2016 Tesla Model S
Problem Areas
Complaints Over Time
Recent Complaints
UPDATE TO THE INDIANAPOLIS CRASH THAT KILLED TWO PEOPLE. THIS REPORT CLAIMS THAT BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE INTOXICATED. HTTP://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/NEWS/TESLA-DRIVER-DOUBLE-FATAL-CRASH-INTOXICATED-INDIANAPOLIS-POLICE/ HOWEVER, THIS OTHER REPORT SUGGESTS THAT TESTS ON BADLY BURNED VICTIMS MAY BE UNRELIABLE. HTTP://KILLINGKILLERS.BLOGSPOT.COM.AU/P/BLOOD-ALCOHOL-CONTENT-FFECT.HTML NOT WITHSTANDING THESE REPORTS THE PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED HERE HTTP://WWW.INDYSTAR.COM/STORY/NEWS/CRIME/2017/02/08/TESLA-MODEL-S-CRASH-INVESTIGATION-DRUNKEN-DRIVING-INDIANAPOLIS/97597708/ SHOW THAT THE TESLA HAS COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED AND THAT ALL OF THE WHEELS HAVE SNAPPED OFF WITH SOME OF THE WHEELS SHOWING SIGNS OF DAMAGE WHILST ROTATING. BEARING IN MIND THE MANY REPORTS OF FAILED TESLA SUSPENSIONS AND PROBLEMS WITH SPEED CONTROL IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MECHANICAL FAILURE PAID A CONTRIBUTING PART. THE ALMOST COMPLETE DISINTEGRATION OF THE CAR IS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE CLAIMS MADE BY TESLA THAT IT IS THE SAFEST CAR IN THE WORLD. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW THE FACT THAT THE OCCUPANTS MIGHT HAVE BEEN IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL PRECLUDE AN INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE DEFECTS IN THE TESLA THAT MAY HAVE PLAYED A PART IN THIS CRASH.
THERE HAS BEEN A FATAL TESLA CRASH IN INDIANA. CRASH SITE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THAT THE REAR WHEEL HAS SKEWED OVER IN THE WHEEL WELL BUT THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE REAR OF THE CAR WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSE THAT TO HAPPEN. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED BY TESLA A FEW MONTHS AGO AFTER IT SUFFERED UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE THERE IS A CLEAR PATTERN OF WEAKNESS IN THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT THIS CRASH WAS CAUSED BY A SUSPENSION FAILURE. CRASH SCENE VIDEOS SHOW THE BATTERIES EXPLODING LIKE FIREWORKS. CONTRARY TO TESLA'S CLAIM THAT THE BATTERIES ARE WELL PROTECTED AND WILL ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME FOR THE OCCUPANTS TO ESCAPE IT SHOWS THAT WHEN THE BATTERIES ARE HOT FROM HEAVY USE THEY WILL IGNITE AS SOON AS THE COOLANT ESCAPES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER URGENTLY BEFORE MORE LIVES ARE LOST.
THERE HAS BEEN A FATAL CRASH IN THE NETHERLANDS WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY SUSPENSION FAILURE. HTTP://WWW.AD.NL/AMERSFOORT/BRANDWEER-WORSTELT-MET-GECRASHTE-TESLA~A1EC61B0/70382423/ PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPH. BACK RH WHEEL SKEWED OVER AT EXTREME ANGLE. THAT PART OF THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DAMAGED BY THE CRASH. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.
HERE IS A MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=26536335&ROWNUMBER=1&LOADRECENT=TRUE IT HAS BEEN IN A MAJOR CRASH, IT HAS BIO-HAZARD STICKERS AND JUDGING BY THE DAMAGE IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN KILLED IN THE CRASH. A BLOWN UP PHOTOGRAPH IS ATTACHED OF THE TIRE STOWED IN THE REAR OF THE CAR ATTACHED TO THE BROKEN SUSPENSION PARTS. THE TREAD ON THIS TIRE IS COMPLETELY WORN AWAY. THIS CAR IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD SO THAT CAN NOT POSSIBLY BE NORMAL WEAR ON THE TIRE. TESLAS ARE VERY PRONE TO COLLAPSE OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS. IF THE CAR IS ON CRUISE CONTROL OR AUTOPILOT THEN EVEN IF THE TIRE IS RUBBING HARD AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION THE CAR WILL APPLY MORE POWER TO COMPENSATE AND THE DRIVER MAY BE UNAWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM UNTIL THERE IS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. TO MAKE THIS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR - I BELIEVE THAT THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM IN THE TESLAS IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THE COMPANY IS COVERING UP THESE DEFECTS. PLEASE LAUNCH A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. CONCERNED CITIZEN. DATE OF CRASH IS AN APPROXIMATION. NUMBER OF FATALITIES IS A GUESS BASED ON THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR.
HERE IS A REPORT OF A TESLA CRASH IN AUSTRIA: HTTP://WWW.TT.COM/PANORAMA/UNFALL/13565308-91/TESLA-BRANNTE-BEI-UNFALL-IN-PIANS-KOMPLETT-AUS-LENKERIN-VERLETZT.CSP?TAB=ARTICLE **THE 19-YEAR-OLD DRIVER FROM INNSBRUCK WAS TRAVELING TOWARDS BLUDENZ TOWARDS 1 PM. BECAUSE OF A CONSTRUCTION SITE IN THE LOCAL AREA, THE TWO-LANE EXPRESSWAY FROM LANDECK WEST TO THE SHORTLY BEFORE THE PIANNER / QUATRATSCHER TUNNEL IS LED IN THE FAST LANE AND THEN DIVERTED TO THE NORMAL TRACK BEFORE THE TUNNEL. THE 19-YEAR-OLD CHANGED FROM A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN CAUSE NOT AS PRE-DETERMINED THE LANE, BUT DROVE FRONTALLY AGAINST THE OBLIQUE RUNNING CONCRETE WALLS. THE ELECTRIC CAR IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO BURN. THE WOMAN, WHO WAS STILL ABLE TO GET HERSELF SAFE, SUFFERED INJURIES OF UNDEFINED GRADE AND WAS SENT TO ZAMS HOSPITAL.***** ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THE WHEEL AND SUSPENSION PARTS LYING ON THE GROUND. IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT A SUSPENSION FAILURE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. ONCE AGAIN THE CAR HAS BURST INTO FLAMES AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THAT IT IS THE GLYCOL COOLANT BURNING RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL LITHIUM BATTERIES. THE FLAMMABLE COOLANT IS EASILY SPILLED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND THERE ARE MANY SOURCES OF POTENTIAL IGNITION IN THIS ELECTRIC CAR. HAVING GALLONS OF FLAMMABLE LIQUID PIPED THROUGH FRAGILE RADIATORS AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS A VERY DANGEROUS IDEA. PLEASE TAKE ACTION. CONCERNED CITIZEN ETC. ETC. *TR
A TESLA HAS JUST CRASHED INTO A GARAGE AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE: HTTP://WWW.OCREGISTER.COM/2017/08/25/TESLA-SLAMS-INTO-LAKE-FOREST-GARAGE-SEVERELY-DAMAGING-IT-AND-SPARKING-A-FIRE/ PICTURES (ATTACHED) SHOW THAT A COMPLETE WHEEL AND SUSPENSION SNAPPED OFF THE CAR BEFORE IT CHARGED INTO THE GARAGE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.
THERE WAS A FATAL CRASH IN HAWAII ON JUNE12TH THIS YEAR. HTTP://KHON2.COM/2017/06/12/WAIMANALO-MAN-KILLED-IN-CRASH-ON-PALI-HWY/ THE TESLA DRIVER CLAIMS THAT HE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A SPEEDING SUV WHICH THEN LOST CONTROL AND OVERTURNED KILLING THE DRIVER OF THAT VEHICLE. PHOTOGRAPHS AT THE CRASH SITE SHOW THE TESLA HAVING LOST THE LH BACK WHEEL. THE TESLA HAS NOW SHOWN UP IN THE SALVAGE YARD: HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/32722527/PHOTOS THE CAR IS UNDAMAGED APART FROM HAVING LOST A WHEEL. IT WAS NOT HIT FROM BEHIND. IT IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT THE TESLA LOST A WHEEL WITHOUT ANY IMPACT DAMAGE AND THAT THE SUV WAS FORCED TO SWERVE TO AVOID THE TESLA MAKING THAT DRIVER LOSE CONTROL AND ROLL OVER CAUSING HIS DEATH. PLEASE RECALL THESE CARS BEFORE MORE INNOCENT LIVES ARE LOST. I AM FILING THESE REPORTS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. A DUMMY USA ADDRESS HAS BEEN USED TO SATISFY YOUR WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS. MY GENUINE CONTACT DETAILS ARE SUPPLIED WITH THIS SUBMISSION.
HERE IS A REPORT OF A CRASH THAT HAS JUST OCCURRED IN HAWAII. HTTP://KHON2.COM/2017/06/12/WAIMANALO-MAN-KILLED-IN-CRASH-ON-PALI-HWY/ THE OWNER OF THE TESLA REPORTS THAT HE FELT A BUMP AND THEN SAW A SPEEDING CAR FLY PAST HIM AND CRASH INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER OF THAT CAR WAS KILLED. THE BACK WHEEL OF THE TESLA HAS COMPLETELY FALLEN OFF AND YET THERE APPEARS TO BE NO COLLISION DAMAGE THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSE THE WHEEL TO COME OFF. CRASH INVESTIGATORS NEED TO BE TOLD OF THE MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF TESLA WHEELS AND SUSPENSIONS FALLING OFF FOR NO GOOD REASON. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS CRASH. I BELIEVE IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT THIS FATAL CRASH WAS CAUSED BY YET ANOTHER CASE OF TESLA SUSPENSION FAILURE. PLEASE DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROPERLY INVESTIGATE THIS CRASH.
THIS IS A COMPLAINT INTENDED TO PROVIDE FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT TESLAS ARE EXPERIENCING SUSPENSION FAILURES AND ARE CATCHING FIRE AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN MOST OTHER VEHICLES. I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE CURRENT STOCK OF WRECKED TESLAS AT A JUNKYARD IN THE NETHERLANDS SO AS TO FURTHER PROVE THE ARGUMENT THAT THESE CARS HAVE A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. HERE IS A LINK TO THE STOCK OF TESLA WRECKS IN JUST THAT ONE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.PROXYPARTS.COM/VEHICLE-STOCK/ SELECT TESLA FROM THE MENU. THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 100 WRECKED TESLAS IN AMERICAN JUNKYARDS AND PROBABLY AS MANY AGAIN IN OVERSEAS JUNKYARDS. RECENT INSURANCE ASSESSMENTS SHOW THAT TESLAS ARE CRASHING AT DOUBLE THE NORMAL RATE FOR COMPARABLE CARS. HTTP://WWW.IIHS.ORG/IIHS/TOPICS/INSURANCE-LOSS-INFORMATION SELECT LARGE LUXURY CARS FROM THE DROP-DOWN MENU. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE REASONS FOR ALL OF THESE CRASHES. THANK YOU.
HERE IS A BURNED OUT TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD HTTPS://WWW.SALVAGERESELLER.COM/CARS-FOR-SALE/27627757-2016-TESLA-MODEL-S-SAN-DIEGO-CA THE CAR HAS BIO-HAZARD STICKERS WHICH INDICATES THAT THE OCCUPANTS WERE PROBABLY INJURED. THE PICTURES SHOW THAT THE FRONT LH UPPER BALL JOINT HAS SEPARATED AND THAT THE WHEEL HAS BEEN SLICED IN HALF. THE DRIVERS AIR-BAG HAS NOT DEPLOYED SO IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE SUSPENSION DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY A FRONT END COLLISION. THERE ARE A GREAT MANY CASES OF TESLAS HAVING SUSPENSIONS COLLAPSE. THERE ARE A GREAT MANY TESLAS THAT HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT. PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT THE OWNER BUT SIMPLY A CONCERNED CITIZEN. THE DATE OF THE CRASH AND THE EXTENT OF INJURIES IS AN EDUCATED GUESS.
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
Sudden unintended acceleration appeared to cause the Tesla while parking the car on the street in front of home accelerate go out of control and crash into the home totaling the car and damaging the house. Two days prior the vehicle was brought into a Tesla service location where Tesla replaced the 12 volt battery that they believed was causing the car not to power on properly at that time. After the crash and googling to see if others suffered similar issues it appears the NHTSA recently reopened a review of sudden unintended acceleration and this incident seems to align with concerns of the petitioner [XXX] . The police filed a report and it’s at the towing place where the insurer Allstate is going to evaluate the car for a total loss. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I WAS STOPPED, PREPARING TO PULL INTO MY GARAGE, WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED RAPIDLY AND SMASHED THROUGH MY WALL, BREAKING FREEZER & SHEVING UNIT IN MY GARAGE. IT ALSO DAMAGED MANY ITEMS IN THE BATHROOM AND LAUNDRY ROOM, DOORS, AND WALLS ON OTHER SIDE OF GARAGE WALL. THIS IS THE 2ND INCIDENT, IN 2019 THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON A STREET. I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WHEN I STARTED TO MOVE THE CAR ACCELERATED AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT I DID NOT FILE A CLAIM. TESLA WAS CERTAIN THAT I HAD ACCIDENTALLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR INSTEAD OF BRAKE, AND ACCEPTED THAT. IN BOTH INCIDENTS THE CAR FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS FLYING, THE CAR WAS MOVING SO FAST.
VEHICLE WAS TBONED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND NEITHER THE SIDE NOR CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A PEDESTRIAN AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL WHILE HITTING ANOTHER PEDESTRIAN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A HEAD AND FOOT INJURIES SUSTAIN BY THE PEDESTRIANS THAT NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO ANSWER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
ON 1/18/20, I WAS TRAVELLING IN MY 2016 TESLA MODEL S P100D EASTWARD ON ANDERSON HILL ROAD TOWARD THE INTERSECTION WITH PURCHASE STREET. THE STOP LIGHT WAS RED. I WAS DRIVING 1MI UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT OF 35MPH. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND FREEZING, AND A WET SNOW HAD BEGUN 5-10MIN EARLIER, WITH MINIMAL ACCUMULATION. I KNOW EXACTLY HOW FAST I WAS GOING BECAUSE I HAD CRUISE CONTROL ON. I WAS NOT ON AUTOPILOT. JUST CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN THE INTERSECTION AND STOP LIGHT CAME INTO VIEW, I TAPPED THE BREAK TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND THEN DEPRESSED THE BREAK TO SLOW THE CAR. NOTHING HAPPENED. THE BREAKS WOULD NOT ENGAGE. AND NEITHER DID THE REGENERATIVE BREAKING. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I WAS SKIDDING OR SLIDING. IT SIMPLY FELT AS IF THE CAR HAD NO IDEA I WANTED TO BRAKE. IT WAS VERY VERY STRANGE. IN THOSE FEW SECONDS IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE I WOULD BE DEAD SHORTLY. AS IT HAPPENS, I WAS STRUCK BROADSIDE BY A LARGE SUBURBAN TRAVELLING NORTHBOUND ON PURCHASE STREET PERHAPS 25 MILES AN HOUR. BOTH HE AND I SEEM TO HAVE EMERGED RELATIVELY UNSCATHED (PHYSICALLY, ANYWAY) THANK GOD. BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. CAN YOU PLEASE CONTACT TESLA AND DEMAND ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THE CARS COMPUTERS - AND THEIR COMPUTERS AT HQ - SO WE CAN FIND OUT??? WHAT HAPPENED WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND COULD HAVE KILLED BOTH ME ND OTHERS. TO SUMMARIZE: BRAKE FAILURE, BOTH MANUAL AND DEGENERATIVE, IN 2016 TESLA MODEL S CAUSED MASSIVE COLLISION WITH BOTH CARS TOTALLED.
MY WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT HER SCHOOL AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED (AS SHE WAS PARKING BETWEEN 2 CARS). THE VEHICLE WAS IN CHILL MODE, WHICH MEANS THAT IT CANNOT ACCELERATE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. WHEN SHE WAS ROUGHLY OF THE WAY INTO THE PARKING SPOT WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AS IF IT WAS IN PERFORMANCE MODE. IT WENT OVER A CURB AND INTO A CHAIN LINK FENCE (WHICH WAS ROUGHLY 10-12 FEET PAST THE CURB) BEFORE SHE COULD GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP ITSELF. THIS WAS AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND CHILDREN WERE PRESENT. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT. TESLA HAS YET TO RESPOND TO OUR INQUIRIES REGARDING THE INCIDENT.
HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS?ITEMID=33887421&ROWNUMBER=2&SIMILARVEHICLEITEMID=&ISNEXT=&LOADRECENT=TRUE BIOHAZARD STICKERS INDICATE THAT AN OCCUPANT HAS BEEN INJURED. THE FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE HAS SNAPPED IN HALF. IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE SNAPPED KNUCKLE WAS THE CAUSE OR THE RESULT OF THE CRASH HOWEVER IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE CASTING IS OF LOW QUALITY. SUCH A CRUCIAL COMPONENT SHOULD NOT BE MADE OF BRITTLE MONKEY METAL. QUALITY CONTROL AT THE SUPPLIER AND AT TESLA IS DEFICIENT. I PETITION YOU TO LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE REASON FOR SO MANY TESLAS SUFFERING FROM SUSPENSION BREAKAGES.
HERE IS A THREAD IN WHICH A TESLA OWNER CREDITS TESLA WITH SAVING HIS LIFE. HTTPS://FORUMS.TESLA.COM/FORUM/FORUMS/MY-TESLA-SAVED-MY-LIFE#COMMENT-1670291 PHOTOS REVEAL THAT THE REAR LEFT WHEEL IS MISSING AND THE SUSPENSION COMPLETELY TORN OFF. SEE ATTACHED PHOTO. OWNER SUBSEQUENTLY POSTED A VIDEO OF THE CRASH: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=H8E5_EHKPRI&FEATURE=YOUTU.BE PLAYING THAT VIDEO AT 0.25 SPEED OR WATHCHING IT FRAM BY FRAME ON ANALYZER: HTTP://ANILYZER.COM/?PAGE_ID=7&TYPE=YOUTUBE&VID=H8E5_EHKPRI#PLAYBACKRATE=1&SEEKTO=0 YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TESLA TILTED TO THE LEFT AND THEN DRIFTED TO THE LEFT. THE FOREGROUND LIGHTS AND CARS GO BLURRY AT ABOUT 0:12 INTO THE VIDEO. THE TESLA IS OUT OF CONTROL LONG BEFORE THE PASSING CAR COMES INTO VIEW. AN ALMOST IDENTICAL EVENT ON THE PALI HIGHWAY HAWAII CLAIMED THE LIFE OF OF A PASSING DRIVER JUST A YEAR AGO. THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY OF THESE CASES FOR IT TO BE JUST A FLUKE EVENT. THE TESLA SUSPENSIONS ARE TOO WEAK FOR THE WEIGHT OF THESE HEAVY AND POWERFUL CARS AND BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE FROM CAST OR EXTRUDED ALUMINUM THEY WILL BECOME EVEN WEAKER WITH AGE AND FATIGUE. PLEASE LAUNCH AN URGENT INVESTIGATION INTO THIS. THANK YOU. A VERY CONCERNED CITIZEN. PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT THE OWNER AND HAVE USED A DUMMY USA ADDRESS TO CONFORM WITH YOUR WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY A NHTSA INVESTIGATOR THAT IT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR A NON-OWNER AND NON US RESIDENT TO FILE A COMPLAINT. MY FULL CONTACT DETAILS ARE INCLUDED WITH THIS SUBMISSION.
I AM REQUESTING THAT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATE TESLA'S UNEXPLAINED SWERVING ON THE HIGHWAY, FOLLOWED BY ITS FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THE DRIVER'S INPUTS TO THE STEERING, RESULTING IN A SINGLE CAR CRASH. I WAS DRIVING MY TESLA MODEL S IN THE LEFTMOST LANE OF THE NORTHBOUND FLORIDA TURNPIKE AROUND 8 PM. I WAS FOLLOWING THE TRAFFIC AND I BELIEVE MY SPEED WAS AROUND 70 MPH. I WAS IN FULL CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN SELF-DRIVING MODE. SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE CAR STARTED SWERVING. I TRIED TO STEER IT, BUT THE CAR FAILED TO RESPOND TO MY INPUTS TO THE STEERING (THE STEERING WAS NOT LOCKED). WITHIN SECONDS, THE CAR CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN, AND FROM THAT IMPACT, CUT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND CRASHED NEXT INTO THE GUARD RAILS AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, AND FROM THE IMPACT OF THAT CRASH, TURNED AROUND AND STOPPED IN THE RIGHTMOST / CENTER LANE. THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR BUT RIGHT AROUND WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED, A LIGHT DRIZZLE STARTED. BECAUSE THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE HIGHWAY GUARD RAILS, I RECEIVED A CITATION (WHICH I AM PLEADING 'NOT GUILTY' TO). MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT THIS NEW MODEL S VEHICLE IN MARCH 2016. THE CURRENT MILEAGE ON IT WAS ALMOST 60,000 MILES. WITH REGARDS TO THE MAINTENANCE HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE, THE FOLLOWING MAY BE PERTINENT INFORMATION: 1)WE RECEIVED A SAFETY NOTICE FROM TESLA IN MARCH 2018 REGARDING THE POWER STEERING COMPONENT (EMAIL ATTACHED). HOWEVER, THE EMAIL DID NOT REQUIRE ANY IMMEDIATE ACTION ON OUR PART AND SIMPLY ADVISED US TO WAIT FOR AVAILABILITY OF PARTS IN OUR REGION. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANOTHER NOTICE. 2)IN APRIL 2018, AFTER A HEAVY RAIN EVENT, THE CAR WOULD OCCASIONALLY SHUT OFF AND NOT RESTART. IT WAS SERVICED BY TESLA, AND FOUND TO HAVE NO OTHER CONCERNS (INVOICE ATTACHED). TESLA WAS NOTIFIED 9 DAYS BACK AND WE ARE WAITING FOR AN EXPLANATION.
