Elon Musk’s Tesla has reportedly been shipping out a few of its electric cars without Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports. According to Electrek, some Tesla customers noticed that the newly-purchased Model 3s and Model Ys delivered to them are missing USB ports.
After receiving complaints about the issue, Tesla has reportedly told customers the absence of ports is due to the global chip shortage. Moreover, some buyers also alleged Tesla did not even notify them about the lack of these USB ports. For some owners, similar complaints on social media were the reason they got to know about the issue with their vehicle.
Tesla cars missing USB ports in the centre console were also reported to have inactive wireless phone charging systems. Image: Reuters
The issue came to light on 11 November, and the problem seems limited to the Model 3 and Model Y, as per the publication. It was through social media website Reddit that buyers spoke about their concerns about the missing ports. Many buyers said the USB-C ports on the centre console and for rear seat passengers were missing, while others claimed their EV’s wireless phone charging system also wasn’t working, as per Electrek.
Soon after the complaint, many buyers managed to get in touch with Tesla, following which the company asserted the ports will be made available this December. Furthermore, customers can make an appointment to get them installed in their car.
This is not the first time vehicles have been shipped without certain parts by automakers due to the global chip shortage. Recently, BMW dropped touchscreen functionality from some models due to the semiconductor crisis. Meanwhile, both BMW and Tesla have removed passenger seat lumbar support functions from select models.