Tesla recalls the Model X over rear seat safety

The Model X may be a groundbreaker in the electric vehicle world, but it also appears to be a bit rough around the edges in its initial form. Tesla has issued a recall for the SUV after discovering a flaw in the locking hinge for the recliner in the third row of seats. There's a chance that the hinge will fail on models built before March 26th, sending the seat back flying forward. That's not exactly what you want during a crash, to put it mildly. There aren't any reported incidents, but Tesla would rather not wait to get things sorted out.

There's already a fix available, and Tesla hopes to have the improved recliner in place on the roughly 2,700 shipped Model X units within the next five weeks. If you're one of those early adopters, you can keep using the Model X until the new equipment is ready -- just don't sit anyone at the very back.

This isn't Tesla's first recall, and it's no secret that these kinds of alerts are fairly common in the industry. Still, it's a blunt reminder that Elon Musk and crew aren't immune to the design and manufacturing glitches that crop up in the automotive world. However much more reliable an EV might be, it can have its share of flaws.