2023 Tesla Model 3: pulls to one side

Filed Jan 1, 2025 · Steering · NE

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The steering system appears to have malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to consistently pull to the right, even after multiple alignments with perfect specifications. This issue is ongoing, and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The pulling to the right affects the vehicle's handling and requires constant manual correction by holding the steering wheel tilted to the left. This compromises my ability to control the car safely, particularly during acceleration or regenerative braking when the issue becomes more pronounced. I am concerned that this could lead to an accident or further mechanical failure. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the issue has been demonstrated and reproduced during test drives with Tesla service technicians. Despite this, I was told the behavior is "normal" or attributed to road crown, which does not align with my driving experience. Multiple alignments have not resolved the issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle has been inspected multiple times by Tesla service centers. Technicians have confirmed the pulling during test drives, but no definitive resolution or explanation has been provided. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps or error messages have appeared. The problem began in September 2024 after I returned from a 4-month military deployment. During this time, the car was parked in my garage and not driven. The issue was first noticed immediately upon resuming use of the vehicle, which had approximately 12,000 miles on the odometer at the time.

Filed Nov 3, 2024 · Suspension · CA

The front left suspension arm failed and fell out as I was parking my car. If this would have happened at highway speeds it would have caused an accident because the car would have run into incoming traffic, potentially resulting in death. This occurred after a collision repair. The collision center that did the initial repair also fixed the issue. The car has had issues with pulling to the right since this repair. It has been taken to them several times but they are unable to address my concern.

Filed Feb 2, 2024 · Steering · CA

We picked up a brand new car and as soon as we drove it off the lot, we noticed that the steering was pulling hard to the right as if the steering wheel were too loose, especially at high speeds on the highway. There were never any alerts or warnings about this issue in the car. But if we took our hands off the wheel, it would have driven off the road fairly quickly. We immediately reported it to Tesla since it was a new car and dropped it off for servicing. They realigned the car, but again after driving it it was still noticeably pulling to the right. We brought it in again and they did another realignment that ended up not making a difference. We brought in a 3rd time and they manually realigned it and tightened some bolts and said that should fix it, and again the problem persisted. So the 4th time we brought it in, we said this is on the verge of lemon-status, so they ended up replacing the whole steering rack and that ended up fixing the issue finally. Luckily they didn't charge us given it was under warranty and reported immediately. But given the recent news on your investigation into related steering issues, we wanted to flag this. Tesla clearly has quality control issues and didn't address the issue until we pressed them after 3 visits to the shop.

Filed Oct 9, 2023 · Steering · CT

After 1.5 months of ownership (I purchased the car end of May 2023) the steering wheel appeared tilted to the right, and car pulling to the wright when driving. I have taken the car to Tesla service centers for 4 separate service appointments. They have conducted numerous alignments, adjustments, replaced front lateral links, retorquing but this has not resolved the issue. The car still pulls to the right. The car currently has 3000 miles. There were no incidents or car accidents.

Filed Aug 2, 2023 · Steering · FL

Car started pulling to the right after leaving the parking lot and vehicle warning stating Steering assist reduced. I pulled over to see the left wheel was turned in while the right wheel was straight ahead. Towed to nearest Tesla service center where they stated the steering rack failed and would require a complete replacement. I was told this was not a warranty issue and I must have hit something. I protested stating there was nothing abnormal about the drive. Took to the nearest certified bodyshop where the steering rack and front control arm were replaced.

Filed May 4, 2023 · Steering, Suspension · VA

During a road trip, autopilot started pulling to the left and right because the autopilot was struggling to center the car in the lane. Driving without autopilot showed that the car was pulling to one side. A wheel alignment by Firestone showed alignment specs consistent with a strike, however the car was not actually struck during the trip. The rims and wheel look intact and brand new, without cracks or bubbles. A visit to the Tesla service center showed that the right hand rear control arm has an enlarged hole, indicating abnormal wear and tear on the suspension elements for a 4-month car with 7,000 miles. The car's steering wheel still feels loose even though the car drives straight.