Tesla Model 3 Performance Track Mode Triggers Recall

May. 01, 2022 9:03 PM ET by Chris Teague Recall / 4 Comments

No "mph" or "km/h" is a problem on the street.

The Tesla Model 3 Performance is an impressive car with almost supercar-like acceleration. The car makes it easy to reach extra-legal speeds in a hurry, but the speedometer may not always correctly display vehicle speed-related information. That's the issue at hand in a new recall, where the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says vehicle speed is missing units when the Model 3 Performance is put into Track Mode.

The recall includes 48,184 examples of 2018-2022 Tesla Model 3 Performance cars. The NHTSA says that when the driver activates the car's Track Mode, speed units disappear from the speedometer. The display shows vehicle speed in numbers but does not specify mph or km/h. This wouldn't be illegal or an issue if the driving mode could only be accessed on closed courses, but it's available on the street, where a lack of accurate speed information could become dangerous, or lead to unwarranted speeding fines for owners.

Tesla released Track Mode in late December last year. The feature enables lap timers and video logging and gives drivers the ability to select electric motor behavior, change stability assist settings, and alter regenerative braking performance. The Model S Plaid has Track Mode but has not been recalled.

Unlike a recall for a physical component that requires a trip to the dealer to fix, Tesla is issuing an over-the-air update to owners to fix this issue. The NHTSA notes that Tesla introduced a production fix for Track Mode in new cars in mid-April, and owners will be notified by June 6. Tesla's service bulletin tells technicians to "inspect the vehicle firmware version, and if necessary, update the vehicle firmware to version 2022.12 or later."

This is one of ten recalls for Tesla so far in 2022, and some vehicles are involved in more than one campaign. The automaker has recalled vehicles for mundane issues like the windshield not defrosting properly and side airbags not deploying correctly, but there's a bizarre one-car recall on NHTSA's list. In that campaign, NHTSA recalled one 2022 Model X for a missing body structure reinforcement bracket, which violated highway safety regulations. That's annoying for the owner, but Tesla's at least replacing their entire Model X for free.

Tesla Model 3 Performance Track Mode Triggers Recall

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Tesla Model 3 Performance Track Mode Triggers Recall

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