35 Tesla Semi Units Recalled and Will Be Repaired at No Cost Due To Faulty Parking Brake Valve Modules

Elon Musk's Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), an American electric vehicle manufacturer, recalls 35 2023 Tesla Semi trucks after discovering issues in the vehicle's electronic parking brake valve module (PVM). As per Investing.com, the brake may fail to shift into the park position when the parking brake is triggered.

The electronic parking brake module was discovered to fail to engage owing to air leakage within the unit, leaving drivers uninformed that it is not enabled, potentially resulting in a rollaway mishap when the driver releases the service brake.

(Photo: VERONIQUE DUPONT/AFP via Getty Images)
Tesla Chairman and CEO Elon Musk unveiled the new "Semi" electric Truck for buyers and journalists on November 16, 2017, in Hawthorne, California, near Los Angeles.

Safety Recall Report in the Electric Vehicle's Brake

As per Teslarati, Musk's electric vehicle company has announced a voluntary recall for its Class 8 all-electric Semi trucks due to faulty parking brake valve modules as per the notice issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

According to the NHTSA's Safety Recall Report, specific units of Tesla Semi are equipped with an electronically controlled parking brake valve module provided by a supplier that may fail in the transition of the parking brake, which may result in the brakes not being set or released. That means the electric truck could move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a vehicular crash.

The Safety Recall Report further noted that the fault is due to the supplier specification that allowed for excessive internal air leakage, which resulted in the valve modules failing to transition.

The recall was issued on February 13, 2023, when supplier Bendix told Tesla that their safety committee had opted to file for a recall for the component used in Tesla Semi. Teslarati reported that the company conducted its own investigation until March 17, 2023, then filed a voluntary recall for the Class 8 truck.

For now, no one has filed warranty claims yet for crashes, injuries, or fatalities. Tesla noted that they would replace the components for free on affected vehicles.

About Tesla Semi Units

Tesla has started delivering its electric Semi units after years of delays. According to Top Electric SUV, the Tesla Semi has a unique design with a cab structure often described as belonging to the future, featuring a massive wraparound glass area that slopes into the frunk.

The glass panels extend to the doors, and cameras send the feed to interior screens as an alternative to mirrors. The Semi's nose is blanked off, while a small air intake cools the battery between the front and rear axles, with one axle on the front and two at the rear.

Moreover, the electric vehicle uses a tri-motor powertrain often used in the Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid, with a Highway Drive Unit on one axle and two Acceleration Drive Units on the other. The Acceleration Drive Units engage only when needed for maximum efficiency, as the Semi consumes less than 2 kWh per mile when fully loaded at 82,000 pounds.

Tesla's Semi ranges about 500 miles (800 km) depending on the configuration and uses the company's Megachargers for rapid charging. It is expected to compete with traditional diesel trucks, offering operational cost and performance benefits and zero emissions; however, it is also notably more expensive up-front than its diesel competitors.