Tesla recalls some Model S and Model X cars for parking brake problem
Reporting from San Francisco — Because of a parking brake that might stick and render a car immobile, Tesla Inc. has issued a voluntary recall for certain Model S and Model X luxury electric cars.
In an email to owners Thursday, first revealed by TechCrunch, Tesla said that no injuries related to the defect have been reported, and that “we do not believe this issue could ever lead to a safety concern.”
There have been no reports of the electronic parking brake failing to hold a vehicle, the Elon Musk-led automaker said.
The problem, though, does not involve a failure to hold. What happens is the parking sticks, and the car won’t move. Tesla said it may not have parts needed for a fix until October.
The issue affects an estimated 2% of 53,000 cars built from February to October 2016, the company said, although all those cars are being recalled.
Tesla blamed a supplier for improperly manufactured gears. The main supplier of parking brakes to Tesla is Brembo, an Italian company, but the automaker did not specify which supplier it was faulting for this problem.
Tesla, based in Palo Alto, delivered 76,230 S and X models in 2016. This year, it plans to begin production of the mid-market Model 3, and intends to pump out 500,000 vehicles in 2018.
The automaker’s shares fell $3.01, or 1%, to $302.51 on Thursday.
Twitter: @russ1mitchell
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UPDATES:
1:35 p.m.: This article was updated to clarify that Tesla did not specify which supplier it was blaming and to add Tesla’s stock price.
This article was originally published at 11:15 a.m.
