NHTSA probes 280,000 new Teslas over loss of steering control

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating 280,000 Tesla vehicles over reports of loss of steering control and power steering.

Key points:

• NHTSA is investigating 280,000 Tesla vehicles due to reports of loss of steering control and power steering malfunctioning.
• The investigation is focused on the 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
• The malfunctioning is often accompanied by driver-facing messages indicating reduced or disabled power steering assist.
• NHTSA received 12 complaints from owners, prompting the investigation.
• It is unclear if the investigation is related to Tesla's advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
• The preliminary evaluation is the first step towards a formal investigation to determine if there is an unreasonable safety risk.
• If necessary, NHTSA may demand a recall, which would require upgrading the probe to an engineering analysis.