Tesla to recall 134,951 U.S. vehicles under pressure from auto safety regulators

[February 02, 2021]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tesla Inc has agreed to recall 134,951 Model S and Model X vehicles with touchscreen displays that could fail after U.S. auto safety regulators sought the recall last month, according to a recall posted on a government website Tuesday.

A Tesla Model S electric car is seen at its dealership in Seoul, South Korea July 6, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made the unusual recall request in a formal Jan. 13 letter to Tesla, saying it had tentatively concluded the 2012-2018 Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles pose a safety issue.

The agency said touchscreen failures pose significant safety issues, including the loss of rearview/backup camera images and windshield defogging and defrosting systems that "may decrease the driver’s visibility in inclement weather."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

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