The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has launched an investigation into seat belt parts on 2022 to 2023 Tesla Model X SUVs, after receiving two reports from owners that they received their vehicles with defective seat belt parts.
Approximately 50,000 Model X’s may be affected, NHTSA said. The defect involves the point at which the seat belt pretensioner and an anchor are linked. According to the agency’s notice, ‘the linkage and the pretensioner suddenly separated’ when force was exerted on them.
No injuries were reported in connection with the two claims of defects, NHTSA said. The detachment of the seat belt parts occurred ‘at low vehicle mileage,’ NHTSA said.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
NHTSA continues to probe multiple issues associated with Tesla vehicles, including the company’s driver-assistance feature known as Autopilot and how it responds to emergency vehicles parked on highways. More recently, the agency has also investigated reports of Tesla steering wheels that have detached.
