2018 TESLA MODEL 3 Complaints

I FOUND A STRESS CRACK ON MY REAR WINDSHIELD, WHICH THE TESLA SERVICE CENTER IN SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA DENIED WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECT IN THE GLASS. MY SERVICE ASSOCIATE, PATRICK GERETY WAS PARTICULARLY UNHELPFUL AND I AM LODGING A COMPLAINT DIRECTLY WITH THE MANAGER OF THE CENTER, ASTON MARTIN (NO, REALLY), AS WELL. MANY OTHER TESLA MODEL 3 CAR OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING FAILURES IN THEIR REAR WINDSHIELDS. SOME ARE BEING REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT MANY - LIKE MINE - ARE BEING DENIED. IN SOME CASES, THE FAILURE SEEMS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REAR WINDSHIELD HEATING SYSTEM. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. I'M UPLOADING A PORTION OF THE INVOICE ALONG WITH THIS DESCRIPTION. NOTE THAT THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME THAT THE CRACK WAS DETECTED.

IN ORDER TO CANCEL CRUISE CONTROL OR AUTOPILOT IN A TESLA MODEL 3, THE PRIMARY MECHANISM IS TO PUSH THE RIGHT STALK UPWARDS AS FAR AS IT WILL GO. HOWEVER, PUSHING THE SAME STALK UPWARDS ONLY PART OF THE WAY WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THIS CAN CAUSE A DRIVER TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE IT IS UNDERWAY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN A TESLA BECAUSE IF THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL REGENERATIVE BREAKING IS DISABLED AND IT IS THE COMMON DRIVING HABIT TO USE REGENERATIVE BREAKING AS THE PRIMARY BRAKING MECHANISM. ESSENTIALLY, A DRIVER CAN ACCIDENTALLY MAKE THE CAR UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND UNABLE TO USE PRIMARY BRAKING WHEN IN MOTION. IN ADDITION, THERE IS NO AUDIBLE ALERT THAT THE CAR HAS BEEN SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND ONLY A VERY SMALL VISIBLE CHANGE TO THE TOUCHSCREEN. I ALERTED TESLA TO THIS ISSUE IN AUGUST OF 2018 AND THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE TO THE CAR'S BEHAVIOR SINCE THEN, DESPITE NUMEROUS OVER THE AIR SOFTWARE UPDATES.

ON APRIL 24 19 MORNING [XXX](MY WIFE) DROVE UP MULTILEVEL PARKING LOT AT WORK 8100 JONES BRANCH DRIVE, SHE INITIALLY CHOSE A HEAD IN PARKING SPOT, THEN ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE CAR FORWARD TO THE NEXT AISLE, SO THE CAR WOULD BE FACING FRONT WHEN SHE GOT OUT. THE CAR PICKED UP UNCONTROLLABLE AND EXTREMELY HIGH SPEED AND SHE FELT OUT OF CONTROL AND COULD NOT MOVE FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR TO BRAKE IN THE SPLIT SECOND, ALL SHE COULD DO WAS TO STEER SLIGHTLY TO HIT A POLE AT THAT NEXT SPOT, AND AVOID GOING ACROSS DRIVE LANE AND OVER THE BARRICADE TO A DROP. THE CAR SUFFERED SEVERE FRONT DAMAGE AND AIRBAGS OPENED, SHE HAD MINOR BRUISE. REPAIR ESTIMATES CAUSED INSURANCE COMPANY TO CALL IT A TOTAL LOSS. 1. TESLA CLAIMS TO BE REVIEWING ELECTRONIC DATA BUT HAS NOT RELEASED CONCLUSIONS SO FAR. 2. WHY SUCH HIGH SPEED WAS PICKED UP WHEN ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS CRAWL OVER TO THE NEXT SPOT DIRECTLY AHEAD (ABOUT 20 FEET) FROM THE PREVIOUS SPOT. 3. WHY VARIOUS ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, FRONT COLLISION WARNING, FRONT COLLISION AVOIDANCE, VIDEO SENSORS ABOUT OBSTRUCTIONS, AVOIDANCE BASED ACCELERATION CONTROL ETC, FAILED TO APPLY ANY SPEED REDUCTIONS. PHOTOS OF EVENT, ESTIMATE FROM INSURANCE ARE ENCLOSED. I REQUEST YOUR KIND ATTENTION, AND YOUR ANALYSIS AS TO THE SAFETY FAILURES. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *PM *TR

MY WIFE ( DRIVER FOR OVER 40 YEARS, NO ACCIDENTS, NO TICKETS) WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A DOWNGRADE, FOOT ON THE BRAKE, IN OUR BRAND NEW TESLA MODEL 3 WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO CARS STOPPED AT THE LIGHT IN FRONT OF HER. MY WIFE TRIED DESPERATELY TO STOP THE TESLA WITH THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE. OU CAR WAS STOPPED BY THE CAR IN FRONT. I HATE TO THINK OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD THERE NOT BEEN CAR IN FRONT. WE PURCHASED THE TESLA IN DECEMBER OF 2018 AND THE CRASH OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY OF 2019. AFTER THE CRASH I CALLED TESLA, THEN I WENT TO THEIR SHOWROOM IN SAN DIEGO, THEY REFERRED ME TO TESLALEGAL.COM. SO I ASKED MY ATTORNEY TO HELP. IN THE MEANTIME, AFTER THE TESLA WAS RELEASED FROM THE BODY SHOP IT WAS SENT TO THE TESLA SERVICE CENTER IN SAN DIEGO. IMMEDIATELY, MY ATTORNEY EMAILED [email protected] FOR TESLA TO PRESERVE AND PROVIDE THE ELECTRONIC DRIVING RECORD TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CAR. SERVICE CENTER DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST. AT THIS POINT TESLA DEFINITELY KNOWS THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM. OUR ATTEMPTS AT CONTACT BEGAN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH IN FEBRUARY. AS OF MAY 15TH THERE IS NO CONTACT YET. WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAD AN ATTORNEY, TESLA SERVICE STILL SENT ME DOCUMENTS TO SIGN. THEY RECENTLY SENT ME A TEXT THAT THEY HAVE 'UPDATED FIRMWARE WITH THE LATEST VERSION' AND THE CAR 'IS SAFE TO DRIVE AT THIS TIME.' TO ME IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY MODIFIED THE TESLA. MY ATTORNEY HAS CALLED AND EMAILED TESLA SERVICE, TESLA CUSTOMER SERVICE, TESLA LEGAL, AND TESLA HEADQUARTERS IN FREMONT. SHE HAS WRITTEN LETTERS TO ALL OF THE ABOVE AND MAILED THEM CERTIFIED MAIL. IN THE LETTERS SHE HAS EXPLAINED THAT MY WIFE AND I ARE FEARFUL OF DRIVING THE CAR AND DEFINITELY DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO GET KILLED. THE TESLA SITS IN THE SERVICE CENTER STORAGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR BUMPER AND REAR WHEEL HUBCAP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD FALLEN OFF. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN ACT OF GOD AND THEY WOULD CHARGE FOR TOWING THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED COLLISION CENTER. THE CONTACT CALLED HER INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT THE CERTIFIED COLLISION CENTER FOR OVER A WEEK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER REITERATED THAT AN OUTSIDE INFLUENCE CAUSED THE PARTS TO FALL OFF AND THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WANTED THE MANUFACTURER TO COVER THE COSTS WITH THE INITIAL WARRANTY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS JUST PURCHASED IN JULY OF 2018. THE CONTACT SUSPECTED THAT THE PARTS BEING USED WERE OF INFERIOR QUALITY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *AS

I TURNED INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND WAS GOING TO PULL INTO MY GARAGE TO PARK THE CAR, WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT STONE WALL OF OUR HOUSE. THE STONE WALL IS DAMAGED AND THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE TESLA HAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES.

THE SCREEN FREEZES AND REBOOTS WHILE DRIVING.I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST I'M GOING THE ENTIRE CARE GOES DARK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2 MONTHS.I HAVE TAKEN IT IN. BUT THEY TELL ME THERE IS NO FIX. CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST YOUR GOING.

VEHICLE HAS A "BRAKE HOLD" FEATURE. THIS FEATURE IS ENGAGED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR, STOPPED, AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AN ADDITIONAL DISTANCE. THIS FEATURE KEEPS THAT VEHICLE AT A STANDSTILL WITHOUT A NEED TO CONTINUE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. PER THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL, BRAKE HOLD CAN BE RELEASED BY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, BRAKE, OR BY SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO "NEUTRAL". THE RIGHT STEERING COLUMN STALK, HOWEVER, CAN BE USED TO SWITCH THE VEHICLE FROM BRAKE HOLD INTO THE OPPOSITE TRAVEL DIRECTION (D TO R OR R TO D) BY MOVING THE STALK TO THAT SETTING. FOR EXAMPLE, A VEHICLE IN D WITH THE BRAKE HOLD ENGAGED, CAN BE SHIFTED INTO R BY MOVING THE RIGHT STALK FULLY UPWARD (TO THE "R" SETTING). THIS BEHAVIOR, I BELIEVE, SHOULD BE PROHIBITED UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS FIRST PLACED INTO "P" OR "N".

ON 04/13/2019 THE CAR ABRUPT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE I DROVE IT ALONG NORTHBOND SANTA RITA ROAD IN PLEASANTON CA. . CARS COMING FROM BEHIND HAD TO MAKE URGENT BRAKING OR LANE CHANGE TO AVOID HITTING US. MY YOUNG CHILD WAS CRYING IN HORROR, AND WE HAVE NO WAY TO GET OURSELF TO SAFETY WITH THE CAR TOTALLY UNABLE TO MOVE. WE CALLED 911, AND LOCAL POLICE WAS DISPATCH TO HELP OTHER CARD AVOIDING HITTING US, WHILE WE WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. THE CAR WAS UNRESPONSIVE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, WITH THE DISPLAY SHOWING MESSAGES: "UNABLE TO DRIVE, PULL OVER TO SAFETY. CAR SHUTTING DOWN". THE CAR RESUMED OPERATIONAL AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES, WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGE. I DROVE THE CAR TO NEAREST SERVICE CENTER (PLEASANTON CA). AFTER A FEW DAYS, I WAS CONTACT BY THE SERVICE CENTER STATING THE CAR CAN BE PICKED UP, WHILE NOTHING WAS DONE TO FIX THE ISSUE. THEIR OFFICIAL INVOICE STATES: "THIS IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO BE FIXED IN 2019.20, BUT THE CUSTOMER CAN CONTINUE DRIVING. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN (SEEMS UNLIKELY), THEY CAN JUST GET OUT OF THE CAR AND GET BACK IN TO RESUME OPERATION.". I POINTED TO TESLA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT THEIR RECOMMENDED SOLUTION IS UNACCEPTABLE - JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO US ALREADY - IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL AND UNSAFE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IF IT STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY, WITH NO CHANCE TO PULL OVER EVEN TO THE CURB. THE TESLA REPRESENTATIVE BROUGHT AN ENGINEER TO HELP "EXPLAIN" THE INFORMATION, WHEN HE MENTIONED THAT THIS ISSUE IS A KNOWN CHARACTERISTIC RELATED TO USE OF CRUISE CONTROL. AND THE ENGINEER SAID HE WOULD PERSONALLY BE OK TO DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT USING CRUISE CONTROL. I ASKED IF THAT MEANS THE CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT SAFE, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE MY OWN JUDGMENT. I THINK THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD TESLA IS INTENTIONALLY IGNORING AND NEED THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT APPROXIMATELY 67 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED TO 75 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND AN ENGINEER WAS SENT TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINEER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A CAUSE FOR THE INDEPENDENT ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE EITHER SLOWS DOWN SUDDENLY OR SPEEDS UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES.*JB