Tesla Inc. is recalling 218,868 vehicles in the United States due to delayed rearview camera images that reduce driver visibility and increase crash risk, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Wednesday.

The issue stems from a software configuration in firmware version 2026.8.6, affecting vehicles equipped with Hardware 3. When the vehicle wakes up and shifts into reverse, the rearview camera image may remain blank for up to 11 seconds. This violates Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 on rear visibility.

Affected models include certain 2017 and 2021-2023 Model 3 sedans, 2020-2023 Model Y crossovers, and 2021-2023 Model S and Model X vehicles, all produced between November 29, 2017, and January 3, 2024. Tesla produced detailed production breakdowns in its recall filing, with Model S comprising the largest share at around 20,231 units across model years.

Tesla identified the problem on April 10, 2026, after an engineering vehicle running the firmware experienced a delay. The company immediately halted deployment of version 2026.8.6 to customers and issued a fix via over-the-air update as version 2026.8.6.1 the next day. Engineering analysis through late April confirmed the scope, leading to a voluntary recall determination.

The remedy involves a free OTA software update that resolves the camera stream delay to the media control unit. As of the recall filing on May 4, more than 99.92% of affected vehicles had received the update, requiring no further owner action for most. Tesla service centers and stores will be notified starting May 7, with owner letters mailed in July.

No collisions, injuries, or fatalities have been linked to the issue as of May 1. Tesla reported 27 related warranty claims and two field reports as of April 27.

This marks another software-related recall for Tesla, which has leveraged OTA updates to address issues swiftly without physical repairs. Last month, NHTSA closed a probe into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles over a remote movement feature after determining low-speed risks only.

Owners can check recall status using Tesla's VIN lookup or NHTSA's website. Tesla shares dipped slightly in early trading on Wednesday following the news.