In January 2014 Tesla recalled 29,222 Model S cars after a charger plug was suspected in a garage fire. The main fix came as a wireless software update. The car now detected charging problems and lowered the charging rate. Tesla also mailed owners new plugs with a thermal fuse. Elon Musk wrote on Twitter: “The word ‘recall’ needs to be recalled.”
Tesla had sent such updates since the car’s launch. The first one, in October 2012, added a “creep mode.” Version 7.0, in October 2015, improved Autopilot, including Autosteer and Autopark. MIT Technology Review wrote in 2014 that “it has become common for Tesla to send out updates that address problems and enhance performance.”