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The recall will impact Model S, X, 3 and Y vehicles that have its beta version of the "full self-driving" software enabled. "Full self-driving" is a controversial driver-assist feature that aims to one day allow cars to drive themselves.
"The Vehicle Safety Act prohibits manufacturers from selling vehicles with defects posing unreasonable risks to safety, including intentional design choices that are unsafe. If the information shows that a safety risk may exist, NHTSA will act immediately," the administration said in a statement.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The recalled feature, called "rolling stop," allowed vehicles to travel through all-way stop intersections at up to 5.6 mph under certain conditions. Drivers had to set their vehicle to a "full self-driving" style that included the feature. The vehicle's "chill" setting, the setting a user can select that drives the most conservatively of the options Tesla gives drivers, is not described as including the feature. The other settings, "average" and "assertive," include the feature.
The "rolling stop" function also required that no relevant moving cars or pedestrian or bicyclists were detected near the intersection. The function wouldn't activate without sufficient visibility, and all roads entering the intersection need to have a speed limit of no more than 30 mph.
"If all the above conditions are met, only then will the vehicle travel through the all-way-stop intersection at a speed from 0.1 mph up to 5.6 mph without first coming to a complete stop," the recall document states.
Tesla said that it is not aware of any collisions, injuries or fatalities related to the feature.