An exclusive story by Reuters reports Thursday that Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is facing an inquiry by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) concerning suspension failures in the company's electric vehicles.
According to the report, the NPRA began questioning the EV giant in September 2022 and asked the automaker to evaluate complaints about their vehicle’s lower rear control arms breaking on its Model S and X vehicles.
NPRA senior engineer, Tor-Ove Satren told reporters that the Norwegian traffic safety regulator may recommend Tesla recall all model years of the S and X vehicles to replace the control arm.
However, the review might conclude there is no safety issue and close the review or choose to extend the investigation.
The agency is anticipated to make a decision by Christmas. They possess the power to mandate a recall if an automaker declines to do so voluntarily.
The regulatory review in Norway was prompted by more than 10 customer reports to the agency in 2022 about suspension parts such as the control arm suddenly breaking.
One report to the NPRA includes a customer complaint, which reads, "Control arm broken off. This is a damage MANY other Teslas have received. Direct traffic hazard."
Satren mentioned that the agency had received reports from consumers who claimed that the control arms on their Teslas broke shortly after undergoing inspection at a service center.
The NPRA initially sought a meeting with Tesla officials in September 2022 upon receiving customer concerns. According to Satren, the agency had its final meeting with Tesla this month.
If the agency suggests or mandates a recall, it may also relay the problem to the European Union's Safety Gate. This system, previously known as RAPEX, serves as a rapid alert system for possibly hazardous non-food products. Satren mentioned that this action would notify Tesla owners and EU member states about the potential for suspension failures.
Satren also noted that Tesla has recently made modifications to the lower rear control arm.
Shares of TSLA are up 2.04% in mid-day trading on Thursday.