Tesla is recalling 2,700 Model X SUVs manufactured before March 26 in the United States when safety tests have shown that the third-row seats' backs could fold forward in the event of a crash or a sudden stop.
Tesla President of Sales and Service Jon McNeill explains that the fault lies in the locking hinge. That, coupled with the weight of the occupant wearing the seatbelt, causes the lock to fail and the seat to collapse.
"It's actually with the leverage of weight in the seat pulling it forward. So this would be an example of a front crash where the weight of the passenger seat belted to that seat could cause that latch to fail," he says.
The seats of the falcon-winged vehicle come from Futuris, a supplier based in Australia under the Clearlake Capital corporate umbrella. Tesla says costs of resolving the issue will come out of the seat maker's pocket.
According to the electric carmaker, there are no known incidents outside the trials, and it appears that it's not going to take any chance based on the measures it's taking.
It goes on to say that every Model X involved should be fixed within five weeks and that the production of the seven-seat vehicle in California won't be affected by the matter.
While it's the first time the electric SUV has been recalled since Tesla took its wraps off in September, this is not new for the carmaker, as it recalled 90,000 Model S units because of a seatbelt issue back in November 2015.
It's also worth mentioning that the Model X just hit the roads only months ago and that the faulty hinge in the seat wasn't spotted during the perpetually prolonged production of the vehicle.
If you're one of the Model X owners affected by the recall, feel free to leave a comment below and let us know if you've noticed the issue before Tesla made the announcement.
