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What 365 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 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 (365)Crash / fire / injury (59)Electrical system (132)Suspension (90)Lights (27)Steering (27)Transmission & drivetrain (27)Body & structure (26)Fuel system (24)Speed control (22)Visibility & wipers (17)Airbags (13)

29 of 365 complaints match · Suspension · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Mar 28, 2016SuspensionCrash

THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A TESLA WITH A REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY THAT HAS FALLEN COMPLETELY OFF THE CAR. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=21617174&ROWID=10&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS# THE CAR HAS SUFFERED HEAVY FRONT END DAMAGE BUT THERE IS NO SIGN OF DAMAGE AT THE REAR LEFT THAT COULD EXPLAIN WHY THE WHEEL HAS FALLEN OFF. THE FRONT LH SUSPENSION HAS ALSO BROKEN BUT IT IS UNCLEAR IF THAT WAS THE CAUSE OR THE RESULT OF THE COLLISION. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY SIMILAR CASES OF SNAPPED OFF WHEELS FOR THIS TO BE MERELY A FREAK ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 10852100

Feb 8, 2016SuspensionCrash

I HAVE SUBMITTED MANY EXAMPLES OF TESLA SUSPENSION COMPONENTS SNAPPING OFF. THIS TESLA IS FOR SALE AS A SALVAGE WRECK. HTTP://WWW.SALVAGERESELLER.COM/VEHICLES/DETAILS/14406666-2014-TESLA-MODEL-S-MA-MENDON# WHILST IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE WHEEL WAS RIPPED OFF IN THE CRASH IT IS REMARKABLE THAT SO MANY OF THESE CARS ARE FAILING IN A SIMILAR FASHION. THE DAMAGE TO THE BODYWORK DOES NOT LOOK CONSISTENT WITH A SEVERE ENOUGH IMPACT TO TEAR THE SUSPENSION OFF THE CAR. THE TIP OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE AKA KING-PIN IS ONCE AGAIN SNAPPED OFF IN THE SAME FASHION AS MANY SIMILAR FAILURES. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT UNDER THE HIGH TORQUE APPLIED DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING THIS TIP SNAPS OFF WITH CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES. THIS IS A LARGE HEAVY CAR WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE BRAKES BUT THOSE BRAKES ARE VERY RARELY USED HARD. DRIVERS PREFER TO USE REGENERATIVE BRAKING TO REDUCE BATTERY DRAIN IN THIS ELECTRIC CAR. I HAVE SUPPLIED A FICTITIOUS ADDRESS TO COMPLY WITH YOUR WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS. I AM NOT A US RESIDENT.....JUST A CONCERNED CITIZEN

NHTSA ODI 10824742

Jan 25, 2016SuspensionCrash

HERE IS A FRESH EXAMPLE OF A TESLA MODEL S IN WHICH THE SUSPENSION HAS FAILED CAUSING THE WHEEL TO BE COMPLETELY SLICED IN HALF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL ROLLING FORWARD. HTTP://WWW.SALVAGERESELLER.COM/VEHICLES/DETAILS/38358495-2014-TESLA-MODEL-S-TX-HOUSTON# THERE IS NO ACCIDENT TO THE CAR WHICH COULD ACCOUNT FOR THIS. I HAVE COLLECTED MANY OTHER IMAGES OF TESLAS WITH THE SAME KIND OF DAMAGE. THESE CAN BE VIEWED ON FLICKR ALBUM HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/136377865@N05/22456780543 MOST IMPORTANTLY THE SAME SLICED WHEEL EFFECT CAN BE SEEN ON MANY SERIOUS CRASH EVENTS INCLUDING THE FATAL ONE IN HOLLYWOOD. THE WHEEL MUST HAVE BEEN SLICED IN HALF BY A BROKEN SUSPENSION COMPONENT BEFORE THE CRASH AND WHILE THE WHEELS WERE STILL ROTATING. HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/136377865@N05/ALBUMS/72157661343139261 PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS URGENTLY. I AM NOT A TESLA OWNER BUT I AM FORCED TO SHARE THE ROADS WITH THESE DANGEROUS CARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10822151

Nov 1, 2015SuspensionCrash

THIS CAR IS FOR SALE AS A SALVAGE WRECK. THE SUSPENSION HAS FAILED BOTH FRONT AND REAR. HTTP://WWW.COPART.COM/US/LOT/29535665/PHOTOS?SEARCHID=311640899 THERE IS NO DAMAGE VISIBLE TO THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR BOTH WHEELS COMING OFF LIKE THAT. THE WHEELS AND TIRES ARE UNDAMAGED SO IT CAN NOT BE EXPLAINED AWAY AS BEING THE RESULT OF A COLLISION. THE AIR-BAGS HAVE NOT BEEN DEPLOYED. THE FRONT DAMAGE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED ONLY BY THE FAILURE OF THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND THE WHEEL IS COMPLETELY DETACHED. THE REAR OF THE CAR IS UNDAMAGED AND YET THE WHEEL IS SKEWED BADLY. THERE IS A PATTERN OF SIMILAR FAILURES PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE GET KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10787534

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Working with the data? Download all 365 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 2014 Tesla Model S Bev verdict →