Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Tesla said on Friday it is rolling out a free over-the-air software update to address a potential issue that may prevent the rear-view camera from displaying an image in about 239,000 vehicles.
The company explained that a reverse current occurring during power-up in certain vehicles might lead to a short circuit in the computer board, which could disable the rear-view camera.
Affected vehicles include certain 2024-25 Model 3 and Model S vehicles, as well as 2023-25 Model X and Model Y cars. Criticizing media outlets that report on the over the air software updates as “recalls,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in early 2024, “By that anachronistic standard, phones are being “recalled” every few weeks.”
Fiat Chrysler (FCA) led U.S. automakers in recalls in 2024, while Tesla ranked among the least affected. Tesla’s over-the-air (OTA) software update recalls impacted 5,096,386 vehicles, with some vehicles counted multiple times due to receiving multiple OTA updates.
In contrast, Tesla’s physical recalls—requiring visits to service centers—affected just 39,311 vehicles, representing only 0.77% of the total, according to data compiled by Sawyer Merritt.
Earlier this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it had launched an investigation into approximately 2.6 million Tesla vehicles following reports of crashes potentially associated with the company’s “Actually Smart Summon” feature.
Tesla announced on Thursday that it is temporarily forgiving active strikes on vehicles that would otherwise restrict the use of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) features in California, in response to the wildfires affecting the Los Angeles area.
Tesla’s driver-assistance systems operate under a strike-based policy, where misuse—such as failing to pay attention while Autopilot is active—can lead to penalties, including temporary suspension of these features. The company’s decision to waive these penalties aims to assist drivers during the ongoing emergency.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
