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# Tesla Recalls 475,318 Model 3 and Model S Vehicles Over Camera Cables and Front-Hood Latches
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/taq-historical-2022-01-01-tech/
- Published: 2022-01-02T04:59:00.000Z
- Updated: 2022-01-02T04:59:00.000Z
- Description: Tesla is recalling 475,318 Model 3 and Model S vehicles after federal filings identified rear-camera cable failures and front-hood latch defects that could raise crash risks.
- Author: Kenneth R. Deans Jr.
- Tags: Tech, #Import 2026-08-31 07:53

Tesla is recalling 475,318 vehicles in two separate safety campaigns covering Model 3 sedans and Model S hatchbacks after federal filings identified defects that could either disable the rearview camera or allow the front hood to open unexpectedly.

The larger action covers [356,309 Model 3 vehicles](https://www.wamc.org/2021-12-30/tesla-recalls-nearly-half-a-million-cars-over-possible-safety-issues?ref=theamericanquorum.com) from model years 2017 through 2020\. The second covers 119,009 Model S vehicles from model years 2014 through 2021\. Together, the recalls approach the roughly half-million vehicles Tesla delivered worldwide in 2020 and place renewed attention on how a rapidly scaling electric-vehicle manufacturer manages conventional hardware safety alongside software-heavy vehicle design.

## Rear-camera wiring can fail after repeated trunk use

For the Model 3, Tesla told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that repeated opening and closing of the trunk can damage the coaxial cable harness serving the rearview camera. If the cable fails, the image may no longer appear on the center display when the car is shifted into reverse, reducing rear visibility and increasing crash risk.

The company estimated that only a fraction of the recalled vehicles would actually contain the defect, but the population includes essentially all U.S. Model 3 vehicles built in the affected years. A contemporaneous [NPR report](https://www.kpbs.org/news/national/2021/12/30/tesla-recalls-nearly-half-a-million-cars-over-possible-safety-issues?ref=theamericanquorum.com) described the combined recall population as 475,318 vehicles and noted that the two actions stem from separate design or manufacturing problems.

## Model S hood latch raises a direct visibility hazard

The Model S issue is more mechanical. Tesla's formal [Part 573 report](https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCLRPT-21V00B-6667.PDF?ref=theamericanquorum.com) says the secondary front-trunk latch can be positioned too far rearward, preventing it from engaging correctly. If the primary latch is released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood can open without warning and obstruct the driver's view.

NHTSA's [acknowledgment letter](https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCAK-21V00B-1983.pdf?ref=theamericanquorum.com), dated December 29, says the defect affects 119,009 Model S vehicles and violates Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 113 governing hood-latch systems. Tesla plans to inspect and reposition the latch assembly at no charge.

A [Fox Business account](https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/tesla-recall-electric-cars-auto?ref=theamericanquorum.com) reported that Tesla was not aware of crashes, injuries or deaths tied to the two conditions when the recalls were announced.

## A safety spotlight already trained on Tesla

The recalls arrive while NHTSA is already scrutinizing Tesla's driver-assistance technology. The agency has been investigating crashes involving vehicles using Autopilot or related features near emergency scenes, and federal regulators have also been discussing other camera-related issues with the company. A contemporaneous [Reuters report](https://www.aol.com/finance/tesla-recalls-over-475-000-133549082-205924166.html?ref=theamericanquorum.com) noted that NHTSA was probing Tesla's driver-assistance system while discussing an additional camera issue with the automaker.

The combined action illustrates a basic reality of modern vehicle engineering: software can update remotely, but physical components still fail through motion, wear, alignment and repeated use. Tesla has built much of its identity around over-the-air updates and a vertically integrated technology platform. Yet the Model 3 camera defect stems from a wiring harness repeatedly flexing as the trunk opens and closes, while the Model S problem centers on the fit of a latch assembly.

## Scale turns small defect rates into large recall populations

Tesla's sales growth magnifies the operational implications. Even if only a minority of vehicles are expected to exhibit a defect, a design affecting hundreds of thousands of cars creates a large service and notification burden. The recalled Model 3 population alone exceeds 350,000 cars.

That scale also means federal safety documentation is becoming an increasingly important window into Tesla's engineering processes. The company has historically relied heavily on direct customer communication and remote software, but formal recalls impose standardized reporting, owner notification and remedy obligations. The [public filings](https://www.kpbs.org/news/national/2021/12/30/tesla-recalls-nearly-half-a-million-cars-over-possible-safety-issues?ref=theamericanquorum.com) spell out production ranges, estimated defect rates and planned remedies in a way that ordinary software updates do not.

For drivers, the practical fixes differ by vehicle. Model 3 owners will have the camera harness inspected and, if necessary, modified or replaced. Model S owners will have the front-trunk latch inspected and repositioned. For Tesla, the larger issue is reputational and operational: as the company sells vehicles at mass-market scale, traditional automotive quality-control failures can now affect populations measured in the hundreds of thousands.