NHTSA ID Number: 11098746
Incident Date: 2018-01-23
Manufacturer's Name: Tesla
, Inc.
Vehicle/Equipment Make: TESLA
Vehicle/Equipment Model: MODEL S
Model Year: 2016
9999 If Unknown Or N/A
Vehicle Identification Number: 5YJSA1E29GF
Vehicle Mileage At Failure: 26699
Vehicle Speed: 40
Number Of Occurrences:
Was Vehicle Towed: No
Consumer Location: RANCHO MURIETA, CA
Summary of Complaint
BELOW IS A COPY OF AN EMAIL I SENT TO TESLA ON APRIL 30,2018. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION. ON JANUARY 23, 2018 I HAD AN INCIDENT WITH MY TESLA WHERE I HIT A SMALL POTHOLE (11' WIDE BY 18' LONG AND 2' DEEP) AT A MODERATE SPEED OF ABOUT 40MPH. (I HAVE PICTURES OF THE ROAD THE POTHOLE IN QUESTION.) I LOST SOME CONTROL OF MY CAR SWERVING INTO THE ONCOMING LANE FROM THE IMPACT, BUT MANAGED TO PULL OVER ABOUT A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YARDS AFTER THAT WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. I THOUGHT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE SINCE I HAVE LOW PROFILE TIRES ON THE LARGER RIMS ONLY TO FIND THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. HOWEVER THE WHEEL WAS OFF CAMBER AND I NOTICED THAT IT HAD DAMAGED SOME OF THE WHEEL WELL ON FURTHER INSPECTION.I EVENTUALLY GOT EVERYTHING FIXED (ABOUT FOUR WEEKS LATER) AND THE BILL WAS $4200.00 WHICH I PAID. HOWEVER, AFTER MUCH THOUGHT AND CONSIDERATION, I BELIEVE THE CONTROL ARM IS OF A FAULTY DESIGN AND THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY TESLA. IN FACT, I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE CONTROL ARM WHILE IT WAS ON THE CAR AND I AM IN POSSESSION OF IT AND ALL THE DAMAGED PARTS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT MY TESLA SHOULD HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH DAMAGE FOR A RELATIVELY SMALL POTHOLE AND BELIEVE THE HEAVY LITHIUM BATTERY COUPLED WITH THE IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED CONTROL ARM CAUSED THE PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTE MINE IS NOT THE ONLY COMPLAINT OF THIS NATURE AS I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS IN ONLINE BLOGS AND FEEL THAT THIS MAY BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH TESLA'S CONTROL ARMS. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I PURCHASED THE TESLA FOR MANY REASONS, BUT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WAS ITS SAFETY RECORD AND RATINGS BY THE NHTSA WHO I HAVE COPIED ON THIS EMAIL. AFTER LOSING MOMENTARY CONTROL FROM HITTING SUCH A SMALL POTHOLE WHICH PUT ME INTO THE ONCOMING LANE, (I WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NOT ONCOMING TRAFFIC) I DO NOT HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR THAT I ONCE DID.
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Complaint 11098746 Documents
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CRASH: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A CRASH
FIRE: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FIRE
INJURIES: 0
NUMBER OF PERSONS INJURED
DEATHS: 0
NUMBER OF FATALITIES
Was Medical Attention Required: No
Was Incident Reported To Police: No
Date Of Incident: 2018-01-23
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Added To File: 2018-05-30
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Complaint Received By NHTSA: 2018-05-30
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Purchased:
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Was Original Owner: No
Product Type: Vehicle
V = Vehicle T = Tires E = Equipment C = Child Restraint
Specific Component's Description: SUSPENSION
Anti-Lock Brakes: No
Cruise Control: No
Number Of Cylinders:
Drive Train Type:
[AWD, 4WD, FWD, RWD]
Fuel System:
FI = Fuel Injection TB = Turbo
Fuel Type:
BF = BiFuel CN = CNG/LPG DS = Diesel GS = Gas HR = HybridElectric
Vehicle Transmission Type [Auto, Man]:
(DOT) Department Of Transportation Tire Identifier:
Tire Size:
Location Of Tire:
FSW = Driver Side Front DSR = Driver Side Rear FTR = Passenger Side Front PSR = Passenger Side Rear SPR = Spare
Type Of Tire Failure:
BST = Blister BLW = Blowout TTL = Crack OFR = Out Of Round TSW = Puncture TTR = Road Hazard TSP = Tread Separation
Was Defective Tire Repaired:
Was Part Original Equipment:
Date Of Manufacture:
(YYYYMMDD)
Type Of Child Seat:
B = Booster C = Convertible I = Infant IN = Integrated TD = Toddler
Installation System:
A = Vehicle Safety Belt B = Latch System
Dealer's Name:
Dealer's Telephone Number:
Dealer's City:
Dealer's State:
Dealer's Zipcode:
SOURCE OF COMPLAINT CODE:
CAG = Consumer Action Group CON = Forwarded From A Congressional Office DP = Defect Petition,result Of A Defect Petition EVOQ = Hotline VOQ EWR = EARLY WARNING REPORTING INS = Insurance Company IVOQ = NHTSA Web Site LETR = Consumer Letter MAVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP MIVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP MVOQ = Optical Marked VOQ RC = Recall Complaint, Result Of A Recall Investigation RP = Recall Petition, Result Of A Recall Petition SVOQ = Portable Safety Complaint Form (PDF) VOQ = NHTSA Vehicle Owners Questionnaire
Incident State Code:
Vehicle Operator's Name:
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