What 141 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Tesla Model X P90d

THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AS I WAS SLOWLY ENTERING A PARKING SPACE IN A SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT AND HIT THE CAR THAT WAS PARKED IN THE SPACE IN FRONT OF ME.

NHTSA ODI 11319392

AS THE VEHICLE SELF DRIVING SYSTEM WAS ACTIVE IT CAME TO A FULL STOP IN A RED LIGHT. THE VEHICLE STOPPED BEHIND AN 18 WHEELER. AS I WAS IN A FULL STOP, I STOPPED LOOKING TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND LOOKED FOR A DOCUMENT AND CHECKED MESSAGES. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FULLY, IMPACTING THE 18 WHEELER IN FRONT OF ME. MY REACTION WAS NOT FAST ENOUGH AS I WAS VERY CONFUSED, EVENTUALLY I HIT THE BREAKS AND ACTIVATED ABS SYSTEM BUT NOT WITH ENOUGH TIME TO STOP BEFORE IMPACT. THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE TESLA REPORT THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATION OCCURRED WITH OUT DRIVE INPUT. THEY SEEM TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT I WAS AT A RED LIGHT AND STATE IT IS OPERATOR ERROR NOT TO BE ATTENTIVE, BUT REGARDLESS, ACCELERATING AT FULL SPEED WITH NO INPUT TOWARDS ANOTHER VEHICLE IS A HAZARD TO THE POPULATION. THEY HAVE NOT SHARED THE REPORT FROM ENGINEERING, ONLY READ THE STATEMENT OVER THE PHONE ONCE AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ASK FOR THE WRITTEN REPORT. SIGNIFICANT AVOIDANCE IN OCCURRING FROM THE COMPANY.

NHTSA ODI 11307023

MY MODEL X WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED AS IT WAS NEAR HOME. BEFORE ENTERING THE CURVE, THE X SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. IT FIRST CRASHED INTO MY OTHER PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, PUSHING THE PARKED CAR INTO MY GARAGE. THEN IT CONTINUED TO HIT A CITY LIGHT POLE, BREAKING IT AT THE BASE. THE X CONTINUED TO HIT MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR'S TWO CARS PARKED OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME, DAMAGING THEIR GARAGE. THE CAR FINALLY STOP WHEN IT HIT THE WALL OF THIRD NEIGHBOR' THAT DIVIDE UP HER DRIVEWAY. TESLA ROADSIDE SUPPORT CONTACTED ME ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE MY AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED AND MAY REQUIRE ASSISTANCE. I REQUESTED TESLA TO REVIEW THE LOG OF THE CAR AND EXPLAIN WHY THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. WHEN I FOLLOWED UP THAT FIRST WEEK THEY ACKNOWLEDGED MY REQUEST IN AN EMAIL AND TOLD ME THAT THE REQUEST IS WITH THEIR ENGINEERING TEAM AND IT MAY TAKE A WHILE BEFORE THEY WILL HAVE ANY RESPONSE. HOWEVER, AS OF TODAY, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEIR ENGINEERING TEAM.

NHTSA ODI 11301011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 TESLA MODEL X. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS HER HUSBAND WAS PARKING IN A SPACE, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE AND A CEMENT PLANTER, CAUSING THE PLANTER TO MOVE ABOUT 10 FEET AWAY. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT OR CHIMES. THE CONTACT WAS ASKED ABOUT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND CONFIRMED THAT NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WHO WAS THE FRONT PASSENGER AND AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS BENDING OVER TO GRAB HER PURSE FROM THE FLOOR MAT SUSTAINED A BRUISED RIB AND LATER DROVE HERSELF TO THE DOCTOR FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE POLICE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE LOT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE TESLA MOTORS DEALER (650-681-5800, LOCATED AT 4180 EL CAMINO REAL, PALO ALTO, CA 94306) AND WAS TOLD TO EMAIL THE INFORMATION. THE CONTACT EMAILED THE INFORMATION BUT DID NOT GET A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000.

NHTSA ODI 11300718

WE HAD AN ACCIDENT 2DAYS AGO. WE WERE IN THE SCHOOL LOOP TO DROP OFF OUR SON TO SCHOOL. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE DROP OFF AREA WHEN EVERYTHING JUST HAPPENED SO FAST, THE NEXT THING I KNEW IS THAT WE HIT ONE OF THE IN-GROUND INSTALLED BASKETBALL HOOPS. THE IMPACT WAS HARD AND DEPLOYED ALL THE AIRBAGS ON THE PASSENGER SEATS AND THE SIDE AIRBAG OF THE DRIVER AND THE 2ND ROW PASSENGER SEATS WHERE MY SON WAS SEATED AND ALSO SAW SOME SMOKE FROM THE FRONT WHERE I WAS SEATED AND I DO NOT KNOW WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM THAT I THOUGHT THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE BUT MY HUSBAND INFORMED ME THERE WAS NONE. RECALLING NOW, IT HAS BEEN A MYSTERY TO US AS TO WHY AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. I WAS SEATED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND SUSTAINED A FRACTURE IN THE RIGHT SCAPULA AND GENERALIZED CONTUSIONS IN MY BODY AREA. MY SON WHO WAS SEATED ON THE 2ND ROW ALSO SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS ON HIS FACE AND A FEW LACERATIONS. WE WERE COMING INTO THE SCHOOL LOOP AND WAS RUNNING ON A SOMEWHAT 20MPH SPEED, I WAS WONDERING IF THE VEHICLE DID ACCELERATE IT'S SPEED CAUSE WHY WOULD WE HAVE SUCH A HARD IMPACT AND SUSTAINED THOSE INJURIES THAT IT EVEN DEPLOYED ALMOST ALL THE AIRBAGS? HOPE SOMEONE CAN LOOK INTO THIS SO AS NOT TO HAVE ANYONE BE ON OUR SAME FATE AND FOR EVERYONE'S FUTURE SAFETY. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI 11300230

A TESLA MODEL X WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO GEAR BY A 2 YEAR OLD WHO WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD AND PIN HIS PREGNANT MOTHER BETWEEN THE VEHICLE AND GARAGE WALL. APPARENTLY THERE ARE NO SAFETY-INTERLOCKS PREVENTING STARTING OF THE ENGINE, SUCH AS TRANSMISSION IN 'P' OR 'N'. FURTHER, THERE IS A WAND SHIFTER, BUT GEAR SELECTION IS COMPLETELY UNDER SOFTWARE CONTROL. THERE IS NO INTERLOCK SUCH AS WITH A TRADITIONAL PRNDL SELECTOR. THIS IS AN INHERENTLY UNSAFE DESIGN. CIVIL DOCKET DESCRIBING THE ACCIDENT AND TESLA'S RESPONSE ARE ATTACHED. NOTE IN TESLA'S RESPONSE: 1) THEY DO NOT STATE HOW MANY MINUTES ELAPSED BETWEEN DRIVER EXITING THE VEHICLE AND TODDLER ENTERING IT. THEY USE THE VAGUE TERM "MOMENTS." IT COULD WELL HAVE BEEN 10 OR 15 MINUTES. 2) THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT REASONABLY FORESEEABLE THAT A CHILD WOULD MANAGE TO SHIFT A VEHICLE INTO GEAR, WHICH IS PATENTLY FALSE. SAFE VEHICLE DESIGN ABSOLUTELY INCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF UNSUPERVISED CHILDREN PLAYING AT THE CONTROLS.

NHTSA ODI 11210423

ON NOV 17, 2018 AT 4:50 PM, I WAS DRIVING MY TESLA X SLOWLY WITH AUTO PILOT OFF AND AUTO STEER OFF ON A SURFACE STREET IN SAN CLEMENTE, CA. I WAS TRYING TO DO A U TURN. I VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC, THAT THERE WAS AN AREA WHERE CARS WERE NOT PARKED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STREET AND COULD USE A PARKING DRIVEWAY ON THE RIGHT THAT WILL ALLOW MORE SPACE TO PERFORM THE U TURN. I GENTLY PRESSED THE BREAK TO FURTHER SLOWDOWN AND THEN VEERED A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT LESS THAN 5 MPH. I STARTED TO TURN TO THE LEFT WHILE STILL GENTLY PRESSING THE BREAK. AS SOON AS THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL LEFT THE DRIVEWAY AND BEFORE I HAD COMPLETED THE U TURN, THE TESLA ALL OF A SUDDEN, ON ITS OWN SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED TO FULL POWER (A TESLA X CAN GO FROM 0-60 MILES IN APPROX. 4 SECONDS). MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BREAK, I DID NOT MOVE IT AND THEREFORE I DID NOT PRESS THE ACCELERATOR. THERE WERE NO OBJECTS OBSTRUCTING THE PEDALS. IN A SMALL FRACTION OF A SECOND, THE TESLA TRAVELED AT FULL SPEED TOWARDS THE TACOMA CAR PARKED AHEAD ON THE LEFT (LESS THAN 20 FEET). SOMETHING IN THE TESLA SYSTEM TRIGGERED THE SUDDEN SPONTANEOUS FULL ACCELERATION RESULTING IN THIS COLLISION. THE TESLA HAD MAJOR DAMAGE IN THE FRONT, THE AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I HAD A MAJOR BRUISE ON MY ABDOMEN AND SEVERAL SMALL BRUISES ON MY CHEST. THE TACOMA SUFFERED DAMAGE IN THE FRONT, MOVED BACKWARDS AND HIT THE CAR PARKED BEHIND IT. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS IN THE OTHER VEHICLES. IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE NOT TO A DRIVER'S ERROR BUT TO A TECHNOLOGICAL ERROR WITHIN THE TESLA VEHICLE. I FOUND MORE THAN 60 COMPLAINTS FOR SPONTANEOUS SUDDEN ACCELERATION FOR TESLA VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN FILED TO NHTSA. WHAT THESE COMPLAINTS HAVE IN COMMON ARE THAT VEHICLES ARE TRAVELING SLOWLY TRYING TO PARK OR MAKE TURNS AT LOW SPEED WHEN SUDDEN SPONTANEOUS FULL ACCELERATION WAS TRIGGERED.

NHTSA ODI 11154380

WHILE IN A PARKING LOT AT LOW SPEED AND COMING AROUND A TURN TO PARK, TESLA SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM LOW SPEED TO HIGH SPEED HITTING A POLE. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS WITHOUT WARNING. SEVERE DAMAGE TO CAR. LUCKILY NO PEDESTRIANS WERE NEARBY.

NHTSA ODI 11142282

WHEN SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN JUMPING THE CURB AND SLAMMED INTO A CHAIN LINK FENCE. I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT DIDN'T RESPOND. MY TEN YEAR OLD CHILD WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AND THANKFULLY WE ARE BOTH UNHARMED. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT OF THE CAR ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED WAS DURING MY FIRST WEEK WITH THE CAR AND WHEN I WAS SLOWLY DRIVING AROUND A TRAFFIC CIRCLE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THE CAR TOOK OFF ON IT'S OWN. NO DAMAGE OTHER THAN MISALIGNMENT THAT TIME BUT I WAS VERY SCARED AND CALLED TESLA SERVICE. IT TOOK SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THEM TO RESPOND WITH THE DATA REPORT FROM THE CAR AND SAID THAT THE VEHICLE INCREASED SPEED DUE TO THE DRIVER PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. I ACCEPTED THEIR EXPLANATION AND ASSUMED THAT I WAS INDEED AT FAULT EVEN THOUGH I WAS POSITIVE THAT I DIDN'T PRESS THE ACCELERATOR. I'M INCREDIBLY SADDENED BY THIS SITUATION AS I TRULY LOVED THIS CAR BUT I'M TOO FRIGHTENED TO DRIVE IT AGAIN. IT'S CURRENTLY AT A BODY SHOP.

NHTSA ODI 11111431

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL X. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED OVER A CURB BEFORE CRASHING INTO A CEMENT LIGHT POLE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK, SHOULDER, AND CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, AN ERRONEOUS WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING TOO CLOSELY TO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS NOWHERE IN THE VICINITY. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, INCLUDING SHORTLY BEFORE THE CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

NHTSA ODI 11092528