Excerpt from Drive Article – Published on Jan 29, 2024
Following the discovery and rectification of a compliance breach concerning Australian motor-vehicle regulations, Tesla has resumed deliveries of the 2024 Model 3 electric car after a temporary halt. The pause, lasting nine days, was initiated to address a violation related to the child-seat top-tether anchor points for the middle-rear seat, which had been concealed beneath the parcel shelf behind the rear seats, contrary to regulations mandating accessibility without the use of tools. Reports emerged on January 9th, with Drive being the first to highlight that the Model 3 was under investigation by federal regulators due to the inaccessible top-tether anchor point. This anchor point is a requisite for approval for road use in Australia.
During the suspension of deliveries, which commenced at 5:00 p.m. on January 17, 2024, Tesla Australia worked to rectify the compliance breach. On January 24, 2024, Tesla announced plans to resume deliveries “in the coming week.” Recent images shared on Facebook depict the resolution of the compliance issue through the installation of a new parcel shelf. Notably, the new shelf features a flap in the center, allowing access to the top-tether point for child seats.
This modification closely resembles, if not replicates, the parcel shelf design found in pre-updated Tesla Model 3 units sold from 2019 to late 2023. These earlier models also incorporated a flap for accessing the middle-rear top tether.
Despite the resumption of deliveries for the 2024 Model 3, there remains uncertainty regarding the timeline for addressing the compliance breach in previously delivered vehicles. Tesla has yet to provide guidance on when these vehicles will be recalled to resolve the accessibility issue with the top-tether anchor points. With deliveries now back on track, Tesla aims to reassure customers and regulatory authorities of its commitment to adhering to motor-vehicle compliance regulations in Australia.
To delve deeper into this topic, please read the full article in the Drive.