Tesla issues back-to-back recalls

Tesla recalled more than 350,000 vehicles from U.S. customers over the weekend in two separate campaigns.

The automaker said Saturday that it was recalling more than 321,000 vehicles over a software glitch that disables the tail lights on some cars. The recall covers 2023 Model 3 sedans, as well as Model Y crossovers for model years 2020 through 2023.

Tesla estimated that the problem affects 1% of the vehicles under recall and said it will release a software update to address the “firmware anomaly.” Vehicles in production received the update starting November 6, according to a filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

On Friday, Tesla recalled 30,000 Model X SUVs due to a problem with the front passenger airbag.

The EV maker has issued 19 recalls in the U.S. so far this year, according to data from the DOT. The vast majority of those have been resolved with an over-the-air software update. Earlier this month, Tesla recalled more than 40,000 Model X and Model S sedans over a software issue that could affect power steering when driving over potholes and another 53 vehicles due to faulty installation of side-view mirrors.

In August, consumer advocate Ralph Nader urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall Tesla’s full self-driving (FSD) technology from its vehicles, calling it “one of the most dangerous and irresponsible actions by a car company in decades.”