What 980 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Tesla Model 3

Right front upper control arm began making noise and was replaced under warranty at 42k miles in Sept 2019. Left front upper control arm failed around 50k miles and caused a wreck resulting in $8,365 in damages in April 2021. When fixing one side it is standard to replace the other and Tesla was negligent. Upon fixing the left side suspension at Blue Ash Auto Body in 2021, the brake caliper came loose while driving on the highway while on a vacation. This caused an additional $1500 or so in charges. Both of these incidents put my life and my son's life in danger. About a week or two after the caliper problem, Tesla issued a recall for that part stating that it is now single use only.

NHTSA ODI 11643968

How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -Due to the Suspension recall that was released in March 2023. My car spinned out of control on the High causing my car to loose control on HW 85 south I nearly lost my life but the car stopped due to a limb in the grass. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?No, because the accident before the recall was experienced. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No

NHTSA ODI 11525490

THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT SUSPENSION FAILURES IN TESLAS. THERE HAS BEEN A CRASH IN ITALY WHICH IS ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSED BY A BROKEN SUSPENSION. THE VIN OF A JUNKYARD TESLA HAS BEEN USED TO COMPLETE THIS ONLINE SUBMISSION SINCE THE VIN OF THE CAR IS UNKNOWN. THE CRASH INJURED 2 PEOPLE. HTTPS://LADIGE.IT/TERRITORI/RIVA-ARCO/2021/04/11/RIVA-LA-LUSSUOSA-TESLA-SI-SCHIANTA-IN-GALLERIA-FERITI-UN-RAGAZZO-DI-PINZOLO-E-UNA-RAGAZZA-DI-TORBOLE-1.2884987#2 THE CRASH SCENE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW A TESLA WITH 3 WHEELS. THE BACK WHEEL HAS FALLEN OFF. SKID MARKS ON THE ROAD SHOW ONLY 3 TIRE MARKS. THESE SKID MARKS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE DRIVER INTENTIONALLY SWERVING AND BRAKING PLEASE INCLUDE THIS CRASH IN YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO TESLA SUSPENSION FAILURES. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI 11408001

I WAS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY ABOUT TO CHANGE LANES. I WAS ON TOTALLY MANUAL OPERATION. THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT A CAR AND CONTINUED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO HIT ANOTHER CAR. THERE WAS NO COLLISION DAMAGE WARNING OR AVOIDANCE AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11403707

SORRY TO TROUBLE YOU AGAIN ...BUT.. HERE IS A MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/37236422?ROWNUMBER=9 THE SUSPENSION FELL OFF AND IT'S LYING ON THE GROUND. HAVE A LOOK PLEASE. THIS IS NOT GOOD. NOT GOOD AT ALL. THANK YOU. KEEF

NHTSA ODI 11351734

PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE USED A SUBSTITUTE VIN TO FILE THIS REPORT SINCE THE VIN OF THE CAR I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT IS UNAVAILABLE. HERE IS THE MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/34936400/PHOTOS THIS CAR IS IN DETROIT AND COULD EASILY BE INSPECTED BY NHTSA STAFF. THE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THAT THE CAST MONKEY METAL LOWER SUSPENSION ARM HAS SNAPPED. THE BRIGHT SURFACE OF THE SNAPPED PART SHOWS THAT IT IS A CLEAN BREAK CAUSED BY BAD CASTING. ALSO THE MONKEY-METAL STEERING KNUCKLE HAS SNAPPED COMPLETELY IN HALF AND THIS HAS BEEN STASHED ON THE BACK SEAT. THIS IS CONVENIENT FOR NHTSA STAFF TO INSPECT BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT NEED TO GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY. CLOSE UP PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE AFFECTED PARTS ARE ATTACHED TO THIS SUBMISSION. A FEW OWNERS ARE NOW STARTING TO FILE COMPLAINTS ABOUT BROKEN SUSPENSIONS. IF YOU OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO SUSPENSION FAILURES IT WILL GIVE EVEN MORE OWNERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPORT THEIR PROBLEMS. THANK YOU. KEEF DATE OF CRASH, MILEAGE ETC. ARE ESTIMATES

NHTSA ODI 11341443

THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT A BURNED OUT TESLA MODEL 3. I HAVE USED THE VIN OF A RANDOM WRECKED TESLA BECAUSE THE VIN OF THE CAR IN QUESTION IS UNRECOGNISABLE DUE TO FIRE. HERE IS THE TOASTED TESLA HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/35451122/25 IT HAS BEEN BURNED TO A CRISP BUT THE FRONT WHEEL HAS BEEN WRENCHED OFF DUE TO THE USUAL BROKEN SUSPENSION ARMS AND POPPED BALL JOINTS. THE WHEEL MUST HAVE FALLEN BY THE WAYSIDE BECAUSE IT IS NOT BURNED IN THE SLIGHTEST AND HAS BEEN STASHED INSIDE THE BODY OF THE CAR POST-INFERNO. ISN'T THE JOB OF NHTSA SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING THE PUBLIC? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GUYS? FOR THE LOVE OF FUDGE PLEASE DO SOMETHING. REGARDS YOUR FRIEND KEEF

NHTSA ODI 11311515

THE CAR ACCELERATED SUDDENLY ON AUTOPILOT CAUSING THE CAR SKID AND FALL INTO A DITCH OAT 80 MPH IN UTAH. THE DAMAGE WAS TO THE BODY BUT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE AS IT ALMOST WENT INTO THE OTHER LANE

NHTSA ODI 11300072

HERE IS A MODEL 3 IN THE JUNK YARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS?ITEMID=34558147&ROWNUMBER=13&SIMILARVEHICLEITEMID=&ISNEXT=&LOADRECENT=TRUE IT HAS BEEN IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT SO IT HAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. THE FRONT LH SUSPENSION HAS FALLEN TO BITS. THE WHEEL HAS BEEN SLICED IN TWO WHICH SUGGESTS THAT IT WAS WAS CUT BY A SHARP OBJECT WHILST STILL ROTATING. IT DOES APPEAR TO BE A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THIS ROLLOVER WAS CAUSED BY THE SUSPENSION FAILURE. THE CONNECTION TO THE STEERING ARM HAS SNAPPED WHICH IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN. THE STEMS OF BOTH BALL JOINTS HAVE SNAPPED. SEVERAL OF THE ALLOY COMPONENTS HAVE CRACKED IN HALF WHICH SUGGESTS THAT THE CASTINGS ARE OF POOR QUALITY. GIVEN THAT MANY OWNERS FELL THAT IT IS OK TO DRIVE HANDS FREE OR WITH JUST A FINGER RESTING ON THE WHEEL A FAILURE IN THE SUSPENSION CAN HAVE FATAL CONSEQUENCES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU. KEEF

NHTSA ODI 11288759

HERE IS A TESLA MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/54348349/PHOTOS THE FRONT WHEEL AND COMPLETE SUSPENSION HAS COMPLETELY FALLEN OFF. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED SO THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FRONT END COLLISION. ANOTHER CAR HAS BIFFED THE BACK OF THE TESLA AFTER IT SLOWED DOWN RAPIDLY WHEN THE WHEEL FELL OFF. TESLA ENTHUSIASTS CLAIM THAT THE WHEELS ARE DESIGNED TO SNAP OFF EASILY AND THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE. OTHER ROAD USERS MAY BE LESS THAN IMPRESSED BY THIS FEATURE WHEN THE TESLA WHEEL FLIES OFF AND SMASHES THEIR HEAD IN. THESE TESLAS ARE INDEED....LUDICROUS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

NHTSA ODI 11277190

MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD. IT'S GONE HORRIBLY WHOMPY.. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS?ITEMID=33644612&ROWNUMBER=11&SIMILARVEHICLEITEMID=&ISNEXT=&LOADRECENT=TRUE PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI 11258786

HERE IS A MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=28782924&ROWNUMBER=52&LOADRECENT=TRUE THE LOWER BALL-JOINTS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAVE SNAPPED. THIS IS VERY LIKELY THE CAUSE OF THE ROLLOVER AND NOT THE RESULT OF IT. A PHOTOGRAPH IS ATTACHED OF ANOTHER MODEL 3 (THE RED ONE) WHICH HAS THE SAME SNAPPED OFF BALL-JOINTS. THESE BALL JOINTS APPEAR TO BE THE SAME RIDICULOUSLY WEAK TWO PART FRICTION WELDED BALL JOINTS THAT ARE USED ON THE MODEL S AND MODEL X. PHOTOGRAPH OF A SNAPPED BALL JOINT IS ALSO INCULDED IN THIS SUBMISSION. THANK YOU. DRIVE SAFELY AND WATCH OUT FOR TESLAS.

NHTSA ODI 11112045