Tesla Recalls 130,000 Cars Due to Overheating Processor
Tesla is recalling nearly 130,000 of its electric vehicles due to a defect that, during fast-charging, may cause the processor powering the infotainment system to overheat and the touch screen to lag or restart.
As to why that's such a serious problem: "A lagging or restarting CPU may prevent the center screen from displaying the rearview camera image, gear selection, windshield visibility control settings, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash," explained the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The defect was first detected in late December during routine processor testing. An investigation followed, and throughout January any processors replaced due to an overheating issue were analyzed by Tesla's engineers. By late April, Tesla confirmed the suspected root cause and formulated a solution.
Luckily for owners (and Tesla), the fix is an easy one, with the automaker releasing a free, over-the-air (OTA) software update for affected 2021-22 Model S and Model X, and 2022 Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles operating certain firmware releases.
As of May 2, the company identified 118 reports of suspected overheating processor issues, and two days later began deploying the OTA firmware update. The remedy, according to a NHTSA recall report, "will mitigate temperature elevations in the CPU when the vehicle is fast-charging or preparing to fast-charge, which will prevent slow processing or restart."
All Tesla stores and service centers have been notified about the recall (SB-22-00-009) and owner notification letters will be mailed on July 1. Tesla isn't aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths related to this overheating problem.
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