Tesla Battery Recall Issued Across Australia After Overheating Incidents
Thousands of households in Australia are being urged to check their Tesla battery systems amid an urgent nationwide recall.
A serious safety concern has been flagged by Tesla concerning a batch of lithium-ion battery cells sourced from a third-party supplier, after reports of smoking or emitting flames coming from Powerwall 2 units with the affected battery cells, resulting in minor property damage.
The faulty cells may overheat and pose a fire risk. It is unknown at this stage how many have been impacted but no injuries have been reported to date.
According to a recall notice published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Tuesday, the affected Powerwall 2 units were sold between November 2020 and June 2022, and distributed across Australia by Tesla Motors Australia Pty Ltd.
Tesla said it has already acted to reduce the risk, with most affected units remotely drained. Meanwhile, a standard safety measure in battery recalls is to lower the charge, which helps prevent overheating until a replacement can be installed.
Customers are being advised to check their Tesla app for any messages about whether their Powerwall 2 is affected and Tesla will schedule full replacements at no cost to the customer, the company said on their website.
In a public notice, Tesla wrote: "Affected customers are being notified through the Tesla app. For scheduling replacements, Tesla or certified installers will reach out by email or phone."
