Possible loss of power steering; Tesla recalls more than 40,000 U.S. cars

Tesla is voluntarily recalling 40,168 2017-2021 Model S and Model X vehicles that may experience a lack of power steering assist, according to a Nov. 1 filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made public on Tuesday.

The recall requires a software update that’s pushed to the cars over the air.

Following an October firmware update, several vehicles lost power steering when driving over bumpy roads and potholes. According to the announcement, the fault affects around 1% of all recalled vehicles.

“Reduced or lost power steering assist does not affect steering control, but could require greater steering effort from the driver, particularly at low speeds,” the administration said.

According to the automaker, as of Nov. 1, 97% of the recalled vehicles had a new update loaded that fixes the problem, so the owners of such vehicles don't need to take any additional action.

As of the first of the month, Tesla had found 314 vehicles with the issue, but the company is not aware of any injuries or fatalities, according to the announcement.