Tesla recalls nearly 2.2M cars for too small of a font size

For the second time in as many months, Tesla has recalled more than 2 million vehicles for how information is rendered digitally in its electric vehicles. The latest recall announced by the NHTSA this week is due to a font size that’s too small for the antilock braking system. 

Evidently, the letter font size height displayed on the warning light in the digital screens of its cars was too small at less than 1/8 inch. This smallness could “reduce the driver’s detection of it when illuminated, increasing the risk of a collision,” according to the NHTSA.

The recall of 2,193,869 Tesla vehicles encompasses every model currently under production, including the new Cybertruck. Models afflicted with the small font include: 

2012-2023 Tesla Model S

2016-2024 Tesla Model X

2017-2023 Tesla Model 3

2019-2024 Tesla Model Y

2024 Tesla Cybertruck

The font fix is an over-the-air software update (2023.44.30.9) that Tesla began deploying late in January. Tesla identified three warranty claims that may be related to the issue. For more info, contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 or visit Tesla’s software update page here.

This is the third sweeping Tesla recall in the past two months, and the second that involved more than 2 million cars for a display visibility issue. In December, after an extensive investigation by the NHTSA into the safety of Tesla’s semi-autonomous drive systems, the vehicle safety agency found that the displays and alerts were not sufficient enough to let drivers know if Tesla’s Autosteer function was engaged or disengaged. It was remedied with an OTA software update. 

Last week, Tesla recalled nearly 200,000 cars equipped with “Full Self-Driving” software that may have prevented the rearview camera from projecting an image. That too was remedied by an OTA software update.