Tesla has issued a recall for nearly 13,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in the United States due to a battery-related issue that could cause the vehicle to lose power while driving. After a field study, Tesla has identified the cause of the issue and is recalling and fixing affected vehicles.
The Recall
According to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall affects 12,963 vehicles, which include 2025 Model 3s and 2026 Model Ys.
Tesla discovered that a small number of vehicles may have been produced with a manufacturing defect in the battery. In certain cases, a contactor in the battery may fail, resulting in the vehicle losing power. The issue can occur at any time, even while the vehicle is in motion.
The Fix
If your Tesla is one of the affected vehicles, Tesla will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery pack contactor at no cost.
While most Tesla recalls involve a simple software update, this one requires the owner to drive to a Service Center to have the vehicle repaired. Tesla will send recall letters to affected owners by December 9th.
Affected Vehicles
Vehicle recalls are not uncommon — the company often works proactively with the NHTSA to address potential issues, and most fixes only involve a simple software update.
Owners of 2025 Model 3 or 2026 Model Y vehicles produced in the US can check whether their vehicle is affected through NHTSA or Tesla’s recall tools.
It’s worth noting that this recall affects a small portion of the vehicles Tesla has produced. This year alone, Tesla has produced more than 1.2 million vehicles through the end of the third quarter. This recall affects about 1% of the total vehicles so far this year.
