Home · 2017 Tesla Model S 75d · Complaints

What 379 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Tesla Model S 75d

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 (379)Crash / fire / injury (50)Electrical system (104)Suspension (104)Steering (42)Driver assistance (41)Speed control (33)Lights (24)Visibility & wipers (23)Brakes (20)Lane Departure (19)Backup camera & sensors (17)

15 of 379 complaints match · Suspension · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Nov 23, 2019SuspensionCrash

THIS IS ANOTHER COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FRAGILE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS ON TESLAS. HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS?ITEMID=34366240&ROWNUMBER=43&SIMILARVEHICLEITEMID=&ISNEXT=&LOADRECENT=TRUE THIS TIME THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAS SNAPPED IN HALF. BOTH SECTIONS OF THE ARM HAVE FRACTURED. THIS IS CLEAR EVIDENCE OF BAD QUALITY CASTING. THESE CARS ARE TICKING TIME BOMBS. PLEASE TAKE ACTION. THANK YOU. KEEF

NHTSA ODI 11281947

Oct 27, 2019SuspensionCrash

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT A TESLA MODEL S 2017 LOCATED IN UNITED KINGDOM. YOUR SYSTEM WILL NOT ACCEPT THE VIN SO I HAVE SUBSTITUTED THE VIN OF ANOTHER TESLA IN A US JUNKYARD. THIS IS NOT DONE WITH ANY INTENT TO MISLEAD. HERE IS THE ACTUAL CAR I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.CO.UK/LOT/53255428/PHOTOS THE AIR SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED ON ALL FOUR WHEELS CAUSING SOME MINOR DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELLS. THE FRONT LH SUSPENSION HAS BEEN SMASHED TO PIECES. THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG HAS NOT DEPLOYED. ALL OF THE BALL JOINTS HAVE SNAPPED. THE CAST ALLOY STEERING KNUCKLE HAS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THESE SUSPENSIONS ARE SIMPLY TOO WEAK FOR A CAR OF THIS WEIGHT AND PERFORMANCE. PLEASE WAKE UP TO THIS. THANK YOU. VERY CONCERNED CITIZEN.

NHTSA ODI 11271357

Dec 25, 2018SuspensionCrash

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH AN EXIT RAMP AND I FELT SOMETHING BREAK ON THE VEHICLE AND THEN WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE VEHICLE, IT CONTINUED TO PUSH STRAIGHT. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, THE REAR TOE ARM OF THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR SUSPENSION BROKE. THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL TO BE ABLE TO TURN LEFT AND RIGHT.

NHTSA ODI 11163379

May 15, 2018SuspensionCrash

PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT THE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE SEARCHED YOUR DATABASE AND IT SEEMS THE ACTUAL OWNER HAS NOT FILED A COMPLAINT. THIS CAR IS IN A SALVAGE AUCTION YARD. IT HAS A SNAPPED SUSPENSION BALL JOINT. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=28233521&ROWNUMBER=1&LOADRECENT=TRUE ONE OF YOUR INVESTIGATORS HAS EMAILED ME TO SAY THAT IT IS PREFERRED THAT THE ACTUAL OWNER MAKES THE COMPLAINT. WOULD YOU PLEASE ADVISE WHETHER IT IS LEGITIMATE TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT AS A NON-OWNER AND IF SO WHETHER IT WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY OR DISMISSED AS IRRELEVANT. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE OWNER OF ANOTHER CAR WITH A BROKEN SUSPENSION HAS SO FAR NOT FILED A COMPLAINT HIMSELF DESPITE THERE BEING EVIDENCE OF A DEFECT THAT MAY AFFECT OTHER TESLAS. HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/REALTESLA/COMMENTS/8J8KZA/WE_HAVE_BEEN_BRINGING_OUR_TESLA_INTO_SERVICE/ PLEASE NOTE THAT BECAUSE I AM NOT THE OWNER THE DETAILS OF DATE OF INCIDENT AND SPEED OF INCIDENT ARE JUST ESTIMATES.

NHTSA ODI 11094041

May 10, 2018Suspension2 injuries

YET ANOTHER TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/35285257/PHOTOS THE FRONT END IS ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE BUT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE BACK WHEEL TO HAVE GONE WHOMPY. THESE TESLAS HAVE ALREADY CLAIMED TOO MANY LIVES. PLEASE TAKE THEM OFF THE ROADS. THANK YOU. FURIOUS CITIZEN.

NHTSA ODI 11092812

Mar 28, 2018SuspensionCrash

ANOTHER TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/50374997/PHOTOS THERE IS SOME COLLISION DAMAGE ON THE LH SIDE BUT THE RH SIDE IS COMPLETELY UNDAMAGED EXCEPT THAT THE RH BACK WHEEL HAS GONE WHOMPY INDICATING A BROKEN SUSPENSION PART. HARDLY SURPRISING SINCE THE SUSPENSION PARTS APPEAR TO BE MADE FROM MONKEY METAL. THESE CARS SHOULD ALL BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET KILLED.

NHTSA ODI 11081918

Mar 15, 2018SuspensionTransmission & drivetrainFuel systemCrash

HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/22469458 THE SUSPENSION HAS COLLLOLLOPSED. THE FRONT WHEELS ARE ALL BRUTALISED! ALL THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE SELF INFLICTED AFTER THE SUSPENSION WENT WHOMPY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU. CONCERNED SENIOR CITIZEN. ETC ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11079492

Mar 5, 2018SuspensionCrash

HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: THE ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THAT THE LOWER SUSPENSION BALL JOINT HAS SNAPPED. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE COLLISION DAMAGE COULD HAVE CAUSED A STEEL BALL JOINT TO SNAP BEFORE THE WEAKER ALUMINUM PARTS GAVE WAY. THE SEAT OF THE BALL JOINT IS BRIGHT AND SHINY AND COMPLETELY UNDAMAGED. LOOKING AT ALL THE OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR FAILURES EXAMPLE - HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/MS-SUSPENSION-BALL-JOINT-FAILURE.109847/ IT IS CERTAIN THAT THERE IS A BAD BATCH OF BALL JOINTS THAT FRACTURE WITHOUT WARNING. TESLA IS COVERING UP THIS ISSUE. THIS AMOUNTS TO CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE. PLEASE TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION BEFORE MORE LIVES ARE LOST. THANK YOU. CONCERNED CITIZEN.

NHTSA ODI 11076414

Mar 4, 2018SuspensionCrash

HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=27064044&ROWNUMBER=22&LOADRECENT=TRUE THE SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED ON ALL 4 WHEELS. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP AND THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE THEN COLLIDED WITH THE BACK OF THE TESLA. THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THAT IMPACT LOOKS RELATIVELY MINOR AND COULD NOT BE THE CAUSE OF THE BACK WHEEL GOING WHOMPY. THE TREAD IS BADLY WORN AWAY ON THE INSIDE EDGE. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE WHEEL HAS BEEN RUBBING UP AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL UNTIL IT FINALLY WRENCHED LOOSE AND CAUSED A FAILURE TO PROCEED. THIS CAR IS LESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD. THE RATE OF CRASHES IN TESLA CARS IS ASTONISHINGLY HIGH. PLEASE GO AND INSPECT SOME OF THE WRECKS SUCH AS THIS ONE TO DETERMINE IF MECHANICAL FAILURE CAUSED THE CRASH. THANK YOU. CONCERNED CITIZEN. DATE OF CRASH IS AN APPROXIMATION.

NHTSA ODI 11076160

Mar 4, 2018SuspensionCrash

HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=27093880&ROWNUMBER=56&LOADRECENT=TRUE THE RH REAR WHEEL AND SUSPENSION HAVE FALLEN OFF COMPLETELY. IT IS HARD TO SAY IF THAT WAS MERELY THE RESULT OF THE COLLISION OR IF IT ACTUALLY CAUSED THE COLLISION. HOWEVER, THE LH BACK WHEEL HAS ALSO GONE WHOMPY AND YET THAT SIDE OF THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN HIT AT ALL. THESE CARS ARE HEAVY AND HAVE A VERY LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY DUE TO THE BATTERIES AT THE BASE OF THE CAR. IN A NORMAL CAR IT IS POSSIBLE TO SPIN 360 DEGREES EVEN ON A DRY ROAD AND TO CAUSE THE TIRES TO SMOKE. THIS WOULD NOT CAUSE THE SUSPENSION OF ANY MODERN CAR TO SNAP. IN THE EVENT OF A TESLA HAVING TO SWERVE AND/OR BRAKE HARD THE FORCE ON ANY OF THE WHEELS COULD EASILY BE IN EXCESS OF 1 TON. TO PROVIDE A REASONABLE MARGIN OF SAFETY THE SUSPENSIONS SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING AT LEAST A 2 TON FORCE. LOOKING AT THE FLIMSY CAST ALLOY PARTS AND THE BRITTLE FRAGILE BOLTS IT IS BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS INSUFFICIENT FACTOR OF SAFETY. PLEASE GO AND INSPECT THIS CAR TO FIND OUT WHY THE SUSPENSION HAS BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES. THANK YOU. CONCERNED CITIZEN, ETC. ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11076168

Mar 3, 2018SuspensionCrash1 injury

HERE IS A MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=26437884&ROWNUMBER=77&LOADRECENT=TRUE IT HAS BEEN IN A ROLLOVER CRASH. IT IS BADLY DAMAGED AND HAS BIO-HAZARD STICKERS. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT OCCUPANTS HAVE BEEN INJURED. THE LH BACK WHEEL IS WHOMPY. WHEEL AND TIRE AND THE BODYWORK ON THAT AREA OF THE CAR ARE COMPLETELY UNDAMAGED. THE TESLA WHEELS ARE KNOWN TO BE MADE DELIBERATELY FRAGILE SO THAT THEY WILL NOT INTRUDE INTO THE BODY OF THE CAR DURING A CRASH. IF THE WHEEL HAD BEEN STRUCK HARD DURING THE ROLLOVER THEN IT WOULD BE EXPECTED THAT THE WHEEL WOULD HAVE BROKEN. IT SEEMS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT THE ROLLOVER WAS CAUSED BY THE SUSPENSION FAILURE. THE TESLA SUSPENSION COMPONENTS ARE BADLY DESIGNED. CAST ALUMINUM IS A VERY POOR CHOICE OF MATERIAL. CAST ALUMINUM HAS POOR TENSILE STRENGTH AND IS PRONE TO CASTING DEFECTS AND FATIGUE. I REQUEST THAT YOU OBTAIN SUSPENSION PARTS FROM NEW AND WRECKED CARS AND HAVE THEM TESTED BY A MATERIALS LAB FOR MECHANICAL STRENGTH, CASTING FLAWS, AND FACTOR OF SAFETY. THANK YOU. CONCERNED CITIZEN. DATE OF CRASH AND NUMBER OF INJURIES IS AN APPROXIMATION BASED ON APPEARANCE OF WRECKED CAR. HERE IS A MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD: IT HAS BEEN IN A ROLLOVER CRASH. THE LH REAR WHEEL IS WHOMPY. THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE UNDAMAGED. THE BODYWORK ON THAT PART OF THE CAR IS UNDAMAGED. ROLLOVER WAS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY THE WHOMPY WHEEL.

NHTSA ODI 11076079

Feb 14, 2018SuspensionCrash

HERE IS A TESLA MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=27388371&ROWNUMBER=56&LOADRECENT=TRUE THIS IS THE CAR THAT CRASHED INTO THE CREEK A FEW WEEKS AGO. HERE IS AN ACCOUNT OF THE CRASH. HTTPS://ELECTREK.CO/2018/01/15/TESLA-MODEL-3-JUMPS-CREEK-MAJOR-ACCIDENT/ THE WRECKED MODEL 3 HAS A VERY WHOMPY BACK WHEEL. THE AREA AROUND THE WHEEL LOOKS AS THOUGH IT HAS BEEN BATTERED BY THE WHEEL THRASHING AROUND AFTER THE SUSPENSION FELL APART. THE AUCTION SITE LISTS THE CAR AS HAVING SUSPENSION DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED IN THE CRASH AND THE BLACK TIRE RESIDUE CAN ONLY HAVE BEEN SELF INFLICTED. IT SEEMS THAT THE SUSPENSION ON THE MODEL 3 IS JUST AS FRAGILE AS ON THE MODEL S AND X. PLEASE GO AND INSPECT THIS CAR AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE SUSPENSION FAILURE. THANK YOU. CONCERNED CITIZEN. ## VIN PASSED ## TESLA MODEL 3 ##

NHTSA ODI 11072981

Nov 14, 2017SuspensionCrash

HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=26400583&ROWNUMBER=38&LOADRECENT=TRUE&ISNEXT=TRUE THIS IS A VIRTUALLY BRAND NEW CAR HAVING ONLY DRIVEN 3000 MILES. THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION AND DRIVE SHAFT HAS SNAPPED OFF. THERE IS NO COLLISION DAMAGE THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE SUSPENSION TO BE TORN OFF. THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR FAILURES. IT IS PERFECTLY OBVIOUS THAT THE TESLA SUSPENSION PARTS ARE TOO WEAK FOR THE JOB AND DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT MARGIN OF SAFETY. PLEASE TAKE ACTION BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET KILLED. THANK YOU. CONCERNED CITIZEN. DATE OF CRASH IS AN APPROXIMATION.

NHTSA ODI 11046106

Nov 14, 2017SuspensionCrash

HERE IS A BRAND NEW MODEL X IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=26401554&ROWNUMBER=39&LOADRECENT=TRUE&ISNEXT=TRUE IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. THE SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED ON ALL WHEELS. OWNERS HAVE BEEN REPORTING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR SUSPENSION SINCE THE LATEST SOFTWARE UPDATE AND POSTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT ON THE FORUMS. THEY CLAIM THAT TESLA HAS JUST ADVISED THEM TO REBOOT THE CAR AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. IT LOOKS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THIS CAR'S SUSPENSION COLLAPSED CAUSING IT TO SLOW DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY AND GET RAMMED UP THE REAR BY ANOTHER CAR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. CONCERNED CITIZEN ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11046111

Oct 27, 2017SuspensionCrash2 injuries

HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=26437884&ROWNUMBER=57&LOADRECENT=TRUE THE CAR HAS BEEN IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT AND IS SEVERELY DAMAGED. IT HAS BIO-HAZARD STICKERS WHICH MEANS THAT OCCUPANTS HAVE BEEN INJURED. THE CAR IS BADLY DAMAGED AND I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CRASH. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE MANY OTHER CASES OF SUSPENSION FAILURES IN THE TESLAS IT IS A LEAST A POSSIBILITY THAT A SUSPENSION FAILURE DID CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE BACK LH WHEEL IS SLANTED OVER AT AN ANGLE. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE BODYWORK ON THAT PART OF THE CAR. IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE A SCENARIO IN WHICH THAT WHEEL COULD HAVE BEEN FORCED OUTWARDS AT THE BOTTOM IN A ROLLOVER PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT CLAIMING THERE IS ABSOLUTE PROOF THAT A SUSPENSION FAILURE CAUSED THIS CRASH, ONLY THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF IT. VEHICLE CRASHES ARE AN EVERYDAY EVENT AND IT IS LIKELY THAT THE INVESTIGATORS AT THE SCENE WERE UNAWARE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY CASES OF TESLA SUSPENSION FAILURES AND THAT SHOULD LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS CRASH TO SEE IF THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. NOT ONLY ARE THERE MANY WRECKED TESLAS SHOWING UP IN THE JUNKYARDS WITH BROKEN SUSPENSIONS BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CRASHES CAUSED WHEN TESLAS SUDDENLY VEERED OFF THE ROAD. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. CONCERNED CITIZEN ETC. ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11040636

Working with the data? Download all 379 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 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 2017 Tesla Model S 75d verdict →