Tesla Recalls Model 3 Highland in Australia Over a Compliance Breach

Under Australian Design Rule 34/03, five-seat vehicles must be equipped with a visible top-tether point for all three rear seats. For some reason or another, Tesla removed the flap that accesses the rear center seat's top-tether point.

The pre-facelift Model 3 featured a flap on the parcel shelf behind, allowing for easy access to said tether point. In the Highland, the rear center seat's top-tether point is hidden under a trim panel. ADR 34/03 clearly states that the top-tether point has to be accessible without the use of tools, which is why Tesla Australia was forced by the federal transport department to halt deliveries on January 18, 2024.

As expected, the stop-delivery order also resulted in a recall. Customer deliveries for the Aussie market kicked off in December 2023. Through January 17, 2024, the Austin-based automaker delivered 505 examples of the Highland in this part of the world.

The owners of said vehicles will be contacted by Tesla Australia to schedule a service appointment. Service centers have already been told to carry out a part replacement to provide access to the top-tether restraint anchorage of the rear center seat.

Owners shouldn't secure a child seat on the rear middle seat until the remedy is completed. Highland owners can also take matters into their own hands by contacting Tesla Australia for additional information at csau@tesla.com or 1800 646 952.

As opposed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States of America, the Department of Infrastructure publishes complete lists of vehicle identification numbers. In this case, the 17-character VIN list starts with LRW3F7FS6PC026007 and ends with LRW3F7EK3PC026225. It should be noted that LRW stands for Tesla's Chinese division, meaning that the Model 3 Highland for the Australian market is assembled by Tesla at Giga Shanghai in China.

Launched in the United States at the beginning of the year, the Model 3 Highland carries a starting price of $38,990 for the rear-wheel-drive version. The Dual Motor Long Range is $45,990 back home in America, with Tesla promising 341 miles (549 kilometers) of driving range and 4.2 seconds from 0 to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour).

The Performance is nowhere to be seen, but hearsay suggests a March 2024 to April 2024 release window. In Australia, which uses the WLTP testing procedure, the Dual Motor Long Range offers up to 629 kilometers (390 miles) on a full charge.

Including taxes, duties, and fees, the more desirable of the two specifications is advertised with a driveaway price of $77,642 in Australia. The lesser version is $67,142. Converted to freedom eagles, that'd be $44,290 and $51,215, respectively.