Tesla Issues Major Recall for Model 3 and Model Y After Reports of Sudden Power Loss

Tesla has just recalled 12,963 new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in the U.S. because a faulty battery pack contactor can shut off drive power without warning, according to federal filings and Tesla’s own notice. If you own one of these cars, that’s not a distant headline; it reaches straight into your drivetrain and changes how you handle safety, service timing, and even future resale value.

What This Tesla Battery Recall Actually Covers

Tesla’s own Model 3/Y battery pack contactor recall page spells out the basics. The recall covers 2025 Model 3 sedans built from March 8 to August 12, 2025, and 2026 Model Y SUVs built from March 15 to August 15, 2025, fitted with contactors that can open because of a poor internal coil connection. When that happens, torque to the wheels drops to zero, and the car tells you to pull over.

The official NHTSA recall 25V690 report confirms the numbers: 5,038 Model 3s, 7,925 Model Ys, 12,963 vehicles total. It also notes 36 warranty claims and 26 field reports, but no crashes or injuries linked to the defect so far. Tesla will replace the contactors free of charge at its service centers, with owner letters scheduled to start around December 9, 2025. A Reuters summary of the recall lines up with the same build dates, counts, and remedy.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Resale Value

Your first move is simple: check your VIN. Run it through Tesla’s recall checker in the app or on the web, or through NHTSA’s VIN lookup. If your car is in the affected window, open a service request, choose the recall repair, and grab the earliest slot that fits your week. Plan to hang out for roughly an hour while techs swap the contactors for updated parts that fix the coil connection problem.

Until the work is done, take any propulsion or high-voltage warning dead serious. If the car tells you to pull over, do it. Steering and brakes still work, but you lose the ability to accelerate, which is not something you want to test in the fast lane.

On the money side, a completed recall rarely dents value. Modern used-car shoppers expect to see recall entries on a history report. What turns buyers off is an open safety recall that the owner never bothered to fix. Getting this done now keeps your record clean and removes one easy excuse for a lowball offer when it’s time to sell or trade.

My Verdict

If you drive a 2025 Model 3 or 2026 Model Y, treat this recall like a free safety upgrade, not a drama. Check your VIN today, book the repair, and drive easy once the new hardware is in. You’ll lower the risk of a dead-throttle moment in traffic and keep your future resale number looking the way you want it: strong.