tesla touchscreen recall

Tesla Touchscreen Recall

By Nicole Halavi

Tesla has recently issued a recall for nearly 144,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. The recall is meant to address touchscreen failures in 2012-2018 Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles.

Back in June 2020, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into touchscreen failures in 2012-2015 Model S vehicles. In compliance with the investigation, the automaker supplied documentation including touchscreen complaints, repair invoices, and information about eMMC flash memory devices used for the media control units. However, in November 2020, NHTSA upgraded the touchscreen investigation to include 2012-2018 Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles.

NHTSA determined that the touchscreen failures posed a great safety risk because all the features were lost when the screens went black, including the rearview cameras and controls for the wipers, defrosters and hearing and cooling systems. Ultimately, the greatest concern is the lifespan of the touchscreen components as customers complain about losing touchscreen access when the vehicles are less than 4 years old.

The automaker claimed that the above models are equipped with NVIDIA Tegra 3 processors and integrated 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory devices, but these components will wear out based on the number of program/erase cycles. Notably, the automaker stopped using this processor in March 2018 and instead started using the Intel Apollo Lake processor with a 64GB Micron eMMC. Safety regulators learns about almost 8,000 touchscreen warranty claims, almost 5,000 non-warranty touchscreen claims, and nearly 2,400 complaints about touchscreen failures.

Tesla also argues that the eMMC wear condition constitutes neither a defect nor presents an unreasonable risk to safety. The automaker also released several updates to ensure the controls for the exterior lights and chimes will continue to function if the eMMC fails. Tesla claims that it is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths caused by touchscreen failures because drivers are still able to use the mirrors, look over their shoulders, use the turn signals and manually clear the windshields.

Affected customers should keep an eye out for the Tesla touchscreen recall expected to begin March 30, 2021.

What Can I Do if I’m Driving a Tesla with a Defective Touchscreen?

If you are driving a Tesla that is exhibiting any of the issues discussed above concerning the touchscreen system, California’s lemon laws are here to protect you and prevent any further complications. The attorneys at CCA are very knowledgeable about the issues associated with faulty touchscreens and will work with you to fight back against the automaker.

Please do not hesitate to call CCA today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM. We’ll get you the compensation you deserve – and at no cost to you!

About the Author
Sepehr Daghighian is a partner with CCA that is well-versed in all aspects of lemon-law litigation. A 2005 graduate of Loyola Law School, Mr. Daghighian has been practicing litigation throughout the state of California for over 13-years. In this time, Mr. Daghighian has advocated on behalf of California consumers in hundreds of lemon law cases throughout our great state. Mr. Daghighian has also successfully tried numerous such cases to verdict in both Federal and State Court.