Tesla Recall: Over-The-Air Updates, NEMA Connectors, And More

Every carmaker puts its own interpretation on news, especially at Detroit Auto Show.

So it's reasonable for Tesla Motors to cast an NHTSA recall yesterday as an example of its ability to respond swiftly and effectively to update its Model S electric car to make the customer experience even better.

The NHTSA recall (number 14V006000), issued yesterday, applies to 2013 Model S cars "equipped for, and delivered with, certain NEMA 14-50 (240 volt) Universal Mobile Connector (UMC) adapters."

The safety concern is that while the Model S is recharging, the wall outlet, the charging cord, or the adapter itself could overheat--potentially causing fire or burns.

Tesla had told the NHTSA last fall that it knew of several cases of overheating, including a garage fire in Irvine, California, that resulted in significant damage.

The solution is an over-the-air update of the car's firmware; Tesla executives said most of the cars had already been updated.

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