Here is a story about a tesla owner who claims the car saved his life. Http://insideevs.com/tesla-model-s-gets-wrecked-owner-says-vehicle-saved-his-life-images-owner-testimonial/ look at the photographs. The front suspension has collapsed and the tread of the tire has been worn away. The collision with the hyundai was a secondary effect of the tesla suspension collapsing and causing loss of control. Tesla spins these stories and makes the owners sign non disclosure agreements. This is no accident. It is a deliberate cover up.
2013 Tesla Model S suspension complaints
Page 4 of 4: complaints 71 to 92 of 92, newest first, as owners wrote them.
This is a complaint about the issue of fires in the tesla model s. Tesla claims that the fires in 2013 were caused by impact with road debris and the danger has been reduced by fitting a battery shield and raising the ride height. The ride height was returned to low after your investigations were completed. The photographs from the fires in 2013 show that the fires were caused by collapsed suspensions and not by any impact with road debris. I believe that the battery shield is no more than window dressing and that the low quality videos showing objects crushed by the battery shield are faked. Https://www.tesla.com/blog/tesla-adds-titanium-underbody-shield-and-aluminum-deflector-plates-model-s it is impossible for a block of concrete or a car alternator to crumble like chalk (unless they are made from chalk!) teslas are still catching fire and occupants have been incinerated. There have been many more burned teslas than the company is admitting to. See attached photographs. Please investigate.
This is the car which swerved over a cliff and killed the driver. Https://www.easyexport.us/vehicle-finder/lot-16405175/2013-tesla-tesla-non-repairable-ca-san-jose http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/3318773-181/pd-default-story-headline-xy?gallery=3314901&artslide=0 I have attached photographs that show not only that the steering knuckle has snapped but the tread is worn off the tire. This can only have happened while the car was driving on the road. This was almost certainly the cause of the crash. This same effect of snapped suspension with worn tire can be seen in many other tesla crashes.. Since about 2015 tesla has redesigned the steering knuckle to a solid h-section instead of the hollow die-cast original. There should be a recall to replace all of the earlier fragile versions. Many more images of snapped knuckles can be seen at https://www.flickr.com/photos/136377865@n05/sets/72157658490111523/.
Right front wheel's suspension ball joint of a arm separated while driving about 35 MPH going straight ahead on smooth paved road. Car was stopped safely and pulled off road. After stopping car, the front right wheel was still attached but was leaning in about 15 degrees from vertical. Resulted in $3100 of damage to car's suspension components and tire.
Here is a tesla in the salvage yard. Http://www.copart.com/us/lot/14649834?searchid=1942545060 it has been burned out. The suspension has collapsed and the car is propped up with pieces of wood. There does not seem to be any impact damage, the front bumper bar and the front wheels are not displaced. Whilst is possible that the suspension has collapsed due to the fire it is also probable that this is another instance of suspension failure causing the battery pack to drag along the ground and ignite. Please investigate the circumstance of this incident. I believe there is still an ongoing problem with teslas catching fire due to suspension failures and that the company is covering up this problem. Gasoline fires can be extinguished relatively easily but a lithium battery fire is almost impossible to put out.
Here is a tesla for sale at a salvage auction. Http://www.copart.com/us/lot/30119166?searchid=695877385 the air-bags have not been deployed and there is only minor damage to the front rh side. The car shows signs of collapsed suspension. The two rear wheels are skewed sideways in opposite directions. All wheels are jammed high up in the wheel wells. This would tend to make that car rather difficult to steer. There have been several reports of the air suspension failing and that since the car does not have limit stops on the suspension it can lead to dire consequences. Please investigate this problem.
Here is an auction listing of a tesla that has caught fire. Http://salvage-bid.com/result.php?VIN=[xxx] the pjhotographs show that the lh top ball-joint has pulled out from the steering knuckle. This is not the result of the fire because those parts are solid metal and neither the steering knuckle nor the wishbone have melted. The suspension failure is consistent with the pattern of similar failures that appear to have been the cause of crashes. Please investigate this recurring failure information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I have supplied the federal safety agency with details of many teslas with broken suspensions. This latest one that has just arrived in the wrecking yard is a prime example. Https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=21270046&itemid=22443933&rowid=7&pagesource=vehicleresults please look at the photographs and see if you agree that there is a real problem with the design and manufacture of these cars. Two of the wheels and tires have been badly damaged whilst the car was in motion. It appears that the air suspension has failed causing all wheels to jam up into the wheel wells. Owners have reported that the car does not have limit stops and this is why a simple air leak can result in disaster. Https://forums.tesla.com/en_au/forum/forums/air-suspension-failure-very-unpleasant-results
Here is a report of a tesla crash at an intersection. Http://insideevs.com/tesla-model-s-gets-wrecked-owner-says-vehicle-saved-his-life-images-owner-testimonial/ the report blames the other driver and credits the tesla with saving the owner from injury. The claim that the hyundai hit the tesla and then rebounded and hit the tesla once more is quite unusual. The photographs are high resolution and if they are blown up and examined close up you can seethe that tip of the steering knuckle is broken off (close up photograph of the actual part -which was purchased by a rebuilder- here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/136377865@n05/22799472895/in/album-72157658490111523/ I think it is possible that suspension failures are causing many crashes. The date of the incident is an estimate. The owner says that tesla have been very helpful. "?tesla called my home shortly afterwards saying that they received multiple alarms from the car and wanted to make sure I was ok. They picked up my car free of charge and transported it 50 miles to the nearest service center. They are also arranging a loaner model s. Can I ask for more? Please note that I am not the owner just a concerned citizen please include this crash in any inquiry into the tesla suspension issue.
Here is another crashed tesla in the junk-yard. Http://www.copart.com/us/lot/26133286/photos?searchid=978872155 the front wheel has come off and it has the usual characteristics of a groove worn in the tread and the tire partly peeled off the rim. This is (imho) most likely to have occurred while the car was in motion and before the main impact. It is likely that this was the cause of the crash and not merely the result of the crash. There seem to be far too many similar cases of suspension failure. Please investigate. Please not that I am not the owner, just a concerned citizen. The reports of number of persons injured are only an estimate based on the severity of the crash.
At 45k miles my suspension failed. It required a new control arm and suspension alignment. Tesla said "drove vehicle and confirmed noise from front of vehicle. Upon inspection found left front upper control arm joint to have excessive freeplay." the individual at tesla said it was no big deal. I was driving the car and heard a crack noise while going down a street. From then on out my car made loud squeaking and cracking noises.
Here is a 2013 tesla freshly arrived in the salvage yard. Http://www.copart.com/us/lot/24523446?searchid=1172082716 the back rh wheel and suspension is completely torn off the car. There is some impact damage but that is probably the result of the the suspension failure . There are so many examples of this kind of failure in the tesla that it points to there being a design/manufacturing defect. Tesla has required some owners to sign non disclosure agreements posters on tesla forums are discouraging owners from reporting these problems and are even alleging that these complaints are fraudulent. My complaints are honest reports with verifiable data to support them. If you require samples of broken suspension parts then all you have to do is visit the salvage auction yards. Please investigate the multiple failures of tesla suspensions to save lives.
Another tesla in the salvage yard https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=0&itemid=22102447&rowid=30&pagesource=vehicleresults front suspension completely torn off, no damage forward of the wheel that would account for the damage. The top ball-joint stem has pulled out of the top of the steering knuckle which has a fractured tip. There are far too many of these failures for the relatively small number of these cars that are on the roads please investigate.
Here is another model s for sale as a salvage wreck http://www.copart.com/us/en/lot/24419056?searchid=213897253 the front lh top ball joint has separated from the steering knuckle and there is no collision damage forward of the wheel that would have caused this failure. The car has then caught fire and burned out. This ball joint failure looks very similar to the other 2013 incident which has already been listed on your database. Date complaint filed: 04/28/2016date of incident: 04/24/2016component(s): steering , suspensionreference number: 10862066consumer location: connellsville, pa all products associated with this complaint expand details close help 0 available documents crash:no fire:no number of injuries:0 number of deaths:0 manufacturer: tesla motors, inc. Vehicle identification no. (VIN): p09340... Summary: my front wheel hub assembly came loose from the upper control arm causing a lose of steering. Here is a youtube video of that badly worn ball-joint https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgdkzmlzqog there must be many teslas on the roads with these ball-joints ready to fall apart. No warning has been issued to owners. Please investigate
I am filing this complaint in the hope that you will be able to see there is a clear pattern of failure in the tesla alloy suspension components. This car has the entire lh back suspension ripped out. Https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=0&itemid=22060456&rowid=30&pagesource=vehicleresults the only damage to the car is where the wheel has exited through the back bumper. Please investigate to prevent loss of innocent lives.
This model s has just arrived at the wrecker's yard. Https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=0&itemid=22105984&rowid=32&pagesource=vehicleresults# once again the rear suspension has been wrenched off the car without any sign of collision damage that would have caused the failure. The motor has plenty of torque to wrench off the suspension. There is a clear pattern of failure. Please investigate.
Here is yet another tesla model s for sale as a salvage wreck. Https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=0&itemid=22060456&rowid=28&pagesource=vehicleresults# the lh rear wheel and suspension have torn outwards through the bodywork. The rh wheel is tilted over at an angle. There is no impact damage that would have caused this. There have been dozens of similar incidents. Https://www.flickr.com/photos/136377865@n05/sets/72157658490111523/ owners are being asked to sign nda,s in exchange for goodwill payments. The wording of the nda can be interpreted to mean that they should not even report the incident to the federal safety agency please investigate this matter.
Here is another tesla with a collapsed front suspension. Http://www.copart.com/us/en/lot/21054696?searchid=632075351 the car has not been involved in a collision, the front suspension has simply fallen apart. The front wheel is sliced nearly in half by a broken suspension component. This type of failure can be seen in many accidents involving teslas. Please look at the pattern here. The alloy suspension links are weak. The steering-knuckle has been redesigned and made stronger from 2015 onwards but nothing has been done about the older model cars. Even the new and stronger suspensions are still snapping off the cars. Customers are being forced to sign non disclosure agreements in exchange for goodwill payments. Please investigate.
You have a complaint listed for a snapped front suspension ( ref # 10862066) there is a discussion thread here https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/suspension-problem-on-model-s.69204/ which shows a top ball joint that has been corroded so badly that it has popped out of the socket. Posters are saying that similar cases have happened in norway and other places that use salt on the roads. The design of the model s allows road dirt to be thrown on to the suspension parts. In the thread there are photographs of teslas with heavy corrosion. It is likely that galvanic corrosion is occurring. Aluminium and steel components are in direct contact which will cause corrosion in wet and salty conditions. In northern USA,canada, norway and many other countries salt is used on the roads. This fault was not picked up until it actually fell apart and the service department found that ball joints on both sides of the car needed replacing. This is a danger to owners and to other road users. Please investigate.
My front wheel hub assembly came loose from the upper control arm causing a lose of steering.
Left rear suspension integral link completely broke and the attached piece lodged in the inside of the tire rim causing major damage to the tire rim.
Was replacing the left rear wheel and noted an odd "notch" in the left rear suspension aluminum upper control arm. Closer inspection revealed that the upper control arm was partially severed with approximately 1/2 of the lower portion cross section, and 1/3 to 1/4 of the upper portion cross section, cut through by the lower shock absorber attachment bolt. It appears that the bolt was mounted backwards, with the sharp tip of the bolt facing forward instead of rearward, at either the factory, or when the powertrain was replaced by the tesla denver service center (as reported by the previous owner). Extensive photographs are available and, frankly, they are essential to accurately depict the serious and potentially catastrophic nature of this suspension damage. It would appear that the upper control arm, a major suspension component whose failure would like result in a loss of vehicle control and possibly a rollover accident, was at or near the point of fracture due to the massive loss of cross sectional material from the frequent impacts (on suspension compression) by the much harder/stronger bolt tip. In other words, the bolt tip acted as a lathe, cutting into the suspension control arm with each suspension cycle. In the short term, I strongly recommend an immediate inspection of the tesla model s fleet, beginning with model s's that have had their powertrain lowered and reinstalled, to see how many other model s's have this impending catastrophic defect. While it could happen, I would be highly surprised if this VIN was the one and only case of this bolt being installed backwards. In the longer term, I recommend this bolt be redesigned so as to prevent incorrect installation. Please feel free to contact me for additional information and for the photographs.
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