Tesla recalls 20,000+ cars over headlights exceeding US brightness limits

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Tesla is recalling more than 20,000 cars over headlights.

The low beams exceed the intensity limit allowed on US roads.

A Canadian compliance test first flagged the fault back in 2019.

Few things grate more than driving at night while an oncoming car’s headlights sear your retinas. Usually that’s just the price of the powerful LEDs bolted to most new cars, but on certain Model 3s and Model Ys, Tesla has admitted the low beams genuinely exceed the maximum intensity allowed in the US, which is what triggered the recall.

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The recall impacts 2017-2023 Tesla Model 3s and thousands of 2020-2023 Tesla Model Ys. According to Tesla, the headlights, sourced from Marelli Automotive Lighting, exceed the permitted intensity in the outer upper-right and outer upper-left areas. As Tesla’s recall notice rightly points out, this could reduce visibility for the driver and other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

Read: Over 150 Complaints Of Teslas Losing Front Suspension Just Put 1.2 Million Under Probe

Interestingly, while the recall impacts Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from several different model years, surprisingly few vehicles are impacted. In the case of the Model 3, 1,614 examples are being recalled, all of which were manufactured from July 24, 2017, to December 2, 2023.

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As for the Model Y , a total of 18,735 need to be repaired. These were built between February 11, 2020, and December 24, 2023.

An Issue Uncovered In Canada

Tesla became aware of a potential issue on January 16, 2024, several months after Transport Canada’s annual compliance program found the low beam headlights of a 2019 Tesla Model 3 failed to comply with local safety standards. The automaker first announced a recall related to the fault on March 9, 2024, and a few weeks later, petitioned the NHTSA for an exemption, claiming the fault was inconsequential to motor vehicle safety. The NHTSA denied this petition three weeks ago.

Most of the Model 3s and Model Ys impacted by this latest recall are the same as those originally covered by the 2024 recall. However, Tesla has added 432 vehicles to the list after discovering non-compliant headlights continued to be used in service longer than it had originally thought. Tesla is still working on a fix.

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