Tesla is conducting a voluntary recall of 90,000 of their Model S cars because of one single report of a front seat belt that was not properly connected. It is the latest instance of Tesla not caring at all about financial implications, as one misconnected seat belt shouldn’t warrant a recall of this magnitude. As a result, Tesla stock has plummeted.
The company said in an email to customers, “Tesla recently found a Model S in Europe with a front seat belt that was not properly connected to the outboard lap pretensioner. This vehicle was not involved in a crash and there were no injuries. However, in the event of a crash, a seat belt in this condition would not provide full protection. First and foremost, we care about your safety.”
When Tesla was informed about the case of the misconnected seatbelt, the company quickly moved to inspect 3,000 vehicles and its assembly process. Even though there were absolutely no other issues found, the company, for the purpose of “safety”, still wants owners to take time out of their busy schedules in order to bring in their cars to ensure that their seatbelts are indeed properly connected. Customers will have to book an appointment in order to have their vehicles inspected.
Reports indicate that earlier this month, a person was sitting in the front passenger seat of a Tesla Model S sedan. When the passenger turned to speak with the occupants in the rear, the seat belt became disconnected. This was supposedly caused by a failure that occurred during the assembly process.
When the Tesla Model S first came out, Consumer Reports originally called the Model S the “best car it had ever tested”, and it was the first and only car to receive a perfect score. Since then, Consumer Reports has retracted its original review, and since has largely attacked the vehicle, calling it an “overpriced science project”. The Model S now has a “below average rating” on Consumer Reports.
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