2015 Tesla Model S

A few times the steering control has shut off while I am driving. Steering failure lasts a few seconds and then returns to normal function. The car makes a VERY loud alarm sound when the steering is inoperable. I have not seen any failure messages on the screen or in the Service menu. I took the car to Tesla for service yesterday. They did some sort of remote scan of the fault codes and told me that there is nothing wrong. They told me to continue to drive the car and record when the steering stops working again. This sounds like ridiculously bad advice to me. While the steering control has always returned in just a few seconds, that does not mean that it will in any future failure. I am concerned about driving this car. Tesla wants $275 an hour to investigate the problem, which also seems ridiculous to me. I have seen that there has been a recall for similar problems in newer Tesla Model S vehicles. It seems logical to me that these problems may be related and deserve additional investigation ... at Tesla's expense.

Reported

Aug 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Many air bubbles are appearing towards the bottom of the instrument panel on our 2015 Tesla Model S. This started a couple of weeks ago and the bubbles are increasing in size and number and they are moving upwards. The bubbles don’t presently obscure important driver information such as the transmission mode (drive, park, reverse, neutral), remaining battery range (e.g. 80%), car speed (mph), parking sensor distance, brake light status, car door open, frunk open, tailgate open, time, outdoor temperature, car lights on/off, warning lights, etc. However, the bubbles likely will do so in the future. Much of this information is vital for safe driving (e.g. transmission mode, speed (mph), remaining battery range, brake light status, and warning lights). As such this display should be replaced by Tesla at nominal or no charge to the owner. According to the internet, the cause of these air bubbles is a failed seal around the instrument cluster that allows a lamination fluid between the LCD display and the cover glass to leak out. It is a very common problem with older Model S’s. It is a critical safety problem.

Reported

Aug 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Large drive unit that has previously been replaced by Tesla failed due to coolant ingress leaking through rotor seal. Known issue per 3rd party technicians.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Feb 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Hi, my trunk won't open when I press the button. This is the second occurrence that jas happend. When inside the trunk compartment the emergency cable to open the trunk is also not responsive and can not open the trunk. I think this is a big safety concern as the safety cord is there for a reason and in both cases id did not worked.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Steering: While driving today (7/5/2025), all of a sudden and without warning, "driver assist" (power steering) became disabled. Steering wheel immediately became heavy in the sense that it was extremely difficult to turn. Motor: Also, on 02/22/2024, while driving on the freeway at freeway speed, all of a sudden and without warning, the rear LDU (large drive unit) failed and the car became inoperable. At that time, the car had approximately 45k miles on it.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Electric power steering stopped working unexpectedly and making it very difficult to steer and drive safely.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I parked my 2015 Tesla Model S and found the rear door on the passenger side would not open from the outside even though the door handle was extended. This is a safety concern as we could not open the door to remove our pet dog from the car. It would also not be possible to open the door from the outside to remove a child in a car seat next to the door or an elderly or disabled person sitting next to the door who is unable to open the door from the inside. This could be life threatening in the case of a car crash. It is a major safety defect that should be repaired at no cost by Tesla for the entire lifespan of the car. The problem persists and is reproducible.

Reported

Jun 2025

Incident date

Jun 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

While driving and mid-turn, 2 alerts were announced (park assist not available; steer assist reduced) and I immediately lost the ability to turn the steering wheel (it was 100% stiff) mid turn and was almost t-boned by a vehicle in on-coming traffic. I was able to make the turn widely and pull car to the side while blocking the only lane of traffic. I had ZERO warning and ZERO ability to turn the wheel even into a simple driveway. There was a parking lot near and I couldn't turn the wheel just to turn into it. This almost caused a huge accident which I could have been killed in. Luckily my children were not in the car. If the car can just stop working with no warning, it is not safe to drive in my opinion.

Reported

May 2025

Incident date

May 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Safety concern related to the tail lights and trunk lid lights on a tesla model s. I have had to replace both right and left turn lights and the trunk brake lights on multiple occasions due to water intrusion into the light housings. Water seepage over time or after heavy rains starts shorting the LEDs, thus causing safety concerns due to non-functioning tail lights. The vehicle has not been in an accident. It was purchased from a tesla "dealership" and they stated that there were no accidents. The car history report also indicates that the car has not been in an accident. There has been one attempted repair which added two drains to the trunk lid but the repair did not remedied the seepage into the light housing. There are reports online relating to water seepage into the light housings so its not just my car.

Reported

Apr 2025

Incident date

Feb 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that three door handles had been replaced over the years. The contact stated that the door handles were not responding, and the contact was unable to enter the vehicle. The contact stated that several attempts were needed before the door before being able to enter the vehicle. The contact stated that the driver's side door handle and the passenger’s side door handle were malfunctioning. The contact stated that there were no messages on the phone App, or on the instrument cluster. The contact had not yet taken the vehicle to the local dealer for the driver’s and passenger’s side front door handles. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 280,000.

Reported

Mar 2025

Incident date

Jul 2020

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

While driving approximately 45mph on a smooth dry road, the drivers side front lower ball joint broke in half. This caused the wheel to separate from the lower control arm and get lodged between the fender well and the front subframe. This caused the inner tie rod to bend and the cv joint to separate from the inner connection. The rubber brake line was torn in half and undercarriage damage due to it slamming to the pavement. I notified Tesla and scheduled an appointment. This happened on 02/26/2025 at approximately 7am. The vehicle did not drive abnormal or give any warning before the incident. All maintenance and services were up to date.

Reported

Feb 2025

Incident date

Feb 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

The universal joint that connects the steering to the wheels is exposed to the elements and causes the steering to be difficult and/or stop working.

Reported

Nov 2024

Incident date

Jul 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The car veered suddenly to the left (out of the left lane of a highway) while supervised in auto steer. The driver could not move the steering wheel to avoid a collision with the guardrail as the steering wheel had locked up. The collision warning didn’t sound and emergency brakes did not activate upon impact. The airbags were deployed and the car was totaled.

Reported

Nov 2024

Incident date

Nov 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

Failure part was drivers side front wheel "Fore Link Assembly" which broke at the wheel connection on our driveway while turning left in reverse. I heard a loud thunk but hadn't run over anything and nothing irregular outside so I continued but now I could hear something scrapping. Turns out it was the front tire now rubbing the wheel well liner when turning left. pulled the tire off and you could easily see where the fore link fractured. Fortunately this part didn't fail on the road as the outcome might have been bad considering the possible loss of control. Our car, 1985 purchased new with 68,450 miles was towed via required flatbed to a Tesla Service Center and repaired. I have all replaced parts including the fractured section that fell on our driveway. Outside of the repair personnel and myself no one has looked at the part but you can clearly see what used to be a circular opening was elongated and ,about a 90 degree section, missing.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Oct 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Car isn't cooling while supercharging. Problem originated while at Tesla Collision in Fort Lauderdale. Mike DiPietro, the general mgr stated they don't have a supercharger at Tesla Collision Fort Lauderdale to test it and they're not willing to drive it to the supercharger to test it because it's a service issue. When I dropped the car off it cooled while supercharging and now that it's not cooling while supercharging it presents a fire and safety hazard because it will only cool the moment the car is unplugged from the supercharger and then cools full blast for 45 minutes after the car is unplugged. I am well aware of the proper functioning of the cooling of 2015 Tesla Model S P90DL's because I have two of them and have since 2017. The fact that the cooling system kicks ONLY AFTER I UNPLUG from the supercharger clearly indicates the car sees a need to cool but because of a software issue. MIKE DIPIETRO, THE GENERAL MGR OF TESLA COLLISION FORT LAUDERDALE IS NOW THREATENING TO SUE ME BECAUSE I'M REPORTING A FIRE SAFETY/ACCELERATED BATTERY DEGRADATION ISSUE AND I SIMPLY WANT TO PICK THE CAR UP IN THE CONDITION WHICH i DELIVERED IT WHERE THE SUPERCHARGING WAS WORKING PROPERLY COOLING WHILE SUPERCHARGING. THREATENING LEGAL ACTION BECAUSE I'M REPORTING AN ISSUE THEY MAY NEED TO COORDINATE WITH TESLA SERVICE TO FIX AMOUNTS TO BULLYING. If I pick the car up it implies my consent the car is fixed and is NOT a fire safety hazard. They are unwilling to fix the supercharging fire the car is presenting because Tesla Service is a separate entity than Telsa Collision. This is NOT a valid excuse and reason not to fix this fire and safety issue. Please coordinate so that I may forward the chronological email chain which clearly shows the fire and safety issue can be clearly traced back to the [XXX] service. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Mar 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

Drove out of my driveway and 2 minutes later I hear a metal clink and my steering wheel pulled to the left. I was going 15-20 mph. Pull over and see the right rear wheel angled inwards. And see a metal piece broke off. Turns out the rear control arm broke for no apparent reason. Many others reported same issue and there was a recall on this for 2013-2014 SB-19-31-001 [XXX] but not years going forward even though many of the newer Tesla’s have same issue. Luckily I was going g slow but it seems it is just a matter of time before this happens to someone on the highway or at faster speeds to cause some serious damage and injuries. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Aug 2024

Incident date

Jul 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Issue is with the rear hatch (trunk) latching mechanism. The rear trunk latch has partially disengaged but will not completely release and open the trunk. This is a safety concern because the emergency release inside of the trunk (pull cable) does not fully release the trunk either. If a child or person were to be in the trunk they could not escape either from inside the trunk (emergency latch) or externally (unable to close or open physically or with electronic release).

Reported

Jul 2024

Incident date

Jul 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Backing out of a parking spot, my car made a loud "thunk" and stopped. I put the car in park and got out, looking all around and under the car. I did not see anything. I backed out of the spot and circled the lot to see if there was anything in the parking spot I may have run over. Nothing. When exiting the parking lot, the car made the same "thunk" and again ground to a halt. I again exited the car and looked all around. This time, I could see that the front driver's side tire was not in the correct position. It was shifted toward the back of the wheel well. I knew something had physically broken. I had the car towed to a service center. They checked the car and said a suspension fore link had broken. They recommended replacing all of them, not just the one that broke. They blamed the age of the car (95,000 miles). I was incredibly lucky that this occurred in a parking lot given that the vehicle came to an immediate stop. There were no prior warning signs. The car last had a scheduled inspection at 87,500 miles.

Reported

Jul 2024

Incident date

Jul 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I was involved in a significant vehicle crash with my Tesla Model S, the vehicle wa a complete write-off and was towed away. I was taken via ambulance unconscious from my injuries. The vehicle was struck by a perpendicular vehicle who ran a stop sign and hit the front driver's side firewall/door area. The impact was hard enough to drive my car sideways against all wheels into the curb, over the curb, onto the sidewalk, and into a pole. My head hit the drivers window hard enough to break the glass and render me unconscious. No airbags deployed, curtain/seat/otherwise - no side impact airbags even. Seatbelt was worn, I was extracted by first responders - I later spoke with Tesla regarding my complaint of no air bag protection, and was told they would take this seriously and investigate. I later found out the car was auctioned off (presumably for scrap) with no evidence of Tesla even attempting an investigation and zero response indicating otherwise. After reaching out again to Tesla seeking a response, they assured me that they have GPS coordinates, Police Reports, asked for pictures (which I did send), and they promised to respond - that was more than 5 months ago and still no answers.

Reported

Jul 2024

Incident date

Jan 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash 1 injuries

The vehicle was involved in an accident due to a failure of the autopilot system. There was a recall letter sent out of 23V-838 a month prior, but changes either did not persist or was the primary cause of the accident.

Reported

May 2024

Incident date

Mar 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

In 6 years the drive unit has failed and been replaced. Multiple other tesla owners report similar issue. I have a Tesla S 2015. The car will not drive or will abruptly stop driving when the drive unit fails. First incident I was driving on 55mph road and abruptly stopped. Second incident I cannot recall. Third incident tesla provided no support and the car was experiencing multiple driving failures which would turn back on to allow the car to only drive 2-7mph. Tesla reports they know it is a problem with the coolant leaking through the seals which kills the motor. If this is a KNOWN issue, why are these models still allowed on the road? This has me TERRIFIED knowing that a tesla can go from 55mph to abruptly stop when the drive unit dies. It happened to me! Now that I know it happens with others AND tesla is aware, it makes me question why there is no recall to fix it.

Reported

May 2024

Incident date

May 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Ive been notified that my front upper, lower arms, and bushings on my suspension are damaged. Tesla has sent me an massive bill to replace the parts on the car that I am not able to provide. As a looked up and talked to other Tesla S owners, this apparently is a major issues with all of them and very common. So common that China issued a recall requiring Tesla to fix this manufacture defect of wreaked and poorly manufacture parts. Why is the US not forcing this yet? They should be held liable for their fault mechanic engineer of the vehicle that is costing us THOUSANDS of dollars to repair and replace even at very low mileage Invoice attached. This was the cost AFTER they gave me discount for replacing a part I did not authorize. This was an issue with the dealership still.

Reported

Apr 2024

Incident date

Apr 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

This incident happened on March 18, 2024 at approximately 4:20 pm central time. My daughter pulled out of the school parking lot after school. As soon as she pulled on to the main road she noticed a warning light pop up saying hood latch not detected. About one minute later the hood flew open very aggressively hitting the windshield and blocking her view. Tesla vehicles are equipped with a second safety latch that should prevent this hood from popping up. My daughter was blinded by the hood and could not see while in traffic. Thankfully, she was able to avoid running into another vehicle, object or off the road. I took the vehicle into Tesla on March 23, 2024 which was the first available appointment I was able to get. They inspected the vehicle and said they were not responsible for the hood flying open. I tried explaining to them the part that failed was the part that was apart of a recall in 2022 (the hoods 2nd safety latch). They told me my issue was different because they checked my latch in January 2022 and it was fine. They said my latch failed do to normal wear and tear. It just gave out. They charged me $235 for inspecting my hood. Since that day I have been trying to contact Tesla's corporate office to get them to repair my vehicle and refund my $235 but I have not had any luck. I am the original owner of this vehicle. I have had nothing but problems with this car from the moment I purchased the $100k vehicle. The company had to replaced the touch screen twice, the high voltage battery once, both headlights were replace. The car was in the shop several times for the leaking sunroof. Finally, the warranty ran on the car and the sunroof still to this day does not open. I went to the shop after the warranty expired and they were happy to tell me the car is not covered and it would cost $1300 to repair the sunroof after they had been patching it up with black tape. There are several reports of Tesla owners having this issue and Tesla need to step up.

Reported

Apr 2024

Incident date

Mar 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The component that Tesla has stated is the part that is failing is the MCU (Media Control Unit) which was a recalled part at one point but then Tesla decided to replace only a single part of the MCU which was the eMMC (embedded MultiMedia Card). Luckily the vehicle was not driving when it completely shut down and would not start back up but I was stuck in a restaurants drive-thru for roughly 4 hours till I could get a tow truck to come tow it. The tow truck had to put the car on dollies as the vehicle would not enter tow mode nor would it enter its emergency neutral mode so the vehicle could be moved. The windows would not go up or down and luckily the trunk was able to open because if not then I would have been stuck outside my vehicle as the door handles did not come out after I got out of it and closed the door behind me. Please read the messages from the tech as you will see that they tried to act as if they did not know what was going on with my vehicle but then i asked something else and they stated exactly what the issue was but supposedly could not confirm it was that unless they charged me a diagnosis fee and "got hands on" which I'm sure that info of what was wrong with my vehicle was nothing they needed to get their hands on. There were no warning lamps or messages UNTIL the vehicle shut off on me in the drive-thru and then the warnings started to populate staying that the vehicle was off, vehicle could not detect brake being pressed, and that the vehicle was not detecting the key. The repair estimate is no longer available in my app for some reason, probably because I did not repair the vehicle as they were wanting me to upgrade to the new MCU that is in the current vehicles and it would have been roughly $2,400.00. Just today, the vehicle would not start, would not move my seat or anything to its memorized position when I got in the vehicle and the screen was frozen, just as it did when the original recall happened of the MCU/eMMC, photo/videoattached.

Reported

Apr 2024

Incident date

Mar 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

EMMC failed prior to recall and was replaced by 3rd party vendor. Recall reimbursement was denied. Emailed Tesla multiple times without response

Reported

Apr 2024

Incident date

Mar 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The window will not go down either due to software, electrical or hardware issues. The window motors have gone out had have had to be replaced. Likely, another motor has failed. In the 2015 Model S in order to open the door the window must lower an inch or more to clear the door frame. When the window will not lower due to software, electrical or hardware issues, the door is difficult to open and may crack/break the window. The is a safety issue getting into and out of the vehicle. The most recent issue is dated below. There have been other issues previously.

Reported

Apr 2024

Incident date

Mar 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The MCU that controls the climate and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems stops working while driving. I sent a service request to TESLA and they replied that my older MCU1 is failing because of the new software updates. It isn't the eMMC card hardware failure, but the symptoms and safety concerns are the same. None of the controls work, as the main screen goes blank and resets while driving. TESLA told me the fix for this problem is to upgrade to MCU2, which they fail to provide for free as a safety recall. There was already a recall for the MCU memory chip failing and causing the same safety concern. The car disables the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems when this problem occurs. It happens about once or twice a month for the last year.

Reported

Apr 2024

Incident date

Mar 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

This is the 3rd time a control arm on the car has cracked. I see tons of people online complaining about the same issue with the fault aluminum control arms. I have no damage and no rust and it just cracked on its on as i was backing out of a parking spot. I could have been seriously injured or my daughter had this happened on the highway. My dad is an issurance adjuster for 30 years and has never heard of any cars control arms cracking on their own. Please help as this is a huge safety issue and it seems Tesla has been putting the blame on the drivers. There was a grinding noise in reverse and the wheel was tilted inward. Multiple control arms have cracked in the car. A car that has no damage or accidents. This car is less than 10 years old and this doesn't happen with any other cars. It's a fault control arm part made out of cheap aluminum.

Reported

Mar 2024

Incident date

Mar 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

My car has intermittently given me the alert “steering assist decreased.” When this occurs, the wheel is a little stiff at street speed but drivable, but at very low speed, to park, for example, the wheel becomes nearly impossible to turn. It usually occurs when the car is already in motion. When the alert is not on, the steering is fine. It does seem to be happening more frequently since it first started about a month and a half ago. A Tesla technician looked at it today and stated the steering rack would have to be replaced as the power steering is what is impacted. I understand you already have an investigation ongoing into this problem.

Reported

Mar 2024

Incident date

Feb 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

This is an updated video related to an issue I previously reported. I’m becoming increasingly concerned by the idea that Tesla’s recommended remediation is to replace the car’s MCU. However, the MCU in my car was upgraded to a newer version in July 2021. There are serious safety concerns with the need to perform a “soft reset” while the vehicle is operational (as seen in the video). Please feel free to reach out with any additional questions. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Mar 2024

Incident date

Dec 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Rear suspension cannot be adjust which results in uneven tire wear that is hard to see which has lead to 3 tire blowouts in less than a 12 month period on the rear tire.

Reported

Feb 2024

Incident date

Mar 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I'm writing following several months of an "Unresponsive Screen" issue in my car. I initially thought this was a symptom of cold weather but learned it was related to "corrupt files" after a visit to the local Tesla service center. A full detailed description of the issue video of the issue can be found in the description portion of this link: [XXX] . I was told the issue was resolved following a three-day visit to the service center from [XXX]. Unfortunately, I've continued to encounter the problem. There are obviously many concerns regarding safety and the inability to utilize all of the car's functions (e.g. headlights, child safety features, indoor lighting, etc.). Perhaps the greatest concern is the fact that I have to do a soft reset in order to restore functionality and the soft function can be performed while the vehicle is operating. The following video is a demonstration: [XXX] I was reassured there is nothing wrong with my hardware and that everything seems to be related to the "corrupt files" in the vehicle's software. Thanks in advance. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Feb 2024

Incident date

Feb 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Unknown

Reported

Feb 2024

Incident date

Feb 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The high voltage junction box in my Tesla Model S reported issues. Took my car to Tesla service center in Charlotte NC in November. Its now been 3 months and my car has yet to be repaired by Tesla. They claimed would be repaired within 2 weeks and have arbitrarily been bumping the repair date out nonstop every few weeks to now being 3 months delayed. My understanding is that Tesla used parts from a company no longer making this part and they have no solution. This is crazy I have been without my car this long by them.

Reported

Feb 2024

Incident date

Nov 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Bought the car used. Had issues with rear drive unit that was replaced under warranty. Similar issue before warranty expired and was checked out by Tesla and noted to be " normal" noise. Later the nose got louder and repeat diagnostic recommended RDU to be replaced at a cost of nearly $8500. I believe that the RDU on older models were defective.

Reported

Feb 2024

Incident date

Sep 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

There have been 7 incidents with my car where the door handles for both front doors (left and right) handles stopped working. The door handles would not "present" or "extend" and thus making it impossible for entry into the car. The latest incident occured on 1/13/2024 where the front driver side door would just pop open anytime any other door was opened. This is while the car was still in operation and the drive would then have to manually close the door. The door handles have malfunctioned on the following dates - January 2019, April 2019, July 2019, April 2022, June 2023, January 13, 2024.

Reported

Jan 2024

Incident date

Jan 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Tesla front right hand lower forward link failed at the ball joint (aluminum casting spilt open) Part #1041575-00-A, FRT FORE AWD LCA RH, Made in Canada. This happened while backing up on flat pavement without warning. The car has been well cared for, garaged, never damaged or abused and has less than 52K miles. It could have caused a life threatening accident if it would have happened at speed.

Reported

Jan 2024

Incident date

Jan 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The front trunk flew open without any warning and smashed the front windshield. We could not see. We never received any info on recalls.

Reported

Jan 2024

Incident date

Jan 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the limited steering warning light illuminated, and the power steering was inoperable. The contact was able to take the next exit to find a safe location on the side of the roadway. The contact reset the computer and the power steering became operable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the vehicle was being inspected. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Reported

Dec 2023

Incident date

Dec 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

In 2016, approximately 18 months after purchasing my Tesla Model S, I was driving to work and brushed a curb on a tight city street. Upon arriving at my office parking garage, as I was parking and turning the steering wheel sharply to park in a space, my front right wheel fell off and the axle completely sheared off. Tesla blamed the incident on my curbing the wheel, which only caused light damage. However, more and more reports have come out recently (including this article: [XXX] ) which suggests that Tesla has known defects they are denying and blaming on customers. Not only did this cost me money out of pocket (more than just my deductible), but my insurer had to pay the full amount. Tesla admitted no fault and made me & insurance pay the full amount. I have multiple photos, but the Upload feature on this site is NOT working so I am unable to upload them but can provide them later as needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Dec 2023

Incident date

Oct 2016

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The Model S, which was bought in 2015, had a sudden acceleration while I was trying to park near the entrance gate of the parking lot. The accident happened on May 25, 2023. Fortunately, nobody got hurt and the car was totaled. I feel strongly that this should be investigated, as this can be a very serious public safety issue. It was inspected by the insurance company. There were no warning messages prior to the failure.

Reported

Dec 2023

Incident date

May 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while he, his wife, and his son were in the vehicle he had begun veering right pulling into the driveway, at approximately 5 MPH, he had begun slightly releasing the brakes when the vehicle suddenly accelerated at accelerated high speeds. The contact immediately depressed the brake pedal however the vehicle speed continued to accelerate. As a response, the contact attempted to maneuver the vehicle to avoid crashing into the garage. The contact crashed into a nearby tree, jumped the curb, and became airborne crashing into the side of the home. The driver's side of the vehicle crashed into the side of the home where the laundry room was located ricocheting hitting the kitchen and bedroom windows and eventually coming to a stop. Due to the home being on a slope, the vehicle ended up falling into a nearby embankment after coming to a stop. All air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed. The contact was informed by insurance the vehicle would more than likely be totaled however this had not been confirmed. A police report was filed. The contact received emotional distress, cuts, and bruising to their hands. arms and forehead. The contact also suffered from back pain. The contact's wife sat in the rear on the driver's side and received emotional distress, trouble breathing, bruising on their face, and bleeding in the mouth. Their wife also received neck, back, and head pain. The contact stated that their wife ended up falling to the floor of the vehicle as a result of the crash. The contact's son sat in the rear on the passenger's side and received emotional distress, and back and neck pain. All persons received medical attention on-site, such as cleaning the wounds and icing any bruising. They were advised to seek additional care, however, have not been able to do so as of yet. The crash caused damage to the wall and flooring structures, electricity, and water systems in the home. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The cause of the failure had not been determined. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

Reported

Dec 2023

Incident date

Dec 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash 3 injuries

The hood (frunk) lid disengaged while driving at highway speed and obstructed the windshield. I had to make an emergency exit. The car did not indicate that the latch was released and it did not slow as the manufacturer claims will occur with this problem. I was not notified of the known recall for this defect. As of now, Tesla collision is not taking responsibility and sent me to a third party for repair of the hood.

Reported

Nov 2023

Incident date

Nov 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Driving my car and it completely gives out in the middle of traffic without any warning or alter almost causing an accident. When asked about the absence of alert they said I may or may not get one and I should be lucky it just cut off (randomly in traffic mind you) because if it didn’t it would’ve burst into flames. Being the Rear Drive Unit is the second most important part of the vehicle an alert should be given 100% of the time as no alert could cause injury to myself or other drivers. This means there are other Tesla drivers out there with a probable chance of their randomly car stopping without any control of the vehicle endangering lives. This oddly happens 60 days outside my 8 year warranty when I haven’t any issues at all and receive alerts for everything down to my fob key being low on battery. In addition the whole time they were just trying to convince to get a new one because they just happen to be running a limited time promo that I can transfer my free supercharging to a new vehicle if I purchased. A lot of people have reported (down to the day) of their car dying suddenly after warranty but no avail Tesla says they won’t goodwill repair my vehicle although I could’ve died or been seriously injured.

Reported

Nov 2023

Incident date

Nov 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

1)MCU1 flash memory failure in production from 2012 to 2018, part is available, but would require downing the car to remove/replace. 2)The symptoms of this failure include the loss of indicated gear state and reduced driver visibility from the loss of rearview camera, defrost/defog and exterior signal lighting which increases the risk of an accident. Driver display is black or booting up slowly during this time and the car can be put into gear and driven prior to the display showing DNR gear state making it a safety risk to anyone walking near the vehicle if it was accidently put into gear. 3)Issue was confirmed by Tesla and was told an update to MCU2 hardware at $2250 was needed at the customer (my) expense. The vehicle was under a full Tesla warranty, so I refused and asked them to fix this issue. Tesla Service cleared/freed up some memory but said the issue would return unless I paid to update to MCU2 hardware. The issue has returned as they stated. 4)Yes, by Tesla Service and Tesla Engineering. Both confirmed that this was a known issue with the MCU1 hardware in production from 2012 to 2018 and recommended that I (the customer) update the vehicle to MCU2 hardware for $2250. 5)There are no warning lamps or messages to inform the operator of an issue. Only the black driver display, but that doesn’t prevent the operator from putting the vehicle in gear. The symptoms start with slow driver display boot times and progressively get worse over time losing the rearview camera, defrost/defog and exterior lighting controls. The display lag becomes enough to be able to accidently put the car in drive or reverse without displaying indicated gear state on the dash making it a safety risk to anyone walking near the car.

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Jun 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The driver side screen and the central touch screen developed bubbles with multiple air fluid lines and bubbles. With the sun shining in from the side or rear of the vehicle, it made the screens nearly impossible to read. This created very unsafe driving conditions, as the driver was not able to see critical information from speed, dash board warnings, rear camera view and vital air conditioning functions such as defrost/defog. This was noticed within 1-2 days of having the recall repair for the VCM to upgrade 8GB eMMC. The Tesla Repair Center said the two events were not related. Ultimately, I was left to replace both screen through and infotainment system upgrade costing $2250.00.

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Sep 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a fault in the seat. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 138,000.

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Aug 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Front passenger door randomly opens on it's own. Usually vehicle is parked but has happened at low speeds (under 30 mph). Advised it's the door handle which has been "fixed" twice before while under warranty. Tesla will no longer fix without charging (warranty expired). If it's the door handle or the door this needs to be a recall issue for Tesla to fix. Please recall! Data below is for most recent occurrence. This has happened at least 3 times this calendar year (2023).

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Oct 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 1 YEAR BOTH MY FRONT SUSPENSION HAVE BROKEN OFF WHILE BACKING UP.LAST YEAR WAS MY PASSENGER SIDE TIRE JUST THIS WEEK MY DRIVERS SIDETIRE JUST FALLING OFF FROM BALL JOINTS. TESLA CONTINUES EMPHAZING IIMPACTED WITH SOMETHING AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE BROKEN JOINT, THEY HAVE REFERRED ME TO A BODY SHOP THAT I DISAGREE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY BODY NOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE JUST THE POOR SUSPENSION AND BALL JOINTS THAT ARE ISTALLED IN TESLAS. SOMEDAY SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT WHILE DRIVING AT AVG SPEED FROM THESE FAULTY PARTS. THANK YOU,

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Oct 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Tesla Model S began making clunking/grinding noise when reversing out of a driveway with the wheel fully turned. It turned out that the front left and right fore links have failed prematurely and caused the front wheels to rub on the wheel arch/fender. No potholes were ever hit to cause the damage. Car needed replacement parts totaling $979. A wheel alignment was also needed. Car only has 97,000 miles.

Reported

Sep 2023

Incident date

Sep 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.

Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2014-2016 Model S vehicles equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began May 29, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-19-20-001.

Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Model S vehicles manufactured May 31, 2012, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with driver or front passenger seat belts that may be improperly connected to the outboard lap pretensioner.

Risk: If the seat belt is not correctly attached to the pretensioner, it may not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will inspect the driver and front passenger seat belts, correcting their connection, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2015. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-15-20-002.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electric parking brake calipers have an internal gear that may be improperly manufactured, possibly resulting in the gear fracturing during parking brake application or release.

Risk: If the gear breaks during parking brake release, the vehicle will not be able to be moved. If the gear breaks during parking brake application, the parking brake may not adequately hold the vehicle, potentially resulting in the vehicle rolling, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will replace both the left and right electric parking brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2018. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-17-33-002.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with Bosch steering racks. The aluminum bolts that attach the power steering gear assist motor to the gear housing may corrode and fracture causing a reduction or complete loss of power steering assist.

Risk: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the steering gear mounting bolts and add a corrosion-preventative sealer, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-18-32-002.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2014-2021 Model S vehicles. The front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned, preventing the secondary hood latch from engaging. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 113, "Hood Latch System."

Risk: If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and reposition the latch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 18, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-11-003.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center display functions.

Risk: The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-21-001.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.