Tesla recalls over 800K vehicles for seat belt chime problem

DETROIT - The Associated Press

Tesla is recalling more than 817,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the seat belt reminder chimes may not sound when the vehicles are started and the driver hasn’t buckled up.

The recall covers the 2021 and 2022 Model S sedan and Model X SUV, as well as the 2017 through 2022 Model 3 sedan and 2020 through 2022 Model Y SUV, according to documents posted yesterday by safety regulators.

Federal motor vehicle safety laws require the chimes to sound when vehicles are started, and the sound stops when front belts are buckled.

The recall documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say the problem happens only if the driver left the vehicle in the previous drive cycle while the chime was sounding.

Tesla will fix the problem by sending out an over the air software update early this month.

The problem was discovered by South Korea’s Automobile Testing and Research Institute on Jan. 6. Tesla investigated and determined that a recall was needed on Jan. 25, the documents say.

The chime still sounds if the vehicles go over 22 kilometers per hour and the driver’s belt is not buckled.

The recall is among the largest in the Austin, Texas, company’s history and covers all four models in its lineup. Estimates by Motorintelligence.com show Tesla has sold just over 1 million vehicles in the U.S. since 2013.

The recall comes as the company faces increasing scrutiny from NHTSA, the nation’s road safety agency.

Earlier this week the agency announced that Tesla would recall nearly 54,000 cars and SUVs because their “Full Self-Driving” software lets them roll through stop signs without coming to a complete halt.