Over 24,000 Tesla Model 3s have been recalled in the US due to a seat belt issue

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said in the past that the perception of what a recall is needs to change given that so many issues can be fixed through over-the-air updates. But it can’t fix an improperly assembled seat belt buckle, a problem potentially present in about 24,000 model 3s built from 2017 to 2022 that are now subject to a new recall.

Elon Musk has a point, however, given that Tesla’s previous major recall (announced last month, affecting over 1.1 million vehicles) was fixed by an update and fixed a physical flaw – the automatic windows went up too quickly and potentially pinching passengers’ fingers when closing. Engineers were able to remotely calibrate the windows and then roll out the update to all affected vehicles without requiring a workshop visit.

With this new recall, the manufacturer announced that it has initiated a “proactive recall of certain Model 3 vehicles manufactured between 2017-2022 to check the assembly of the second row left seat belt buckle and center seat belt anchor for to ensure that components are fastened to specification.”

Interestingly, this is not a recall caused by a defectively manufactured part. It was apparently caused by improper reassembly after the car arrived for service. No immediate action is required from affected vehicle owners, but they will need to bring in their Model 3 for inspection and possible repairs at some point.

The manufacturer also announced that “servicing certain components on Model 3 vehicles requires disassembly of the left-hand second row seat belt buckle and center seat belt anchor, both of which are secured by the same bolt. One or both components may have been improperly reassembled during service.”

All Tesla stores have now been notified of this recall and owners will begin receiving notification emails starting December 20th. In the recall notice, the manufacturer notes that if owners have paid to fix this problem in the past, they may be eligible for a refund. No injuries have been reported as a result of this defect.