Tesla Model 3 deliveries may resume in Australia within a week

Deliveries of the latest Tesla Model 3 electric car may resume within the next week after a breach of Australian motor-vehicle regulations is addressed.

Last week customer deliveries of the updated Model 3 were placed on hold indefinitely while Tesla worked to resolve a compliance breach which saw access removed to a child-seat anchor point needed to pass motor-vehicle compliance rules.

Tesla Australia has advised customers it is “finalising” a fix for the inaccessible child-seat top-tether point, and said it expects “to recommence deliveries in the coming week”.

It is still unclear when a recall will be issued for affected Tesla Model 3 electric cars which have already been delivered to customers, since the first was handed over in late December 2023.

Drive was the first to report earlier this month that the Model 3 was under investigation by Australian authorities for the breach of motor-vehicle regulations, known as Australian Design Rules.

It is a requirement for five-seat passenger vehicles – with three seatbelts across the rear, and a seatback which does not fold along the centre line of the middle seating position – to have an accessible top-tether point for securing child seats in all three seating positions.

A top-tether point for the middle rear seat was fitted to the previous Tesla Model 3 – accessed by a flap on the parcel shelf behind the rear headrests – in production from 2019 to late 2023.

However photos of the updated model captured and published by Drive show a middle top tether is no longer accessible, even though it is required for compliance with local vehicle regulations – known as Australian Design Rules (ADRs) – and approval for use on the road.

The top-tether point appears to remain under the trim panel behind the rear-seat headrests, however it is not accessible unless this component is removed – which is in breach of ADRs, which require the tether to be accessible “without the use of tools”.

The ANCAP rating for the facelifted Model 3 was pulled after Drive published its story on the compliance breach on Tuesday 9 January 2024.

The notice to customers from Tesla Australia today – as published on social media – reads: “Thank you for your patience as we navigate the technical compliance matter that caused the cancellation of your Model 3 delivery appointment.

“We are pleased to advise that we are finalising this matter by ensuring access to the vehicle’s rear-centre seat top tether restraint anchorage point.

“At this time, we expect to recommence deliveries in the coming week where your order will be prioritised for delivery.

“Once again, we sincerely apologise for this inconvenience, and we look forward to getting you behind the wheel of your new Model 3 as soon as possible. If you have any enquiries or require assistance, please contact us on 1800 686 705.”

It is unclear how Tesla will restore access to the top-tether point, and if it will cut a hole in the existing parcel shelf behind the rear seats – or if it will retrofit the parcel shelf from the outgoing Model 3, which included a flap for accessing the centre top tether point.

Australian Design Rules state that “every vehicle shall provide the facility to attach an ‘Upper Anchorage Strap’ ‘Attaching Clip’ to an ‘Upper Anchor Fitting’ for each seating position”.