A recall affecting an estimated 20,000 Teslas says the brightness of the low-beams headlights violates federal safety standards.
The recall report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says “Headlamp low-beam output that exceeds the maximum allowed intensity may reduce visibility for the driver and other road users, increasing the risk of crash.”
Tesla has been aware of this issue since spring of 2024, if not earlier. That was when the company notified the NHTSA that the lights on 19,900 Model Ys and 3s were in some cases almost twice as bright as was legal, but asked to have the brightness deemed “inconsequential” when it came to safety.
Tesla received notice from the NHTSA on July 17 that its “petition for decision of inconsequential noncompliance” was denied.
Tesla’s petition had argued that there hadn’t been any complaints about the issue. The NHTSA wasn’t having it, writing:
“In determining inconsequentiality of a noncompliance, NHTSA focuses on the safety risk to individuals who experience the type of event against which a recall would otherwise protect. In general, NHTSA does not consider the absence of complaints or injuries when determining if a noncompliance is inconsequential to safety.”
Tesla is not alone in pushing back against these glaring issues. In 2022, GM requested to have a similar issue declared inconsequential, meaning it wouldn’t have to pay to fix overly bright headlights on the GMC Terrain. GM claimed there was “only a single customer inquiry associated with this condition” and that the company was “not aware of any crashes or injuries.” The government mandated the recall anyway, forcing the automaker to fix 725,000 SUVs.
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