(Credit: jetcityimage/Getty Images)
Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.
Tesla is recalling almost 13,000 EVs due to technical issues that may cause them to lose power while driving. The issue impacted 7,925 2026 Tesla Model Ys and 5,038 Tesla Model 3s manufactured between March and August 2025.
According to an official notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), first spotted by InsideEVs, the affected vehicles were equipped with a faulty battery pack contactor that may suddenly open due to a poor coil termination connection, causing the car to suddenly lose propulsion.
Contactors are high-voltage switches that connect the battery pack to the rest of the vehicle's system. If the contactor opens when the vehicle is in drive, the driver will lose the ability to apply torque using the accelerator pedal, resulting in a loss of propulsion—which may increase the risk of a collision.
Tesla says that owners can check if their vehicle is affected by using either the Tesla VIN Recall Search or the NHTSA VIN Recall Search tools. Tesla will replace the affected contactors for free, with certified new parts. Tesla says the repair should take roughly one hour to perform, and owners can book an appointment via the Tesla app.
(Credit: Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)Tesla also issued another major recall this week, including one for a lighting defect that impacted more than 63,000 Cybertrucks.
According to the NHTSA report, Tesla issued the Cybertruck recall due to a lighting software defect that could cause the vehicle’s front parking lights to shine too brightly, impairing the vision of nearby drivers. The issue affected 2024, 2025, and 2026 Cybertrucks manufactured between Nov. 13, 2023, and Oct. 11, 2025. Tesla said the issue has now been resolved via a free over-the-air (OTA) software update.
The recalls come after Tesla rolled out its lower-priced “Standard” trims for both the Model Y and Model X earlier this month, offering $5,000 of savings compared to the “Premium” tier right above—though it still won’t fill the gap left by the axed $7,500 federal EV tax credit.