Tesla Motor Company recently announced a recall to fix a mounting bracket defect in its Model S cars, which could cause a weakened bond potentially detaching a seat from the vehicle’s body and potentially affect as many as 1,300 vehicles.
The voluntary recall stemmed from an issue with the vehicle’s left rear seat, where alignment problems during the car’s manufacturing stage prevented welding and bonding from forming a complete connection with the car’s frame. In the event of an accident, the incomplete bond could lead to an increased chance of injury for those in the car.
Only about 20 percent of the recalled vehicles are expected to require repairs, but all recalled vehicles will be given additional mounting reinforcements regardless of need, Tesla spokeswoman Shanna Hendriks told Wired magazine. The recalls are expected to cost the company $150,000, she added.
On the company’s blog, Tesla said there have been no owner complaints, no reported injuries and no reports of brackets detaching from cars’ bodies.
Tesla’s Model S has yet to have a recall, according to Reuters, but the company has recalled its Roadster model twice for issues involving hub bolts on wheels and wire chafing.
Properly testing components on vehicles can prevent recalls and lead to lower cost of ownership for companies.