Tesla trucks are some of the most “called in for service” by the manufacturer with problems with various systems or even serious hardware issues, such as steering wheel detachment while driving. But it seems the long-awaited Tesla Semi trucks aren’t enjoying a very different fate either, as three months after launch the company is calling in the trucks for service for a parking brake problem. Apparently, the trucks are able to roll out of the way even with the brake on.
Tesla Semi trucks “go downhill” with the parking brake on
This problem was reported at the end of February, and in the month since, Tesla has made the necessary investigations and decided to service 35 Tesla Semi trucks that may have these problems. Incidentally, this could be the number of Semi’s sold in total during this period, as only Pepsico would have started receiving their first deliveries since December.
Tesla will pay to replace the parking valve on these trucks, and there have been no reported accidents due to the hardware problem since the first deliveries were made. Considering we’re talking about 15-ton trucks that can carry another 36 tons of cargo, a parking brake you can rely on is crucial. Even a non-life-threatening accident could result in extreme damage.
Since the service call was issued on March 24, Tesla has a legal deadline of May 23 to notify customers of the problem and schedule service visits for repairs. This time, the US highway authority, NHTSA, did not have to force the company to carry out the service call, as Tesla did so voluntarily, based on internal investigations, thus acknowledging the problem.