Tesla recall: Heat pump won't defrost windshield fast enough

A 2021 Model 3 sedan at a Tesla dealership in Littleton, Colo., on June 27, 2021. (David Zalubowski / AP)

DETROIT — Tesla is recalling nearly 27,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the cabin heating systems may not defrost the windshield quickly enough, cutting visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

The latest in a series of recent recalls covers certain 2021 and 2022 Models 3, S, and X, and some 2020 through 2022 Model Y vehicles.

Tesla says it doesn't know of any crashes or injuries tied to the problem. Documents posted Wednesday say the electric vehicle maker will send out an online software update to fix the issue.

U.S. safety regulators say in the documents that a software error can cause a valve in the vehicles' heat pumps to open unintentionally, trapping refrigerant inside the evaporator. That can reduce defrosting performance.

The problem can deplete the refrigerant in some parts of the heat pump, causing the compressor to stop working as a fail-safe measure. That can cause loss of cabin heating, largely when it's minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) or colder.

Tesla stores and service centres were to have been notified of the recall around Feb. 4.

The recall is the 14th done by Tesla since January 2021, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records.