Photo: Public domain
On November 21, Tesla warned NHTSA that 826 Model Y units would have to go through an inspection due to issues with suspension knuckles. Quality control problems with Tesla’s supplier, Ningbo Tuopu, implied that they could deform or break. If the number of involved vehicles seems limited, just wait for the same recall in China: it involves 21,599 units, and Tesla has not announced them all yet.
That happens because Giga Shanghai is mainly an export hub. All Model Y units sold in Europe so far came from Tesla’s Chinese factory, which means European customers are certainly also affected by the quality control issue.
Like the recall announced in the U.S., the one for the Chinese Model Y units involves issues with heat treatment. Ningbo Tuopu discovered that the quenching process was affected due to problems with the quench tank fluid. This failure created suspension knuckles that were not strong enough.
With the problem, some knuckles started presenting deformation as early as September 16. Tesla detected these defective parts and started an investigation that led to the recall on November 21 in the U.S. Curiously, the issue was first diagnosed at Giga Shanghai, which should mean the recall could have been performed in China first.
That led to the first images of a vehicle affected by the problem, shared by owners of Chinese Model Ys. They have reported hearing a loud noise and realizing the suspension had failed after leaving the vehicle for inspection. As Sohu.com mentions, this is far from being the first situation in which Tesla faced similar suspension issues. The difference is that the EV maker is now blaming the supplier, which we never knew before this situation. According to Sina Motors, Tuopu Group’s shares plunged nearly 6% after Tesla said it was to blame.
Just like with the American recall, Tesla told SAMR (State Administration for Market Regulation) that it would inspect the vehicles and replace the defective knuckles it found. Tesla said it would test their resistance and if they are up to specifications, but did not mention which method it would follow to determine that.
If you own or know someone who owns a Model Y in Europe, tell them to drive carefully and wait for recall news soon. It is improbable that the units in European countries are not affected by the same defect.
Like the recall announced in the U.S., the one for the Chinese Model Y units involves issues with heat treatment. Ningbo Tuopu discovered that the quenching process was affected due to problems with the quench tank fluid. This failure created suspension knuckles that were not strong enough.
With the problem, some knuckles started presenting deformation as early as September 16. Tesla detected these defective parts and started an investigation that led to the recall on November 21 in the U.S. Curiously, the issue was first diagnosed at Giga Shanghai, which should mean the recall could have been performed in China first.
That led to the first images of a vehicle affected by the problem, shared by owners of Chinese Model Ys. They have reported hearing a loud noise and realizing the suspension had failed after leaving the vehicle for inspection. As Sohu.com mentions, this is far from being the first situation in which Tesla faced similar suspension issues. The difference is that the EV maker is now blaming the supplier, which we never knew before this situation. According to Sina Motors, Tuopu Group’s shares plunged nearly 6% after Tesla said it was to blame.
Just like with the American recall, Tesla told SAMR (State Administration for Market Regulation) that it would inspect the vehicles and replace the defective knuckles it found. Tesla said it would test their resistance and if they are up to specifications, but did not mention which method it would follow to determine that.
If you own or know someone who owns a Model Y in Europe, tell them to drive carefully and wait for recall news soon. It is improbable that the units in European countries are not affected by the same defect.
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