OTA update, there is no reason this car has to goto a dealership. It's not like a parts or safety failure.

From the article:

"As we always point out in these situations where the software is at fault, using the legal technical term "recall" for these incidents is a misnomer. The solution tends to be an over-the-air update that doesn't require the vehicle to be returned to the shop for any type of repairs.

The documents state that Tesla has fixed the problem using an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 22, 2024."

Not sure if you just didnt read it, or.....?

EDIT: I agree that techspot gets too wrapped up with tesla and musk, but at the same they do call out the use of "recall" by the NHTSA and already clarified the issue was fixed.

 

[yRaz]

From the article:

"As we always point out in these situations where the software is at fault, using the legal technical term "recall" for these incidents is a misnomer. The solution tends to be an over-the-air update that doesn't require the vehicle to be returned to the shop for any type of repairs.

The documents state that Tesla has fixed the problem using an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 22, 2024."

Not sure if you just didnt read it, or.....?

EDIT: I agree that techspot gets too wrapped up with tesla and musk, but at the same they do call out the use of "recall" by the NHTSA and already clarified the issue was fixed.

No, I didn't read all of it. I got curious about recall statistics because I feel like I read several Tesla recall articles a month and they never see like a big issue which makes me curious about why I'm always hearing about Tesla recalls. Then, after a few minutes of research, I learned that Tesla recalls are relatively small and rarely serious. Then I also learned that the majority of Tesla recalls are voluntary with the issues being "recalled" don't even fit the definition of what it takes for the government to issue a recall.

The biggest issue I've seen from Tesla is their auto pilot causing crashes but it actually seems more the drivers fault and trying to blame auto pilot. Auto pilot is illegal to use in many places and its been documented that drivers using auto pilot ignore the cars warning when it requires the driver to take over. And while I would usually dismiss a company saying stuff like that to defend themselves I see enough bad drivers on a daily basis that I'm inclined to believe it.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

The camera feed may not display to the onboard video screen for the driver..... To me, that's not really a big deal.
Is the camera non-functional and putting any self-driving at risk? No, not according to the story.
Is it something that will cause harm to someone? Most likely not, it's even reported in the story "that no crashes, injuries, or deaths associated with this issue have been reported."
Is it an inconvenience? Absolutely.
Is it something people can still drive their car safely without? Yes.

I'd consider the two recalls my wife's old CX-7 had were important. One was the issue with the air bags having possible faulty devices that could propel shrapnel into your face if the air bags deployed and the other was an issue with control arms failing on many of the CX-7 at around 60k miles (usually control arms should be replaced around 90-100k mark from normal wear and tear).
Were these recalls important to the safety of the driver/passengers of the car? Absolutely.
Just think if you're in an accident and the airbag deploys and instead of getting some kind of cushion to the face to help protect you some, you're now getting shrapnel pulled out of your face or worse. Or imagine if a control arm had a catastrophic failure while you're cruising down the highway at 60-70mph, not only are the people in the car at risk, but so is anyone in vehicles around them.

A firmware update to fix the issue is pretty simple compared to needing to bring in thousands of vehicles only after proper parts to be used for the repairs have been manufactured, QC, distributed and painstakingly done by mechanics for every single car brought it.

I kind of feel like everyone is picking Tesla (or possibly Elon) just because they can. Push that FUD out there against him. I can't say I care much for Elon and I have zero love for electric cars, but the pettiness out there for him and so many people/places trying to nitpick everything is getting old.

 

[wiyosaya]

I kind of feel like everyone is picking Tesla (or possibly Elon) just because they can. Push that FUD out there against him. I can't say I care much for Elon and I have zero love for electric cars, but the pettiness out there for him and so many people/places trying to nitpick everything is getting old.

Is this a big deal, probably not. As I see it, the fact that this kind of thing happens regularly is, perhaps, an indicator that Tesla is trying to push things out the door with, perhaps, inadequate QC procedures in place. Maybe its not this issue that's dangerous, but if there are inadequate QC issues in place, its only a matter of time before a serious issue goes out the door of Tesla.

People calling out issues like this, serious or not, can, IMO, be viewed as an effort to keep Tesla/Musk on their toes to prevent issues like this, and perhaps, more serious issues, from happening in the first place.

No company is perfect, but personally, I don't see an issue with pushing any company to better itself.

 

[Eldrach]

Calling this a recall is just silly. It should fall under the «known bugs» category

 

[Underdog]

Gosh. It must be so upsetting to have to use the rearview mirrors while reversing. Or risk neck injuries by actually turning your head for a better view.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

What Tesla does need to do with the rear view camera is always keep the brake lights on when in reverse. You need to use the accelerator to move a Tesla when on a flat surface (not just ease off the brakes), and as a result remove your foot from the brakes which can decrease visibility significantly when backing up in the dark. That or make the white lights for reverse need to be much brighter.

 

[p51d007]

I don't get the rush for all of this "automation" in vehicles. If you DON'T want or enjoy driving, get a cab/uber/lyft, train, bus or walk.
I still ENJOY driving. So much so I still drive a stick shift (manual transmission). Even in stop & go traffic it doesn't bother me as long as I have my tunes with me.
Just turn your head around and look out the back of the window!

 

[Vanderlinde]

In my opinion it's better to not fully rely on tech. Any proper driver would be able to park in or use it's mirrors to see what's behind.

 

[WarrenSpeck]

I agree with your points about the severity of the Tesla camera issue. While inconvenient, it isn't necessarily critical in every situation, especially considering the lack of reported accidents.