Tesla MODEL S problems and owner complaints

CAUSE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED JUST BEFORE ENTERING INTO A HEAD IN PARKING SPACE WHEN WITH THE BRAKE DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY CAUSING IT TO JUMP THE CURB AND TAKE DOWN A RETAINING WALL. IT CONTINUED THROUGH THE WALL UNTIL IT WAS STOPPED BY A TREE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. VEHICLE SETTINGS AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT WERE AS FOLLOWS: THERE IS NO AUTOPILOT ON THIS MODEL S AND CRUISE CONTROL WAS OFF. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR WAS SET WITH CREEP MODE OFF. HVAC WAS ON.

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11300279 at NHTSA ↗

THE TOUCH SCREEN ON THE TESLA IS BLACK AND WILL NOT TURN ON. IT'S AS IF THE COMPUTER IS DEAD. IT WAS WORKING I PARKED AT UPS DELIVERY GOT OUT, DROPPED OFF A PACKAGE GOT BACK I. THE CAR LIKE NORMAL WITH THE KEY FOB, SAT DOWN PRESSED THE BRAKE AND NOTICED NOTHING MOVED, IN OTHER WORDED THE SEAT, AND THE TOUCH SCREEN STAYED OFF. NOTHING CAME BACK AFTER THAT...

Owner-reported narrative. 114,938 miles reported. Look up ODI 11338928 at NHTSA ↗

NOTICED THIS PROBLEM AFTER I WAS BACKING UP AND TURNING MY WHEELS AND WOULD HEAR A LOUD METAL ON METAL "CLUNK" OR "GRINDING" SOUND. IT WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT-LEFT SUSPENSION AND WOULD OCCUR CAUSING MY WHEEL AND STEERING TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS SKIPPING. I NOTICED AND MY STEERING FELT "LOOSE" OVER BUMPS AND WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT. AGAIN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND THIS WAS FELT THE MOST WHEN TURNING FULL MOTION AND/OR BACKING UP AND TURNING. WHEN LOOKING AT ONE OF THE CONTROL-ARM JOINTS AFTER I NOTICED A VERY LOUD CLUNK AND COMPARING IT …

Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10885723 at NHTSA ↗

HERE IS ANOTHER TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILIMAGES.ASPX?IMAGEURL=2&ITEMID=23306666 THE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THAT THE FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE HAS SNAPPED IN HALF AND THE WHEEL IS HANGING SIDEWAYS OUT OF THE WHEEL WELL. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN A CRASH. THE AIR-BAGS HAVE NOT DEPLOYED AND THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE BODYWORK. THESE STEERING KNUCKLES ARE A MADE FROM LOW PRESSURE DIE CAST ALUMINIUM WHICH IS CLEARLY NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR THE PURPOSE. THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES WHERE THE KNUCKLE HAS SIMPLY SNAPPED C…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10917208 at NHTSA ↗

I AM FILING THESE COMPLAINTS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. I AM NOT A TESLA OWNER AND I HAVE NO INVESTMENT IN TESLA NOR DO I HOLD ANY SHARES IN THE STOCK-MARKET. THIS CAR IS IN THE WRECKING YARD. THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS FAILED AND THE WHEEL IS PUSHED BACK AGAINST THE HIGH VOLTAGE CONTROLLER. HTTP://WWW.SALVAGERESELLER.COM/VEHICLES/DETAILS/32315405-2012-TESLA-MODEL-S-CA-SAN-DIEGO THERE IS NO OTHER DAMAGE THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE SUSPENSION FAILURE. THERE WAS A CRASH BACK IN 2013 WHICH WAS BLAMED ON THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR. HTTP:…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10785486 at NHTSA ↗

THIS COMPLAINT MAY REFER TO THE REFERENCE NUMBER PROVIDED BELOW: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: DP19005 - INVESTIGATION SUBJECT: BATTERY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE UPDATES TO WHOM IT MIGHT CONCERN, BACK TO MAY 2019, TESLA PUSHED A SOFTWARE UPDATE, FIRMWARE NUMBER 2019.16.2, TO MY CAR VIA OVER-THE-AIR(OTA) METHOD. RIGHT AFTER INSTALLING IT IN MY CAR, I NOTICED THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THE CAR'S RANGE. SOFTWARE VERSION 2019.16.2 WAS RELEASED AFTER SEVERAL NON-CRUSH FIRES HAPPENED WORLDWIDE ON THE BATTERY PACK WITH THE SAME SIZE AND SPEC AS MINE …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11291614 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TESLA S 985. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING SEVERAL FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE VARIOUS SHIFTING ISSUES WHEN USING REVERSE. IN ADDITION, UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURRED ONLY WHEN DRIVING IN EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS REPROGRAMMED BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. ..UPDATED 04-16-14 *BF UPDATED 04/17/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED…

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10562266 at NHTSA ↗

November 20, 2025 To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation Subject: Safety Defect Complaint – Tesla Model S I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious and dangerous safety defect involving my Tesla Model S. Safety Defect Summary:    •   After the high-voltage battery failed, the vehicle would not enter Neutral.    •   I had to use Tow Mode in the middle of a street on a hill to avoid blocking traffic.    •   Once in Tow Mode, the car could not enter Park and the emergency/parking…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11700490 at NHTSA ↗

The contact owns a 2012 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding noise without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a service center where they replaced the drive unit under warranty. Recently, the contact had taken the vehicle to a service center for the recall repair for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, Exterior Lighting). The day after the recall repair was performed, several unknown warning lights appeared on the EMMC while drivi…

Owner-reported narrative. 110,380 miles reported. Look up ODI 11431339 at NHTSA ↗

IT WAS A 2HR45MIN DRIVE INTO WORK ON AN ICY BLIZZARDY MORNING, DRIVING MY 2013 MODEL S RWD P85 WITH 90,000MI. HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 4 YRS. MADE IT TO WORK SAFELY AND THE LAST 6 FEET IN THE PARKING GARAGE, GOING ABOUT 3 MPH PULLING AT A RIGHT ANGLE INTO A PARKING STALL. HAD BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, SHIFTED MY FOOT TO TAP ON THE ACCELERATOR TO INCH FORWARD AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, CAR IS ACCELERATING FULL THROTTLE INTO A CEMENT WALL. CRASHED HEAD ON AND AIRBAG DIDN'T EVEN DEPLOY. SAT FOR A MOMENT TO CATCH MY BREATH AND TRY TO PROCESS WHAT HA…

Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11180431 at NHTSA ↗

SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION TESLA. I DROVE MY TESLA FROM WORK, DRIVING OVER 35MILES DURING RUSH HOUR OF THE BAY AREA. WHEN I ENTERED MY SUBDIVISION, I WAS DRIVING AT 10 MPH, PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY MADE 90 DEGREES TURN AT 5 MPH, APPLIED THE BRAKES. INSTEAD OF STOPPING, CAR SPED UP AT EXTREMELY HIGH ACCELERATION. IT DROVE THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR, HIT MASERATI PARKED IN THE GARAGE, AND A MOTORCYCLE PARKED NEXT TO IT. THE MASERATI TRUNK WAS PUSHED IN APPROX 3 FEET, IT SLID SIDEWAYS, HIT THE PILLAR, SMASHING DRIVER DOOR AND WINDOW, SLID TO THE F…

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11082114 at NHTSA ↗

THE LATEST MODEL S SOFTWARE UPDATE SHRANK THE SIZE OF THE FONT OF SEVERAL CRITICAL PIECES OF INFORMATION ON THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD. THESE INCLUDE THE GEAR SELECTION (PARK, DRIVE, ETC), THE REMAINING BATTERY CHARGE (FUEL TANK EQUIVALENT), EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE AND TIME. I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO RAPIDLY IDENTIFY THIS KEY INFORMATION WITHOUT EXTRA EFFORT OR PUTTING ON READING GLASSES. LAST WEEK, WHILE AT AN ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING GARAGE AT WORK, I ADVANCED BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY ACCESS BADGE HAD OPENED THE GATE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT (THE GATE) CAME DOWN …

Owner-reported narrative. 17,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11388101 at NHTSA ↗