Tesla Motors has found some issues with the third-row seats in Model X sport utility vehicles while carrying out strength tests.
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Tesla said the costs of the recall will be the responsibility of Futuris SA, which manufactures the third-row seats, according to a Bloomberg report. Tesla has since worked with the company to design a replacement recliner, and it’s now designing a reworked third-row seat-back to accommodate the replacement recliner.
Tesla said owners of the affected vehicles would be contacted directly, and invited to bring their SUVs to service centers for a two-hour procedure to replace the seats.
Raising the price is important especially since the company’s highly anticipated Model 3, Tesla’s first mass-produced EV, was unveiled in late March to rave reviews and extreme interest. “There have been no issues with any failures in the field”. “We always encourage those interested in purchasing Model S to place their order so they can start enjoying the many benefits of Model S today”, a Tesla spokesperson told CNET.
In November, Tesla recalled 90,000 Model S sedans to check seat belts.
The defective seats came from Australian supplier Futuris Group, which serves Tesla from a factory in Newark, Calif., near Tesla’s factory in Fremont. The company expects to manufacture the necessary parts within five weeks. Nonetheless, investors would be concerned about the Model X recall, since the vehicle has already faced issues in ramping up production since its launch, last October. Tesla has also added the HEPA air-filtrations system from the Model X as an option on the 2016 Model S. The filter removes “99.97 percent of particulate exhaust pollution and effectively all allergens, bacteria, and other contaminants from cabin air”.
Those bearish on Tesla’s outlook are quick to point to this recall as further indication of Tesla’s inability to deliver on its promises.
The test was required by safety regulators in Europe but not in the United States, a Tesla executive said.
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Company representatives insisted the problem – which will be reported to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration – will not affect production schedules for the Model X.
