What 365 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Tesla Model S 75d

MY AUTOMOBILE HAS BECOME UNRESPONSIVE. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START IT, THE MESSAGE "SYSTEMS ARE POWERING UP" APPEARS BUT NOTHING HAPPENS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND NOW 2 DAYS IN A ROW AND AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO. I HAVE WAITED OVER 15 MINUTES WITH STILL NO RESPONSE. IT HAD REMAINED PARKED FOR 3 DAYS BEFORE TRYING TO OPERATE IT. I AM UNABLE TO RESET THE POWER ON THE CAR SINCE THE MEDIA CONTROL SCREEN STAYS BLACK. THE TESLA APP WILL NOT CONNECT TO THE CAR. THE WINDOWS, LIGHTS, DOOR LOCKS STILL OPERATE, BUT I AM UNABLE TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO DRIVE TO GET TO A SERVICE CENTER. I AM TOLD IT WILL BE $195 TO DIAGNOSE. I HAVE 102,132 MILES. THE ISSUES STARTED OCCURRING APPROXIMATELY 50K MILES AFTER I PURCHASED IT. IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, I REPLACED THE 12V BATTERY AFTER A WARNING INDICATION APPEARED AND TOLD ME I NEEDED TO. AT THIS TIME, THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS.

NHTSA ODI 11343156

TOTAL MAIN COMPUTER FAILURE (MCU) - MANY SAFETY FEATURES WERE UNACCESSIBLE AND NOT AVAILABLE INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS STOP WORKING, THE SETTINGS FOR AUTOPILOT AND DRIVING ARE GONE, THE SUSPENSION SETTINGS, THE ABILITY TO TURN ON HEADLIGHTS MANUALLY, ABILITY TO MANUALLY LOCK AND UNLOCK THE VEHICLE, NAVIGATION, A/C, SUNROOF CONTROLS, ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11343253

MS1 BROKEN, NEEDED TO REPLACE

NHTSA ODI 11343048

MEDIA CONTROL UNIT(MCU) FAILED DUE TO DESIGN FLAW OF MEMORY BEING OVERWRITTEN UNTIL IT HITS A LIMIT. ONCE THE LIMIT IS HIT, THE MCU NO LONGER WORKS. THE MCU CONTROLS THE BACK UP CAMERA AND TURN SIGNALS. BOTH NO LONGER WORK AND I AM NOT ABLE TO VIEW THE BACK UP CAMERA OR SIGNAL LANE CHANGES OR TURNS WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11342754

MEDIA CONTROL UNIT MCU FAILURE. 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

NHTSA ODI 11342767

DROVE OUT OF TOWN AND PARKED THE VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS, WHEN I RETUNED TO DRIVE IT BACK (10 PM) CENTER TOUCH SCREEN WAS BLANK. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS LOSS OF FUNCTION OF NEARLY EVERYTHING IN THE VEHICLE. I COULD STILL DRIVE IT BUT WITH ABILITY TO USE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, OR HEADLIGHTS (VERY DANGEROUS DRIVE AT NIGHT). STEERING WHEEL BUTTONS, AC, AUDIO, PHONE BLUETOOTH, AND ALL CONTROLS OF THE VEHICLE WERE COMPLETELY LOST. IT WAS 90 DEGREES OUTSIDE THAT NIGHT AND HAD TO DRIVE WITHOUT AC, I COULD NOT MAKE OR RECEIVE PHONE CALLS DUE TO BLACK SCREEN, SUN ROOF COULD NOT BE OPENED. BASICALLY THE VEHICLE BECAME A BARE BASIC VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY OF THE SAFETY FEATURES OR EVEN THE BASIC FEATURE SUCH AS SIGNAL LIGHTS. I AM NOT SURE IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY IF AIRBAGS WOULD HAVE RESPONDED EITHER! THE CAR FELT JUST TOO SCARY TO DRIVE!! ODOMETER WOULD NOT COUNT THE MILES TOO, ODOMETER IS LOST AND APP SHOWS THE MILEAGE FROM YESTERDAY (EVEN THOUGH I DROVE 50 MILES ON IT TO GET HOME), I EVEN NOTICE BATTERY STARTED DRAINING FASTER WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT BACK HOME.. PERFORMED SOFT AND HARD RESET PER TESLA WEBSITE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHOUT ABILITY TO RESTORE ANY OF THE FUNCTIONS OR MAKE THE CENTER SCREEN DISPLAY ANYTHING. I ATTEMPTED CONNECTING THROUGH THE TESLA APP, AND ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE VEHICLE, THE CAR WOULD NOT RESPOND TO APP FOR ANY OF THE CONTROLS, CLIMATE ETC. CONTACTED TESLA NEXT MORNING AND THEY STATED THAT SINCE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THAT I WILL HAVE TO BRING IT TO SERVICE CENTER OR TOW IT IF UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND PAY FOR REPAIR TO RESTORE ITS FUNCTIONS. THE SMALL DASH SCREEN STILL WAS WORKING, BUT CONTINUES TO DISPLAY A MESSAGE TO "WAIT WHILE VEHICLE SYSTEMS POWER UP". IT IS COMPLETELY AN UNSAFE CAR AT THIS TIME ON EVERY LEVEL

NHTSA ODI 11342704

SCREEN BLACKED OUT AND I LOST SIGNALS AND CONTROL

NHTSA ODI 11342190

THE MEDIA CONTROL UNIT (MCU) FAILED - THIS CONTROL UNIT SHOULD NOT BE A CONSUMABLE OR WEAR PART - WHEN IT FAILS THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT OPERATE, THE WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER CANNOT BE OPERATED, AND MANY OTHER CRITICAL SAFETY SYSTEMS IMPACTED - THE MCU HAS BEEN ACTING UP AND NOT NORMAL FOR PAST 9 -12 MONTHS THEN FINALLY FAILED COMPLETELY 07/27/20

NHTSA ODI 11342313

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND SUDDENLY THE MAIN SCREEN GOES BLACK, AND THE TURN SIGNALS STOP WORKING AND I HAD TO USE HAND SIGNALS ( MOST OF THE PPL DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THEM) AND THE AC SYSTEM TURNED OFF ( I WAS DRIVING WITH THE KIDS IN THE CAR AND UNTIL GOT HOME THEY WERE DEHYDRATED, AS IT WAS OVER 100 DEGREES OUTSIDE)

NHTSA ODI 11341986

MY TESLA S HAS YET ANOTHER DEFECTIVE MCU CONSOLE RUINED BY EXCESSIVE DATA COMMUNICATION BY TESLA.. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE CAR SPEED IS EXTREMELY FAINT IN THE INSTRUMENT WINDOW, AND THERE IS NO SOUND WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED, NO RADIO, NO MAP, AND NO HVAC CONTROL. I HAVE TO PAY TESLA $1553.TO REPLACE IT WITH A REMANUFACTURED UNIT - SOME OTHER OWNER'S EX-MCU? TESLA PROMOTES THIS AS A "SMART CAR." WITHOUT THE MCU CONSOLE, IT S A DUMB CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11342036

SOMETIME IN 2015/16 MY COMPUTER SYSTEM (INFOTAINMENT/MCU) STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY. IT MOVED VERY SLOW, SCREEN WOULD LOAD SLOWLY, GPS LOADED EVEN SLOWER, CAR STOPPED RECOGNIZING THE KEY WAS IN THE CAR AND WEB CONNECTION STOPPED CONNECTING OR CONNECTED VERY SLOWLY. I ASKED THE SERVICE CENTER TO LOOK AT THIS DURING SEVERAL ROUTINE OR REPAIR VISITS AND I WAS ALWAYS TOLD IT WAS A FIRMWARE ISSUE. AFTER THEY UPDATE THE FIRMWARE, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS DURING EVERY VISIT TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND ONLY RECENTLY REALIZED THAT THEY NEVER NOTED IT AS A 'CUSTOMER COMPLAINT' IN MY SERVICE RECORDS. THEY SIMPLY LISTED THAT THEY LOOKED AT IT AS PART OF THEIR ROUTINE COURTESY CHECK. THIS IS MISLEADING SINCE I DEFINITELY COMPLAINED AND ASKED THEM TO FIX IT. IN RECENT YEARS, THE SCREEN HAS STARTED RANDOMLY GOING BLACK AND OFTEN (WHILE DRIVING OR IDLE), THE GPS ONLY OCCASIONALLY WORKS, THE WEB NEVER WORKS (HASN'T WORKED FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS). NOW TESLA SAYS MY MCU IS FAULTY AND I HAVE TO PAY $2500 FOR AN UPGRADE. IN THE MEANTIME, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM HAS INDICATED THE 12V BATTERY WAS BAD (I PAID TO REPLACE IT BUT BELIEVE THIS WAS AN MCU ERROR NOW THAT MY SYSTEM RARELY WORKS CORRECTLY). I'VE REPORTED THIS ISSUE WITH THE COMPUTER MORE THAN 6 OR 7 TIMES AND NO ONE WAS EVER ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OR REPAIR IT. ONLY ON A RECENT VISIT IN 2019 WAS I TOLD THAT THE MCU WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE.

NHTSA ODI 11342106

MCU 1 FAILURE IN AN OLDER MODEL S. TESLA RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE AND IS NOW INSTALLING A BETTER MCU. HOWEVER, WARRANTY REPAIRS ARE BEING DONE WITH REFURBISHED MCU 1 COMPONENTS.

NHTSA ODI 11342108

MCU FAILURE - EMMC FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF HVAC, CHARGING NOTIFICATIONS, TURN SIGNAL CLICKS, HEADLIGHT CONTROLS, LOSS OF REAR VIEW CAMERA ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11341622

THE VIDEO SCRREN (MCU) GOES BLANK WHILE DRIVING AND NAVIGATING AND BACKING UP. WHILE BACKING INTO MY GARAGE TGE SCREEN WENT BLANK CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATION NOT SEEING WHAT WAS BEHIND ME. WHILE NAVIGATING THE SCREEN WENT BLANK CAUSING ME TO MISS AN EXIT ON THE FREEWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11341476

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE CENTER TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAY WAS INOPERABLE AND WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. DUE TO THE DISPLAY FAILURE THE REAR VIEW CAMERA, TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS AND HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. ALSO WHILE CHARGING, THE BATTERY WOULD OVER HEAT AND THE ODOR OF BURNING PLASTIC WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL TESLA SERVICE CENTER LOCATED AT 210 ANDOVER ST. PEABODY MA.WHO REPROGRAMMED THE SYSTEM BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DISPLAY SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11341255

MY MCU (CONTROL SCREEN) FAILED, WENT BLACK AND DIDN'T COME BACK. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT. I DID A REBOOT AND IT FAILED TO REBOOT. CONTACTED TESLA AND TOOK TO SERVICE CENTER WHERE THEY SAID IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 11341137

THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE ON 7/9/20 AROUND 9:15 AM. POLICE REPORT # 20-1291-AC I DROVE MY CAR INTO THE PARKING LOT OF 4519 POST ROAD (FACING POST ROAD) AND TURNED INTO THE DOCTOR'S PARKING SPOT. THE CAR HAD JUST ABOUT STOPPED AND MY FOOT WAS NOT YET OFF THE BRAKE WHEN I SUDDENLY FELT THE CAR ACCELERATING. IT WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE HEDGE IN FRONT (ABOUT 1 FOOT AWAY) THEN WENT SMASHING THROUGH THE OFFICE MARQUEE, OVER THE STONE WALL AND ON TO THE STREET. MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I WAS TRYING FRANTICALLY TO STOP. THE CAR STOPPED. RELIEVED, I THOUGHT I SHOULD QUICKLY GET OUT OF THE CAR. TO MY HORROR, IT STARTED ACCELERATING AGAIN. IN THE NEXT FEW SECONDS, IT FELT AS THOUGH I WAS IN A JAMES BOND MOVIE CAR CHASE. THE NEXT THING I KNEW MY CAR WAS TEARING THROUGH THE WHITE FENCE OF A HOUSE AND THEN I REMEMBER TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. WHICH FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO BY OPENING THE DRIVER-SIDE DOOR. DIDN'T KNOW HIT A TREE INSIDE BREAKING IT INTO TWO. FOUND OUT LATER THE YARD WAS 4-6 FEET BELOW THE STREET. POLICE REPORT IS PENDING AT THIS TIME

NHTSA ODI 11340986

MAY BE RELATED TP PE 20-010 IN MY CAR SOMETIMES AC IS OFF IMMEDIATELY ALOS IN COMBINATION WITH REARVIEW MIRROR IS SET TO REVERSE DRIVING POSITION. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS TOGETHER EVEN WHILST DRIVING FORWARD. DEPENDING ON WEATHER CONDITIONS VISIBILITY IS REDUCED IMMEDIATELY TRY TO PULL OVER TO EMERGENCY LANE IS DANGEROUS AS MIRROR ONLY SHOWS SURFACE OF TARMAC. SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENS IN CORRELATION TO STUCK OR SPUTTERED MUSIC OR A MCU RESET OUT OF THE BLUE.

NHTSA ODI 11340602

WHEN STARTING MY VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE'S CENTER CONSOLE SCREEN DID NOT POWER ON. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (BEHIND STEERING WHEEL) DID POWER ON, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS VERY SLOW (ABOUT 2 MINUTES) BEFORE IT COULD BE PUT INTO "DRIVE" (THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SAID THAT VEHICLE WAS POWERING UP). I THEN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CENTER CONSOLE SCREEN (MCU) MANUALLY (BY PRESSING BOTH BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL FOR 20 SECONDS), BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. I BEGAN DRIVING, AND NOTICED SEVERAL FUNCTIONS WERE NOT WORKING: WHEN INDICATING TURN SIGNALS, THERE WAS NO SOUND, AND USING A LARGE GLASS WINDOW TO VERIFY, THE EXTERIOR TURN SIGNALS WERE NOT LIGHTING UP. THE REAR VIEW CAMERA AND PARKING SENSORS WOULD NOT ACTIVATE WHEN CAR WAS IN "REVERSE" GEAR. HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN IT WAS DARK, BUT I HAD NO DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (ALSO VERIFIED WITH GLASS WINDOW). I COULD ALSO NOT MANUALLY TURN HEADLIGHTS / DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON OR OFF. THE CLIMATE WAS OFF, AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED. CHARGING WAS LIMITED, THE VEHICLE WOULD CHARGE BUT A MUCH SLOWER RATE THAN USUAL (THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SAID IT WAS CHARGING AT ONLY 8 / 40 AMPS 240V). I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK, FOR SHORT DISTANCES, AND THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THE SAME STATE. SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR, I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO TESLA FOR SERVICE, BECAUSE OF CONSTANT RESTARTS OF MCU EVERY TIME VEHICLE WAS STARTED, AFTER A SOFTWARE UPDATE. I WAS TOLD TO UPDATE TO NEXT AVAILABLE VERSION, WHICH DID RESOLVE THE ISSUE. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THIS IS THE FIRST SYMPTOM OF MCU FAILURE, AND I WOULD EXPERIENCE FREQUENT RESTARTS OF MCU WHILE DRIVING AFTERWARDS (WHICH I DID) UNTIL THE UNIT WOULD FAIL ENTIRELY (WHICH IT ALSO DID). I AM SURPRISED TESLA DID NOT WARN ME OF ANY OF THESE THINGS WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, INSTEAD WAITING UNTIL VEHICLE BECAME UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11340296

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MEDIA CONTROL UNIT WAS DEFECTIVE AND INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, WATER STARTED TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED STATING THAT THE 12 VOLT BATTERY SHOULD BE REPLACED SOON. THE CONTACT CALLED TESLA (50 EDWARDS CT, BURLINGAME, CA 94010, (650) 342-1176) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000. *LN CONSUMER STATED TOUCHSCREEN DOES NOT WORK, THE CAR DOOR DOESN'T LOCK AND AC RUNS WHILE PARKED. NOISE OF THE CAR IS LOUD AND BATTERY RUNS OUT FAST WHILE PARKED. CONSUMER CANNOT SEE THE TELSA APP AND THEREFORE CANNOT ADJUST CHARGING AND UNABLE TO OPEN AC AND MORE.*JB*DT CONSUMER STATED MEDIA CONTROL UNIT/TOUCHSCREEN WAS REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA ODI 11340365

THE MEDIA CONTROL UNIT (TOUCH SCREEN SYSTEM IN TESLA USED TO CONTROL MANY COMPONENTS OF THE CAR IS LEAKING A LIQUID, AND HAS MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE CHANGES AS THE TOUCH SENSITIVITY WAS IMPACTED). THE MEDIA CONTROL UNIT IS USED TO CONTROL THE LOCKING/UNLOCKING OF DOORS AND TRUNK, THE AIR CONDITIONER, THE VEHICLE'S CHARGING PORT, ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11340112

MY TESLA P85D YEAR 2014 HAD THE CENTER CONSOLE THAT CONTROLS ALL THE NAVIGATION, HEATING, A/C, SEAT ADJUSTMENTS, MUSIC, CHARGING, HAS GONE BAD AND A LOT OF THE BLOGS I READ STATE THIS IS DUE TO A FAULTY FLASH MEMORY WITH THE MULTIMEDIA CONTROL UNIT (MCU). THE CAR IS DRIVEABLE BUT TOO MANY FEATURES THAT YOU DEPEND ON TO DRIVE ARE NOT OPERABLE DUE TO THE MEDIA CONSOLE NOT BEING USABLE. THE MEDIA CONSOLE IS JUST BLACK AND NOT ABLE TO BE TURNED ON.

NHTSA ODI 11339312

THE MCU (LARGE TOUCH SCREEN CONTROL PANEL) HAS BEEN REBOOTING RANDOMLY FOR YEARS WHILE DRIVING RENDERIMG SOME CAR FUNCTIONS NON FUNCTIONAL INCLUDING TURN SIGNAL. TODAY IT TURNED OFF COMPLETELY LEAVING THE CAR DRIVABLE BUT HANDICAPPED AND I AM UNSURE IF IT SAFE TO DRIVE. I UNDERSTAND TESLA KNOWS ABOUT THE EMMC FAILURE THAT CAN CAUSE THIS ISSUE YET THEY DON'T WARN CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE ESPECIALLY WHEN UNDER WARRANTY AND WHEN IT COULD CAUSE DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE LEAST TESLA COULD DO IS TELL CUSTOMERS ABOUT WHAT DANGERS MAY BE PRESENT AND THAT SOME LEGAL BASED FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE LIKE THE TURN SIGNALS WILL BE INOPERABLE. IT'S UPSETTING THAT TESLA KNOWS ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND IS NOT INFORMING CUSTOMERS.

NHTSA ODI 11338834

THE FRONT TRUNK IS OPENING ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING. TESLA REPLACED THE MEDIA CONTROL UNIT IN JUNE 2020 AND THIS PROBLEM HAS STARTED SINCE THEN. ADDITIONALLY THE REAR TRUNK OPENS ON ITS OWN TOO. THE FRONT AND REAR TRUNK OPEN ON THEIR FREQUENTLY WHILE PARKED AND THE FRONT TRUNK OPENED TODAY, WHILE DRIVING, ON A CITY STREET. TESLA HAS BEEN NOTICED OF THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11338678

ON MAY 19TH, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR BUT FOUND THAT THE MAIN CENTRAL TOUCHSCREEN WOULD NOT TURN ON. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START, INCLUDING ALL AVAILABLE REBOOT OPTIONS AS INSTRUCTED BY TESLA TECH SUPPORT VIA PHONE FAILED TO RESTART THE SCREEN. BECAUSE SERVICE HAD TO BE PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP IN ATLANTA, I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE TOUCHSCREEN. WHILE BASIC FUNCTIONS WERE AVAILABLE, THE LOSS OF THE TOUCHSCREEN CREATED A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. I HAD TO DRIVE ROUGHLY 75 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM. THE LOSS OF TOUCHSCREEN MEANT I HAD NO CLIMATE CONTROL--NO A/C OR DEFROST FUNCTIONS--SO VISIBILITY WAS GREATLY IMPAIRED AND I WAS REDUCED TO PERIODICALLY (AND DANGEROUSLY) WIPING THE WINDSHIELD WITH A TOWEL TO MAINTAIN VISIBILITY. THERE WERE MULTIPLE OTHER IMPACTS, INCLUDING LOSS OF ALL AUDIO AND BLUETOOTH, NAVIGATION, AND I WOULD WORRY THAT SOME OF THE ELECTRONIC SAFETY SYSTEMS LIKE COLLISION AVOIDANCE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED IN WINTER DURING A SNOWSTORM, THE IMPACT COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. THE PROBLEM TURNS OUT TO BE WELL KNOWN BY TESLA. IT WAS A DEFECTIVE MEDIA CONTROL UNIT. THIS UNIT USES A FLASH MEMORY CHIP, HARD-SOLDERED TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND THUS NOT REPLACEABLE WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE BOARD. THE MEMORY CHIP HAS A LIMITED NUMBER OF READ-WRITE CYCLES, AND DUE TO THE TESLA'S PROGRAMMING, DATA ARE CONSTANTLY WRITTEN TO THE CHIP DAILY (AND THIS IS NOT A USER-DEFEATABLE OPTION). REPLACEMENT WAS DONE BY THE DEALER, FOR A COST TOTALING 1868.07, NOT COVERED BY ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI 11338530