May 31, 2026Speed controlBrakesCrash1 injury
I have been driving my Model S Tesla for 13 years. On 30 April as I was pulling into a parking space at my local grocery store, I applied the brakes to ease into the space and my car surged forward with unintended acceleration. I smashed into the concrete base of a light pole, the airbags deployed and my car ricocheted back about 8 feet. There were no warning messages. I was taken to the emergency room and had whiplash and a burn on my leg from the airbag. No one else was hurt. I know it was the car that malfunctioned because my foot was still on the brake after the collision and the airbags bruised the right side of my right leg. It could not have bruised it in that way if my foot had been on the accelerator. The insurance company inspected and declared a total loss. I obtained the black box data from Tesla and am uploading the documents below. The car is currently at the Tesla collision center. They do not seem interested in evaluating the problem.
NHTSA ODI 11741164
Jun 2, 2021Speed controlBackup camera & sensorsCrash
We have owned this car for a couple of months. Today, when I pulled into a parking spot at my office, the car accelerated quickly as soon as I made the turn to get into the parking spot. It jumped the curb and I barely missed hitting the office building. My feet were not on the gas pedal, the car did this on its own. None of the sensors went off to warn me of the curb like it normally does too. You can see from the skid marks how hard I had to slam on the brakes. Car damaged on front, assuming the windshield wiper fluid line was also cut with the fluid on the ground. Pictures attached.
NHTSA ODI 11419332
Apr 20, 2021Speed controlCrash1 injury
2014 TESLA P85. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO THE WALL OF THE GARAGE, WHILE HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR WALL AND THE FRONT WALL OF THE GARAGE WERE BADLY DAMAGED. THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *JS
NHTSA ODI 11412733
Jul 22, 2020Speed controlCrash1 injury
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
Jan 21, 2020Speed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash1 injury
FROM A COASTING POSITION IN AN UNDERGROUND GARAGE, I TURNED RIGHT TO ROUND A 90 DEGREE CORNER. AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN MY CAR BEGAN TO SPEED UP RAPIDLY. WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE ACCELERATION BEGINNING, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, WHICH HAD NO EFFECT. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE OVER A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 50 FEET AND COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH A CONCRETE WALL. FRONT AIRBAGS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED AND MY BODY STRUCK THEM: FACE, CHEST, AND LOWER LEGS. I HAVE INJURIES FROM THE INCIDENT.
NHTSA ODI 11300905
Jan 17, 2020Speed controlCrash1 injury
IN DECEMBER 2016 THE CAR ACCELERATED SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY. TESLA MAINTAINED I PUSHED ON THE EXCELERATOR INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE GOING FROM 2 TO 92 MILES AN HOUR IN JUST A FEW SECONDS. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND ON JANUARY 12,2020 THE CAR ONCE AGAIN SELF ACCELERATED. BOTH TIMES SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND TO MY HOME. I WAS NOT INJURED HOWEVER A PASSENGER WAS IN THE CAR IN 2016 AND MAINTAINED SHE HAD HIP INJURIES AS A RESULT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID SETTLE WITH HER. BOTH ACCIDENTS WERE NOT THE RESULT OF MY INADVERTENTLY DEPRESSING THE EXCELERATOR. THERE DEFINITELY IS A SUBSTANTIAL DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT RAINTREE AUTO BODY IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA. I HAVE NOT CALLED TESLA AZ YET AS I DO NOT PARTICULARLY WANT THEM TO GET THE BLACK BOX. I DO HAVE A PHOTO OF THE CAR IMPACTING THE COURTYARD WALL OF MY HOUSE HOWEVER IT IS ON MY IPHONE AND I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO SEND IT TO YOU.
NHTSA ODI 11300127
Oct 9, 2018Electrical systemSpeed controlCrash
TL* THE CONTACT WAS LOANED A 2014 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, IT SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AFTER APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR, THE VEHICLE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED WITH THE KEY FOB. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. *DT
NHTSA ODI 11139174
May 6, 2018Body & structureSpeed controlCrash
CAR HAD BEEN RENTED IN NOVEMBER 2016 FROM A TURO MEMBER FOR FOUR DAYS IN LAS VEGAS. THE CAR HAD BEEN IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WITH THE AUTOPILOT ON. THE CAR SENSED TRAFFIC MOVING CAUSING THE TESLA'S AUTOPILOT TO MOVE AT 10MPH. THEN THE CAR'S AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTIONED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE LANES. DAMAGES TOTALED $3100 FOR THE TESLA AND UNKNOWN FOR THE OTHER VEHICLE. CAR HAD BEEN ADVERTISED AS BEING ABLE TO DRIVE ITSELF
NHTSA ODI 11092088
May 1, 2017Body & structureSpeed controlBrakesCrash1 injury
I WAS PARKING MY CAR I HEARD AND FELT THE CAR BEGIN TO ACCELERATE. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND STEP FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE.THEN OF IT OWN VOLITION IT MOUNTED THE ADJOINING EMBANKMENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE TREE. THIS CAUSED EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE.
NHTSA ODI 10982961
Feb 15, 2016Speed controlCrash
DRIVER PURCHASED A 2014 TESLA MODEL S CAR IN JUNE 2015 FROM THE HANGZHOU CHINA DEALERSHIP. THIS CAR WAS DRIVEN MODERATELY IN THE FOLLOWING MONTHS. IN SEPTEMBER 14, 2015, THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN WITHIN A SMALL, ENCLOSED HOUSING COMPOUND. THE CAR WAS GOING VERY SLOW AS THE DRIVER WAS TURNING TO EXIT THE COMPOUND THROUGH A GATED ENTRANCE. THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE DRIVER'S ASSISTANCE AND DROVE THROUGH THE TRAFFIC GATE BEFORE THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY BREAK AND BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. ELECTRONIC RECORDS ACCESSED ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: THE CAR WAS ORIGINALLY BEING DRIVEN AT 4.7 KM/HR WITH THE ACCELERATION PEDAL DEPRESSED AT 2.8%. WITHIN ONE SECOND, THE ACCELERATION PEDAL WENT FROM BEING DEPRESSED 2.8% TO 84.8% AND THE CAR INCREASED TO 10.75 KM/HR. DURING THE FOLLOWING SECOND, THE CAR'S RECORDS SHOW THE ACCELERATION PEDAL TO CONTINUE TO BE COMPRESSED AT 84% WITH THE SPEED INCREASING TO 18.35 KM/HR, BUT WITH THE BREAK PEDAL ALSO BEING SIMULTANEOUSLY COMPRESSED. IN THE SUBSEQUENT SECOND, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES INITIATED, AND THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP A SECOND LATER. WE REJECT THE DEALERSHIP'S DECISION THAT THIS WAS DRIVER'S ERROR. IN SUCH A NARROW ENVIRONMENT AS THE HOUSING COMPOUND, AND DURING A SLOW AND CONTROLLED TURN, THERE THE DRIVER HAD NO REASON TO PUT SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATION PEDAL AS THE RECORDS SHOW ' WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL. WE ALSO FEEL THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO PUSH BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BREAK PEDAL TO SUCH A DEGREE SIMULTANEOUSLY. THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE CAR EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, WHICH WAS NOT OF THE DRIVER'S CAUSING. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY SIMILAR REPORTS OF TESLA MODEL S UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CRASHES IN CHINA. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD WHICH NEEDS TO BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED.
NHTSA ODI 10836289
Sep 29, 2014Speed controlCrash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, JUMPED THE CURB, AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200.
NHTSA ODI 10639849
Sep 29, 2014Speed controlCrash1 injury
I PULLED SLOWLY IN TO A PARKING SPOT & MY CAR WAS AT A STOP POSITION JUST READY TO PUSH PARK BUTTON. WITHIN A SPLIT OF A SECOND, MY CAR (TESLA) JUMPED THE CURB AND TRAVELED 5' OF SIDEWALK BREAKING A GLASS WALL & TRAVELING THROUGH A RESTAURANT BREAKING TABLES & CHAIRS WITHIN COUPLE OF SECONDS W/O ME ACCELERATING THE PEDAL. BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BY ME HALF WAY THROUGH THE RESTAURANT BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED. NO SERIOUS INJURIES TO ANYONE. TESLA WAS NOTIFIED & THIS IS THE LOG FILE DATA WORD BY WORD FROM THEM. ?AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THAT RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO YOUR VEHICLE, YOU INCREASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION FROM 1% TO 50% IN LESS THAN ONE SECOND WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. ONE SECOND LATER, YOU INCREASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO 100% WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. ONE SECOND LATER, YOU CONTINUED DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT 100% WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE'S TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED & THEREFORE LIMITED THE VEHICLE'S TORQUE DESPITE THE FACT YOU WERE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT 100% UNTIL YOU DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL IN THE FOLLOWING SECOND.? INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY TESLA. HOW MUCH WAS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED? SPEED OF THE CAR? DISTANCE TRAVEL? HOW DOES THIS PROVE THAT THIS IS NOT SUDDEN ACCELERATION? THE LOG DOES PROVE THAT I WAS AT A STOP. MY CAR WILL BE TOTALED BUT IS STILL SITTING AT STORAGE WITH INSURANCE COMPANY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. MANY ACCIDENTS WITH TESLA HAS OCCURRED, EVEN JUST LIKE MINE IN TO A RESTAURANT( HTTP://INSIDEEVS.COM/TESLA-MODEL-S-CRASHES-THROUGH-RESTAURANT-DRIVER-BLAMES-IT-ON-UNINTENDED-ACCELERATION/) (HTTP://WWW.MOTORAUTHORITY.COM/NEWS/1087171_TESLA-MODEL-S-UNINTENDED-ACCELERATION-COMPLAINT-FILED-WITH-NHTSA.) THEY CAN'T ALL BE DRIVERS FAULT. NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THE BOX IN THE CAR BEFORE FATAL INJURIES OCCUR. PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10639935