Tesla, the manufacturer of electric cars and other electronic components, has earned the dubious honor of being the most recalled car brand in the United States. Data analyzed by Autoweek found that four of the five top models of cars that experienced the most recalls over the past ten years were manufactured by Tesla, keeping in mind that Tesla currently only manufactures four models of vehicles. This horrendous record shows why it is so important for auto manufacturers to maintain high standards of quality for vehicles that are sold to the public.

What is Tesla?

Tesla is a major manufacturer of motor vehicles, which sold more than 1.3 million vehicles in 2022 alone. It currently sells four models of cars: the Model 3, the Model S, the Model X, and the Model Y. It also sells electronics of various sorts, as well as additional software for its vehicles (such as the Full Self-Driving software that allows the vehicle to drive itself to a certain extent).

How Did Tesla Become the Most Recalled Car Brand?

An analysis of data from iSeeCars.com looked over the number of recalls issued for every vehicle by the National Highway Traffic Safety Authority (NHTSA), and extrapolated that data over every vehicle’s expected lifespan. Based on that data, Tesla’s Model Y held the top spot, with an estimated 62.4 recalls projected over 30 years. The Model 3 held third place with 56.8 recalls, the Model X held fourth place with 27.3 recalls, and the Model S held fifth place with 26.4 recalls. The only non-Tesla vehicle in the top five was the Porsche Panamera, which held second at 61.8 expected recalls over its lifespan.

Why Has Tesla Suffered So Many Recalls?

There are a few factors that go into explaining why Tesla experiences so many recalls. The first is that Tesla often uses or implements new technology in its vehicles that are relatively untested, demanding repair or replacement when issues are discovered. However, a major contributor to these recalls comes from software rather than hardware. For example, if a vehicle requires a software update to address a bug or safety issue, that is considered a recall by the NHTSA.

What Has Tesla Said in Response?

In its defense, Tesla has noted that many of its issues have been fixed as a result of “over-the-air” (OTA) updates, updating their software in real time. This means that many issues do not require owners to do anything for the issues to be repaired. However, this only addresses some of the issues that have faced Tesla, which has also seen its share of significant hardware failures. This has damaged confidence that some people have in their vehicles, which may be being put onto the market before they are truly safe to drive.

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