Tesla hit by recall on more than 285K vehicles in China

More than 285,000 Tesla vehicles were recalled by the Chinese government over the weekend due to safety issues.

Bloomberg reported that the State Administration for Market Regulation on Saturday said the recall includes 211,256 Model 3 vehicles that were produced in the country and 35,665 that were imported, in addition to 38,599 China-made Model Ys.

The Chinese government agency said the cars’ autopilot systems can be turned on automatically, which could cause crashes due to the vehicle gaining speed unexpectedly, according to Bloomberg.

The remedy should be able to be completed remotely in most cases through an online update to the active cruise control feature in the car, according to Bloomberg.

Tesla reportedly said it will upgrade the software at no cost. 

Tesla started delivering the Model Y sport utility vehicles in January, so the recall will have an effect on virtually every customer who has purchased the model, Bloomberg noted.

The company apologized through its official customer support account on Weibo, saying it will “continue to improve safety in strict accordance with national requirements,” according to Bloomberg.

The massive recall in China comes after Tesla earlier this month issued new recalls on thousands of its vehicles in the U.S. and hundreds that were exported to China, because of seat belt- and tire-related safety issues.

Tesla, in a notification to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said it was recalling 5,530 Model 3 vehicles from 2018 to 2020 and Model Y cars from 2019 to 2021 because the front seat shoulder belts may not be properly attached.

It also revealed that it was recalling 2,166 Model Y vehicles from 2019 to 2021 because of potential problems with the fasteners that secure the left and right second-row seat belt retractors.

Tesla was also the target of backlash from the Chinese government earlier this year, when it claimed that the California-based company’s vehicles could be tied to espionage efforts in the country.

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk, however, denied the claims, contending that such a move would force the car manufacturer to “shut down.”