2013 Tesla Model S: engine knocking or ticking

Filed Oct 18, 2026 · Suspension · CA

I own a 2013 Tesla Model S. While investigating a knocking noise from the rear of the vehicle, I had a local shop disassemble the affected area and we discovered a crack in the rear subframe near a weld and mounting bracket. The fracture appears clean, with little or no visible corrosion. No previous repairs have been performed in the affected area. Given the location of the failure and the structural function of the component, I request an engineering review to determine the likely failure mechanism and whether similar failures have been documented on early Model S vehicles. My research shows the same failure in the federal safety agency complaint XXX. Other local shops also describe the same subframe failure on this Model and manufacturing year. Please advise whether any applicable service campaigns, revised replacement components, or goodwill repair assistance are available. I am attaching photographs. My vehicle VIN is [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 6, 2021 · Transmission · 78,523 miles · OR

The contact owns a 2013 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, there was a loud knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle started losing motive power. The contact was able to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road. The contact called the roadside assistance and the vehicle was towed to a local dealer. The local dealer inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the failure as a rear drive unit malfunction. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,523.

Filed Jun 23, 2021 · CA

While driving , and all at a sudden i heard a boom knock coming from the back near the rear drive unit area, brought it to Tesla service center. They diagnosed it as a cracked subframe which let the drive unit attachment loose from one it's anchor point. The cost of repair is $3,447.95. Upon further review, i've seen numerous reports about the same incidents specially for Tesla Model S between 2013 and 2014. In numerous incidents, Tesla has replaced the subframe at will while out of warranty. Requested the same but it was denied. This happened all at a sudden and without any warning. Upon further review, I've noticed that Tesla have upgraded the subframe part number from REAR SUBFRAME ASSY(6007012-00-E) to REAR SUBFRAME ASSY(6007012-00-L). Reference is Tesla online part catalog search by model / year Possibly to address that issue.

Filed Aug 12, 2020 · Acceleration · 71,111 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

On 8/6/2020 at approximately 3:50 pm [xxx], I [xxx] was parking my 2013 model s 85 tesla in my carport. I have lived at this address for 7 months and had parked my car there without incident numerous times. I was not distracted nor intoxicated in any way; I was simply parking my car. As I was about to push the park button on the tesla, suddenly the car unintentionally accelerated, out of control, the brake didn't work, and continued to leap forward at full speed, causing me to crash through the gate, and back of my carport, bouncing one trashcan off my shed door and pushing another one, as I veered around the shed corner knocking the carport supports out as I went. Crashing through my neighbors back fence, I plowed over my neighbor's garden and back yard with my garbage can and car acting as a battering ram. The tesla eventually careened into neighbors back carport plowed over a gas main, power main panel, water main, and sewer drain line. Basically, all the utilities which fed her house, and finally stopped after hitting the side of space# 46 house. I saw and smelled gas entering the car from the broken gas pipe. Fortunately, the power to my house along with 40 of the surrounding houses had been shut off the previous day due to a totally unrelated incident. A power transformer which fed the community had been mis-wired and destroyed all the electrical appliances and electronics in the 40 houses the transformer fed. If the power had been on, there would have been sparks and an explosion under my tesla battery pack; which would have caused a secondary explosion. I would have been killed instantly according to the firemen and pge gas repair man who showed up after the incident. Anyone present within the vicinity around my car would most likely have been killed too or injured. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Mar 28, 2018 · Suspension · 41,000 miles · CA

Here is another tesla in the junkyard: https://www.copart.com/lot/48517337 the back wheel has fallen off for no good reason. Tesla uses cast aluminum for the suspension parts. These parts have very little margin of safety even when brand new. After a few years and with the effects of fatigue and corrosion these parts become even more fragile. Owners are under the mistaken belief that these cars are very safe and require very little maintenance. As the fleet of teslas ages the risk of failure becomes even greater than it is already. Many countries in which the tesla is sold do not require safety inspections for the first few years. Some countries require no annual safety inspections at all. This is a ticking time bomb. Please investigate before more lives are lost. Thank you. Concerned citizen.

Filed Mar 6, 2017 · Acceleration, Brakes · 30,100 miles · CA · crash

The driver of our car was parking our tesla model s p85+ and slowly moving into the parking spot nearing the final distance in to the spot, when the car suddenly lurched forward, hitting and knocking down a light pole. The driver did not cause this acceleration to occur and was quite surprised to have this happen. There were no injuries involved in the incident, but a light pole located 1.5 feet way from end of the parking spot was knocked down and we have minimal damage to the front of the vehicle.