What 459 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Tesla Model S 60

MAIN PROCESSING UNIT FOR THE CAR STOPS WORKING AND DISPLAYS GO BLACK. TURN SIGNALS DO NOT AUDIBLY ANNUNCIATE. CLIMATE CONTROL TURNS OFF. LIGHTING, SECURITY AND OTHER SAFETY CONTROLS CANNOT BE CHANGED. I HAVE DATES AND TIMES AND SYMPTOMS FOR SOME OF THE FAILURES. OCCURS TYPICALLY WEEKLY, BUT CAN HAVE MULTIPLE EPISODES PER DAY. TESLA SERVICE HAS BEEN REQUESTED AND PERFORMED 4-5 TIMES. THE OEM MPU WAS REPLACED APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS AGO AND YET PROBLEMS PERSIST. MPU HAS FAILED WHILE PARKED, WHILE DRIVING, ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11388225

I DON'T RECOMMEND DRIVING BEYOND THE DISTANCE YOU CAN TRAVEL TO AND GET BACK, I'VE SEEN A CAR THAT LOST ABILITY TO CHARGE TO MAX, AND ACTUALLY LIMITED TO ABOUT 30% AFTER MCU WENT BLACK DRIVE AFTER A 30 SECOND TIMEOUT NO AEB (ADVANCED EMERGENCY BRAKING) NO CONTROLLING SUSPENSION HEIGHT NO MANUAL CONTROL OF HEADLIGHT LIGHTS NO BLINKER SOUNDS STEERING MODE DEFAULTS TO SOME SETTING (E.G. IF I HAVE IT SET TO SPORT, DURING REBOOT OF MCU IS CHANGES TO STANDARD OR COMFORT, NOT SURE BUT I CAN FEEL THE STEERING WHEEL TAKE LESS EFFORT TO TURN THAN MY NORMAL SPORT MODE) NO HVAC (HEAT, COOL, VENT) NO DEFROSTERS NO SEAT HEATERS NO STEERING WHEEL HEATERS NO RADIO/STREAMING NO APP CONNECTIVITY TO CONTROL THE CAR NO ABILITY TO SEE THE CAR CHARGE STATUS FROM APP TRIP A/B PROFILES USER SETTINGS HOMELINK BLUETOOTH PAIRINGS NO REAR VIEW CAMERA METRIC AREAS MAY HAVE SPEED SHOWN IN MPH AND NOT KPH SO BE CAREFUL DO TO A FEW STRANGE REPORTED CHARGING ISSUES, BE CAREFUL DRIVING BEYOND THE ABILITY TO GET HOME WITHOUT CHARGING, (RANGE) SINCE I HAVE SEEN A CAR THAT CONTINUED TO GET LESS MAX AVAILABLE RANGE IN CAPACITY I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS DUE TO NO DEFROST. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11387873

BACK AND FRONT SUSPENSION ISSUES, TIRE BLOW WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSED UNSAFE OPERATION.

NHTSA ODI 11387646

COMPUTER SCREEN WENT DARK SEVERAL TIMES AND AFFECTS THE TURN SIGNALS FOR THE VEHICLE MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES IN THE LAST 60 DAYS. THE DARK SCREEN MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ADJUST ANY OF THE HEATING, COOLING, OR USE OF HANDS FREE DEVICES.

NHTSA ODI 11387149

REPEATED EMMC FAILURE, REOCCURRING FAILURES AND REBOOTS OF THE MCU , SEE INVESTIGATION:EA 20-003. SINCE THERE ARE OVER 100K MILES, TESLA SUGGESTS $2700 MCU REPLACEMENT, NOT FREE EMMC REPLACEMENT AS THEY ARE DOING FOR MODELS WITH UNDER 100K MILES

NHTSA ODI 11384690

IN JUNE 2019 I NOTICED THE CONTROL SCREEN OF MY 2013 TESLA MODEL S GOING BLANK RANDOMLY WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND THEN RE-ACTIVATING AFTER MINUTES, HOURS OR UNTIL THE CAR SAT BEFORE BEING DRIVEN AGAIN. THIS CONTINUES AND I AM UNABLE TO ACCESS THE SCREEN TO SELECT THE BACKUP CAMERA AS THE SCREEN FREEZES AND DOES NOT ALLOW USE OF ANY FEATURES. PERIODICALLY THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS WILL NOT EXTEND WHILE DRIVING UNTIL WE HAVE DRIVEN FOR 5 TO 30 MINUTES. I HAVE REPORTED THE SCREEN BLANKING ISSUE AND MIRRORS TO TESLA SERVICE IN SYOSSET NY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS RELATED TO MY MODEL S BEING AN OLDER MODEL WITH AN OLDER COMPUTER THAT HAS TO 'CATCH UP' TO WHAT IS BEING SELECTED ON THE SCREEN. THE SOFTWARE IT IS RUNNING IS REALLY INTENDED FOR NEWER MODELS THAT HAVE A FASTER COMPUTER. I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, TESLA WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE ME TO DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM AND WOULD PROBABLY REACH THE CONCLUSION THAT TESLA SERVICE TOLD ME. I RECENTLY READ ABOUT TESLA'S WARRANTY ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM: TOUCHSCREEN COMPONENT ' 8GB EMBEDDED MULTIMEDIACARD (EMMC) IN MEDIA CONTROL UNIT (MCU). IT APPEARS THAT WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN THIS WARRANTY ADJUSTMENT IS IDENTICAL TO THE SYMPTOMS WITH MY TESLA AS I AM UNABLE TO ACCESS THE SAFETY FEATURES, REAR CAMERA AND SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. MY CAR HAS 113,500 MILES AND THE PROGRAM ONLY COVERS CARS WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT I WAS MISLED BY TESLA SERVICE AS I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE CAR GOING OVER 100,000 MILES AND WAS ADVISED THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISSUE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT SEEMS THAT TESLA IS AVOIDING A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH OLDER MODEL S CARS SUCH AS MINE. I BELIEVE TESLA SHOULD REPLACE THE MCU UNIT OF MY MODEL S FOR NO CHARGE AS THEY KNEW THIS PROBLEM EXISTED AND MISLED ME TO THINK THAT THE ISSUES WITH MY BACKUP CAMERA AND MIRRORS WAS NOT RELATED TO ANY ISSUES WITH THE MODEL S.

NHTSA ODI 11384714

HERE IS A TERDSLA IN THE JUNKYARD:HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/38372462?ROWNUMBER=30 LOOK CLOSELY AND YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE BACK WHEEL HAS GONE WHOMPY. IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO TAKE THESE CONTRAPTIONS OFF THE ROADS THEN I CAN SHUT UP AND LET YOU GET BACK TO SLEEP. THANKS A LOT. KEEF

NHTSA ODI 11383607

HERE IS ANOTHER TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://EREPAIRABLES.COM/SALVAGE-CARS-AUCTION/TESLA/MODEL+S/VID-44567577 THE AIR SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED WHILST THE CAR WAS IN MOTION CAUSING THE WHEELS TO JAM UP IN THE WELLS AND DAMAGE THE LINER AND BODYWORK. FAILURE OF THE AIR SUSPENSION IS A COMMON DEFECT IN TESLAS AND MANY OF THESE CASES HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE TESLA FORUMS AND HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA. ANY NORMAL CAR MANUFACTURER WOULD HAVE FIXED THIS PROBLEM BY FITTING LIMIT STOPS ON THE SUSPENSION. BUT THIS COMPANY IS RUN UNDER THE RULE OF LORD ELON MUSK WHO MUST NEVER BE QUESTIONED. THERE IS NO NEED TO PRESS THE INSANE BUTTON. IT COMES AS STANDARD WITH EVERY TESLA. YOURS WHOMPILY. KEEF

NHTSA ODI 11383608

WE OWN A 2013 TESLA MODEL S 85, REAR WHEEL DRIVE, NO AUTOPILOT. AS VEHICLE AGED, THE STEERING WAS NOTICEABLY VAGUE AND THE VEHICLE BECAME "DARTY" ON THE HIGHWAY, SEEMINGLY WANTING TO DRIVE OUT OF THE CURRENT LANE ON ITS OWN. THIS DARTINESS BECAME WORSE AND WORSE OVER TIME, AND ALSO WAS WORSE WHEN ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING. WE FIRST ALERTED THE DEALER OF THE PROBLEM IN AUG 2019, AND THEY REPLACED FEW COMPONENTS IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION (BOTH UPPER CONTROL ARMS AND THE RIGHT FORELINK) AND CHARGED US $1571+TAX FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THE STEERING SEEMED A LITTLE BETTER FOR A WHILE, BUT IN JAN 2020 WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN WITH CONCERNS ABOUT VAGUE STEERING AND THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, WHICH WE PAID FOR. THE ALIGNMENT YIELDED NO IMPROVEMENT AND THE CAR BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, REQUIRING CONSTANT STEERING ADJUSTMENTS TO KEEP IN ITS LANE. WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER IN MAY 2020, AND BY THIS TIME THE DEALER VERBALLY AGREED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN ITS CURRENT STATE. THEY REPLACED BOTH REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES AND CHARGED US $1382+TAX, BUT THIS STILL DID NOT RESOLVE THE DARTINESS. WE RETURNED TO THE DEALER LATER IN MAY 2020, AND THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING NEARLY EVERY OTHER SUSPENSION PART, INCLUDING BOTH REAR TOE LINKS, BOTH REAR UPPER LINKS, BOTH FRONT AFT LINKS, THE FRONT FORE LINK THAT WASN'T PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE COST FOR THIS WAS A $1870+TAX. FORTUNATELY, THE STEERING ISSUES DID NOT RESULT IN ANY ACCIDENTS. SINCE THIS LAST REPAIR, THE CAR NOW DRIVES RELATIVELY NORMALLY FOR A 7 1/2 YEAR OLD CAR. WE ARE REPORTING OUR EXPERIENCE AFTER WE LEARNED THAT THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING A SERIES OF OTHER SUSPENSION-RELATED CONCERNS WITH TESLA MODEL S CARS. WE BELIEVE IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR A CAR TO BECOME UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN 7 YEARS SUBJECTED ONLY TO NORMAL PERSONAL USE.

NHTSA ODI 11382892

FAILURE OF THE TOUCHSCREEN RESULTS IN LOSS OF REAR CAMERA IMAGE DISPLAY WHEN REVERSE GEAR IS SELECTED, RESULTING IN REDUCED REAR VISIBILITY WHEN BACKING. SCREEN ALSO COMPLETELY FREEZES AND CANNOT CONTROL CLIMATE CONTROL ELEMENTS, SOUND, ETC. WHEN BACK UP CAMERA FINALLY DOES ENGAGE, BACKUP CAMERA SCREEN IS BLACK WITH TWO WHITE LINES.

NHTSA ODI 11382923

I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH TESLA THROUGH THE APP AND THEY ASSIGNED ME AT A PLACE IN BERKELEY TO GET THE BOLTS IN THE STEERING RACK HOUSING REPLACED (A RECALL) ALONG WITH ANOTHER RECALL. AFTER DROPPING OFF THE CAR THEY SAID SERVICE WAS COMPLETE. I ALSO HAVE BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE MCU AND THEY SAID THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC BUT COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WHEN THEY SAID SERVICE WAS COMPLETE I CAME TO PICK UP MY CAR. THEY GAVE IT BACK BUT WHEN I SAW THE INVOICE I NOTICED THEY HADN'T COMPLETED THE STEERING BOLT RECALL. I ASKED WHY AND THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS AN AFTERMARKET STEREO AMPLIFIER IN THE FRUNK THEY COULDN'T ACCESS THE BOLTS TO REPLACE THEM. IF I HADN'T INQUIRED OR LOOKED AT THE PAPERWORK I WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. I AM THERE ASKING FOR PAPERWORK FROM MY SERVICE ADVISOR 'MATT' WHO HAS BEEN COMPLETELY UNHELPFUL IN RESOLVING THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11377515

THE TOUCHSCREEN SOMETIMES BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE ERROR MESSAGE "TOUCHSCREEN UNRESPONSIVE: PRESS SCROLL WHEELS ON STEERING WHEEL UNTIL IT RESTARTS" WILL APPEAR ON THE DISPLAY BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE VEHICLE WILL DRIVE BUT WITHOUT THE TOUCHSCREEN THE BACKUP CAMERA AND HVAC CONTROLS ARE UNAVAILABLE, AND THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT APPEAR TO NOT WORK, OR AT LEAST NO SOUND IS HEARD WHILE THE TURN SIGNALS ARE ACTIVE. THE TOUCHSCREEN REQUIRES SEVERAL MINUTES TO RESTART. THIS PROBLEM MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECENT NOTICE FROM TESLA ABOUT THE EMMC (EMBEDDED MULTI-MEDIA-CARD MEMORY) FAILURES. TESLA SERVICE WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THIS IN DECEMBER 2020 WITH A REQUEST TO DIAGNOSE IF THE EMMC NEEDS REPLACED. AT THE REQUEST OF TESLA SERVICE, SEVERAL SPECIFIC DATES/TIMES THIS OCCURRED WERE PROVIDED (SEE ATTACHED IMAGES FOR EXAMPLES). TESLA SERVICE STATED THAT A MORE "RECENT" OCCURRENCE WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO EVEN PERFORM DIAGNOSTICS, BUT DID NOT DEFINE "RECENT".

NHTSA ODI 11377532

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SYSTEM DISABLED MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA INC (9850 WEST BROAD ST, GLEN ALLEN, VA 23060) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING GEAR AND MOUNTING BOLTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS LIKE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V204000 (STEERING) WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS SENT AN EMAIL HOWEVER, FAILED TO RESPOND. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

NHTSA ODI 11377158

REPLACEMENT OF TOUCHSCREEN IN JAN 2020 DUE TO FLUID LEAKAGE AND MCU REPLACEMENT IN AUG 2020 FOR NON-RESPONSIVENESS.

NHTSA ODI 11377177

BALL JOINT ON FRONT LEFT UPPER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY FAILED PREMATURELY AT APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES VEHICLE USAGE; SPECIFICALLY, IT SEPARATED SO AS TO CAUSE THE UCA (UPPER CONTROL ARM) TO DISCONNECT FROM FROM THE STEERING KNUCKLE DURING A LOW-SPEED PARKING LOT MANEUVER (THREE POINT 'Y' TURN) AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH OR LESS, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEEL TO TIP IN WORDS AGAINST THE STRUT ASSEMBLY. REPAIRED SUSPENSION BY REPLACING UPPER CONTROL ARM WITH INTEGRAL BALL JOINT. APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES LATER, THE BALL JOINT ON THE RIGHT HAND UPPER CONTROL ARM EXHIBITED EXTREME LOOSENESS AND CLUNKING SOUNDS FORCING ME TO REPLACE THE RH UCA / BALL JOINT ON THAT SIDE AS WELL. VEHICLE NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000 MILES VEHICLE USAGE AND THE SUSPENSION IS ONCE AGAIN EXHIBITING ABNORMAL CLUNKING NOISE (FROM THE LH FRONT CORNER) OVER BUMPS AT LOW SPEEDS THAT MAKES ME SUSPICIOUS THAT ADDITIONAL OR SAME BALL JOINTS ARE WEARING PREMATURELY. I AM A PROFESSIONAL MECHANICAL ENGINEER (WITH 27 YEARS INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE) RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPULSION SYSTEMS ON AGRICULTURAL HARVESTING VEHICLES AND CAN DEFINITIVELY STATE I HAVE NEVER ABUSED THIS VEHICLE. THE WEAR RATES ARE EXCESSIVE ON THE UCA BALL AND SOCKET CONNECTION WHICH DOES/COULD CAUSE BALL JOINT SEPARATION AND SUSPENSION FUNCTION/CONTROL.

NHTSA ODI 11376939

FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM DISCONNECTED, DROPPING BODY ONTO TIRE. THIS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT. TESLA REPLACED THE CONTROL ARM.

NHTSA ODI 11376942

THE PRIMARY TESLA SCREEN REGULARLY HAS INTERMITTENT SCREEN FAILURES. THIS LEADS TO ME HAVING TO RESET THE COMPUTER WHILE DRIVING A FEW TIMES BEFORE OPERATION RESUMES. THIS CAUSES THE REAR CAM, AIR CONDITIONING, NAVIGATION, AND OTHER CONSISTENTLY TO CEASE FOR A SHORT PERIOD. RECENTLY THE SCREEN HAS DEVELOPED AIR BUBBLES IN THE SCREEN AND LEAKS GOO INTO THE FLOOR (THE LEAKING FLUID).

NHTSA ODI 11376811

CENTER CONSOLE FREEZES, UNABLE TO CONTROL LIGHTS, AIR-CONDITIONER, NAVIGATION, AND AUDIO.THE SCREEN ALSO TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE CHARGING.

NHTSA ODI 11375987

GEL IS LEAKING OUT OF DASH DISPLAY. ONTO DRIVER PEDAL AREA. CREATING A DRIVING HAZARD.

NHTSA ODI 11375195

THE CAR CAN'T RECEIVE SAFETY FIRMWARE UPDATES BECAUSE OF A FAILURE OF THE MCU. TESLA WANTS CUSTOMER TO PAY TO REPLACE.

NHTSA ODI 11375244

I HAVE 110,000 MILES ON MY TESLA, THE SCREEN BLACKS OUT SOMETIMES. I HEAR THAT YOU MIGHT MAKE THEM DO A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11375022

MY VEHICLE HAS THE ISSUE WITH THE EMMC CHIP BEING TOO SMALL TO HANDLE ALL THE LOGGING TESLA WAS DOING AND NOW IT'S STARTING TO FAIL. WHEN IT COMPLETELY FAILS I WON'T BE ABLE TO DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD, THE HEAT AND AC WON'T WORK, THE TURN SIGNALS WON'T WORK AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO CHARGE THE VEHICLE. I GOT AN EMAIL FROM TESLA SAYING MY CAR DOESN'T QUALIFY CAR THE WARRANTY ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM DUE TO MILES BUT IT'S WITHIN THE YEARS. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL REGARDLESS OF MILES. TESLA DOUBLING THE AMOUNT OF LOGGING CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE EMMC. THE FAILURE IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11375033

THE MAIN/CENTER SCREEN BLACKS OUT ON MY TESLA, WHICH IS WHERE ALL THE CAR CONTROLS AND BACK-UP CAMERA IS VIEWED. EVEN WHEN IT DOESN'T COMPLETELY BLACK OUT, THE BACK UP CAMERA DOESN'T FUNCTION AS IT JUST STAYS FROZEN A LOT OF THE TIME. OUTSIDE OF THE BACKUP CAMERA ISSUES, ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS, LIKE TURNING ON OR OFF HEADLIGHTS IS ALSO IMPACTED. AT OTHER TIMES IT SEEMS LIKE IT IMPACTS CHARGING THE CAR, WHICH CAN LEAVE ME DEAD IF I CANNOT CHARGE. OTHER FUNCTIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN IMPACTED LIKE TURNING AIR CONDITIONING AND NAVIGATION, HOWEVER NOT NECESSARILY SAFETY ISSUES. THESE ISSUES HAVE HAPPENED WHILE SITTING IN MY GARAGE TRYING TO LEAVE, CHARGING MY CAR AT A TESLA CHARGING STATION, DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY OR STREETS. I ESTIMATE THEY HAVE BEEN HAPPENING SINCE ABOUT 60K MILES AND HAVE PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE.

NHTSA ODI 11374928

I OWN A 2013 TESLA MODEL S THAT HAS LOST THE MCU AND WILL NO LONGER CHARGE. IN ADDITION, THE MCU CAUSES THE TOUCH SCREEN TO OPEN VERY SLOWLY. I HAVE COMPLAINED AND TESLA WOULD NOT REPLACE THE MCU AND NOT COMPENSATE ME FOR THE INABILITY TO CHARGE THE CAR. THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT WAS THAT THE TOUCHSCREEN WOULD NOT COME ON AT ALL. I COULD NOT SEE ANY INFORMATION WHATSOEVER, DURING TESLA'S ATTEMPT TO FIX THE SCREEN, I LOST THE ABILITY TO CHARGE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11374941

MY 2013 TESLA MODEL S HAD THE TOUCHSCREEN FAIL. THIS RESULTED IN ME HAVING TO PAY FOR A BRAND NEW SCREEN. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE TOUCHSCREEN FAILURES AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS AND RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT

NHTSA ODI 11374943