2020 Tesla Model S: adaptive cruise control problems

Filed Jan 13, 2024 · Driver assistance · AZ

Setting: Adaptive cruise control, 70 MPH, no nearby traffic, no nearby bridges or overpasses, no visible obstructions, straight highway, daytime, clear skies. Incidents (multiple): Unexpected, inexplicable braking. During one of the incidents, there was a splotch of some sort on the road (perhaps spilled paint). During all other incidents, there was nothing obvious which could explain a misperceived need to brake.

Filed Sep 21, 2023 · Driver assistance, Steering · AZ

Error message popped on my screen steering might require extra force and shortly after that I lost power steering, cruise control, automatic emergency, braking, forward collision warning land departure etc. Contacted Tesla service to acquire about recalls since I remember reading about it.

Filed Aug 29, 2023 · Acceleration, Brakes · NM

From Aug 23 to 28, 2023, we traveled in our 2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus vehicle from Santa Fe, NM to San Diego, CA and back, for a total distance of approximate 2100 miles. We drove primarily interstates (I-25, I-10, I-8, I-5) where speed limits ranged from 55 to 75. We experienced numerous instances of what is known to Tesla owners as sudden, severe "phantom braking" [hereinafter PB] while the cruise control was activated (not AutoPilot, nor FSD, just cruise control). In ALL instances, no cars or other objects were visible within 1 mile ahead of our vehicle, and in ALL instances, these "phantom braking" incidents happened on absolutely flat, straight, smooth road surfaces, at all times of day, morning, noon, and night. This car has had PB problems since the day was purchased; in fact on that day, there were at least two sudden PB incidents while I drove home in the new car! At numerous times since, I've reported these problems to Tesla Service---to no avail. The problem is widely known among Tesla owners, and to my knowledge no owner has been able to get Tesla to do anything. On this most recent long-distance trip, our PB incidents happened typically at the posted speed limit of 75mph in all-clear situations---nobody else anywhere remotely nearby. The car would be operating smoothly when all of a sudden the brakes would engage and the vehicle would rapidly decelerate, throwing forward anything not fastened down inside the car. Because of the history of this problem, I NEVER activate cruise control whenever ANY vehicle is near the rear of the car, as I can never tell if my car will "phantom brake" at that moment, causing a possible accident. I consider this problem VERY dangerous. I have owned this car since 2020, and Tesla has refused to do anything to fix it, always coming up with one or other stalling technique or excuse. I consider this an extreme safety flaw of this car and hope the federal safety agency can help to force Tesla to fix it once and for all.

Filed Aug 13, 2023 · Driver assistance · ID

Driving on freeway speed 80mph with no other cars around the car slammed on brakes while on cruise control. It was able to accelerate and the next time I put the cruise control on a few minutes later it slammed on brakes again. Car clean no warning that it was trying to avoid an unseen object. Drove rest of the way without cruise control on and no problems.

Filed Apr 21, 2023 · Brakes, Driver assistance · CO

Car repeatedly applied the brakes hard and suddenly while traveling at 75mph on the interstate. This occurred while in driver assist mode as well as in cruise control only. It did not happen when driving without any assisted driving modes activated. There were no other vehicles near us nor any objects in the road or on the side of the highway that could have been construed as a reason to emergency brake

Filed Feb 10, 2023 · Driver assistance · NM

While driving today on I-25 northbound at approximately 9:50 am from Albuquerque to Santa Fe we had the cruise control set at 85 mph. There were no vehicles or obstacles in front of our 2020 Model S when the automatic braking suddenly engaged bringing the vehicle to a sudden stop. Multiple vehicles behind us had to make emergency maneuvers to avoid hitting our stopped vehicle. The vehicle was set on cruise control, NOT full self driving. This type of life threatening malfunction is not acceptable in a $100,000 vehicle. The car was serviced 1 week prior to this incident at the Tesla service center in Pojaque NM. There were no warning lights, messages, or other notifications prior to the phantom braking incident. We plan to sell the vehicle as we no longer feel safe driving it.

Filed Nov 14, 2022 · Driver assistance · 30,000 miles · AZ

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH with the Adaptive Cruise Control activated, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 52 MPH. During the failure a second vehicle nearly crashed into the rear of the vehicle. The contact indicated that no warning lights were displayed. The failure occurred on several occasions. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.

Filed Oct 20, 2022 · Driver assistance · NM

I was on the interstate with my cruise control set at 75 mph. Traffic was normal when all of a sudden the brakes were applied and my speed quickly decelerated by at least 20 mph. I immediately physically applied the brakes to disengage the cruise control and immediately speed up again so that I would not get rear ended by the car behind me. This event happened 5 more times through my road trip while I was using the autopilot AND cruise control.

Filed Oct 16, 2022 · Driver assistance · CO

While using adaptive cruise control on the highway. During the day. I experienced multiple instances of unnecessary braking. Once when another car was close behind me. I think the car was overreacting to passing cars or shadows or dips in the road. It did not seem to happen while driving at night. At times it happened about every fifteen minutes. At other times it would be about once an hour. Sometimes the car would recover and accelerate again quickly and at other times I had to step on the accelerator pedal

Filed Jul 20, 2022 · Brakes, Driver assistance · MI

While driving with adaptive cruise control or auto pilot the car will apply the breaks for flashing yellow lights. Random times there is nothing around and it will just tap the breaks lunging you forward then contrinues as normal.

Filed Feb 17, 2022 · Driver assistance · FL

The Tesla when driving at 35 mph on AIA at or near the speed limit frequently has quick sudden phantom braking and acceleration. I have analyzed and believe I know the reason. There are many driveways. When cars enter or exit, these phantom braking events occur. Most often when another vehicle ( in front of the Tesla )enters a driveway and is moving away from its lane, even if its tail light is in the bike lane (which is a painted narrow lane on the right side of the road) the Tesla will suddenly brake (flashes simultaneously a red dashboard image for following too close and then accelerate). At the instant of the following too close warning the lane in front is totally clear. It happens so fast that if cars behind are not being attentive they close too close to my vehicle and then set off a warning on my dash. Similarly if on a multilane road and an accelerating car cuts in front of me too close, the cruise control sees the object without considering its acceleration, and suddenly brakes and then as the car in front accelerates to create more distance , the Tesla accelerates suddenly as well. Further, the tesla system invokes more rapid changes in speed - both deceleration and acceleration - than a good human driver would invoke as humans register the acceleration of the vehicle in front of them. In fact humans would curse the other car more often than brake. One other comment: Tesla has an outstanding feedback system between vehicle and headquarters and their system has been behaving better than a 2020 S Class Mercedes comparable one that I have also been driving. Tesla feedback from customers is not even available. I know this is a business aspect - but I believe they would improve their system if they had a way get the feedback I just gave you. But they do not.

Filed Feb 7, 2022 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · ID

The latest tesla update has caused significant increased number of "phantom breaking" episodes when using just cruise control on state highways. I had at least 10 episodes on my last 100 mile drive (not using autopilot, just cruise control). Worst events caused rapid breaking from highway speed of 65 mph down to 40-45 mph with warning messages and audible alarms. Non of the events needed breaking. The worst two events were on straight sections of road with no oncoming traffic or other potential obstruction. I do not feel safe using cruise control on the freeway.