Tesla Model Y under investigation after steering wheels come off

(New York) The United States Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA) has opened a preliminary investigation into Model Ys manufactured by Tesla after two reports of almost new cars whose steering wheel separated from the steering column while the cars were driving.

Both vehicles were delivered without the bolt connecting the steering wheel to the steering column, details a document made public on Wednesday. And they didn’t have a lot of kilometers on the clock when the incidents happened.

An investigation was launched on Saturday to “evaluate the extent, frequency and manufacturing processes related” to this problem, adds the document.

The agency estimates that 120,089 vehicles, Model Y of the 2023 model year, are potentially affected.

The incidents, which occurred at low speed, caused no injuries.

This preliminary investigation is in addition to several ongoing investigations into Tesla vehicles, with the NHTSA investigating in particular the driver assistance systems offered by the group.