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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHARGING CORD BECAME EXTREMELY HOT AND THE CONTACT WAS BURNED AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH THE CORD. THE PLASTIC PART OF THE CORD HAD ALSO MELTED. THE CHARGING CORD WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUND THE CHARGING CORD TO BE DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,500.

NHTSA ODI 10557033

ALLEGEDLY A TESLA OWNER HAD A CHARGE PLUG AND ADAPTER OVERHEAT AND MELT, THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FULL BLOWN FIRE. I FIND THIS CONCERNING, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF A RECENT TESLA GARAGE FIRE, THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RULED THE TESLA CHARGING CIRCUIT AS A POSSIBLE SOURCE. MELTED CHARGING ADAPTER/CORD LAST EVENING MY WIFE AND I NOTICED WHAT SMELLED LIKE MELTING PLASTIC. AFTER A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION WE DETERMINED THAT THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE CHARGING PLUG AND CORDSET. AFTER BURNING MY HANDS AND ARM REMOVING THE PLUG I PULLED THE ADAPTER OFF THE CORDSET AND SURE ENOUGH THE INNERDS HAD MELTED DOWN.' HTTP://WWW.TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP/25444-MELTED-CHARGING-ADAPTER-CORD CALIFORNIA FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS TESLA MODEL S CHARGING SYSTEM MAY HAVE STARTED GARAGE FIRE HTTP://WWW.BUSINESSINSIDER.COM/TESLA-GARAGE-FIRE-2013-12. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10557103

I HAVE HAD A 3 MONTH OLD MODEL S. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OWNERS WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR IN THEIR CARS. I HAVE 4,000 MILES IN MY 4 DOOR SEDAN, AND WAS TOLD BY TESLA SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO PLAN ON REPLACING THE TIRES IN THE NEXT 1K MILES, DURING A RECENT SERVICE APPT TO FIX MY MOONROOF LEAK. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN RACED OR DRIVEN HARD TO CAUSE EARLY TIRE WEAR. WHEN I ASKED THEM TO SEE IF THEIR WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, THEY SAID TO EXPECT THIS AND THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THESE CARS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE EDMUNDS LONG TERM EVALUATION OF THE MODEL S, IT ALSO HAD THE SAME ISSUE AT 10K MILES, AND TESLA REPLACED THE TIRES FOR FREE. I HAVE ATTACHED THEIR POST ABOUT THEIR CAR. HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/TESLA/MODEL-S/2013/LONG-TERM-ROAD-TEST/2013-TESLA-MODEL-S-TIRE-WEAR-POST-MORTEM.HTML THE MICHELIN TIRES ARE WARRANTED TO 20K MILES(ON MY CAR) ON THE PILOT PS2 TIRES. THE CONTINENTAL TIRES IN THE EDMUNDS CAR IS WARRANTED EVEN LONGER. IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER FORUMS/REVIEWS, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. EXCESSIVE EARLY TIRE WEAR CAN BE A HAZARD TO PEOPLE UNSUSPECTING THIS. I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF EVEN CHECKING TO SEE IF I NEEDED NEW TIRES AT 4K MILES. IF I NEVER CHECKED, MY TIRES WILL SOON BE ON DRIVING ON THE BARE METAL TREADS WITH A POSSIBLE TIRE BLOWOUT. THIS CAN POSE A SERIOUS DANGER TO ANY UNSUSPECTING DRIVER. MAYBE WITH SOME PRODDING, TESLA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO WHY A FOUR DOOR PASSENGER CAR, HAS SUCH EXCESSIVE AND EARLY TIRE WEAR, AND FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE GET INTO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548245

THIS IS NOT SO MUCH A COMPLAINT AS IT IS A QUESTION. I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT PURCHASING A TESLA AND I SAW PICTURES OF THE RECENT ACCIDENT THAT SPARKED, LITERALLY, A FIRE -- APPARENTLY A FRONT END COLLISION. THE EXCUSE FROM TESLA WAS THAT A PIECE OF METAL PIERCED THE BATTERIES AND THAT WILL, AS I UNDERSTAND IT ACCORDING TO TESLA, CAUSE A FIRE. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN NHTSA CRASH TESTS THESE CARS, IT IS INTO CONCRETE. AS MOST CRASHES ARE METAL TO METAL, SHOULDN'T YOU TEST, ESPECIALLY THIS CAR, BY CRASHING IT INTO ANOTHER CAR? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10546738

I WAS AT A FULL STOP WAITING TO TURN LEFT INTO THE PARKING GARAGE. WHEN IT WAS CLEAR OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC FOR ME TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN, I RELEASED MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE CAR INSTANTLY SURGED FORWARD VERY FAST AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE. THIS ALL HAPPENED SO QUICKLY THAT I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO AVOID THE IMPACT. THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE WAS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT AT ABOUT 6PM PST. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR FOR ALMOST 10000 MILES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE CAR AND UNDERSTAND THE TORQUE THIS CAR HAS. I HAVE MADE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF STOPS AND STARTS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED. THERE IS NO OTHER TERM TO DESCRIBE THIS OTHER THAN SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT DISPATCHED AN OFFICER AND NO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL WAS INVOLVED. *JS TESLA INSTRUCTED THEIR STAFF TO NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ME ABOUT THIS ACCIDENT. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10545488

THE CAR WAS GOING AT ABOUT 5 MPH GOING DOWN A SHORT RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY. BRAKE WAS CONSTANTLY APPLIED. THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. IT HIT A CURB AND THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE CAR LANDED ON A 4.5 FT HIGH VERTICAL RETAINING WALL. THE WALL IS ONE FOOT AWAY FROM THE CURB. THE FRONT PORTION OF THE CAR WAS HANGING UP IN THE AIR. THE CAR WAS AT ABOUT 45 DEGREE UP AND ABOUT 20 DEGREE TILTED TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE. AN ENGINEER FROM TESLA SAID THE RECORD SHOWED THE ACCELERATING PEDAL WAS STEPPED ON AND IT ACCELERATED FROM 18% TO 100% IN SPLIT SECOND. HE BLAMED MY WIFE STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATING PEDAL. BUT HE ALSO SAID THERE WAS A BUILT-IN SAFE-GUARD THAT THE ACCELERATOR COULDNOT GO BEYOND 92%. THE STATEMENTS ARE CONTRADICTORY. IF THERE IS A SAFEGUARD THAT THE ACCELERATOR CANNOT GO BEYOUND 92%, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY THAT MY WIFE COULD STEP ON IT 100%. THERE WERE SOME MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN FROM 18% TO 100% IN SPLIT SECOND. *LN UPDATED 12/30/2013 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10545230

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL ABNORMALLY TIGHTENED AS IT EXHIBITED AN UNUSUAL CRACKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE SHAM AND RACKING PINION NUT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

NHTSA ODI 10534139

I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY MODEL S ON MONDAY, JULY 1, 2013. I TOOK THE CAR FOR A FAST DRIVE AND I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. IT WAS COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE SMELL MADE ME DIZZY ALONG WITH MY FAMILY MEMBERS TO A POINT WHERE WE HAD TO STOP AND GET OUT OF THE CAR FOR AIR AND WALK IT OFF. WHY HASN'T THE GOVERNMENT ISSUED A RECALL ON THE TESLA MODEL S. I CALLED TESLA, I WAS TOLD, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT, THE SMELL WILL EVENTUALLY GO AWAY. THIS IS B.S. I PAID OVER $100,000 FOR A CAR THAT I CANNOT DRIVE FOR 2 TO 3 WEEKS BECAUSE OF A BURNING SMELL THAT MAKES EVERYONE IN MY CAR DIZZY AND ALL TESLA DOES IS SAY, OPEN YOUR WINDOWS? GO CHECK THE TESLA FORUM, EVERYONE IS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SMELL BUT TESLA WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. HTTP://WWW-ORIGIN.TESLAMOTORS.COM/DE_AT/FORUM/FORUMS/BURN-SMELL-NEW-TESLA-S-WHEN-HEAT I WILL NOT GIVE MY REAL CONTACT INFORMATION BECAUSE I AM AFRAID OF TESLA AND THE CEO COMING AFTER ME FOR REPORTING THE COMPANY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND UNHEALTHY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10523183

I REMOVED THE REAR BUMPER COVER FROM THE CAR TO INSTALL A TRAILER HITCH. THREE OF THE FOUR NUTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEEL BUMPER CROSS MEMBER. THE NUTS WERE LOOSELY STARTED ONTO THE STUDS. THE NUTS ARE LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT CANNOT BE INSPECTED WITHOUT DISASSEMBLING THE REAR OF THE CAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS IT AFFECTS CRASH CRUMPLE ZONE INTEGRITY AND PROTECTION FOR THE REAR FACING JUMP SEATS IN THIS VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AND I DO NO BELIEVE THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN ASSEMBLY QUALITY CONTROL ISSUE. *TR

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