Tesla recalls all Model S cars over seat belt issue

Tesla Motors Inc. said Friday it will voluntarily recall all Model S sedans to check a potential issue with the front seat belts.

In an email to customers, the Palo Alto-based company said it recently found a Model S in Europe with a front seat belt that was “improperly attached.”

The car was not involved in an accident and no injuries were reported, but Tesla said a seat belt in “this condition” would not provide “full protection” in a crash.

The recall comes more than a month after Consumer Reports withdrew its recommendation for the Model S — a car it previously had raved about. The magazine surveyed 1,400 Model S owners who described an “array of detailed and complicated maladies” with charging equipment, power equipment, the drivetrain and the center console, in addition to sunroof issues.

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The company said it decided to conduct the seat belt recall as a “proactive and precautionary measure.” There are no concerns about the seat belts in the back seat, Tesla said.

The company said the European Model S it examined is the only customer vehicle it knows of with this condition, and that it found no issues after inspecting the seat belts in more than 3,000 vehicles spanning the entire range of Model S production.

Tesla said it will send Model S owners an official recall notice by mail and that drivers should visit a Tesla service center for a free inspection.

Tesla previously recalled the Model S because of a problem with a seat latch in 2013 and to upgrade the software in 2014 to fix a potential charging-system problem.

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