What 604 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Tesla Model S 60d

THE CENTER TOUCHSCREEN IS LEAKING A STICKY GLUE-LIKE SUBSTANCE AND HAS VISIBLE BUBBLES FORMING INSIDE THE SCREEN. THIS AFFECTS VISIBILITY AND OPERATION OF ESSENTIAL VEHICLE FUNCTIONS LIKE HVAC, NAVIGATION, AND DEFROST CONTROLS. THIS ISSUE IS WORSEN WITH HEAT EXPOSURE. THE SCREEN ALSO FREEZES RANDOMLY.

NHTSA ODI 11677676

I was backing out of a parking space and the front driver side fore link broke. Internet search reveals this is a known issue associated with Tesla Model S during the period mine was manufactured (February 2016), caused an investigation & service bulletin from the NHTSA, and a recall in China, hence I wanted to report this occurence.

NHTSA ODI 11676368

While the car is parked and locked the rear driver side door opens in its own. The door handle does not present itself and is scheduled for repair. This is new and started happening today. Despite how many times I close it. It opens on it own. The door is locked when this happens. Door sitting still. Plugged in to charge and locked. The door opens on its own. It unlatches, Does not fully open.

NHTSA ODI 11673529

My driver's side of the vehicle looks like it's melting. I was informed by the service advisor at Tesla that this is a common issue, and the computer needs to be replaced at my expense.

NHTSA ODI 11667966

on 5/20/25, I had my Tesla repaired as I had suspension issues. They repaired my car to rectify my suspension for both my front and rear tires. Then on 6/12/25, I was driving on the highway and going about 70-75 mph when I heard a huge pop. No warning indicators came on and something did not feel right. I figured nothing else came of it. I was about 30 miles away from home and when I got home, my tire was pushed inward. I was concerned on whether this was related to a bad repair since it was so soon to my previous repair and they indicated that they did not touch that area. After they saw my video, they indicated that the lower control arm of my rear tire broke and they indicated that this was just a damaged component. My biggest concern is that if this issue was not related to the repair work done a month ago, this could be bigger issue as I could have been very concerning that this part broke when I was driving at high speeds and I think it's warranted to check on the quality of the component. In my 40 plus years of driving, I have never experienced this happened to me. If you need documentation or video of how the tire and the axle looks, I can forward it to you. The vehicle has only been inspected by the Tesla Dealership service center and as stated earlier, there weren't any warning signs or messages that showed as I specifically was looking for it when I heard the loud pop.

NHTSA ODI 11666935

I wanted to bring a situation to your attention, report an incident and understand why model years 2012-2020 Tesla Model Ss have not been recalled for a defective drive unit. This is a known defect - known by Tesla. There have been no recalls for mine - VIN number [XXX] . On [XXX], my 2016 Tesla Model S suddenly lunged and jerked down to less than 5 mph from about 45 mph in 5-10 seconds as a result of a defective and failed drive unit, here in San Ramon , CA. NO WARNING. We forced the car to lunge and hop over to the median with traffic stopping, building up, honking, braking....truly a miracle no one got hurt. I later saw both front and back wheels turning in OPPOSITE directions, simultaneously, as the tow truck driver was pulling the car on his flat bed. The tow truck driver said he has never seen anything like this! The defective drive unit has been a known issue which they corrected in 2020. A Master Tesla mechanic states that this is not about IF the failure was to take place, but WHEN it was going to take place. Tesla refuses to own up to the problem despite emailing their Head, Tom Zhu. I came across this conversation on Reddit and it appears that a comment made by the Tesla mechanic below is relevant. They could have prevented this by recalling the cars and changing the coolant seal. Here is his quote: "Every single large Tesla Drive unit will fail unless it's a recent revision U replacement (~2022 or newer) or has been retrofitted by a 3rd party. This applies to all RWD Model S made between 2012 and 2020, and all Performance S/X made until 2020. The coolant seal will fail and destroy the motor. This is not an if, but a when. If you have a car with one of these motors, there are a variety of 3rd party shops who can fix this issue forever for a lot less money than a fully dead motor. An attorney on this thread commented on a 2015 Tesla Model S: "This is a known issue with older Model S/X cars, yes. A 2015 is HIGHLY at risk of that. Also, a INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11665646

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while attempting to park the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact depressed the brake and the vehicle kept rolling forward. The contact opened the door for the vehicle to come to a stop. On another occasion, the contact stated that the ADAS feature engaged and while driving at various speeds, and the vehicle failed to recognize stop signs, traffic lights, or pedestrians. The contact stated that the function was a paid feature; however, the system failed to operate as designed. On another occasion, the contact stated that the steering will shift to one side while driving at various speeds, and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was made aware, and the contact had a pending appointment scheduled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 11653299

Component Failure: The Tesla NEMA 14-50 charging adapter for my 2016 Model S malfunctioned, causing overheating that melted a prong and led to an electrical fire. The defective adapter appears identical to those in Tesla's November 2016 recall, though mine was designated "not affected." The damaged adapter and charging cable are available for inspection. Safety Risk: This malfunction created a serious fire hazard endangering myself and my property. The electrical fire damaged both my vehicle and charging equipment, and the fire could have spread to my home, potentially endangering my family and neighbors. Verification: I took the damaged adapter to the Tesla Service Center in Colorado Springs, where technicians acknowledged the damage but refused to replace it under the recall. They visually confirmed the melted prong and fire damage. Manufacturer Response: After the incident, I contacted Tesla Corporate requesting replacement of the defective equipment. They responded that they don't believe the electrical fire was caused by the defective plug, despite physical evidence showing the same issue as recalled units. Warning Signs: Prior to failure, I noticed intermittent charging interruptions and the adapter becoming unusually hot. These symptoms began approximately three weeks before the fire incident. There were no dashboard warnings about potential charging equipment issues.

NHTSA ODI 11645180

My car slams on the brakes consistently at green lights when FSD is activated. This is version 12.5.4.2 of FSD. Tesla is not responding to my inquiries.

NHTSA ODI 11630835

The accelerating pedal is the one that was affect it is available upon request for inspection. It put me in danger because while I was driving, it snapped off. Has not been inspected by others. There was no warning lamps and it just happened out of nowhere as well. I was driving.

NHTSA ODI 11627727

The latches for the rear passenger doors of a Model S are electric and do not function in the event the vehicle loses electrical power from the 12v system. A mechanical release is provided in the rear of interior passenger compartment. However the release pulls are located under the carpeting and no labelling is provided and no instructions are posted. The emergency door release pulls consistent of plastic tab about 1-inch long by 0.5-inch wide and connected to a release cable. The plastic tab color is black, under the carpeting, and within an area coated in black coloring. The location of the release is below the rear seating above the floor boards, behind the rear passengers' footwell. The location is not intuitive or obvious and likely could not be located without reading the owner's manual, which passengers are unlikely to do. The location is not labeled inside the vehicle. The tab is small and black, under the carpeting that has to be moved to locate the tab, and provided with a black background. Passengers of limited mobility would not be able to locate and access the pull tabs to release the doors. Small children would not able able to locate and access the pull tabs without climbing off the seat and into the footwell. The pull force must be directed to the center of the vehicle. No mechanic exterior door releases are provided. In an emergency where the vehicle is without 12v electrical power, opening a rear passenger door would require an open rear window, or breaking the window to open access, climbing partially into the vehicle to the other side of the passenger's legs, locating the release below the carpeting, and pulling the release while simultaneously pulling the door outward to open. No labelling for this process is provide, nor is this maneuver detailing in the owner's manual. This level of detail is also missing from the, First Responders Reference: "INFORMATION FOR FIRST AND SECOND RESPONDERS EMERGENCY RESPONSE GUIDE TESLA MODEL S ELECTRIC".

NHTSA ODI 11627580

In December of 2023, my RIGHT rear axle broke when I accidently hit a curb. The car was repaired at the Tesla collision center. On last Tuesday, November 12, 2024, I heard a noise while braking. I continued to drive, but next time I needed to use brakes, I had a sensation that the brakes were failing, and I wouldn't be able to stop. The brakes eventually engaged, and I was able to stop the vehicle. I went on an expressway and drove as slowly as possible, maintaining a long distance from the vehicles in front of me and using regenerative braking as much as possible, being aware of a possibility of brakes failure. I got home safely on that day, however, the next day, when I was backing out of the garage, I heard a screeching noise. When I inspected the vehicle, I discovered that the LEFT rear wheel was misaligned, looking exactly like the right rear wheel after the right rear axle broke. Although this defect hasn't been inspected by a technician yet, I am virtually certain that it's the same problem that I had before, now occurring on the opposite side. This means that I was likely driving with a broken axle, which could've resulted in a serious accident. As I mentioned, this is the second instance of the same defect affecting my vehicle, which, in my opinion, is indicative of a serious manufacturing defect that needs to be addressed. The vehicle hasn't been repaired yet and is available for inspection. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure.

NHTSA ODI 11625206

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while turning into a parking spot, there was an unintended acceleration of the vehicle; it surged forward, jumped the parking barrier, and crashed into a wall. There were no warning lights illuminated. A police report was filed. There was no reported fire, injuries, or air bag deployment. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

NHTSA ODI 11622945

Touch screen has bubbles and could become unusable

NHTSA ODI 11621630

On September 7th, 2024 around 7:35 PM, my tesla model S 2016 Suddenly accelerated, smashed in the siding of my house breaking the the siding of the wall and was totaled. All of this happened while my mom was trying to park the car in the garage the car suddenly took off without her pressing the accelerator. I have tesla to send an engeneer to collect the data of the car in which they said they did but have not yet gotten back to me on the issue. They informed me that they have collected the data on 09/20/2024

NHTSA ODI 11620457

The LCD screen is blinking, sometimes going blank. And its getting worse as the days are passing by. I heard there was a recall for models older than 2018.

NHTSA ODI 11615313

Turned right into garage slowly. Car suddenly accelerated very fast by itself. I swerved and avoided 1 parked vehicle. Was not able to avoid another one. I braked. The car stopped. Airbags had gone off.

NHTSA ODI 11614992

I was slowly backing up to charge my car and heard a thump then my wheel was rubbing against the wheel well. When I looked under the wheel to see what was happening, I discover the metal suspension had snapped off. This was the front passenger side.

NHTSA ODI 11613653

2016 Model S started making clunking sounds when turning and braking. Tesla service center inspected the vehicle and observed visible defects on the front left and right fore and aft links. Tesla recommended replacement of and quoted almost $2000 for parts and labor, including inspection fee. Vehicle only has 89000 miles and never had high impact incidents over obstacles.

NHTSA ODI 11612959

while parking the vehicle, a loud shot gun like noise eminated from the front of the car. The car was being driven at less than 5 mph. After this there was loud noises from the front of the cars suspension. The car seemed unsafe to drive farther. I took it to the tesla service center the next day driving at a very low speed. they replaced the right and left front contol arms and charged me $1204.98 on October 26, 2023. The vehicle had 77,626 miles at that point. I queried them as to why this would ocurr at such low mileage and vehicle age? I got not response other than these things happen and the car is out of the normal warranty and the extended warranty. I paid the invoice since i agreed to the repair estimate earlier.

NHTSA ODI 11609149

The lower control arm on my left rear tire broke. Specifically, the aluminum of the knuckle joint snapped. This occured in my driveway while backing up. This caused extensive damage to the rest of the rear left suspension.

NHTSA ODI 11597203

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the instrument cluster became inoperable on several occasions. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the failure would reoccur unless the vehicle was updated with a new infotainment center and a faster processor. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer several times due to the failure. The contact stated that recently the instrument cluster and the ECM were replaced. In addition, the vehicle recently received a software update. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

NHTSA ODI 11597213

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V838000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11595017

Received and OTA notice on the dashboard that states "Battery Fuse replacement" is required. The fuse is due to a Li-ion battery that wears out for a safety system. Life expectancy of the battery is 10 years. It has not lasted 8 full years. This is stated as a safety issue and Tesla has since redesigned this item to not required the batteries. I have alerted Tesla about this issue, have not had a reply, as yet. The vehicle can be operated without this safety device, which seems inappropriate. I feel this should be replaced under warranty and/or recall - but it appears Tesla will want to charge an excessive amount of money.

NHTSA ODI 11594757

Incident Tesla Model S was up to date on recalls as far as we can tell, including the recent autopilot update via Tesla internet vehicle update releases. While driving in autopilot mode on the freeway in the lane next to the HOV lane, the autopilot got confused as to which lane it should keep and failed to maintain its lane. Incident vehicle drifted across the double lines into the HOV lane, where another Tesla Model S was driving. Both cars were damaged in the ensuing side bump impact, then the incident vehicle made a slight impact to another car rear bumper in front of the incident vehicle. No injuries were reported. A subsequent Traffic Crash Report was filed as required with CA Highway Patrol. We are awaiting this report in the mail. Our safety and others was put at risk due to the failure of the autopilot to maintain its lane. Insurance was contacted. The insurance company, USAA, has deemed the incident vehicle (our vehicle) damage too expensive to fix due to the very high cost of replacement/repair parts and has deemed our vehicle a "total loss." We have not been able to access the software of the vehicle. Since USAA has deemed the vehicle a total loss, they are selling the car for salvage and thus we have no further access to the vehicle for legal purposes. As far as I know, USAA has not pulled the vehicle software records nor has requested such records and has completely ignored the autopilot issue. That is part of the reason for our complaint here as well. Since there were no injuries, legal representation in this case has not been forthcoming. We ask the NHTSA to investigate since we can get no help from Tesla, USAA or any other legal advocate.

NHTSA ODI 11587408