Tesla drivers just got a bit more clarity on a major safety question.
An over-the-air fix appears to have satisfied federal regulators, who have now closed their investigation into power-steering complaints involving 376,241 2023 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
What happened?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has formally ended the case covering those 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, according to Not a Tesla App.
The agency first opened the matter in July 2023, when 12 owners reported that the steering wheel either would not turn or would require much more force to turn.
Those complaints led to a preliminary review of about 280,000 vehicles, and by early 2024, the inquiry had grown into a broader engineering analysis.
That engineering analysis is no longer active because Tesla had already recalled roughly 376,000 vehicles in the U.S. last year over a possible issue with power-steering assist.
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If that condition occurred, steering could become more difficult at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Instead of requiring owners to visit a service location, Tesla sent out a software update designed to prevent electrical overvoltage damage and reduce strain on the motor-drive components of the printed circuit board.
Why does it matter?
The outcome shows that Tesla's response was enough for regulators to wrap up the steering-effort investigation.
It also highlights how some issues in connected EVs can be addressed remotely, without sending drivers to a dealership or service center for the fix.
Tesla is still facing close federal attention in other areas. NHTSA continues to investigate how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) performs in low-visibility conditions, and that probe has already been elevated to an engineering analysis.
The development also comes as Tesla faces a more difficult business environment.
What's being done?
This closure fits into a wider stretch of regulatory activity involving Tesla.
Earlier this year, NHTSA also ended a separate investigation into 2023 Model Y vehicles after reports that steering wheels could detach from the steering column while driving.
Regulators have likewise cleared Tesla's Actually Smart Summon parking-lot feature, even as they keep reviewing other elements of the company's driver-assistance technology.
For 2023 Model 3 and Model Y owners, the matter is now resolved, and the software remedy has already been distributed.
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