The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·22V063000·Announced 2022-04-02

Tesla Model Y Boombox Feature May Obscure Pedestrian Warning System

Tesla is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles because the Boombox feature can obscure the Pedestrian Warning System sounds, creating a collision risk. Tesla will disable the Boombox in Drive, Neutral, and Reverse modes via software update.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: This recall addresses a risk-of-harm scenario where a vehicle safety feature (Pedestrian Warning System) can be impaired by the Boombox function, increasing pedestrian collision risk. No crashes or injuries have been reported, consistent with the rubric criterion of risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

Tesla, Inc. is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles, along with Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles from various model years (2017-2022). The Boombox function allows external speaker sounds to play while the vehicle is in motion. This feature can obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds that alert pedestrians to an approaching vehicle.

When the Boombox sounds mask the PWS audio, pedestrians may not hear that the vehicle is approaching. This creates an increased risk of a crash involving the vehicle and a pedestrian. The vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 141, which sets minimum sound requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles.

Tesla will remedy this issue by performing a free over-the-air software update that disables the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral, or Reverse modes. Owner notification letters were expected to be mailed April 5, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 for more information, or call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
2020 TESLA MODEL Y
Brand
TESLA
Manufacturer
Tesla, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Safety Systems / Software
Hazard
  • pedestrian-warning-obscured
  • sound-masking
  • collision-risk
Affected units
578,607

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (4)

  • MODEL Y
  • MODEL S
  • MODEL 3
  • MODEL X

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same brand · TESLA

Same category