Two incidents have been reported so far, where the steering wheels fell off shortly after delivery of the new Model Y. According to NHTSA, the steering wheels were not attached to the steering column with a retaining bolt. As a result, the steering wheel was only held in place by a friction fit between the steering wheel and column splines. When a force exceeding the friction fit was applied, the steering wheel detached.
Both Model Ys that experienced this issue had undergone an "end of line repair," which involved removing and reinstalling the steering wheel. NHTSA will investigate the manufacturing processes associated with this repair and the frequency of occurrence to identify the root cause of the issue.
@elonmusk @TeslaOwnersWW @BLKMDL3 Family was excited to receive Tesla Y delivery on 1/24/2023. Was driving on highway and all the sudden steering wheel fall off, was lucky enough there was no car behind and I was able to pull on devider #SafetyFirst #Fixit #TeslaModelY #help pic.twitter.com/4UMokFA2cv
— Prerak & Neha Patel (@preneh24) January 30, 2023
If the agency deems it necessary after the investigation, it may order a recall of affected products. Meanwhile, Tesla has yet to release a statement regarding the issue.
Tesla has faced numerous issues with vehicle quality and safety in the past. However, it's worth noting that preliminary investigations do not necessarily lead to a recall.
Source: Autoblog
