Tesla recalls over 376K vehicles over power steering issue: What to know

AUSTIN, Texas - Tesla is recalling more than 376,000 of its electric vehicles in the U.S. over a potential power steering issue. 

A recall report dated Feb. 19 and submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns that the impacted vehicles could face a loss of power steering assistance.

RELATED: 1 in 5 vehicles on US roads have an unresolved recall. Is yours one of them?

Here’s what drivers should know: 

Tesla recall over power-assisted steering issue

What we know:

Tesla is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured for sale in the U.S. that were equipped with a software release prior to 2023.38.4. The vehicles could face a loss of power steering assistance "when the vehicle reaches a stop and then accelerates again" if they experience an "overstress condition" in the printed circuit board for electronic power-assisted steering (EPAS), Tesla said in the recall report.

"A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash," NHTSA said. 

The problem has not caused any known injuries, deaths or crashes.

By the numbers:

A total of 376,241 vehicles have been recalled as part of the issue.

FILE - In an aerial view, Tesla cars sit parked in a lot at the Tesla factory on April 20, 2022, in Fremont, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Dig deeper:

Tesla said it designed the vehicles in a way that steering "will not be affected" if they suffer the "overstress condition" while driving above 0 miles per hour. 

"Tesla’s design avoids any unreasonable risk to safety by preventing a loss of EPAS while the vehicle is in motion," the automaker said on its website. "In addition, Tesla does not believe that loss of EPAS when the vehicle reaches 0 mph is an unreasonable risk to safety because manual steering remains available."

But Tesla said it decided to recall the affected vehicles in all markets to "avoid confusion for our customers" after a "determination by a regulator in a non-US market that loss of EPAS at 0 mph should be remedied through a recall."

What's next:

Tesla began deploying a free over-the-air software fix to address the issue that could cause the "overstress condition" in the printed circuit board in October 2023. It said in the report that 99% of U.S. affected Model 3 and Model Y cars had already received software release 2023.38.4 or later as of Jan. 23, 2025. Owners of the recalled EVs will not need to take their vehicle to a dealership, according to the report. They can expect to receive notification about the recall in the mail late next month.

How to check if your car is under recall

Dig deeper:

Drivers can check if their vehicle is under recall by using the NHTSA’s VIN look up tool: 

• Go to NHTSA.gov/Recalls
• Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN
• Search for recalls