In March 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a preliminary investigation into reports that front seat-belt linkages in certain Tesla vehicles had detached from their pretensioner anchors. The probe started with two complaints about 2022–2023 Model X vehicles. It is an inquiry into a possible safety defect, not a finding that every Tesla or every seat belt is faulty. Tesla later filed a recall covering certain 2021–2023 Model S and Model X vehicles, a group wider than the Model X population in the original probe. Whether your car is affected depends on its VIN, not on the model name alone.
What NHTSA opened in March 2023
On March 24, 2023, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE23-006. The agency acted after receiving two complaints alleging that front seat-belt linkages had come off the outboard pretensioner anchors in certain model-year 2022–2023 Tesla Model X vehicles.
The component under review is the front seat-belt retractor assembly, specifically the linkage that connects it to the pretensioner anchor. A pretensioner tightens the belt during a crash, so a detached linkage is a restraint concern. The agency’s opening record presents the detachment as an allegation under evaluation. It does not state that all Tesla vehicles, all seat belts, or all Model X vehicles were defective.
How the recall differs from the investigation
Tesla filed recall 23V-488 for certain model-year 2021–2023 Model S and Model X vehicles. The investigation and the recall cover different populations, so they should not be read as the same scope.
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| Item | NHTSA investigation PE23-006 | Tesla recall 23V-488 |
|---|---|---|
| Type of action | Preliminary evaluation into a possible safety defect | Manufacturer recall with owner remedy instructions |
| Date | Opened March 24, 2023 | Filed in 2023 |
| Models | Model X | Model S and Model X |
| Model years | 2022–2023 | 2021–2023 |
| Trigger | Two complaints of linkage detachment | Tesla’s filing; the recall population is defined by VIN |
| What it establishes | That NHTSA is reviewing the allegation | Which vehicles are included in the remedy campaign |
The model-year ranges describe the campaign population. They do not mean every vehicle in those years has a fault.
How to check whether your Tesla is affected
- Locate your 17-character VIN. It appears on the driver-side dashboard near the windshield and on the registration or insurance documents.
- Enter the VIN in Tesla’s owner recall lookup, or in NHTSA’s recall lookup on nhtsa.gov.
- If the VIN is listed in the recall, contact Tesla service and request the front seat-belt anchor inspection described in the recall instructions.
- If the VIN is not listed, no recall action applies to that vehicle under 23V-488. You can still report any seat-belt concern to NHTSA.
Do not attempt a do-it-yourself repair or install a generic seat-belt component as a substitute. The manufacturer’s service procedure is the approved remedy.
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What the investigation does and does not establish
- It establishes that NHTSA opened a review after two complaints about front seat-belt linkage detachment.
- It identifies the retractor-to-pretensioner-anchor linkage in certain 2022–2023 Model X vehicles as the subject of that review.
- It does not establish that the defect exists in every vehicle. A preliminary evaluation can end in a recall, a closed file, or a further investigation.
- It does not establish that other Tesla models, other model years, or other seat-belt designs share the condition.
Current status and how to verify it
The facts above come from the NHTSA opening record for PE23-006, Tesla’s 2023 recall filing, and Tesla’s owner support page for that recall. These records were accurate as of their dates. NHTSA investigation files and recall populations can be updated after the original publication, so check the NHTSA investigation record and the VIN lookup directly before relying on a status for a specific car. If an investigation has been upgraded, closed, or expanded, the official file will show it.
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