Tesla Motors and Lotus announce matching recall notices

Tesla Motors has announced its first-ever recall, affecting all 345 Roadsters the Silicon Valley automaker produced in 2008. According to the official recall notice from the NHTSA, the rear hub flange bolts on some vehicles may not be torqued to proper specifications, which could lead to "degradation in vehicle handling and a rubbing noise from the rear of the vehicle." That, as you would imagine, would be bad, and if left unresolved could result in a crash.

The problem can be traced back to the Lotus factory in Hethel, England where the Roadster's main chassis is constructed before being shipped to the States to have its electric drivetrain installed. This being the case, Lotus has issued its own matching recall on the 27 Elises and Exiges that have shipped so far in 2009. As always, you are advised to contact the manufacturer as soon as possible if you've yet to be notified of the recall.