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

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (459)Crash / fire / injury (57)Electrical system (195)Suspension (91)Transmission & drivetrain (35)Steering (29)Speed control (25)Fuel system (24)Visibility & wipers (22)Brakes (21)Engine (21)Body & structure (19)

3 of 459 complaints match · Steering · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Nov 27, 2016SteeringSuspensionCrash1 death

THIS IS THE CAR WHICH SWERVED OVER A CLIFF AND KILLED THE DRIVER. HTTPS://WWW.EASYEXPORT.US/VEHICLE-FINDER/LOT-16405175/2013-TESLA-TESLA-NON-REPAIRABLE-CA-SAN-JOSE HTTP://WWW.PRESSDEMOCRAT.COM/NEWS/3318773-181/PD-DEFAULT-STORY-HEADLINE-XY?GALLERY=3314901&ARTSLIDE=0 I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPHS THAT SHOW NOT ONLY THAT THE STEERING KNUCKLE HAS SNAPPED BUT THE TREAD IS WORN OFF THE TIRE. THIS CAN ONLY HAVE HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. THIS WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. THIS SAME EFFECT OF SNAPPED SUSPENSION WITH WORN TIRE CAN BE SEEN IN MANY OTHER TESLA CRASHES.. SINCE ABOUT 2015 TESLA HAS REDESIGNED THE STEERING KNUCKLE TO A SOLID H-SECTION INSTEAD OF THE HOLLOW DIE-CAST ORIGINAL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPLACE ALL OF THE EARLIER FRAGILE VERSIONS. MANY MORE IMAGES OF SNAPPED KNUCKLES CAN BE SEEN AT HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/136377865@N05/SETS/72157658490111523/. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10928135

Aug 19, 2016SteeringSuspensionFire

HERE IS AN AUCTION LISTING OF A TESLA THAT HAS CAUGHT FIRE. HTTP://SALVAGE-BID.COM/RESULT.PHP?VIN=[XXX] THE PJHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THAT THE LH TOP BALL-JOINT HAS PULLED OUT FROM THE STEERING KNUCKLE. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF THE FIRE BECAUSE THOSE PARTS ARE SOLID METAL AND NEITHER THE STEERING KNUCKLE NOR THE WISHBONE HAVE MELTED. THE SUSPENSION FAILURE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PATTERN OF SIMILAR FAILURES THAT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF CRASHES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS RECURRING FAILURE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10897285

Aug 10, 2016SteeringSuspensionCrash1 injury

HERE IS A REPORT OF A TESLA CRASH AT AN INTERSECTION. HTTP://INSIDEEVS.COM/TESLA-MODEL-S-GETS-WRECKED-OWNER-SAYS-VEHICLE-SAVED-HIS-LIFE-IMAGES-OWNER-TESTIMONIAL/ THE REPORT BLAMES THE OTHER DRIVER AND CREDITS THE TESLA WITH SAVING THE OWNER FROM INJURY. THE CLAIM THAT THE HYUNDAI HIT THE TESLA AND THEN REBOUNDED AND HIT THE TESLA ONCE MORE IS QUITE UNUSUAL. THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE HIGH RESOLUTION AND IF THEY ARE BLOWN UP AND EXAMINED CLOSE UP YOU CAN SEETHE THAT TIP OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE IS BROKEN OFF (CLOSE UP PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ACTUAL PART -WHICH WAS PURCHASED BY A REBUILDER- HERE: HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/136377865@N05/22799472895/IN/ALBUM-72157658490111523/ I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SUSPENSION FAILURES ARE CAUSING MANY CRASHES. THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT IS AN ESTIMATE. THE OWNER SAYS THAT TESLA HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL. "?TESLA CALLED MY HOME SHORTLY AFTERWARDS SAYING THAT THEY RECEIVED MULTIPLE ALARMS FROM THE CAR AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS OK. THEY PICKED UP MY CAR FREE OF CHARGE AND TRANSPORTED IT 50 MILES TO THE NEAREST SERVICE CENTER. THEY ARE ALSO ARRANGING A LOANER MODEL S. CAN I ASK FOR MORE? PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT THE OWNER JUST A CONCERNED CITIZEN PLEASE INCLUDE THIS CRASH IN ANY INQUIRY INTO THE TESLA SUSPENSION ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10894694

Working with the data? Download all 459 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Tesla Model S Bev verdict →