Tesla recalls more than 120K vehicles over door safety issue

San Francisco: Elon Musk-run Tesla has recalled 120,423 Model S and X vehicles made between 2021 and 2023 in the US due to an issue that may result in an unlocked door unlatching and opening during a crash.

According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue raises the risk of injury and indicates that the EVs do not comply with a federal safety rule.

A free over-the-air (OTA) update has already been issued by the automaker to resolve the issue, and owner notification letters are expected to go out in February.

"The cabin doors can be unlocked during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214, Side Impact Protection," the notice reads.

Earlier this month, Tesla recalled more than 2 million vehicles in the US to address a “defect” with Autopilot, the company’s controversial advanced driver-assist system.

The recall applies to nearly every Tesla vehicle sold in the US since the Autopilot feature was introduced way back in 2015.

In July, Tesla recalled nearly 16,000 of its 2021-2023 Model S and Model X vehicles in the US because some front-row seat belts may not have been reconnected properly after being repaired.