Automaker Tesla has ordered a voluntary recall of 35 of its all-electric Class 8 Semi trucks due to a parking brake issue.
It’s the first recall for the Semi, which is produced at the company’s factory in Sparks, Nevada. Tesla began deliveries of the Semi in December, shipping an initial batch of trucks to Pepsi and Frito-Lay.
According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety recall report, electronically controlled parking brakes on Semi trucks “may intermittently fail to transition when the parking brake is engaged or disengaged, which could then result in the parking brakes not being set or released.”
The electronic parking brake valve module by supplier Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems was found to contain a defect.
Ohio-based Bendix notified Tesla in February of a possible problem with the module. Tesla investigated the issue and decided to file the recall on March 17, and Semi service teams were notified about the recall around March 27.
Tesla will send letters to Semi owners on May 23 notifying them of the recall.
“If the parking brakes are not engaged when the driver expects them to be and the driver releases the service brakes, the vehicle may unintentionally move, increasing the risk of crash,” the NHTSA recall report stated.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has not identified any incidents in which the Semi’s parking brake has resulted in a crash or damage, the company said.
Tesla, based in Austin, Texas, said it will replace the module “with a revised part with improved internals that prevent air leakage and allow the driver to engage and disengage parking brakes.”
In 2017, Tesla CEO Elon Musk pitched the Semi as an electric truck that would disrupt the commercial transportation industry, but production suffered repeated delays amid the departure of key executives.
The Semi can reportedly haul the maximum legal weight of 81,000 pounds for 500 miles at highway speed. The company has not released information on how many Semi trucks it has produced or sold.
Watch: Electric truck-maker Nikola is struggling with cash flow.
Click for more FreightWaves articles by Noi Mahoney.
More articles by Noi Mahoney
Borderlands: RXO invests $30M, expands logistics operation in South Texas
Tesla’s arrival in Mexico could boost cross-border trade by $15B
AtoB aims to boost commercial transportation efficiency using telematics
Brokerage Compliance Symposium
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
F3 Awards Dinner
The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
F3: Future of Freight Festival
Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now