The announcement covers nearly all of the vehicles the company has delivered to date, though it said the problem had affected only a small number.
Regulators said 1 percent of the vehicles recalled could have the defect. The products affected include 1.7 million Escape S.U.V.s.
Tesla told the federal regulator that rolling stops were allowed only at intersections when no cars, pedestrians or bicyclists were detected but agreed to disable the feature.
The recalls, which Tesla initiated on Dec. 21, affect about 350,000 Model 3s and 120,000 Model S cars.
In a letter, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminded Tesla that federal law requires automakers to initiate recalls if they find defects that pose a safety risk.
General Motors has recalled 141,000 Bolts to replace battery packs that can catch on fire because of manufacturing defects.
The recall now covers 2017-2022 models. The latest move, to add three more model years, will increase costs by $1 billion.
The automaker has told owners of the 51,000 vehicles, from the 2017 to 2019 model years, to take precautions until defects are remedied.
The automaker has told owners of the 51,000 vehicles, from the 2017 to 2019 model years, to take precautions until defects are remedied.
Even electric vehicles serviced in response to a recall last year may still be at risk, the vehicle’s manufacturer and federal safety officials said.