Tesla issues Model S recall due to unsafe back seat

Electric car company Tesla has just issued a partial recall for its Model S sedans.

The recall specifically covers automobiles delivered to customers this year during May and June and relates to the back seat of the car.

So far, no injuries or customer complaints have been recorded, Tesla says. Cars still at the manufacturing facility were repaired before they left for sale.

From the recall notice:

The attachment strength of the mounting bracket for the left hand latch of the second row seat could be weaker than intended. This reduces our confidence that the left hand seat back will be properly retained in the event of a crash.

As designed, the striker bracket is both bonded and welded to the vehicle body, either one of which would be sufficient by itself. This is consistent with the primary design goal of the Model S, which is first and foremost to maximize safety. However, we discovered that, due to body side alignment adjustments in the factory, the bonded section of the joint was compromised and the welded section of the joint was weakened in some cars.

The company is contacting affected customers individually and will transport the faulty vehicles, reinforce the striker brackets, and return the cars to their owners.

Recently, we reported that the Model S had outscored every other car in Consumer Reports ratings.

Just a day after the company reported record sales and its first-ever quarterly profit, Consumer Reports released a statement saying, ““This car performs better than anything we’ve ever tested before,” Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ director of testing says. “Not just the best electric car, but the best car. It does just about everything really, really well.”

Here’s hoping this recall is just a minor bump in the road for Tesla.