Tesla recalls 6,000 US vehicles over loose brake bolts

NEW YORK — Electric vehicle maker Tesla has initiated a recall of nearly 6,000 vehicles to inspect brake calipers for loose bolts.

The recall, made public on Tuesday, involves as many as 5,974 cars from the 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y lines.

"The brake caliper bolts may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate and contact the wheel rim," according to a document sent by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to Tesla after it notified the regulatory agency of the issue.

"Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash."

Tesla is not aware of the issue causing any injuries or deaths, according to the NHTSA documents, and the company will inspect and tighten or replace customers' caliper bolts as needed.

The automaker became aware in December that a fastener was missing from a brake caliper on a 2021 Model Y and began an investigation to see how widespread the issue was, according to the documents, which add that Tesla has taken steps to fix the problem on the assembly line.