Tesla recalls almost 200,000 vehicles in China over boot issue that may cause collisions

The latest blow to the US self-driving car pioneer comes just hours after a similar recall was made in the US

Tesla China headquarters in Beijing. The US self-driving car pioneer's vehicles are hugely popular in the world's second-largest economy. Reuters

Tesla is recalling almost 200,000 vehicles in China over problems with the boot and bonnet that raise the risk of collisions, a state regulator said on Friday, hours after a similar recall was announced in the US.

The order is the latest blow to the American self-driving car pioneer, which is hugely popular in China although the firm's reputation has taken a hit this year following a spate of crashes, scandals and data security concerns.

China's State Administration for Market Regulation said the defects could affect the vehicles' backup cameras or cause the bonnet to open suddenly while driving.

The move covers three batches of cars produced between 2015 and 2020.

The electric vehicle company of Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest person, will inspect the cars for free and fix the issues, the regulator said.

The recall includes around 19,700 Model S cars that could have latch problems with the bonnet and about 180,000 Model 3 vehicles.

In the Model 3 cars, repeated opening and closing of the boot may damage a cable for the rear-view camera.

“This will affect the driver's vision when reversing, and in extreme cases will increase the risk of collision,” the regulator said.

The Chinese notice came hours after US authorities said Tesla was recalling almost 500,000 vehicles in the country due to similar problems.

Tesla estimated that just one per cent of the recalled Model 3 vehicles contain the problem, and the company knew of no related crash or injury, according to the US safety regulator.

In June, the electric car giant recalled more than 285,000 cars in China over issues with its assisted driving software that could cause accidents.