Tesla, Inc.: Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System
Tesla, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Jan 29, 2021 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 134,951. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center display functions.
The risk
The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-21-001.
10 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Tesla Model S | 170 | 11 | 3 | 36 |
| 2018 Tesla Model X | 193 | 9 | 2 | 35 |
| 2017 Tesla Model S | 431 | 9 | 4 | 55 |
| 2017 Tesla Model X | 268 | 10 | 1 | 24 |
| 2016 Tesla Model S | 650 | 10 | 12 | 92 |
| 2016 Tesla Model X | 452 | 12 | 4 | 62 |
| 2015 Tesla Model S | 669 | 9 | 12 | 70 |
| 2014 Tesla Model S | 367 | 9 | 9 | 52 |
| 2013 Tesla Model S | 461 | 11 | 19 | 41 |
| 2012 Tesla Model S | 61 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 21V035000.
Full record for the 2018 Tesla Model S → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →