Tesla’s issuing a recall over an aftermarket charging accessory. Two non-standard charging accessories overheated, and no one was injured and there was no property damage.


The recall only impacts adapters made by a supplier a few years ago, and only affects cars in North America. Less than 2,000 adapters are effected, which is a small fraction of the more than 100,000 cars Tesla has built.

The issue should be fixed over the next couple of weeks, according to a recall notice:



In November 2016, we learned about two customers whose NEMA 14-30 charging adapters overheated. These are the only two such incidents that we know of anywhere in the world and neither resulted in any injuries or property damage. However, out of an abundance of caution, we’re replacing NEMA 14-30, 10-30 and 6-50 adapters that were made years ago by our original supplier. If you have one of these NEMA 14-30 adapters and regularly use it, you will receive a replacement from us within the next couple of weeks. Until then, we ask that you stop using your current adapter, and that you instead charge your car in a different way, such as with a Tesla Wall Connector or NEMA 14-50 adapter (if you have one), or by Supercharging. Although there have been no incidents with NEMA 10-30 or 6-50 adapters, they have some common elements with the NEMA 14-30, so we will be replacing those as well. These replacements will take about three months to develop and manufacture. In the meantime, since none of these adapters has ever overheated, you can continue to use them if you do not have another way to charge your car.﻿


Tesla’s letting NHTSA know today about the issue, and NHTSA hasn’t mandated this recall.



Tesla has a history of being pro-active with its recalls, which should rightly be lauded. In an automotive world where car companies and their suppliers wait until people die and/or are hit with screaming hot chunks of shrapnel before even making a peep, it’s important to recognize when car companies do something properly.

We wouldn’t dream of asking for a recall-proof car. Cars are designed, engineered, and built by humans, and mistakes can happen. But when you do make a mistake, there’s a right way and a wrong way to fix it.

Get your adapter checked if you have one.