Tesla is recalling 130,000 vehicles due to the central processing unit of vehicle infotainment systems overheating during fast charging. A problem that can cause the vehicle’s touchscreen to malfunction or go completely blank, reports the Associated Press. The automaker began rolling out an over-the-air (OTA) update earlier this month to fix the issue, which affects 2022 Model 3 and Model Y, as well as 2021 and 2022 Model X and Model S. .
“During fast charging or preparing for fast charging, the central information processing unit, the CPU of the infotainment system, may not cool sufficiently, which may cause the CPU to slow down or restart“, reads the recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). “Slowing down or restarting the CPU could cause the center screen display to lag or appear whiteThe recall does not explain exactly what caused the problem or how the software update will fix it, but it appears to be related to how the vehicle preconditions the battery for Supercharger use.
As noted by NHTSA, this issue could prevent drivers from using their rear view camera, shifting gears using the touchscreen, or adjusting their windshield wiper control. A priori, the other functions remain accessible. The NHTSA indicates that Tesla has identified 59 warranty claims related to this problem since the beginning of the year, but specifies that it is not aware of any incidents caused by this malfunction at this time.
In addition, note that Tesla began delivering vehicles equipped with AMD Ryzen chips for the infotainment system last year. However, the manufacturer does not indicate whether the new processor is the cause of the problem, AMD chips being supposed to be more efficient than the old Intel Atom.
The recall is the 11th for Tesla since Jan. 27, 2022, and it’s not the first to involve an infotainment system malfunction. However, most of the issues were resolved with simple software updates.