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Tesla ranks as the most valuable automotive brand worldwide. It is also the leading electric vehicle brand. According to Statista, Tesla boasts a growth rate of more than 157% for 2021, after selling a record 627,350 units in the first three-quarters of the year.
Founded in 2003, Tesla launched its first car, Roadster in 2008. It introduced the first Tesla Model S four years later, in 2012. A five-door hatchback, luxury electric sedan, the Model S is Tesla’s flagship model. There are currently 2 trims. They are the standard Model S and the Tesla Model S Plaid that was launched in June 2021. Motoring journalists describe this as the third generation Model S.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2020 2022
Contents
- 1| NHTSA Complaints for the 2021 Tesla Model S
- 2| Most Common Problems with the 2021 Model S
- 3| 2021 Model S Electrical System Problems
- 4| 2021 Model S Steering Problems
- 5| 2021 Model S Forward Collision Avoidance Problems
- 6| What to do if your 2021 Model S is a Lemon? Your Lemon Rights
- 7| Complaint Data
Don’t be stuck with a lemon. You have legal rights to cash, return or buyback.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2021 Tesla Model S
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Steering | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | |
| Electrical System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Lane Departure: Warning | |
| Lane Departure: Assist |
But there are parts shortages. Media reports published in November say that Model S and Model X cars are sold out, probably until 2023. These reports say the Plaid is still available. Additionally, Tesla announced recently that no new vehicle models will be introduced in 2022. This is because of supply-chain bottlenecks.
There are also constant complaints about Tesla Model S cars manufactured in 2021. For example, there are 34 complaints on file with the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) alone.
There are also two ongoing investigations that date back to 2014-2021 and 2018-2021 Model S cars. Both relate to electrical system components.
Most Common Problems with the 2021 Model S
According to 18 of the complaints lodged with the NHTSA, the most common problems with the 2021 Model S relate to the electrical system and steering issues. Forward collision avoidance is another big gripe, with 6 Model S owners lodging complaints.
There are also 4 lane departure-related complaints, 3 relating to wheels, and 2 that describe issues with vehicle speed control. Activation of the horn, which is located on the right-hand side of the steering wheel, is a problem highlighted by 4 of the 9 complaints categorized as Unknown or Other.
The remaining 7 complaints hinge on other components namely airbags, back-over prevention, exterior lighting, seats, service brakes, structure, and suspension.
2021 Model S Electrical System Problems
There are 9 complaints about the electrical system. These range from the chime that starts when the car starts playing continuously while the car is on the road, to auto-drive malfunctions.
Other problems relate to HVAC system malfunctions, the instrument cluster screen and main information screen shutting down while driving, and the rear parking safety camera failing multiple times.
One new car owner describes how the instrument cluster screen went blank about 20 times when the car only had about 45 miles on the clock. This resulted in the driver losing control of the car.
2021 Model S Steering Problems
A total of 9 complaints highlight steering problems, including power steering malfunctions.
One complaint describes how, while on autopilot, the car misjudged the road curve, veered off the road, and crashed. The front right tire blew out and only the side airbags deployed. Tesla roadside assistance refused to help, saying it was an accident rather than a self-driving issue. The car is at a repair facility and the owner has been told the damage will cost $28,000-$30,000 to repair.
Several mention what they describe as a dangerous yoke steering wheel that is difficult to maneuver. Three mention the horn issue, adding to the 4 complaints categorized under Unknown or Other.
One complainant notes: “Finding a little button among other little buttons to sound the horn is impossible when the driver is under stress and needs to use the horn.”
Another says,” There is no way to hit the horn. It’s unbelievably dangerous.”
2021 Model S Forward Collision Avoidance Problems
Automated functions also seem to be the cause of some forward collision avoidance problems. For instance, one complaint says the car braked hard twice for no apparent reason, which would have been “a serious safety concern if a car had been behind me.”
A similar complaint states the car hard-braked multiple times when in cruise control when no other vehicles were in view.
Another complaint describes how the car turned left on autopilot and hit the cement barrier of the freeway. “I reported this to Tesla so they would take responsibility for their risky autopilot software. But they don’t care and told me I can report it to NHTSA. It doesn’t matter to them even with all the documented proof I have.”
What to do if your 2021 Model S is a Lemon? Your Lemon Rights
If you find you have bought a lemon you can try and negotiate a settlement with Tesla. They have an Owners’ Rights Notification document that acknowledges Tesla owners’ rights in terms of lemon law and describes the process to follow when making a claim. But, as some Model S owners discover, including the driver who hit the cement barrier (see above), it’s not that easy.
An owner whose rear parking safety camera constantly fails was told: “Unfortunately this is a known concern and is under investigation and there is nothing we can do at this time.”
Another owner who had issues with the car’s steering and wheels says: “Tesla refuses to investigate the issue beyond test drives. The Situation could deteriorate quickly resulting in my inability to control the car while driving. It is a very SERIOUS matter.”
An owner reporting an auto-drive malfunction that resulted in the car crashing into a car in front of it was told, “the car is fine.” This was after a safety inspection following the accident.
Just because Tesla has a dispute settlement process doesn’t mean you have to follow through with it on your own. Lemberg Law specializes in lemon law and can minimize your stress by doing it for you. It’ll cost you nothing because the law says Tesla must pay the legal costs.
We have helped many car owners get replacement vehicles, and have negotiated buy-back agreements or cash settlements from manufacturers. All you need to do is contact us so that we can evaluate your case.
Complaint Data
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Mar 16, 2023 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The steering wheel needs a center push horn. This is not available in 2021 model s. On occasions when someone seerved into my lane or to alert anyone on the road in an emergency, driver can't be scrambling to find a touch sensitive button on the steering. When palm is placed on right side, it just triggers the wiper instead of horn sometimes adding to the chaos of the situation. This is a major issue. Please get it fixed. Don't recall the exact date. So selecting random. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 24, 2023 |
| State | GA |
| Description | I had surgery on my right hand and had very limited use. I was completely unable to engage the horn as it is a very small button on the yoke rather than the standard pressing of the center. Allegedly this was supposed to be addressed with a software update last year and this has yet to happen |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Feb 13, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Im having total braking loss around freezing temps the issue occurs around freezing temps, after a car wash or if the roads are wet after driving on the highway for 20-30min without using the brakes. (using one pedal driving) last year I had the same issue and tesla's position was something to do with detergent in the car washes I use. Now they're saying it's because I put the “wrong†size rear tires on the car. They were sold to me and installed by tesla as the factory recommended winter tires and rim package. They're saying that the abs sensor is detecting the error and automatically applying abs brakes because of the mismatch tire size. However, the issue is not an intermittent braking loss, it's a complete braking loss. I'm also seeing abnormal front rotor wear. Tesla said this was an issue that was occurring on some other vehicles and they had a high level engineering team trying to figure it out. At the time mine was one of the first p2 refresh vehicles in canada so I was guessing there weren't that many being used in below freezing temps since they weren't exporting to europe at the time. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Feb 12, 2023 |
| State | CO |
| Description | The traffic-aware cruise control has been braking unexpectedly and for no valid reason. The most recent example was when we were driving along us hwy 24 between wilkerson pass and fairplay, co. The car suddenly braked even though there was no hazard. This has been happening regularly on this drive, in both directions, multiple times per drive. When this happens, the road is generally straight, with little, if any, elevation change. This is a safety issue because if this happens when a car is driving closely behind us, the unexpected braking could result in a rear-end collision. I have not reported this to tesla because I understand this is a widespread issue that many people encounter, so I believe tesla is fully aware of the issue. This problem seems to have gotten significantly worse after tesla deactivated radar in the vehicle (without my consent). My understanding is that they are now using only cameras to manage traffic aware cruise control. Regardless of the reason, this issue has been happening with much greater frequency since around december, 2022 or january, 2023. |
| Category | Tires:sidewall, Tires:tread/belt |
| Date | Feb 11, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | 15,000 miles and 22/32 (70%) tire tread evenly worn available. The tire tread completely separated from the sidewall of the tire. This is a common and known problem with this tire. Many cases are presented on various online forums with photos and documentation. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 18, 2023 |
| State | NY |
| Description | Consistent with what is being reported on social media sites, my 2021 tesla model s plaid is supposed to get 390 miles of range but in fact only gets approx 225-240 actual miles on a fully charged battery. This is wildly short of claimed mileage. Seems to be a common issue with tesla model s & model x plaid cars. Don't know if it's limited to the plaid version of these cars or not |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Jan 17, 2023 |
| State | WA |
| Description | The horn placement on the yoke steering is dangerous and problematic. It is illogical and useless in the prevention of accident avoidance. I have had several scenarios where I have needed to use the horn and could not find it because I was in a turn, or I intuitively slammed the palm of my hand on the center of the yoke, where the horn should be located. Also, when holding the yoke in the proper position my thumb is not long enough to reach the horn button. Just by luck and quick action I was able to avoid being hit in multiple scenarios. It is distressing and unnerving to be driving a vehicle where you cannot find the horn when needed! I cannot stress enough how important it is to recall these vehicles and place the horn in the center of the yoke/steering. How this design ever passed safety regulations and put into production is mind boggling! |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jan 02, 2023 |
| State | VA |
| Description | The instrument panel (screen) goes blank for approximately 5 seconds while driving. This issue happens at random. It has happened while on city streets, the highway, and in parking lots. Because of this issue, I cannot see my speed, the visualization of the car and surroundings (blind spot or pedestrians), any warnings that may pop up (such as an issue with the autopilot or full self driving beta), nor any lighting or wiper information (for auto high beams and auto wipers). Tesla says it is a known issue, and it is software related, but there is no timetable for a fix. They do not believe a replacement screen/components will have any effect, so they are not offering any type of fix. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Dec 19, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | All 2021 tesla model s and/or x do not have horns in the center of the steering wheel. Instead, they have a button, which is impossible to find during an emergency situation, especially after many decades of muscle memory has been developed. Keep in mind that many, if not most, who can afford one of these cars do have decades of driving experience. I would really appreciate if these cars were recalled and tesla were forced to replace the steering wheels with one that has a horn in the center of the wheel. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes |
| Date | Dec 15, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Our tesla, in the "full self drive" mode, has on more than one occasion applied the brakes suddenly without warning while traveling on the freeways. The date I indicate below was the last occurrence. I see that others have indicated this malady and I wanted to add our voice to this conversation. Thank you |
| Category | Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal |
| Date | Dec 02, 2022 |
| State | CO |
| Description | The contact owned a 2021 tesla model s. The contact stated while driving approximately 100 mph, as he took his foot off of the accelerator, with the vehicle brake control set to "aggressive slowdown," as the vehicle slowed the contact looked into the rearview mirror and observed white smoke issuing from the rear of the vehicle. The contact then depressed the brake pedal, and instead of slowing the vehicle accelerated at a dramatic rate and the contact lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway. The contact stated he was not aware of any warning lights being illuminated. The vehicle went into a ditch and continued straight following the ditch. The contact stated that the vehicle had not lost any speed, rather it seemed to be going faster. The vehicle crashed through a fence, drove up a slight berm, and went airborne. The contact's vehicle crashed into the ground, front end first, after flying 130 feet in the air, and began to roll end over end two to three times. The contact and his two passengers were unconscious after impact with the ground, the vehicle had come to a stop and caught on fire. The contact had attempted to exit the vehicle once he regained consciousness, however, he had difficulty since the driver's side door was jammed and his left ankle was dislocated and his right ankle was broken. The contact had managed to crawl out of the vehicle through the driver's side window which had completely shattered. The contact stated that the passenger in the front seat was not seriously injured, although he was transported to a hospital and released that same day. The passenger in the rear was transported and hospitalized with internal bleeding and a broken rib, the contact was not told which rib was broken by the passenger. The vehicle had been engulfed in fire and the contact had rolled into a ditch, a passerby was on the scene and called emergency services. The contact was transported from the scene by a rescue helicopter and flown to a trauma center. At the trauma center, the contact was treated for int |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 23, 2022 |
| State | GA |
| Description | I lost the use of my right hand and am unable to activate the horn as it is a tiny button on the right side of the yoke rather than simply pressing the center of the yoke. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
| Date | Nov 16, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | When in autopilot, at highway speeds, the car suddenly will brake. There is nothing that instigates this and it seems to be a safety hazard. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Nov 09, 2022 |
| State | CT |
| Description | I was unable to locate the horn capacitive button on my steering yoke to alert a biker who strayed into my lane. Finding this small button has been a repeated problem when in dangerous situations |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes |
| Date | Nov 04, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | In august 2022 I was driving my tesla s. I was traveling 25 miles an hour or less. I unfortunately lost consciousness for a very short time. My tesla then crashed into a parked car. There was snow emergency braking nor any emergency alarms. In theory describes shouldn't of happened with an emergency braking system. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 26, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | Today was at least the 3rd time "phantom braking" has occurred. While traveling on I-64 in virginia, my speed was about 75mph with adaptive cruise control on. Suddenly, the car braked hard, slowing to about 40mph. I thought the car was going to stop. Fortunately, there were no vehicles behind me or there could have been a rear end collision. I did not use the automatic feature again for the rest of that drive. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 18, 2022 |
| State | CO |
| Description | I have had at least 2 panic situations where I needed to use the horn to warn another vehicle that didn't see me that it was going to collide with me (lane change without checking, or crossing in front of me). The horn on my vehicle is a small force-press button with no raised markings, just an icon picture, just to the right of the large center pad that is the steering wheel (actually called a steering yolk) air bag. Decades of muscle memory has me pressing/slamming the largest thing at the center of the steering wheel in a panic situation. The time it takes to look down at the wheel to find the force-press button that is the horn is a major safety issue. All tesla model ss and xs from 2021 on have a steering yolk instead of a round wheel with this particular design/implementation for the horn. I have twice asked tesla service to make the steering center airbag pad activate the horn. The 1st request was ignored. The 2nd request (oct 18'2022) was responded to with "we do not offer a retrofit for that at this time. I will mark this [request] as feedback and remove it from your service ticket." |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 16, 2022 |
| State | PA |
| Description | In emergency situations I have trouble finding the horn button resulting in not able to warn other drivers of a dangerous situation. Other vehicles are set up so you can press the center airbag but the tesla has a small button on the right spoke. The button is flush so you can not find it by feel but must look for it. The button is especially troublesome to find if the steering wheel/yoke is in anything other than the straight ahead position. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Oct 15, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Car repeatedly, randomly slams in brakes while cruise control engaged for no apparent reason. Not speeding, no other cars or blockages around, open highway on a bright, clear day. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Oct 06, 2022 |
| State | NV |
| Description | I was recently nearly involved in a traffic accident when I wasn't able to blow the horn on the tesla steering wheel. I was backing up out of a parking stall in a parking lot and at the same time another car in the stall next to me was also backing up. I tried went to blow the horn on the steeling wheel and I was not able to find it quickly enough because it is very difficult to find the button in an emergency. Fortunately, the other driver in the car saw me just in the nick of time and was able to stop. The problem in my opinion, and many others on social media, is that telsa chose to not put a horn in the normal place on the steering wheel where most other car manufactures place their horns. Another area of concern about this yoke steering wheel are the turn signals. Unlike most cars, the directional signals on this model tesla are located in a small area on the steeling wheel. These buttons are hard to find and use when attempting to turn at a street corner or to change lanes on the roadways. Consequently, sometimes it's just easier not to use the turn signal. I personally believe that this is also a safety concern for this car. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Oct 01, 2022 |
| State | WI |
| Description | The vehicle intermittently brakes for no reason with the cruise control enabled. This is going to cause an accident. |
| Category | Tires |
| Date | Sep 28, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Michelin manufactures this tire specific for the tesla model s plaid vehicle. This tire wears pre maturely from the 300 rating most times under 10,000 miles causing tread separation on the inner wall. This specific wear can only be seen once the tire is removed from the vehicle. This is a well know issue on tesla forum boards and michelin is not only not assisting with the issue, they are on back order for this tire that is specific for the tesla model s plaid. Not only did michelin design a tire for this vehicle that wears well short of the rating, they are also not making enough to replace the worn out\defective tires. The tread separation is on the inside of the tire not visible to the driver that could potentially lead to a catastrophic accident if the tread separates at a high speed. The tire size is 295/30/21. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Sep 27, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | I have had multiple phantom forward collision warnings while driving and phantom braking while in autopilot. It happened twice today on a short 10 mile drive. |
| Category | Electrical System:adas:autonomous/self Driving, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
| Date | Sep 26, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 tesla model s. The contact stated while driving 70-75 mph with the autonomous self-driving feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking on numerous occasions. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle performed as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to the full self-driving (fsd) beta 10. 69. 2. 2 software update. The failure mileage was 17,102. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure: Warning, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 24, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | On at least nine occasions the car has very suddenly and with no input from driver braked hard during passing another vehicle, when assuming the original lane after passing a vehicle, and, on one occasion when no other vehicle was close by. I have brought all incidents to tesla's attention. They tell me the problem resides in the software of the car and that they "are working on it". This is a very serious problem, which has been going on for over a year in my case. A totally unacceptable and extremely dangerous situation! Occurred in december 21, 2020; several times during the summer of 2021, other sporadic times, and most recently on september 6 and 8, 2022 |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Sep 23, 2022 |
| State | AL |
| Description | Left rear motor malfunctioned yes available for inspection the computer said that the motor had malfunctioned but is safe to drive but dont exceed 65 mph. I drove some 2 miles and the car stopped and the motor caught fire. The vehicle has not been inspected. |
| Category | Electrical System:adas:autonomous/self Driving, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
| Date | Sep 15, 2022 |
| State | MS |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 tesla model s. The contact stated while driving 72 mph with the autonomous self-driving feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 56,292. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings, Lane Departure: Warning |
| Date | Sep 14, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | While using wildly falsely marketed k "full self driving" add-on across multiple software revisions and after reporting each and every bug to company I have experienced potentially fatal phantom breaking while at highway speeds and could have been killed by rear ending on at least 4 occasions. Have experienced 20+ erroneous forward collision errors with automatic breaking or lane assist corrections for obstacles such as hills, mailboxes, trees, absolutely nothing at all, etc. When driving around mildly banking left turn corners with 45mph speed limits whenever approaching a left turn lane within median the car will violently lurch into the turn lane causing panic for passengers and nearly causing a collision within resuming concrete median. While using autopilot the car failed to stop, correct or warn when a vehicle entered my lane and caused an accident with several thousand in damages. Car does not properly break for turns on highways requesting driver take over for what should be an easily navigable turn. Doesn't take apex or break early and will drift lanes making other surrounding drivers nervous. Moving the horn from muscle memory location to awkwardly placed touch button has prevented timely use of horn on multiple occasions which could easily result in fatal accidents. Overall this car is a literal death trap not at all even remotely ready for production use on public roads and neither I nor any of my passengers feel safe using the feature that was over priced, over promised and under-delivered. Tesla service center employees too worried about retaliation from management to inquirer about problems because of previous reparations from corporate offices. List of problems is shockingly egregious and should not be legally permitted on roads. |
| Category | Suspension |
| Date | Sep 09, 2022 |
| State | PA |
| Description | Severe wear on rear tires, as the camber is off. Tire failure exposing cords. Potential to be a catastrophic failure. Many with this car experiencing same issue with 21†tire option. Car has poor suspension stance and or tires are incorrect for the load being carried |
| Category | Structure:body, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 06, 2022 |
| State | AK |
| Description | Spontaneous explosion of front passenger door window while driving |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Aug 27, 2022 |
| State | KS |
| Description | My safety concern is with the 17 inch screen. Originally in the information about the car before it was purchased, the manufacturer said that the screen would tilt left or right to give the drive better a better view and access to the touch screen. I have talked to service about this issue and they have said they do not plan to retrofit our cars with the motors to make the screen move. This is now working on the same car that is one year newer. We were promised this and I believe this issue with the screen not moving is a serious concern. You cannot see the screen as well or touch it as well because it does not tilt towards the driver. Please investigate this problem, it is dangerous. |
| Category | Suspension, Wheels |
| Date | Aug 25, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | The inner edge of rear tires wear out very quickly leading to loss air pressure. Many other owner of tesla 2021+ on 21 inch wheels and michelin stock tires have exact same issue. Very dangerous if the tire bursts on highway, can lead to serious accidents. |
| Category | Suspension |
| Date | Aug 25, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | My vehicle had a total rear tire failure where the inside corner of tread separated from the sidewall. There appears to be abnormal wear on the very edge of the inside line of tread. The vehicle was just aligned and nothing was out of spec. Something about the tire design, weight of the vehicle, recommended tire pressure or suspension geometry is causing this failure. My tires were always kept at the recommended pressures. There was no indication of a problem until the tire went completely flat suddenly. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 12, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | My safety concern is with the 17 inch screen. Originally in the information about the car before it was purchased, said that the screen would tilt left or right to give the drive better a better view and access to the touch screen. I have talked to service about this and they have said they do not plan to retrofit our cars with the motors to make the screen move. This is now working on the same car that is one year newer. We were promised this and I believe this issue with the screen not moving is a serious concern. You cannot see the screen as well or touch it as well because it does not tilt towards the driver. Please investigate this problem, it is dangerous. |
| Category | Steering, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 11, 2022 |
| State | WA |
| Description | The position of the horn button on the steering yoke is problematic. The horn button on the 2021 tesla model s is operated by the right thumb. This position causes activation problems in various situations. One example is where quick horn use is required, the natural muscle memory is to push the center of the yoke , (where the horn button is located on all manufactured vehicles). The initial reaction to push the center of the wheel, causes an unsafe delay in horn activation, as the user then struggles to find the small horn button with the right thumb. Most of the time, the horn button is missed and the windshield wipers are activated, which causes more confusion in a stressful situation. Another problem with the position of the horn button is that when making a tight turn and the wheel is spun 180 degrees, the horn button is impossible to find or activate in a timely manner. It is surprising to me that the horn button placement was allowed to be installed on a production vehicle. While driving the vehicle there have been numerous events where quick horn activation was needed. One of the events happened recently while exiting a public garage. While the yoke was turned 180 degrees to make a right turn, another vehicle almost hit our vehicle and when my wife tried to hit the horn, it was impossible to find the button since the wheel was upside down, ( spun 180 degrees). Only luck prevented an accident. Another event happened two days ago. While driving on a 4 lane highway, a vehicle aggressively changed lanes toward our car. The action of the other vehicle caused a startle response, when my wife tried to hit the horn, muscle memory caused her to push the center of the wheel, instead of the small button that is activated by the thumb. By the time she found the button, it was too late to prevent the other vehicle from swerving into our lane. Also, the windshield wipers were activated instead of the horn. The horn position needs to be changed to the center of the wheel. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Aug 09, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | On 4 aug 2022, at 10:24am (cst), while traveling northbound on hwy 287 just south of henrietta, texas with the tesla autopilot speed set at 80mph with a posted speed limit of 75mph, the car was in the left lane of a two-lane, high-speed highway, when the car suddenly and unexpectedly slammed on the brakes, gave a "take control immediately" warning and rapidly shifted its lane position, almost causing a wreck with the car behind me. There were no vehicles beside me and nothing to the front or sides to cause concern or indicate that there was any reason for the sudden and abrupt braking maneuver. |
| Category | Visibility |
| Date | Aug 02, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | The contact's wife owns a 2021 tesla model s. The contact stated that after his wife entered the vehicle and closed the driver's side front door, the driver's side front window exploded. There was no impact on the window that could have caused it to explode. The contact's wife did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a claim with the insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 10,700. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance |
| Date | Jul 07, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 tesla model s. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle approached another vehicle that had slowed for a traffic light and did not automatically start braking. The contact manually applied the brakes, but the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle in front. The contact stated he noticed no warning lights illuminated nor warning chimes sounded advising of a vehicle ahead. The contact said both air bags deployed. The vehicle had crashed and damaged the entire front end which crumpled to the front tires. The police were on the scene and filed a report. The contact and the occupant of the other vehicle were not injured. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Jun 27, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | Brakes are not strong enough to brake tires loose or cause anti lock. My chevrolet colorado out stops my tesla. Hit an animal that my truck would not have. Helpless feeling. |
| Category | Exterior Lighting:turn Signal |
| Date | Jun 14, 2022 |
| State | NC |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 tesla model s. The contact stated while driving 45 mph and attempting to switch lanes, he attempted to use the turn signals; however, the turn signals were inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 2,000. |
| Category | Electrical System, Exterior Lighting |
| Date | Jun 13, 2022 |
| State | PA |
| Description | While driving with a fully charged battery, the car dash warned “pull over to safe location. Battery cannot support all functionsâ€. We were unable to fully pull over in the time before the car experienced a critical loss of functionality, as the car shut off in less than 1 minute from flashing the warning. The car lost all functionality, including loss of its flashers, putting us at significant risk since we were unable to alert other motorists to our presence on the side of the road as it was getting dark. The car is currently with the dealer and thus far they have been unable to identify the root cause of the issue but have acknowledged the existence of the problem. They've claimed the 12v battery died and the car does not have any safety redundancy built in to be able to access power from the main driving battery to power critical features such as the hazard lights. The biggest risk of safety is loss of indicators/flashers while on the side of the road. This feature in vehicles is meant to alert other drivers to the presence of a disabled vehicle. Consumer was told no physical problem was found with the car and a “firmware†problem is suspected. After repeated questioning, the tesla dealer finally acknowledged that other 2021 model s cars have experienced similar abrupt shut downs and the california engineers are aware of the problem. They cannot tell me when a firmware update will be available, but in the interim want to return the car to the consumer having done nothing to prevent the problem from recurring. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Jun 08, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The airbag module installed in the yoke has popped out while driving. It currently hangs by a wire. This makes the car completely inoperable safely. In fact had the airbag ever gone off in this condition it could cause serious injury and possibly death. Reached out to tesla for repair and they are estimating 20 days to begin a repair. If cars with this problem get into an accident that activated the airbag I believe there could be very serious consequences for the driver. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes |
| Date | Jun 04, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The vehicle put the brakes on when on adaptive cruise, but with very few cars around. The last time, there was no car in front of me, but the vehicle braked so fast the the car behind me almost rear ended me. I've noticed that it happened twice on a south bound stretch of I-35 in temple texas. This needs to be addressed or there is a strong potential for an accident. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | May 29, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | Car does not have a proper center horn- extremely dangerous. Only has a small button on the right side of the steering yoke that moves as the wheel is turned. Company owner clearly stated that a center airbag enabled horn would be available on all cars produced from november 2021 forward and would be activated by a firmware update. Either the hardware was never deployed or the update was never activated because no one has received it. Tesla will not confirm or deny that the newer production cars even have the necessary hardware to be updated. Find it shocking that this has not been addressed from a regulatory standpoint by now. Company should be mandated to deliver what their owner has promised after having released a new model that is lacking a practical, safe version of a significant safety feature. |
| Category | Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance:software:pedestrian/cyclist/object/obstacle/ Recognition |
| Date | May 06, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 tesla model s. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 mph or slower, the pedestrian alert warning system failed to activate as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic found no failure. The contact related the failure to nhtsa campaign number: 22v235000 (electrical system, forward collison avoidance). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Apr 14, 2022 |
| State | OH |
| Description | I have had this car for about three months. It is equipped with "yoke" steering. I have fully adapted to it, with the exception of the horn button. Because I use it so infrequently, I have had no chance to develop muscle memory, and I suspect I am not alone. Twice now, while in heavy fast traffic in a middle lane, I've been in the blind spot of a car to my right. That car moved at a reasonable pace into my lane, and I could have stopped the movement with a rapid warning honk. Because I couldn't locate the horn button quickly, I was forced to brake abruptly and swerve left. Fortunately, both times the drivers to my left saw what was happening and moved left as well, but it could have been much worse. I am terrified of a child running toward the street and I can't honk fast enough. I keep practicing the horn, but I have 50 years of middle wheel push to overcome. Much as I love my plaid, I think they should re-think this critical safety issue. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Mar 28, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | Horn is supposed to be activated by covering the full right hand side of the yoke or pressing small horn button on the upper hand side of the yoke. Went to honk at car that swerved into my path, but right hand side cover feature is non-functional... Horn did not sound... Only way to activate the horn is to tap the small horn button that requires a shift in grip to reach and taking eyes off the road to locate since it is never in the same location given the yoke is never fully straight unless going straight (which you are not often doing when taking an evasive maneuver). Horn should not require this level of precision to activate! |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Seat Belts, Service Brakes |
| Date | Mar 19, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | It is still unknown, but I believe the brakes failed. My wife was driving and making a left turn into a residential neighborhood when she applied the brake and it didn't respond, even when pushing the pedal to the floor. All that resulted was a clicking noise. The brakes failing to respond, and the emergency braking not engaging did cause an impact with a curb and sidewalk. At the same time, the seatbelt did not lock on impact or when pushing the brake pedal to the floor. The safety of the my wife was put at risk as she could not stop the car. With the cars weight and the amount of power that it has, it creates a dangerous situation for anyone around, especially in a residential area. The vehicle is available for inspection and is currently at the tesla service center. There was a warning light that said something regarding the "hold" not working and another for "regenerative braking." I do have the four angle dash cam videos from the tesla of both times that it did occur. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
| Date | Mar 19, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | On march 18th and march 19th we have experienced 4 episodes of unexpected emergency phantom braking while using auto pilot. Once on the 18th and 3 times on the 19th. Only once was there another car in our vicinity and that car was next to us within their lane passing us at the time. All 4 times the cars collision warning chimed and hard emergency braking was applied by the car for no reason. If there had been cars following us we would have been rear ended. To date these are the only times this has happened. Tesla says they have no current fix. There was no indication of any problems with the auto pilot/collision warning prior to this. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Mar 17, 2022 |
| State | IN |
| Description | Rear passenger door opened while driving on the highway. I was the only occupant, car doors were locked when this happened |
| Category | Unknown Or Other, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Mar 08, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Experiencing phantom braking. On a recent trip I had several episodes of phantom braking where the vehicle slammed on the brakes without any obstacles in front of the car. Just an open road. While this has happened on two lane roads with oncoming traffic on this recent trip it happened on a freeway with nothing in front of it. There were a lot of bugs in the air and I'm wondering if a bug hitting a camera was the cause. Also, the car at a stop light gave me a heads up that the light had changed. Without looking at the lights I started to accelerate only to find out that it picked up the left and turn light not the light controlling my lane. Almost crashed into oncoming traffic. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Mar 04, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Tesla service center canceling appointments to repair driver airbag recall. Numerous attempts to have recall accomplished with tesla service center in palm springs, ca. Unsuccessful since november 2021 (3 months). |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Feb 22, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Car experienced “phantom braking†at freeway speeds (it suddenly and unexpected applied brakes by itself) - autopilot was engaged and was on freeway. There were no vehicles or objects in front of car. It was a multi lane freeway and multiple lanes on either side. Was extremely dangerous and could have caused a severe accident had I not taken evasive action and taken control/overridden immediately (would have otherwise been rear-ended). |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Feb 22, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | With autopilot engaged, the vehicle will randomly apply brakes at highway speed with no vehicle in front of it at a distance of at least 1/2 mile. The issue seems to be weather independent. The issue occurs on every occasion where autopilot is engaged at highway speed. I scheduled a maintenance appointment for the issue. My last tesla model s (2018) did same thing with less frequency. Severe auto braking at highway speed presents serious danger to vehicles behind me. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
| Date | Feb 21, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Third time this has happened on my new model s plaid. On autopilot, the car randomly slams on the brakes when we were driving down the interstate at 70 mph for no reason. There were no other cars around us. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes |
| Date | Feb 18, 2022 |
| State | NV |
| Description | While in autopilot, the car brakes for no reason, phantom breaking. This happens while in right lane near exits, and happens inconsistently while in other lanes. It dropped from 83 on autopilot to 49 in one instance. The person in the back seat almost drove her head into the back of driver seat. The passengers will never buy a tesla. Another issue, important controls for the car are not intuitive for use and provide distractions from driving. The blinkers and horn as well as tire pressure gauges and other items necessary for safety are too “non conformingâ€. Someone please address these issues with tesla. Also, almost every control is so small and flat with no raised markings, those with essential tremors are susceptible to not be able to reach or activate controls due to the extremely small size of the controls. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Feb 18, 2022 |
| State | HI |
| Description | The yoke is dangerous, stupid, offers no benefit. The horn is way off center, meaning it's always in a different place, depending on the turn position. This is criminally stupid, and almost caused 3 accidents already for me. When you need a horn, it's to prevent an accident, and everyone intuitively slams the middle of the steering wheel.... There needs to be a recall and provide us with a proper steering wheel, with horn in the middle. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Feb 17, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | When travelling around 70-75 miles on autopilot car makes strong brakes which is known as phantom breaking. This is happening every single day on highway which is really scary. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 17, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | Automatic emergency braking on interstate where it is dangerous to slam on the brakes in the middle of traffic. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Feb 16, 2022 |
| State | MA |
| Description | In several potentially dangerous situations I was unable to locate the unusually positioned horn signal in time to reduce the potential for an accident. In these situations an accident did not occur but the situation could have been made much safer if the horn switch was located in the center of the steering wheel (yoke). This also applies to a lesser extent to the unusual position of the headlight high beam switch. |
| Category | Steering, Unknown Or Other, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Feb 15, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Tesla sudden acceleration accident: I ordered a tesla model s on june 21, 2021 and received a tesla model s on november 10, 2021. On monday, february 7th, 2022, at approximately 5pm est, my tesla model s failed to stop in a parking lot. I was pulling into a parking lot at fawcett hospital in port charlotte, florida. As I was turning into the parking spot, my tesla accelerated and drove over the parking stop, crashed into a chain-link fence, and grazed the honda suv of a colleague. I tried to brake, but the tesla did not respond. When the car finally came to a stop, I looked down and saw my foot on the brake pedal. The police reviewed the situation but did not issue any citations because, luckily, no one was injured, and the honda suv suffered almost no damages. I had the tesla towed to the tesla service department in fort myers, florida, on the following day, tuesday, february 8th, 2022, to check the vehicle. The tesla service department charged me 5 for the service. It noted that "100% acceleration was recorded at approximately 4:55pm et on february 7, 2022 and brakes were applied within three seconds: "time stamp monday 2/7 between 4:30-5:00pm customer would like inspection he statedthe car wouldn't stop after he ran over a parking block and went through a fence. Requested vehicle log data for time stamp provided by customer to investigate collision event. Uponreviewing data, on february 7 2022, @ 16:55:59 / 100% acceleration recorded and on february 72022 @ 16:56:02 brakes applied recorded. Upon reviewing of recorded data, 100% acceleration iscause of unwanted collision." the report does not indicate why the acceleration occurred. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Feb 13, 2022 |
| State | WI |
| Description | I was driving on i39 north of madison wi this afternoon, it was a clear day with light traffic and early afternoon on adaptive cruise control when the car on two occasions braked hard for no apparent reason. This braking would be a serious safety concern if a car had been behind me, as they would not have anticipated me braking so severely for no reason. From my reading this is a known problem with this car. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Feb 08, 2022 |
| State | PA |
| Description | The emergency flashers are a capacitive touch button. It does not reliably activate. I have tried on multiple occasions with a cold cabin, warm cabin, clean and dry fingers, warm and cold fingers and I rarely get the flashers to turn on within 5 tries. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Date | Feb 03, 2022 |
| State | WI |
| Description | My 2021 tesla s has on multiple occasions hard braked when in cruise control when there were no vehicles in view. All occurrences were on four lane interstate highways with no surrounding vehicles. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings, Lane Departure: Assist, Steering |
| Date | Feb 03, 2022 |
| State | NC |
| Description | Beta autopilot was engaged, driver had hand on steering wheel, vehicle was traveling less than 35mph (speed limit) and coming around a corner when it misjudged the road curve. The road curved to the left and as the car took the turn it took too wide of a turn and veered slightly off the road. Unfort the front right side of car went up and over the begining of a rock incline. The front right tire blew out and only the side airbags deployed (both sides). The car traveled about 500 yards along the road and then turned itself off. I could not get the horn to work, nor put it in neutral. There were no warning signs before incident. In fact the I belong to a beta driving scoring rating and for that day tesla rated me a 91/100. I called tesla roadside assistance and they said they would not provide any help as it was viewed as an accident and not a self-driving issue. It was reported to tesla and I have called several times to try and understand why the car didn't stay in the lane and why only the side airbags deployed. I reported this to tesla customer support and was now told they would not provide any information based upon their analysis, although initially I was told that it would take 5 weeks for engineering to review and get back to me. Vehicle is at repair facility and was told damage to car will be almost -30k. Car previously had issues with forward collision warning system going off, although I was not aware there was a recall regarding this exact problem, back in october 2021 |
| Category | Wheels |
| Date | Jan 28, 2022 |
| State | IN |
| Description | I had a tire that kept loosing pressure so I took it in to see way. With only a little over 12,000 miles have I have a tire that is splitting between the tread and side wall. Its one the inside of the back drivers side tire. |
| Category | Electrical System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 27, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The start up chime that dings when the car starts plays continuously while the car is driven. This is not only distracting, but it prevents the driver from hearing the other dings that are associated with the safety systems (collision warning, lane departure, etc.). I have videos available but am unable to upload a video via this online complaint system. |
| Category | Seats |
| Date | Jan 27, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Drivers seat creaks during even moderate acceleration suggesting that it is not properly bolted to the frame and/or that the bolts are not properly torqued. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Jan 26, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Safety restraint system malfunction. On january 18, 2022 this brand new car, only 3 days old with 1,000 miles, suffered a malfunction with the safety restraint system and displayed the following warning: "safety restraint system fault - service is required." this is a safety issue that should be investigated by the nhtsa. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jan 26, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Hvac system malfunction. On january 15, 2022 this brand new car, on its first day of ownership with 750 miles, suffered a malfunction with the heating and cooling system such that it no longer works and displayed the following warning: "vcfront_a447 - cabin climate control system requires service - cabin heating / cooling limited or unavailable." as a result, the car becomes unbearably hot during the day in the south florida heat and unbearably cold on nights when the temperatures dip. This is a safety issue that should be investigated by the nhtsa. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Jan 26, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Power steering malfunction. On january 26, 2022 this brand new car, only 11 days old with 1,656 miles, suffered a malfunction with the steering mechanism and displayed the following warning: "gtw_w074 - steering assist reduced - steering may require increased effort." this is a safety issue that should be investigated by the nhtsa. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 25, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | On several occasions when I have needed to use the horn to alert another vehicle to prevent a collision, I instinctively hit the center of the steering wheel. Unfortunately for my tesla, this does nothing. To activate the horn, you must look down and find the tiny horn button on the right side of the steering wheel. Supposedly covering all the tiny buttons with your hand also activates the horn. On the few occasions that I have had time to remember to not hit the center of the steering wheel, rather cover my hand over the buttons…. The horn never activated. Interestingly the wipers activate as the car in front of me almost hits me because I can't alert him that I am there. The windshield wiper button is next to the tiny horn button. Tesla needs to recall this car and install a horn button in the center of the steering wheel. This is a huge safety issue and has almost caused a few accidents, as I have no way to honk the horn in an emergency situation. You always hit the center of the steering wheel instinctively. |
| Category | Electrical System, Suspension |
| Date | Jan 14, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The rear passenger side adaptive suspension wiring harness was either installed improperly or routed improperly and rubbed against the inside of the tire. After many miles, this harness was worn down to the point of breaking electrical contact, which puts the vehicle into a fallback state. When the dampers are disabled, the car becomes floaty and disconnected and is dangerous to drive. There were warnings in the system immediately when this broke. It is available for inspection, as tesla has stated they cannot fix it for 6 weeks. The problem has been confirmed by their service dept via remote diagnostics. There has been no inspection by anyone other than myself, however I have extensive photographic evidence. The issue is very obvious when you know to look. |
| Category | Lane Departure: Assist, Lane Departure: Warning |
| Date | Jan 10, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | Autopilot cut off while driving on curved highway exit ramp, leading to driver's side of car grazing guard rail and rims of wheels grazing curb. Mostly paint damage. Repair estimate: ,000. 00 car sustained minor damage, but I was told by collision center that other similar incidents had occurred, including one in which car had gone off the road into a ditch. I have confirmed this is a consistent software problem, cutting off on all highway exit ramps. Problem reported to local tesla service, and they uploaded data from the car remotely. There were three dings as an alert, and a warning appeared on driver's display "autopilot guidance complete" and beneath it, in very small letters difficult to read, "tap accelerator to continue." I consider this a software design flaw. Default on a curve should be to switch from autopilot guidance to lane keeping, not shut off altogether. Also, warning should be more visually an audibly prominent. For example, when guidance is not available on a city street, there is a distinctive alarm and obvious flashing on dashboard display. There should be a similar warning when autopilot is about to shut off. |
| Category | Steering, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 07, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | During afternoon commute in a residential area, driving at 19 mph, a cat running after some type of lizard run in front of my car. I have been driving for the last 40 years, safe driver designation on my license, and have more than 1,000,000 miles on my back without major accident. I instinctively went for the horn in the center of the steering and tried to catch the top of the steering wheel (absent in my car) to change course. Finding a little button among other little buttons to sound the horn is impossible when the driver is under stress and needs to use the horn. The consequence, sadly, was a severely injured animal that did not survive. Without diminishing the importance of an animal life, if that was a child the consequence would be catastrophic. The steering yoke and horn control pauses a serious danger. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure: Assist, Lane Departure: Warning |
| Date | Jan 05, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | On nov 14 at 09:01 am while driving on the freeway with clear weather and autopilot is on for at least 15 min and and I am fully attentive and no traffic the tesla auto pilot decided to turn left and hit the cement barrier of the freeway damaging my left rear wheel then it tried to correct it fault by turning right to the right lane abruptly luckily there was no traffic coming on my right side too otherwise it would have been fatal I have the incident recorded by the sentry mode cameras and exact time and sec and the logs of the car black box proves that the tesla auto pilot was engaged at that time when it hit the cement barrier I reported this to tesla so they would take responsibility of their risky autopilot software but they dont care and told me I can report it to nhtsa it doesnt matter to them even with all the documented proof I have |
| Category | Steering, Wheels |
| Date | Dec 24, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | I've reported a continually present rack and pinion issue.. Four times. Tesla techs claim they don't experience it or that it is ‘normal' for this car. The car emits an audible grinding sound plus a visible wheel skipping when turned hard left or right. Today, the right front wheel began to emit a loud whirring sound in addition to the steering issue. Tesla refuses to investigate the issue beyond test drives. The situation could deteriorate quickly resulting in my inability to control the car while driving. It is a very serious matter. |
| Category | Lane Departure: Assist, Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure: Warning |
| Date | Dec 15, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Right and left door pillar cameras accumulate condensation, leaving door pillar cameras “blocked or blinded.†this affects collision avoidance. While the owners manual mentions that condensation can accumulate in these cameras, the stated remedy does not resolve the condensation. If you live in a wet or cold climate, these cameras are blocked or blinded most of the time. |
| Category | Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
| Date | Dec 11, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | This was a autodrive malfunction event on a brand new tesla model s. I was in standstill traffic when my car, which had been engaged in autodrive, lurched forward and suddenly accelerated at a high rate of speed into the car in front of us, without any driver prompts. The problem was immediately reported to tesla who has been delaying in providing the data logs and engineering analysis for over two months. Tesla did what they called a "safety inspection" after the crash and says the car is fine. They have refused to try and replicate the malfunction because they maintain the car is fine. Luckily, no one was injured, and there was only property damage to my car and the car in front of me, but there is something wrong with the software, the cameras, and/or the front end sensors and their calibration for the car to have done that. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 17, 2021 |
| State | DE |
| Description | The main computer of the car and all the screens frequently and intermittently stop working. The screens and computer is essential for safe operation of the car, as they are required to control functions like the windshield wipers, lights, turn signals, hvac, and open the glove box. I have repeatedly requested that tesla repair the problem, but their service department has been very difficult to work with. They are trying to invoice me for "troubleshooting", when the problem is clearly a defect, covered under lemon laws and the car's warranty. I have another appointment with the tesla service department to repair the issue on nov 23, however I wanted to document the problem with the nhtsa so that the issue is known. Here's a link to a video of the problem: https://www. Icloud. Com/iclouddrive/0ruzo24k7ziwgskh35cisf_ow#tesla_no_work additionally a photo of the car not working from nov 3 is attached. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 14, 2021 |
| State | PA |
| Description | The horn on the model s plaid is a small button on the right side of the airbag. On two occasions, I needed to use the horn to warn another driver of danger to us both and on both occasions, I failed to find the horn button in time to use it. I am not troubled by the yoke at all, but the horn is an important safety issue in my view which must be rectified. Tesla has not provided me with any opportunity to provide feedback despite many attempts locally and via their online interfaces. They have not responded to two emails... Thus my request that you inquire urgently on this issue with them. Consumer stated tesla plaid horn button being dangerously difficult to find in an emergency. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Oct 25, 2021 |
| State | VA |
| Description | There have been 4 instances of the instrument cluster screen and main information touch screen shutting down while driving the vehicle. First 2 episodes were in aug of 2021 then twice in oct of 2021. Episodes were separated by 1-2 weeks. Both screens are blank for approx 20-40 seconds. Subsequently no information such as speed, brake light indicators, radar/hazards, turn signals or any other information is displayed or can be used. Unknown if the turns signals or brake lights work when this happens as there is no way to see them on the blank screen. No clicking sound for the turns signal is audible either. Car continues to operate otherwise. Both screens then come back on without intervention and all functions return to normal. I have spoken with tesla service and they state they are aware of this problem but they don't have a fix. They ran remote diagnostics but did not see any abnormalities. They also suggested that my usb drive to record the vehicles security/driving cameras was corrupted and may be causing the problem however I have not set up the usb drive in this car yet. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Oct 03, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Unknown |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Oct 02, 2021 |
| State | MA |
| Description | The steering yoke is extremely poorly designed. It is very tiring to use, and doubtful that car could be controlled in an emergency. The directionals have no tactile feel. The switches for the horn, directionals, and wipers are flat, with no feel, and easily activated by error when my hand crosses their location. This is a very amateurish design. The standard directionals and shift lever need to be installed. I have been driving this car, with difficult, since 13 september and I hate it more each day. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 18, 2021 |
| State | MA |
| Description | The steering yoke is extremely difficult to use on congested city streets, or in an emergency maneuver. The yoke requires that you must cross your hands in a hard turn-a physically difficult action. It appears that tesla did little or no human factors engineering, nor test driving in anything but highway driving. This vehicle should be recalled to fix this problem. The dealer personnel confirm a rash of complaints about the steering yoke. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 12, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | Driver side rear door opened while driving despite being locked. This has happened on more than one occasion. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 11, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The horn button is not safe. The manual says it will honk if you use a flat hand, but it doesn't. Much more importantly, if you are in the middle of a turn, there is no way to hit the horn. It's unbelievably dangerous. If there wheel is turned around, you actually can't access the horn. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 11, 2021 |
| State | IL |
| Description | This year, 2021, tesla has made quite a few changes in the model s which I recently took delivery of. I am writing to you about a safety concern I have that I think is significant: specifically, tesla in this new model has changed the design of the sterring wheel and steering column controls. My concern is that the turn signal activation is no longer on a stalk but rather is located within the altered design of the stearing wheel which tesla refers to as a yoke. The right/left turn signals are switches within the left side of the yoke wheel, they are non raised. I find them extremely difficult to activate reliably, especially if the wheel is in any position other than horizontal. You have to take your eyes off the road frequently to make sure you have activated the turn signal and there is a risk that the wrong direction will be activated. Use of turn signals is an important safety feature and I am concerned about activating the wrong turn signal or not activating the signal at all and risking a collision |
| Category | Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Steering |
| Date | Jul 30, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | My car has a « yoke » steering wheel that feels unsafe and should be illegal along with the touch turn signals and horn. I almost crashed today when I had to swerve to avoid a mother crossing the road with her child. I tapped on the honk, but unfortunately, it's not in the middle of the steering wheel as one one would expect, but it's a small touch button right next to the cruise control touch button. Each time I need to engage it, I have to take my arms off the road and find this button. It's very distracting, especially in emergency situations. The turn signals are also « touch » only and there's no way to really know if you have them or not. When turning in a roundabout, the yoke steering wheel is almost upside down and trying to signal is nearly impossible. I think the yoke steering wheel and touch buttons are marketing gimmicks used to get people to talk about tesla at the expense of the safety of the owners and other innocent users of the road. This is extremely dangerous in my opinion and I'm now officially scared to be driving my car. Please make tesla recall these cars and retrofit a normal steering wheel with a regular horn and stalks for the turn signals. Thank you for reading you are our only hope. See more feedback from tesla owners here: https://teslamotorsclub. Com/tmc/threads/model-s-plaid-delivery-and-first-impressions. 235117/ excuse typos I'm on mobile. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Jul 27, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | I recently took delivery of a tesla model s with the new steering "yoke" and lack of directional stalk. After having used this system for some time, I believe it to be extremely dangerous and ill-advised. First, tesla eliminated the fixed-position directional stalk and moved directionals, wiper functions, high-beam functions and even the horn to small, poorly-defined "buttons" on the steering yoke. This change makes variable what should be fixed positioning for very important vehicle functions. In other words, these buttons become moving targets on an awkwardly-shaped spinning control surface that often requires the driver to take their eyes off the road in order to attempt even the most basic operations like signaling or using the horn. This is *extremely* difficult and *extremely* dangerous. For example, trying to signal when exiting a roundabout. In that maneuver, the yoke is nearly upside down and the buttons are backwards and in the wrong hand. Or, operating the horn in an emergency situation. Rather than pressing the large center portion of a steering wheel, the driver must take their attention from the road in order to hunt for a small button in a random position on the yoke. Less critical but still important, the yoke itself is problematic in that it provides a reduced and awkwardly-shaped control surface, especially at low speed and in emergency situations. |
| Category | Electrical System:adas:video Monitor/screen |
| Date | Jul 07, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 tesla model s. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was stationary or while driving at various speeds, the instrument cluster screen went blank and was unable to control the vehicle. The contact experienced the failure approximately twenty times. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Jul 03, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | This has to do with tesla's new yoke steering wheel. I find myself awkwardly trying to make simple 90 degree turns. However, a more significant turn, such as a legal u turn, is altogether more dangerous. First you must twist your arms upside down to execute the turn, or you need to rotate grips but the wheel is only designed to be gripped while straight/upright. This causes a very real threat of missing your hold on the wheel. Then as you try to controllably/slowly straighten the vehicle the steering wheel rips through your hands before you can complete the turn. God forbid anyone attempts a hasty 3 point turn with a car approaching. In addition, I am a six foot tall male and my knees actually come in contact with the wheel as the lower outside corners of the trapezoidal shape protrude down and out. If I am gripping the outside of the wheel, at 9 and 3, my hands can also contact my knees. This is with the wheel tilted/moved up to its highest position. Then there's the turn signals which are much too easy to engage accidentally or engage incorrectly (touch left when you mean to touch right). The roll wheel which controls radio volume and track fwd is mm from the turn signals which are activated simply by touch, not depressing a button, which means inadvertently activating them happens commonly. To see if the turn signals are activated your eyes must find small blinking arrows at the bottom of teslas 'videogame' display - what the car's cameras are detecting such as other cars, trucks, stop signs etc - the needlessly distracting display cannot be turned off. All of this made worse on a temptingly fast car. This wheel design is made for a track, not for consumer driving. People will die from this design, all in the name of "cool". Tesla has made other flashy design errors while trying to attract attention such as the model x's falcon wing doors, but they didn't pose danger. This one most certainly does. |
| Category | Wheels |
| Date | Mar 23, 2021 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | While I was driving my new tesla s (approximately 1000 miles) on a county road, the left front tire suddenly came off my car, went across a road with oncoming traffic and hit a fence at a local residence. There was substantial damage to the left front area of the car which can be seen from the attached photos. Fortunately, I had just exited the garden state parkway where I was doing 65 mph. I have little doubt that if the accident had occurred 10 minutes earlier, there would have been several fatalities including me. Although tesla claims to produce luxury vehicles, it leased me a car that was inherently dangerous and could have caused a fatal accident. |
| Category | Back Over Prevention: Warnings, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 20, 2020 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Rear parking safety camera failing with green line, brand new car. Happens in motion and stationary, in street and in driveway. Happens multiple times, have caught on video. Long known issue dating back on same model at least to 2018, see https://teslamotorsclub. Com/tmc/threads/green-line-on-screen-when-camera-is-on-at-dark. 129223/ for identical issue. Multiple service trips, more time in service than in my garage, service center says they cant fix it. Quote from service ticket "unfortunately this is a known concern and is under investigation and there is nothing we can do at this time." see item 5 in service doc. This problem makes it more difficult to safely park of backup. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Nov 08, 2020 |
| State | PA |
| Description | Driving on highway at 65-70 mph with auto pilot and speed control engaged. Went to change lanes from left to right. Put on turn signal, cancelled auto pilot by turning steering wheel to right and moved to open right lane. There were no vehicles around us at all. The car suddenly, unexpectedly, and very shockingly slammed on the brakes causing items to be tossed around in the car, engaging all of our seat belts with some discomfort, and sending some loud alarm or warning sound to go off in the car. It scared me, my wife and daughter very much. If there had been a vehicle in the land behind us, there's no way they could have avoided hitting us very violently and causing injury and property damage. This happened 2 or 3 times in my former 2016 model s, but I never expected it in this 2021 model. A google search will reveal the vast number of tesla drivers who have had the same or similar experiences. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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