Thousands of Tesla Model X and S vehicles recalled over airbag defect

Some Tesla Model X and S vehicles from 2021 could have an airbag issue.

A recall filed through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last week notes that the driver airbag could tear if deployed on as many as 7,600 cars. So far in 2021, Tesla has made a combined 11,281 of these two EVs.

NHTSA estimates only 1 percent of the 7,600 vehicles have the problem, which stemmed from a new production method at one of Tesla’s suppliers in Mexico.

The defect was discovered during quality testing earlier this year. There were not any real-world incidents, and no injuries or deaths have been reported.

Tesla is replacing the airbags for free on all potentially affected vehicles. Those with Model X vehicles made between Sept. 3 and Sept. 23 and Model S vehicles produced between June 21 and Sept. 29 will be notified about the recall and complimentary fix.