2020 Tesla Model S Owner Complaints

ON AUGUST 18 AT 4:30 PM, I HAD POSITIONED MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AGAINST THE PARKING MAT RISER IN MY GARAGE. I REMOVED PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND 'HOLD' TO ENGAGED. I PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON AND THE CAR ACCELERATED 3' FORWARD OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER INTO THE WORKBENCH. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, AND BACKED UP ABOUT 2 FEET AND STOPPED. THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE BUT I MISTAKENLY PUSHED THE STALK DOWN AND PUT IT IN DRIVE INSTEAD OF REVERSE. I BACKED UP, PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, MOVED FORWARD AND PRESSED PARK, AGAIN THE CAR ACCELERATED 2' FORWARD INTO THE WORKBENCH. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO HOLD THE CAR IN POSITION. TWICE IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES HAD ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED TWICE OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, ADJUSTED MY SEAT, AND BACKED UP ABOUT 6 FEET FROM THE WORKBENCH, AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE CAR REMAINED STOPPED. WE RELOCATED THE PARKING MAT AND I PARKED THE CAR. THE CAR HAD PENETRATED ABOUT 12 INCHES INTO THE WORKBENCH CABINETS. THE PARKING MAT HAD BEEN THROWN BACK 4 FEET FROM ITS USUAL POSITION ON THE FLOOR BY THE FRONT TIRE AND HAD TO BE RE-POSITIONED. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WERE TWO CHIPS IN THE CHROME STRIP AND THREE DENTS IN THE FRONT BUMPER. ONE SMALLER DENT ABOVE THE LICENSE PLATE BRACKET AND TWO LARGER DEEPER DENTS UNDER IT. I HAD REMOVED BUT REINSTALLED FRONT LICENSE PLATE BRACKET TO COVER THE TWO LARGE DENTS. THE CHROME STRIP UNDER THE TESLA SYMBOL AND THE ENTIRE FRONT BUMPER WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE 3 LARGE DENTS IN THE FRONT BUMPER, TWO ARE UNDER THE LICENSE PLATE BRACKET. I HAD REMOVED IT BUT RE-INSTALLED IT TO COVER THE DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THE MALFUNCTION WAS CAUSED BY OVERHEATED TESLA TRANSMISSION AND TPS ACCELERATOR SENSORS WERE THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO DRIVER ERROR INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT.WE HAVE PARKED THE 14 NEW CARS WE HAVE PURCHASED SINCE 2000 WITHOUT PROBLEM.

9/18/2020

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ONE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR THEN STOPPED. NO INJURIES.

10/14/2020

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.

2/7/2022

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.

2/17/2022

I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE MY OWN EYES! HERE IS A 2020 MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD AAAAAND...THE BACK WHEEL HAS FALLEN OFF. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/36693460?ROWNUMBER=11 NOT IN A COLLISION. THE BACK SUSPENSION HAS SIMPLY FALLEN TO BITS. OH WELL, AT LEAST THE TESLA SHARE-PRICE IS UNHARMED. I GUESS THAT'S THE MAIN THING. HAVE A GREAT DAY [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

7/6/2020

HERE IS A 2020 MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/36680476?ROWNUMBER=134 THE SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED ON ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE CAR. THE LOWER FORE-LINK HAS BROKEN ON THE RH FRONT WHEEL. THE LH BACK WHEEL HAS GONE WHOMPY. NO AIR-BAGS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED. THERE IS NO SIGN OF CRASH DAMAGE. IT HAS SIMPLY FALLEN TO BITS SOON AFTER LEAVING THE MANUFACTURING TENT. ELON MUSK HAS JUST COLLECTED ANOTHER FEW BILLION DOLLARS IN BONUS FOR UNLEASHING THESE DEADLY DEFECTIVE JUGGERNAUTS. AIN'T LIFE GRAND? REGARDS KEEF

8/5/2020

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.

2/7/2022

the car when the autopilot is on sometimes will Phantom Brake out of nowhere at high speeds in the highway. almost creating a coalition with the cars in the back.

2/17/2022

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ALL SCREENS FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN THE CAR REBOOTED AND SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON LINE. TESLA SAYS THE USB MIGHT BE CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE CPU TO HAVE A VERY HIGH USAGE. TESLA ALSO HAS NOT BEEN GOOD ON SERVICE MAKING ME DRIVE TWO HOURS TO GO PICK UP MY CAR. THEY SEEMED TO HAVE LITTLE CARE FOR THE UNSAFE SITUATION AND WERE VERY CAVALIER ABOUT THE ISSUE. I WORRY THAT THIS COULD RESULT IN FATALITIES IF IT HAPPENS AT THE WRONG TIME.

6/30/2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE REVERSING FROM HIS GARAGE, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED STEERING ASSIST REDUCE, AUTOPILOT SAFETY CONVENIENCE FEATURE UNAVAILABLE AND PARK ASSIST UNAVAILABLE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE HELPDESK FOR TESLA FOR HELP TO RESET THE SYSTEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITH THE SAME PREVIOUS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT CALLED THE HELPDESK AND WAS ABLE TO RESET THE SYSTEM AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA (840 PROVIDENCE HWY, DEDHAM, MA 0202; (781) 471-3001), WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000.

12/2/2020

AS I WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY MY SPEEDOMETER DECIDED TO STOP WORKING AND SHOWED 0MPH. IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. REBOOTING THE SYSTEM FIXED THE ISSUE. I SPOKE TO TESLA SERVICE CENTER AND THEY TOLD THEY FOUND A FIRMWARE PROBLEM (THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT IS THE 1ST TIME HE SAW THIS ISSUE) AND EXPECT A FIX SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. TO MY QUESTION IF SPEEDOMETER COULD STOP WORKING AGAIN, HE SAID "YES, THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES IN LIFE. THE PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED WITH THE NEW FIRMWARE." TO MY QUESTION WHEN, HE SAID "I HAVE NO CLUE" I AM UPLOADING A PHOTO AND ALSO HAVE A VIDEO

7/21/2020

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK MY TESLA MODEL S IN A CHARGING SLOT IN THE TESLA KETTLEMAN CITY SUPERCHARGE STATION. AFTER LOCATING A VACANT SLOT TO MY RIGHT, I MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO THE SLOT. THE CAR COASTED INTO THE SLOT IN A PERFECT HEAD-IN FASHION WITH NO PROBLEM. MY FOOT WAS ON OR HOVERING OVER THE BRAKE PEDAL, SLOWING AS NECESSARY AS THE CAR REACHED ITS DESIRED POSITION. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD WITH A POWERFUL PROPULSIVE FORCE. IT FELT LIKE WE WERE FALLING OVER A CLIFF OR ROLLER COASTER. I HEARD MY WIFE YELL FOR ME. THEN THE CAR CRASHED INTO A POLE IN FRONT OF THE PARKING SPOT. THE IMPACT CAUSED ALL THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR COLLAPSED DUE TO THE FORCEFUL IMPACT. THE WINDSHIELD WAS SHATTERED. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY EVIDENT THAT THE DAMAGE WAS SIGNIFICANT. MY WIFE AND I WERE THE ONLY OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR AND SUFFERED MINOR BRUISES AND CUTS TO OUR ARMS AND LEGS. MY WIFE ALSO BRUISED HER RIGHT FOOT (5TH METATARSAL WAS FRACTURED) AND SUFFERED SOME CHEST INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED ON A FLATBED TO A TESLA FACILITY IN SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA. THE MODEL S HAD 661 MILES ON THE ODOMETER WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANIFESTATION OF THE SUDDEN UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION SYNDROME.

8/26/2020

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ALL SCREENS FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN THE CAR REBOOTED AND SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON LINE. TESLA SAYS THE USB MIGHT BE CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE CPU TO HAVE A VERY HIGH USAGE. TESLA ALSO HAS NOT BEEN GOOD ON SERVICE MAKING ME DRIVE TWO HOURS TO GO PICK UP MY CAR. THEY SEEMED TO HAVE LITTLE CARE FOR THE UNSAFE SITUATION AND WERE VERY CAVALIER ABOUT THE ISSUE. I WORRY THAT THIS COULD RESULT IN FATALITIES IF IT HAPPENS AT THE WRONG TIME.

6/30/2020

ON AUGUST 18 AT 4:30 PM, I HAD POSITIONED MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AGAINST THE PARKING MAT RISER IN MY GARAGE. I REMOVED PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND 'HOLD' TO ENGAGED. I PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON AND THE CAR ACCELERATED 3' FORWARD OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER INTO THE WORKBENCH. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, AND BACKED UP ABOUT 2 FEET AND STOPPED. THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE BUT I MISTAKENLY PUSHED THE STALK DOWN AND PUT IT IN DRIVE INSTEAD OF REVERSE. I BACKED UP, PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, MOVED FORWARD AND PRESSED PARK, AGAIN THE CAR ACCELERATED 2' FORWARD INTO THE WORKBENCH. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO HOLD THE CAR IN POSITION. TWICE IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES HAD ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED TWICE OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, ADJUSTED MY SEAT, AND BACKED UP ABOUT 6 FEET FROM THE WORKBENCH, AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE CAR REMAINED STOPPED. WE RELOCATED THE PARKING MAT AND I PARKED THE CAR. THE CAR HAD PENETRATED ABOUT 12 INCHES INTO THE WORKBENCH CABINETS. THE PARKING MAT HAD BEEN THROWN BACK 4 FEET FROM ITS USUAL POSITION ON THE FLOOR BY THE FRONT TIRE AND HAD TO BE RE-POSITIONED. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WERE TWO CHIPS IN THE CHROME STRIP AND THREE DENTS IN THE FRONT BUMPER. ONE SMALLER DENT ABOVE THE LICENSE PLATE BRACKET AND TWO LARGER DEEPER DENTS UNDER IT. I HAD REMOVED BUT REINSTALLED FRONT LICENSE PLATE BRACKET TO COVER THE TWO LARGE DENTS. THE CHROME STRIP UNDER THE TESLA SYMBOL AND THE ENTIRE FRONT BUMPER WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE 3 LARGE DENTS IN THE FRONT BUMPER, TWO ARE UNDER THE LICENSE PLATE BRACKET. I HAD REMOVED IT BUT RE-INSTALLED IT TO COVER THE DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THE MALFUNCTION WAS CAUSED BY OVERHEATED TESLA TRANSMISSION AND TPS ACCELERATOR SENSORS WERE THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO DRIVER ERROR INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT.WE HAVE PARKED THE 14 NEW CARS WE HAVE PURCHASED SINCE 2000 WITHOUT PROBLEM.

9/18/2020

Stability control disabled, steering assist disabled, airbags disabled, brake system altered for weeks before service request. In addition, steering wheel moved uncontrollably while parked, with car off, and no one in it for over eight hours. Finally, entire system locked after a factory reset. Locking the doors, preventing entry, and showing the transmission in neutral. Tesla’s service model is inhuman, meaning they don’t allow conversation with a human, but instead require scheduling service through their phone app. The app recorded these issues and were attached to the service request. Tesla’s service center claims they resolved the issue by adding wiper fluid and checking the tire pressure. After two weeks, they cannot find anything in the car logs, after previously stating the car logs every aspect of operation.

5/18/2021

While driving with Autopilot engaged the car applied the brakes suddenly and severely without warning. This has occurred on multiple occasions at freeway speeds and at surface street speeds. There was no apparant reason to apply the brakes and no warning.

2/24/2022

ON AUGUST 18 AT 4:30 PM, I HAD POSITIONED MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AGAINST THE PARKING MAT RISER IN MY GARAGE. I REMOVED PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND 'HOLD' TO ENGAGED. I PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON AND THE CAR ACCELERATED 3' FORWARD OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER INTO THE WORKBENCH. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, AND BACKED UP ABOUT 2 FEET AND STOPPED. THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE BUT I MISTAKENLY PUSHED THE STALK DOWN AND PUT IT IN DRIVE INSTEAD OF REVERSE. I BACKED UP, PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, MOVED FORWARD AND PRESSED PARK, AGAIN THE CAR ACCELERATED 2' FORWARD INTO THE WORKBENCH. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO HOLD THE CAR IN POSITION. TWICE IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES HAD ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED TWICE OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, ADJUSTED MY SEAT, AND BACKED UP ABOUT 6 FEET FROM THE WORKBENCH, AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE CAR REMAINED STOPPED. WE RELOCATED THE PARKING MAT AND I PARKED THE CAR. THE CAR HAD PENETRATED ABOUT 12 INCHES INTO THE WORKBENCH CABINETS. THE PARKING MAT HAD BEEN THROWN BACK 4 FEET FROM ITS USUAL POSITION ON THE FLOOR BY THE FRONT TIRE AND HAD TO BE RE-POSITIONED. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WERE TWO CHIPS IN THE CHROME STRIP AND THREE DENTS IN THE FRONT BUMPER. ONE SMALLER DENT ABOVE THE LICENSE PLATE BRACKET AND TWO LARGER DEEPER DENTS UNDER IT. I HAD REMOVED BUT REINSTALLED FRONT LICENSE PLATE BRACKET TO COVER THE TWO LARGE DENTS. THE CHROME STRIP UNDER THE TESLA SYMBOL AND THE ENTIRE FRONT BUMPER WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE 3 LARGE DENTS IN THE FRONT BUMPER, TWO ARE UNDER THE LICENSE PLATE BRACKET. I HAD REMOVED IT BUT RE-INSTALLED IT TO COVER THE DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THE MALFUNCTION WAS CAUSED BY OVERHEATED TESLA TRANSMISSION AND TPS ACCELERATOR SENSORS WERE THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO DRIVER ERROR INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT.WE HAVE PARKED THE 14 NEW CARS WE HAVE PURCHASED SINCE 2000 WITHOUT PROBLEM.

9/18/2020

WHEN DRIVING AND ACCELERATING ONTO ENTRY RAMP OF HIGHWAY, THE FRONT HOOD FLEW OPEN BLOCKING VISION. I WAS PROBABLY DOPING ABOUT 60 MPH WHEN IT CAME OPEN. THE TESLA DIAGNOSTIC CLAIMED A MESSAGE WAS ON MY SCREEN TELLING ME HOOD MAY NOT BE CLOSED CORRECTLY. THERE WAS NO NOISE NOTIFICATION TELLING ME THE HOOD WAS OPEN. I HAD NOT TOUCHED THE HOOD IN ANY WAY. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 8 MINUTES BEFORE IT OPENED. I MUST HAVE CLICKED TO OPEN THE HOOD IN ERROR WHEN OPENING THE CAR TO UNLOCK MY CAR. THERE WAS NO MANUAL "LATCH" TO UNLOCK LIKE OTHER CARS. BASICALLY I DIDN'T NOTICE THE MESSAGE, AS IT IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN AND WAS BLOCKED BY THE STEERING WHEEL. I HADN'T OPENED OR TOUCHED THE FRONT HOOD IN WEEKS. I CONSIDER THIS VERY DANGEROUS. ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE DRIVEN, YOU HAVE TO MANUALLY OPEN THE 2ND LATCH TO OPEN THE HOOD, IT SEEMS WITH TESLA IT CAN ALL BE DONE ELECTRONICALLY, AND APPARENTLY WITHOUT REALIZING. WHEN IT FLEW OPEN IT DAMAGED THE HOOD. TESLA TOOK 3 MONTHS TO DIAGNOSE THAT THERE WAS A MESSAGE ON MY SCREEN, BUT WERE UNABLE TO TELL ME WHERE THE SIGNAL CAME FROM TO OPEN THE HOOD.

2/5/2021

ON SUNDAY OCT 11 AT 4:15 PM, AFTER A 1 HOUR RIDE, I HAD A 3RD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT PARKING MY TESLA IN MY GARAGE. I DROVE MY TESLA 4 TIMES SINCE HAVING OUR LAST 2 UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENTS ON AUGUST 18. I HAD LEFT MY SEATBELT CONNECTED FOR OUR LAST 4 RIDES AND HAD NO PROBLEMS PARKING THE CAR IN THE GARAGE EVEN WHEN HOT. THIS TIME I DISCONNECTED MY SEATBELT BEFORE PARKING ON THE TWO PARKING MATS IN THE GARAGE. MY WIFE GAVE ME THE 'FULL SIGN' WHEN BOTH TIRES WERE AGAINST THE 3" MAT RISERS WHICH MEANT MY FRONT BUMPER WAS 19" FROM THE WORKBENCH. THIS TIME I APPLIED THE BRAKE BEFORE PRESSING THE PARK BUTTON, BUT AGAIN THE INSTANT I PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON THE CAR VAULTED FORWARD OVER BOTH 3' MAT RISERS AND STOPPED ONLY 1 INCH FROM THE WORKBENCH. I COULD FEEL THE SPIKED OF POWER TO ACCELERATOR WHEN I PRESSED THE PARK. BUTTON. I WAS TRULY RELIEVED THAT I DID HIT THE WORKBENCH. I BACKED UP THE CAR AND JUST SAT IN IT FOR 15 MINUTES AND LET THE COOLING FANS RUN TO COOL THE MOTORS DOWN. MY WIFE TOOK PHOTOS OF THE CAR IN RELATION TO THE WORKBENCH. THE RIGHT PARKING MAT HAD BEEN WEDGED UNDER THE FRONT WHEEL. THE LEFT PARKING MAT MAT HAD BEEN TOSSED BACK 4 FEET. I KNOW USING THE SECOND PARKING MAT FROM MY GTR, WHICH I RECENTLY SOLD, HELPED CONSUME SOME OF THE FORWARD ENERGY AND PREVENTED THE CAR FROM HITTING THE WORKBENCH. I FEEL THAT DISCONNECTING THE SEATBELT CONTRIBUTES THE TRANS SENSOR DELAY. I PARKED THE CAR ON THE MATS AFTER IT COOLED DOWN. THERE WAS NO DRIVER ERROR INVOLVED. I CONTACTED SARASOTA TESLA SERVICE THE NEXT DAY. I SENT THEM A LETTER AND PHOTOS WHICH WERE FORWARDED TO TESLA ENGINEERS WHO AGAIN DOWNLOADED MY EDR INFO. I HAVE NOT YET HEARD FROM TESLA ABOUT MY FIRST INCIDENT. MY TESLA HAS INEXPENSIVE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS IN IT THAT MAKE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I WILL NOT LET MY WIFE DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS REPAIRED IF EVER BY TESLA.

10/25/2020

While driving down the freeway at over 65mph, the instrument cluster screen and center display screen turned completely off without warning for approximately 90 seconds. This was very troubling and dangerous. I had no way of knowing how fast I was going, was unsure if my turn signals were working and basically just had zero information on how the car was functioning. During this time, the car did operate as normal though. I did not have the vehicle in autopilot at the time but if I did, I do not believe I would have been able to disengage it. This is extremely dangerous and completely unacceptable. I have not reported it directly to Tesla nor taken it in for service. This is the first time it has happened.

7/17/2021

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.

2/17/2022

The vehicle still exhibits random forward collision alerts. I can be multiple car lengths away from the car in front traveling at no more than 40 mph, and it will still trigger. Tesla is using these to determine a safety score, which it then uses to determine monthly auto insurance rates. There is no way to request review of a potentially false forward collision alert. Worse, on the freeway, the autopilot still randomly emergency brakes. This is a well known reported issue for all Tesla vehicles. Over-the-air updates have not fixed this issue. Lastly, the passenger side mirror keeps getting stuck in rear view mode (faces down) when shifted to drive gear. I've brought this up with the service center, and they claim nothing to fix. This has been ongoing since I purchased the vehicle. I have had near misses when attempting to shift to the right and cannot see vehicles on the right lane.

3/10/2022

Car is equipped with Tesla’s “Sonic Carbon Twin Turbine” rim option. This is not a very common option, so there may not be too many affected vehicles. Car is only 6-months old, and I was advised by Tesla service center that ***all 4 rims*** on the vehicle were cracked, each rim in multiple places, on a 6-month old car. Car weighs 5,000lbs. These rims are too weak to handle that high weight on typical road conditions. It is unheard of to find cracks in ALL 4 rims on even an older car! And this is on a 6-month old car! This is extremely unsafe.

5/21/2021

I am writing to emphasize and provide details regarding the critical safety issue affecting both Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X. My personal experience highlights the severity of this problem which included a tire blow out at highway speeds on a tire that had only approx 10k miles on it. This specific wear pattern is a direct result of improper camber alignment, an issue that Tesla has continuously refused to rectify. This problem is not isolated to my vehicle alone. Many Tesla Model X and Model S owners have reported similar experiences, indicating a widespread and systemic issue. The accelerated inner wall tire wear poses significant safety risks, as it can lead to unexpected and dangerous tire failures on the road, which is exactly what happened to me. Despite the clear evidence and numerous complaints from Tesla owners, Tesla has consistently declined to address this issue adequately. It appears that the company’s reluctance is rooted in the fact that proper repair or recall to fix the camber alignment is too costly. However, this cost-cutting measure is putting drivers and passengers at risk. Given the severe outcomes that this design flaw causes, I urge immediate investigation into this. It is essential to investigate these recurring problems with both the Tesla Model X and Model S models. The safety of Tesla drivers, passengers, and the general public is at stake, and a thorough investigation could compel Tesla to take the necessary corrective actions.

1/16/2024

ON SUNDAY OCT 11 AT 4:15 PM, AFTER A 1 HOUR RIDE, I HAD A 3RD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT PARKING MY TESLA IN MY GARAGE. I DROVE MY TESLA 4 TIMES SINCE HAVING OUR LAST 2 UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENTS ON AUGUST 18. I HAD LEFT MY SEATBELT CONNECTED FOR OUR LAST 4 RIDES AND HAD NO PROBLEMS PARKING THE CAR IN THE GARAGE EVEN WHEN HOT. THIS TIME I DISCONNECTED MY SEATBELT BEFORE PARKING ON THE TWO PARKING MATS IN THE GARAGE. MY WIFE GAVE ME THE 'FULL SIGN' WHEN BOTH TIRES WERE AGAINST THE 3" MAT RISERS WHICH MEANT MY FRONT BUMPER WAS 19" FROM THE WORKBENCH. THIS TIME I APPLIED THE BRAKE BEFORE PRESSING THE PARK BUTTON, BUT AGAIN THE INSTANT I PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON THE CAR VAULTED FORWARD OVER BOTH 3' MAT RISERS AND STOPPED ONLY 1 INCH FROM THE WORKBENCH. I COULD FEEL THE SPIKED OF POWER TO ACCELERATOR WHEN I PRESSED THE PARK. BUTTON. I WAS TRULY RELIEVED THAT I DID HIT THE WORKBENCH. I BACKED UP THE CAR AND JUST SAT IN IT FOR 15 MINUTES AND LET THE COOLING FANS RUN TO COOL THE MOTORS DOWN. MY WIFE TOOK PHOTOS OF THE CAR IN RELATION TO THE WORKBENCH. THE RIGHT PARKING MAT HAD BEEN WEDGED UNDER THE FRONT WHEEL. THE LEFT PARKING MAT MAT HAD BEEN TOSSED BACK 4 FEET. I KNOW USING THE SECOND PARKING MAT FROM MY GTR, WHICH I RECENTLY SOLD, HELPED CONSUME SOME OF THE FORWARD ENERGY AND PREVENTED THE CAR FROM HITTING THE WORKBENCH. I FEEL THAT DISCONNECTING THE SEATBELT CONTRIBUTES THE TRANS SENSOR DELAY. I PARKED THE CAR ON THE MATS AFTER IT COOLED DOWN. THERE WAS NO DRIVER ERROR INVOLVED. I CONTACTED SARASOTA TESLA SERVICE THE NEXT DAY. I SENT THEM A LETTER AND PHOTOS WHICH WERE FORWARDED TO TESLA ENGINEERS WHO AGAIN DOWNLOADED MY EDR INFO. I HAVE NOT YET HEARD FROM TESLA ABOUT MY FIRST INCIDENT. MY TESLA HAS INEXPENSIVE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS IN IT THAT MAKE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I WILL NOT LET MY WIFE DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS REPAIRED IF EVER BY TESLA.

10/25/2020

Component and explanation - The right front passenger seat belt locks the passenger into place as if the seatbelt had been activated in a crash. That is, it no longer moves freely as it is supposed to under normal operation, rather, it locks and clicks to tighten. Passengers remove the seatbelt several times during each trip so that they are not being restrained so aggressively. Safety Risk - Passengers either will not ride in my car or refuse to wear their seatbelt because of the issue. Inspection and reproducing - the issue has been repeatedly inspected by Tesla and they were in ALL instances able to reproduce the issue almost immediately. There are no warnings to notify the passenger that the seatbelt is about to restrain them. Tesla has replaced a part of the seatbelt I believe 5 times although they have been repeatedly told by me that the repair was not in any way resolving the issue. Tesla has now refused any further evaluation or repairs to the seatbelt and though I have asked many times during the applicable period, Tesla has refused to lemon my car and replace it with one that works.

11/19/2021

Stability control disabled, steering assist disabled, airbags disabled, brake system altered for weeks before service request. In addition, steering wheel moved uncontrollably while parked, with car off, and no one in it for over eight hours. Finally, entire system locked after a factory reset. Locking the doors, preventing entry, and showing the transmission in neutral. Tesla’s service model is inhuman, meaning they don’t allow conversation with a human, but instead require scheduling service through their phone app. The app recorded these issues and were attached to the service request. Tesla’s service center claims they resolved the issue by adding wiper fluid and checking the tire pressure. After two weeks, they cannot find anything in the car logs, after previously stating the car logs every aspect of operation.

5/18/2021

My car (Tesla 2020 Model S) was broadsided ("t-boned") at about 35 to 40 MPH. The other car hit mine in middle, between front and rear doors, passenger side (after it ran a red light on a city street). Five airbags deployed in my Tesla ... two on driver's side (ok), and three on the passenger side. Since there was no one in the car other than the driver, and the car was aware of that (according to indicator light at start of trip), the passenger side bags should **NOT** have deployed. (Deployed, IIRC: front passenger side, front passenger headrest (?), and rear passenger side.) Result: driver lost almost all hearing, instantly. Needlessly. Accident date: June 2, 2022. Report date: Mar 9, 2023. Driver is on hearing aids for life, providing partial hearing (at best).

3/9/2023

The tesla full self driving was on and it turned my car into the guardrail in the middle of the highway all by itself for no reason at 70mph. It looked like a truck was turning into my lane and instead of stopping the car swerved into the grass and I hit the guard rail. The car was totaled. I have a video of the incident. This is one of the videos: https://www.veed.io/view/8e44fe01-a7ab-457c-90ee-4f7089bfe33c Full self driving was on the whole time. When I tried to take over it was too late to stop it and the brakes did not work or stop. The airbag did not go off. There had to be an error with the full self driving that decided I should go into the guardrail.

8/22/2022

On 09/18 , I was using the Smart Summon feature of my Tesla Model S in the parking lot of Costco, Greenwood (Indianapolis, IN). The intent was to have the vehicle autonomously navigate from its parked spot toward my location, as designed and advertised by Tesla. During the Summon operation: 1.The vehicle failed to correctly detect and avoid a fixed obstacle (the cart return stand where shopping carts are housed). 2.Instead of stopping or rerouting safely, the car collided with the structure, causing visible damage to the front of the vehicle. 3.While there was no damage to public property or injury to people, the incident demonstrated a serious safety risk, since pedestrians or nearby vehicles could have been struck had they been present. 4.The Smart Summon system did not provide sufficient warning or correction during this event, despite being marketed as capable of safely maneuvering in such environments. This failure shows that the Smart Summon feature did not perform as intended and behaved in an unsafe manner in a real-world public parking environment.

9/23/2025

The front hood flipped open while driving at about 40 miles an hour without any warning, totally obstructing the vision of the driver who happen to be my wife, causing her to pull over suddenly fortunately no one was hurt during the accident. The front hood, however, has been creased and damaged. This could have caused a very serious accident had she been driving at high speed on the highway. The Tesla seems to lack a double latching hood mechanism found in most other cars which would prevent this from occurring. This needs to be sorted out permanently.

10/29/2023

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 35 MPH, the front hood latch unexpectedly opened, causing the hood to rise up. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact immediately stopped and parked on the side of the road, and the contact closed the trunk and continued driving. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

1/30/2025

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ALL SCREENS FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN THE CAR REBOOTED AND SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON LINE. TESLA SAYS THE USB MIGHT BE CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE CPU TO HAVE A VERY HIGH USAGE. TESLA ALSO HAS NOT BEEN GOOD ON SERVICE MAKING ME DRIVE TWO HOURS TO GO PICK UP MY CAR. THEY SEEMED TO HAVE LITTLE CARE FOR THE UNSAFE SITUATION AND WERE VERY CAVALIER ABOUT THE ISSUE. I WORRY THAT THIS COULD RESULT IN FATALITIES IF IT HAPPENS AT THE WRONG TIME.

6/30/2020

WHY ISN'T THE NHTSA INVESTIGATING AND STOPPING TESLA FROM BETA TESTING THEIR "SELF DRIVING" ABILITY ON CONSUMERS THAT NEVER CONSENTED? IT'S FRIGHTENING THAT THIS ORGANIZATION WOULD ALLOW A TECHNOLOGY TO BE USED THAT HAS KILLED PEDESTRIANS, DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. PLEASE STOP THIS FEATURE THAT WILL INEVITABLY ONLY KILL MORE PEOPLE.

10/26/2020

WHY ISN'T THE NHTSA INVESTIGATING AND STOPPING TESLA FROM BETA TESTING THEIR "SELF DRIVING" ABILITY ON CONSUMERS THAT NEVER CONSENTED? IT'S FRIGHTENING THAT THIS ORGANIZATION WOULD ALLOW A TECHNOLOGY TO BE USED THAT HAS KILLED PEDESTRIANS, DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. PLEASE STOP THIS FEATURE THAT WILL INEVITABLY ONLY KILL MORE PEOPLE.

10/26/2020

When backing up, multiple systems failed at the same time including backup camera, backup sensor distance visuals, backup sensor audio alerts, writing data to flash drive, GPS sensors. Tesla was unable to diagnose the sysfiles to identify the hardware issue behind the simultaneous failures because they are deleted after seven days. Scheduling a service appointment takes much longer than seven days. No one at Tesla can tell me why this happened. No one can assure me that it will not happen again. I hope this is not a widespread issue. I was not injured and my rear bumper only sustained minor damage. But what if someone had been hit because all these systems failed simultaneously?

10/20/2021

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while his son was driving approximately 50 MPH, the front trunk hood opened without being activated. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. After the front trunk hood had opened, the panel light informed the driver that the front trunk hood was in the raised position. The contact's son was able to safely pull over close the front trunk hood. The front trunk hood was damage where it was attached to the latches and brackets. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the damage and failure was not due to NHTSA Campaign Number 21V00B000 (Latches, Locks, Linkages). The latch position had been adjusted and repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

4/26/2022

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH in the left lane on the highway, a vehicle approached on the right side of the roadway and the Forward Collision Avoidance: Emergency Automatic Braking feature activated and slowed the vehicle to 20 MPH. The contact disengaged the semi-autonomous auto pilot and brought the vehicle back up to highway speeds. The contact was not aware of any warning light being illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 14,500. The consumer stated this is the fourth time the car has slammed the brakes on by itself.

8/3/2022

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds between 40-50 MPH, the vehicle experienced phantom braking, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop in the middle of the road. The contact indicated that the failure had occurred on multiple occasions at the same road location. Also, the contact indicated that the vehicle had erroneously attempted to switch lanes and at one time attempted to switch lanes into oncoming traffic. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100.

3/13/2024

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds between 40-50 MPH, the vehicle experienced phantom braking, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop in the middle of the road. The contact indicated that the failure had occurred on multiple occasions at the same road location. Also, the contact indicated that the vehicle had erroneously attempted to switch lanes and at one time attempted to switch lanes into oncoming traffic. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100.

3/13/2024

Since the installation of software version 2024.27.25, which includes FSD version 12.5.4, on Sept 26, 2024, any driving which occurs on FSD results in emergency braking events for Green Lights, unprotected/unsignaled crosswalks without pedestrians present, Parallel Parked Cars not encroaching on the lane of travel, vehicles traveling the same direction and similar speed (+/- 5mph), not encroaching on my lane. These frequently reoccurring events were not remedied by any of the subsequent updates received: v2024.32.10 (FSD v12.5.4.1) on Oct 8, 2024 v2024.33.5 (FSD v12.5.4.2) on Nov 2, 2024 2024.44.25.2 (FSD v12.5.4.2) on Dec 10, 2024 While not all events occurred with surrounding traffic, those that did posed a hazard to not just occupants of my vehicle, but those in and around other vehicles, including pedestrians. Most other drivers do not expect and are unprepared for a vehicle to apply panic-level emergency braking and come to full stop at green lights, before unprotected crosswalks with no pedestrians present, or along well-traveled streets without significant errant other drivers. No warning lights, chimes, or other indications ever appeared on any of the displays or instrument clusters within the vehicle during any of the events. The FSD traffic display did not indicate or highlight any features of the surrounding area that were causing it to slow or stop. The problem has been regularly experienced by many other drivers, as evidenced by the large number of similar reports across the various Tesla driver communities online. I and my vehicle are available for inspection and I'm additionally willing to take an inspector on a ride-along to demonstrate the issue.

12/20/2024

The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver’s side door failed to open from the inside as intended. The vehicle was restarted, but the failure persisted. The contact rolled down the driver’s side window and attempted to unlock the door from the outside; however, the failure persisted. The contact was trapped inside the vehicle. The contact climbed over to the passenger’s seat and exited the passenger’s side door without issue. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the door handle had an electrical issue, and an undisclosed part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

9/16/2025

On 09/18 , I was using the Smart Summon feature of my Tesla Model S in the parking lot of Costco, Greenwood (Indianapolis, IN). The intent was to have the vehicle autonomously navigate from its parked spot toward my location, as designed and advertised by Tesla. During the Summon operation: 1.The vehicle failed to correctly detect and avoid a fixed obstacle (the cart return stand where shopping carts are housed). 2.Instead of stopping or rerouting safely, the car collided with the structure, causing visible damage to the front of the vehicle. 3.While there was no damage to public property or injury to people, the incident demonstrated a serious safety risk, since pedestrians or nearby vehicles could have been struck had they been present. 4.The Smart Summon system did not provide sufficient warning or correction during this event, despite being marketed as capable of safely maneuvering in such environments. This failure shows that the Smart Summon feature did not perform as intended and behaved in an unsafe manner in a real-world public parking environment.

9/23/2025