Tesla software update fixes hood safety issue on 1.8M cars

Tesla has issued a software update for 1.85 million of its vehicles in the U.S. to fix a safety issue involving the hood.

A notice posted online by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Tuesday explained the problem, saying that after a customer action opens the hood, it’s possible that the latch assembly will fail to detect that it’s open, thereby preventing a driver notification of the hood’s open state when the vehicle is placed into drive.

A moving vehicle with an unlatched hood may result in the hood fully opening and obstructing the driver’s view, increasing the risk of a collision, the NHTSA said.

The good news is that Tesla is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths related to the issue, though as of July 20, the automaker had identified three warranty claims or field reports for U.S. vehicles related to — or that may be related t0 — the problem.

Impacted vehicles include certain  2017-2024 model year Model 3 vehicles manufactured between September 6, 2017. and July 15, 2024, equipped with a hood latch and produced in China, and all delivered 2013-2024 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles.

Tesla began investigating customer complaints on March 25 in response to reports of unintended hood openings on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in China, and the automaker fully identified the issue several weeks later.

“Rates of occurrence were higher in China for reasons unknown, as compared to lower rates of occurrence in markets in Europe and North America,” the NHTSA said.

On June 18, Tesla released the first of two over-the-air software remedies at no cost to the customer. A second update was made available on July 15.

The issue comes a month after Tesla recalled its new Cybertruck pickup to fix a fault with its windshield wiper and also to deal with a piece of plastic trim along the edge of the truck bed that was at risk of flying off.

Tesla owners — and any vehicle owner in the U.S. — can check if their vehicle is the subject of a recall or safety issue by entering its unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on NHTSA’s website.