2018 TESLA MODEL 3 Complaints

DURING LOW SPEED, BOLTS BECAME LOOSE AND COMPLETELY DROPPED OUT OF LOWER CONTROL ARM CAUSING ONE WHEEL TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. VERY CONCERNING THAT CRITICAL STEERING COMPONENTS DO NOT HAVE A CASTLE NUT AND COTTER PIN, IF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGH-SPEED THERE COULD HAVE BEEN LOSS OF LIFE. TESLA IS FAILING TO ADDRESS CONCERNS OF SAFETY, THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS OF THESE BOLTS COMING LOOSE.*DT Consumer concerned about the noise and vibration while driving and brought the car in for inspection on 9/1/20 to a Tesla dealer. Dealer stated rim was bent which caused the vibration and the bolts became loose after an impact with a speed bump. Consumer having a hard time understanding how low speed impact could cause a grade 8 bolt to become loose.

WHILE IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE CREAKS AND SQUEAKS FROM THE SUSPENSION AREA. CONTROL ARMS GO BAD PREMATURELY AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH AND OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.

THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT SUSPENSION FAILURES IN TESLAS. THERE HAS BEEN A CRASH IN ITALY WHICH IS ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSED BY A BROKEN SUSPENSION. THE VIN OF A JUNKYARD TESLA HAS BEEN USED TO COMPLETE THIS ONLINE SUBMISSION SINCE THE VIN OF THE CAR IS UNKNOWN. THE CRASH INJURED 2 PEOPLE. HTTPS://LADIGE.IT/TERRITORI/RIVA-ARCO/2021/04/11/RIVA-LA-LUSSUOSA-TESLA-SI-SCHIANTA-IN-GALLERIA-FERITI-UN-RAGAZZO-DI-PINZOLO-E-UNA-RAGAZZA-DI-TORBOLE-1.2884987#2 THE CRASH SCENE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW A TESLA WITH 3 WHEELS. THE BACK WHEEL HAS FALLEN OFF. SKID MARKS ON THE ROAD SHOW ONLY 3 TIRE MARKS. THESE SKID MARKS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE DRIVER INTENTIONALLY SWERVING AND BRAKING PLEASE INCLUDE THIS CRASH IN YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO TESLA SUSPENSION FAILURES. THANK YOU.

THE CAR WAS PULLING VERY HARD TO THE LEFT. TOOK IT TO TESLA SERVICE CENTER. THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF NEARLY $6000 TO REPLACE CONTROL ARMS AND BUSHINGS AND STEERING RACK ETC. THEY SAID THE PARTS WERE DAMAGED FROM "OUTSIDE INFLUENCE". WHATEVER THAT MEANS. THE CAR IS 18 MONTHS OLD AND HAS 29,000 MILES. NO ACCIDENTS OR DAMAGE EVER. THIS IS A MAJOR MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE HAD DISASTROUS OUTCOMES IF I DID NOT PICK UP ON THE SYMPTOMS FIRST. THIS IS IN ABSOLUTELY NO WAY RELATED TO ANY "OUTSIDE INFLUENCE". THIS IS A DEFECT PLAIN AND SIMPLE, AND A MAJOR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, TO SAY THE LEAST. TESLA REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY, AND I AM TRYING TO WORK THOUGH THE CALIFORNIA ARBITRATION PROCESS NOW. I WILL HAVE TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR WEEKS OUT OF POCKET WHILE THIS PROCESS IS PENDING.

I DISCOVERED A FLAW IN THE MODEL 3 HORN MECHANISM THAT YOU PRESS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE SEEN THE MECHANISM AND WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HORN BUTTON, YOU CAN HEAR THE MECHANISM CLICK, BUT IT'S NOT ACTIVATING THE HORN, YOU NEED TO APPLY ALOT OF PRESSURE ON THE SIDES FOR THE HORN TO ACTIVATE. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE MECHANISM REPLACED ONCE WITH TESLA AND IT'S THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT OTHER MODEL 3 OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND TESLA NEEDS TO COME OUT WITH A BETTER HORN MECHANISM LIKE IN THE MODEL S OR MODEL X WHERE SERVICE CENTERS CAN ADJUST SENSITIVITY OF THE MECHANISM. NORMALLY IN OTHER CARS YOU CAN USE YOUR THUMB TO PRESS THE HORN ON THE LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE OF THE HORN MECHANISM, BUT IT'S TAKES ALOT OF PRESSURE EVEN IN THE MIDDLE. THE PHOTO I ATTACHED IS THE MECHANISM I AM TALKING ABOUT IN THE STEERING WHEEL.

I WAS DRIVING MY MODEL 3(IN MOTION) IN THE LEFT LANE OF A 3 LANE LOCAL ROAD (3 LANES EACH DIRECTION). THE CAR SUDDENLY DISPLAYED 2 WARNING LIGHT, "UNABLE TO DRIVE" AND ANOTHER WARNING ABOUT VEHICLE POWERING DOWN, MOVE TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE CAR STOPPED A FEW SECONDS AFTER DISPLAYING THESE WARNINGS. I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO A SAFE LOCATION. I WAS STUCK ON THE LEFT OF THE BUSY ROADWAY. I WAS OFFERED HELP BY A POLICE OFFICER AND A PEDESTRIAN TO HELP PUSH THE CAR TO SAFETY. I WAS UNABLE TO ENGAGE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO ALLOW THE FOLKS HELPING ME TO PUSH THE CAR. THE 2 MAIN MAJOR SAFETY CONCERNS WAS THE VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN COMPLETELY AND THEN BEING UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE TO NEUTRAL TO MOVE IT TO SAFETY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. MY FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME AND WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT. THANKS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE BRAKING SYSTEM ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT DURING THE FAILURE THERE WERE NO OBJECTS OR VEHICLES NEARBY TO CAUSE THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO SUDDENLY ACTIVATE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT YET DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT YET CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

WHILE DRIVING MAJOR FEDERAL FREEWAYS (I65 & I85) BETWEEN HOUSTON AND N.C., THE CAR WHILE ON AUTOPILOT AND TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEED (70 MPH) WOULD EMERGENCY BRAKE WHEN APPROACHING SOME (6-7 TIMES) OVERPASSES APPARENTLY THINKING THE OVERPASS WAS CROSSING TRAFFIC OR A FORWARD OBSTRUCTION. THIS ALSO OCCURRED (3-4 TIMES) WHEN IT WAS SIMPLY A RISE IN THE FREEWAY AHEAD. THE BRAKING ONLY LASTED FOR MAXIMUM 1-2 SECONDS, BUT SINCE THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME WOULD NOT BE EXPECTING ME TO BRAKE, I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

WE RECENTLY GOT INTO AN SUA WITH OUR CURRENT TESLA 3. I WAS TURNING INTO MY DRIVE WAY AND I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR THE GATE TO OPEN AND WHEN I BRAKED, THE CAR SUDDENLY SPED UP VERY FAST AND I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AGAIN BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP. THE CAR WAS ALSO IN HOLD MODE WHEN I LATER CHECKED I NEVER STEPPED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR HARD ENOUGH TO REACH THE SPEED OF RUNNING THROUGH 2 CEMENTED METAL GATES. THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T POP OUT AND TESLA'S SENSOR BREAK SYSTEM ALSO DID NOT ACTIVATE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM OF MY CAR A SHORT WHILE AFTER I PURCHASED MY CAR (APRIL 18, 2018). I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME WHEN THE DISPLAY SCREEN WAS STUCK ON THE PARK MODE FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE DRIVE BACK. I COULDN'T TURN ON MY SIGNALS, OR SEE MY MPH. EVEN AFTER I GOT HOME, IT WOULDN'T TURN OFF EVEN AFTER TRYING FOR 2 HOURS SO I HAD TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND SHE TOLD ME A WAY TO RESET THE CAR. ( I HAVE VIDEOS TO PROVE THIS.) THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN INCIDENTS WHEN I AM BRAKED AND WAITING AT A RED LIGHT. I OBVIOUSLY PRESSED ACCEL WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, BUT THE CAR WENT INTO PARK MODE AND I WOULD GET STARTLED AND QUICKLY MANUALLY TURN IT INTO DRIVE MODE. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 4-5 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR AND EVEN RECENTLY IN 2021.

I WAS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY ABOUT TO CHANGE LANES. I WAS ON TOTALLY MANUAL OPERATION. THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT A CAR AND CONTINUED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO HIT ANOTHER CAR. THERE WAS NO COLLISION DAMAGE WARNING OR AVOIDANCE AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING THE CAR.