May 9, 2016SuspensionCrash
THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A TESLA MODEL S WITH THE SUSPENSION FALLEN APART. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=21706777&ROWID=11&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS THIS CAR HAS ONLY TRAVELLED 2000 MILES FROM NEW. YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE BROKEN PARTS OF THE SUSPENSION. THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE UNDAMAGED. THIS FAILURE CAN NOT POSSIBLY BE THE RESULT OF IMPACT DAMAGE AND WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. TESLA OFFERS OWNERS OF CARS THAT HAVE HAD SUSPENSION FAILURES A "GOODWILL PAYMENT" IN RETURN FOR SIGNING A NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR SUSPENSION FAILURES ON TESLAS BUT VERY FEW OWNERS HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS. HERE IS AN OWNER WHOSE FRONT SUSPENSION FELL APART AND HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAULT MIGHT AFFECT MANY OTHER CARS IN THE WORLDWIDE FLEET OF TESLAS. GPCORDARO, APR 28, 2016 WHILE DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD AT A VERY LOW RATE OF SPEED, ABOUT 5 MPH. THE ROAD WAS ROUGH SO MY AIR RIDE WAS AT IT MAX LIFT. AS I WAS PROCEEDING DOWN A STEEP HILL I HEARD A SNAP AND FELT MY STEERING WHEEL PULL TO THE LEFT. I STOPPED THE CAR FOR FURTHER INSPECTION ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT MY LEFT FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE UPPER CONTROL ARM. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. TESLA JUST INFORMED THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, STATING THAT THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS IN MY LIFE AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A FAILURE. ******* AND THEN HE ACCEPTED THE OFFER AND SIGNED THE NDA. ******* GPCORDARO, SATURDAY AT 4:52 AM THIS IS THE LAST POST I WILL MAKE ON THIS SUBJECT. TESLA AND I HAVE COME TO TERMS. I AM NOT AT LIBERTY TO DISCUSS THE TERMS, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT I AM SATISFIED. I BELIEVE THAT TESLA IS COVERING UP THE SUSPENSION FAILURES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.
NHTSA ODI 10863851
Apr 27, 2016SuspensionCrash
THIS A FRESH EXAMPLE OF THE SUSPENSION BREAKING COMPLETELY LOOSE. CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR COLLISION WITH A HONDA BUT THE REAR SUSPENSION OF THE TESLA HAS COMPLETELY TORN AWAY. THIS MAY WELL HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. NOTE THAT WHEN THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION IS TORN LOOSE LIKE THIS THE HYDRAULIC HOSES WILL BE BROKEN AND LEAD TO TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THE REPORT IS ON A FORUM IN CHINA. THIS IS AN AMERICAN MADE CAR SOLD ALL OVER THE WORLD. OWNERS IN CHINA HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING OF MANY CASES OF SUSPENSION FAILURES. HTTP://CLUB.AUTOHOME.COM.CN/BBS/THREAD-C-2357-51626688-1.HTML THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE UNDAMAGED. THERE IS NO COLLISION DAMAGE THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE WHEEL FALLING OFF. THE TRANSLATION OF THE THREAD SHOWS THAT THE OWNER IS COMPLAINING OF A WEAK SUSPENSION THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE FALLEN OFF. PLEASE LOOK AT THE OVERALL PICTURE. THERE ARE SO MANY CASES OF SIMILAR FAILURES THAT PROVE A DANGEROUS DEFECT THAT AN INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA NEEDS TO BE OPENED..
NHTSA ODI 10861880
Apr 18, 2016SuspensionCrash1 injury
HERE IS A TESLA MODEL S IN THE WRECKERS YARD WITH HEAVY FRONT END DAMAGE. HTTP://WWW.COPART.COM/US/LOT/17976436?SEARCHID=1110743839 THE REAR OF THE CAR APPEARS TO BE COMPLETELY UNDAMAGED EXCEPT THAT BOTH REAR WHEELS ARE SPLAYED OUTWARDS AT AN EXTREME ANGLE. THE ALLOY COMPONENTS ARE TOO WEAK FOR THE LOADS IMPOSED BY THIS HIGH POWERED ELECTRIC VEHICLE. IT IS FAR MORE LIKELY THAT THE SKEWED REAR WHEELS CAUSED THE CRASH RATHER THAN BEING DAMAGED DURING THE CRASH. THE REAR WHEELS AND TIRES ARE UNDAMAGED AND HAVE NOT SUFFERED ANY IMPACT. PLEASE NOTE: FICTITIOUS ADDRESS USED TO COMPLY WITH YOUR WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS. I AM UNSURE IF ACTUAL INJURY RESULTED BUT FROM THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE IT ALMOST CERTAINLY DID.
NHTSA ODI 10859992
Apr 1, 2016SuspensionCrash
HERE IS A TESLA MODEL S IN THE WRECKING YARD. HTTP://WWW.COPART.COM/US/LOT/14952156?SEARCHID=1571797569 THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS BROKEN AND THE WHEEL HAS BEEN SLICED IN HALF WHILE IT WAS STILL ROTATING. THIS EFFECT CAN BE SEEN IN MANY WRECKED TESLAS. NORMALLY IT WOULD BE EXPECTED THAT THE BRAKES WOULD BE APPLIED HARD PRIOR TO A COLLISION AND THEREFORE THE WHEEL WOULD NOT HAVE REVOLVED SUFFICIENTLY TO PARE THE WHEEL IN HALF. THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS IN THIS CAR ARE MADE FROM HOLLOW EXTRUDED ALUMINUM AND IT SEEMS PROBABLE THAT THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT MARGIN OF SAFETY FOR SUCH A HEAVY HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR. PLEASE LOOK AT ALL THE EXAMPLE OF SIMILAR FAULTS ON FLICKR HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/136377865@N05/SETS/72157661343139261/ PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS TO PREVENT FURTHER ACCIDENTS. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10852853
Feb 26, 2016SuspensionCrash
PLEASE NOTE, I AM NOT MAKING FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS. I AM TRYING TO ALERT YOU TO A PATTERN OF FAILURE WITH THE TESLA SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THIS CAR HAS HAD THE ENTIRE BACK WHEEL AND REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS TORN OUT BACKWARDS THROUGH THE BODYWORK. THERE IS NO COLLISION DAMAGE FORWARD OF THE WHEEL THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS.
NHTSA ODI 10838692
Feb 13, 2016SteeringSuspensionCrash
I AM RAISING THIS AS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. THIS CAR IS FOR SALE AT A SALVAGE AUCTION. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=21255219&ROWID=10&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS THE TIP OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE HAS SNAPPED OFF AT THE SAME POINT OF WEAKNESS AS HAS HAPPENED IN MANY OTHER INCIDENTS. THE FACT THAT THIS IS A 2015 CAR SHOWS THAT THE DESIGN/MANUFACTURING DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN RECTIFIED. THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE RELATIVELY UNDAMAGED. THE PATTERN OF FAILURE POINTS TO THIS WEAKNESS BEING THE CAUSE OF CRASHES AND NOT DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. FAILURE OF THIS PART UNDER BRAKING LOAD WOULD CAUSE THE CASTOR ANGLE TO GO BADLY WRONG AND CAUSE THE WHEEL TO VIOLENTLY SWING TO ONE SIDE. THE STEERING ROD IS FRACTURED IN MANY CASES AND IT IS LIKELY THAT THE SHARP END OF THE BROKEN ROD SPEARING INTO THE WHEEL RIM IS THE CAUSE OF SO MANY SLICED WHEELS AS SHOWN IN FLICKR ALBUMS. HTTPS://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/136377865@N05/ALBUMS/WITH/72157664301101256 ONCE AGAIN, I AM REPORTING THIS TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC. THESE CARS ARE ON THE ROADS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND PRESENT A SERIOUS DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. I HAVE USED A FICTITIOUS USA ADDRESS TO COMPLY WITH YOUR WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS
NHTSA ODI 10826008
Oct 31, 2015SuspensionCrash
THIS CAR IS UP FOR SALE AS A SALVAGE WRECK. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=20015788&ROWID=2&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED AND THE FRONT WHEEL HS BEEN SLICED IN HALF BY A SUSPENSION COMPONENT WHILST THE CAR WAS STILL IN MOTION. THE OTHER WHEELS ON THE CAR ARE SKEWED OR MISSING. SAME, WHEEL SLICED IN HALF EFFECT CAN BE SEEN ON THIS OTHER CAR WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY CAUGHT FIRE. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=19224036&ROWID=1&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS THERE ARE MANY OTHER CASES OF MODEL S WHEELS BECOMING SKEWED OR DETACHED. EXAMPLE HTTP://WWW.INAUTONEWS.COM/CRASHED-TESLA-MODEL-S-SPOTTED-IN-CALIFORNIA THIS FORUM POST MAY PERHAPS EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM HTTP://MY.TESLAMOTORS.COM/FORUM/FORUMS/AIR-SUSPENSION-FAILURE-VERY-UNPLEASANT-RESULTS "THE RIGHT FRONT AIR STRUT FAILED DUE TO A LEAK WHICH CAUSED THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR TO DROP SO MUCH THAT THE WHEELS WERE RUBBING AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL, AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS RUBBING ON THE GROUND." PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE SUPPLIED A DUMMY USA ADDRESS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. I AM NOT A US RESIDENT BUT TESLAS ARE SOLD IN MY COUNTRY AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGER POSED BY THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA ODI 10787423
Oct 21, 2015SuspensionCrash2 injuries
PLEASE DON'T THINK I AM MAKING FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS. THERE IS A PATTERN OF SUSPENSION FAILURES. THIS ONE HAS RESULTED IN A VERY SERIOUS CRASH. 2015 TESLA 70D IS FOR SALE AT SALVAGE COMPANY IAAI. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLES/VEHICLEDETAILS.ASPX?ITEMID=20460578&ROWNUMBER=2&LOADRECENT=TRUE IT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A MAJOR NOSE-TAIL CRASH. THE BACK WHEEL IS SKEWED OVER IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE OTHER DAMAGED CARS THAT I HAVE REPORTED TO YOU. THERE IS ZERO DAMAGE IN THAT AREA OF THE CAR AND NO REASON FOR THE WHEEL TO BE SKEWED LIKE THAT. AN INVESTIGATOR THAT WAS UNAWARE OF THE STRING OF SIMILAR EVENTS MAY HAVE OVERLOOKED THE SKEWED WHEEL AND ASSUMED IT WAS JUST ANOTHER TAIL-ENDER ACCIDENT. A POSSIBLE SCENARIO IS THAT THE WHEEL SKEWED SIDEWAY AND CAUSED A SUDDEN STOP WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY CASES OF SUSPENSION FAILURE WHICH POINTS TO A DESIGN WEAKNESS.
NHTSA ODI 10785214
Oct 20, 2015SuspensionCrashFire
PLEASE NOTE I HAVE USED A FICTITIOUS ADDRESS TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE WEBSITE. I AM NOT A US RESIDENT, JUST A CONCERNED CITIZEN I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TESLA REAR SUSPENSION AND I AM FINDING SEVERAL CASE WHERE THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS FAILED AND CAUSED A CRASH. THIS VEHICLE HAS CRASHED AND BURNED AND IS FOR SALE AS SALVAGE. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLES/VEHICLEDETAILS.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=19224036&ROWNUMBER=0&LOADRECENT=TRUE I HAVE ENLARGED THE IMAGES AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LH SUSPENSION HAS COME APART AND THE SUSPENSION ARM IS LYING ON THE GROUND. THE FRONT STEEL SAFETY GIRDER IS UNDAMAGED SO THE SUSPENSION COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY HITTING AN OBJECT. THE RIM AND SPOKES OF THE WHEEL ARE INTACT ALSO. THE CRASH(?) CAUSED A FIRE IN THE BATTERY PACK. I BELIEVE THESE CARS POSE A SERIOUS RISK TO THE DRIVER AND OTHER ROAD USERS.
NHTSA ODI 10783859