PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Tesla Recalls Almost Every Vehicle Ever Sold in the US

The 'recall,' which is being fixed now via an over-the-air update, addresses a problem with hard-to-read warning lights. It's also the first recall to impact Tesla's new Cybertruck.

 & Emily Price Weekend Reporter

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
(Credit: Shutterstock / canadianPhotographer56)

Tesla has issued a new recall that impacts almost every vehicle it’s ever sold in the United States. The recall, over hard-to-read warning lights, impacts over 2 million vehicles, including the company’s recently released Cybertruck.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the font Tesla uses to mark the park, brake, and anti-lock brake controls on its vehicle dashboards is under the 3.2mm size requirement and as such might be hard for drivers to read, potentially resulting in an error or crash, Automotive News reports.

In addition to the required size, the warning indicators' visual and written warnings are required to be in contrasting colors to the background and each other, with one of them displayed in red.

The recall impacts vehicles across Tesla’s lineup, including the Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles.

While the NHTSA uses the word "recall," Tesla is able to fix the problem via an over-the-air software update; no need to bring the car in for service. The update, which increases the warning indicator light's font size, started rolling out on Jan. 23. The update will also go out to Cybertrucks that are currently in production, making this the the first patch to impact the trucks.

The recall comes after a voluntary December recall of Tesla vehicles over Autopilot-related safety concerns. In that case, the vehicle’s technology did not adequately respond when drivers ignored warnings about the vehicle’s self-driving features.

Tesla rolled out an updated version of Autopilot to address the issue; however, many drivers have reported that Autopilot on their vehicles is now too strict or not working properly. In a complaint to the NHTSA, one driver said “The car is actually now more unsafe and distracting with disruptive beeping and alerts.”

About Our Expert

Emily Price

Emily Price

Weekend Reporter

Emily is a freelance writer based in Durham, NC. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Lifehacker, Popular Mechanics, Macworld, Engadget, Computerworld, and more. You can also snag a copy of her book Productivity Hacks: 500+ Easy Ways to Accomplish More at Work--That Actually Work! online through Simon & Schuster or wherever books are sold.

Read full bio