Tesla deploys fix to 1.6 million cars in China for bonnet lock

SHANGHAI: Tesla Inc. will release a software update to most of the cars it’s ever sold in China due to an issue that could leave an unlocked bonnet unnoticed, creating a potential safety hazard, according to a notice by the state market regulator.

A latch assembly issue may at times prevent the driver from being alerted about an unlocked front bonnet, which could allow the bonnet to fully open with the vehicle in motion, increasing the risk of a collision, according to a recall notice by the State Administration for Market Regulation on Tuesday.

The carmaker will deploy an over-the-air software fix to more than 1.6 million imported Model S and Model X vehicles as well as Model 3 and Model Ys produced locally between October 2020 and July 2024.

Tesla will also contact users with cars that can’t be repaired with a software update for alternative ways to fix the issue, the notice said.

Around 1.9 million Teslas have been registered in the EV maker’s largest overseas market as of June, according to data from the China Automotive Technology and Research Center.

The driver complaints in China triggered a similar recall of more than 1.8 million Teslas in the US last month.

The EV maker first began investigating in March the issue of bonnets unintentionally opening on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in China, according to the safety recall report by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In April, the company identified a deformation of the latch switch as the problem.

Tuesday’s notice marks the second recall of this scale to impact Tesla in China this year, following a one in January for 1.6 million vehicles where software updates were also deployed to fix an issue with the company’s autopilot advanced driver assistance system.