2016 TESLA MODEL S Complaints

The multi-media screen when blank and would not reboot in Dec. 2020. It had gone blank before many times over the years (more than I think most cars) but always I was able to reboot the car/computer. I had complained a couple of times at the service center going back a few years and got advice to reboot. Lately it had been happening quite frequently. This time it would not work. I called Tesla and the rep asked if the turn signals worked and I confirmed that they did not. He indicated that this was a safety issue and I should not drive the car and schedule a repair asap. Meanwhile, I had already received a notice in the mail of a volunary repair that Telsa would do if the screen went out and woudl not rebooot. I was able to get an earlier appointment than the 2 week one that was offered by going into the Tesla service center (as they had advised I could try to do). I was later told that they would not voluntarily repair this for me and I would have to pay. It took them a number of days to get back to me on this. Tesla service center rep and manager indicated that even though the end result of my issue was the same -- no screen, no rear back up camera, no turn signals, no defrost presumably -- my issue was caused by a defective audio chip for the display and not the defective multi-media chip. I had the same safety issues but they required that I pay out of pocket fo the repair. They explained that Tesla had figure out a less expensive way to swap out the mulit media chip but for the audio chip it required a full replacement of the panel or something and that cost them more. I asked about who can i escalate this to and was told I woudl hae to write the legal department. I wrote the legal department on March 12, 2021 to request a refund. They have still not written me back or even acknowledged my letter. Since I wrote my letter to Tesla, my undestanding is that NHTSA has required Tesla to issue a recall to repair a blank screen chip issue.

May 1, 2021 Heard some noise from front of car and then went away. Loud noise coming from the right front side of car when we back up from parking spot. Car literally cannot move an inch but we had to move car out of traffic. No warnings from the car. We saw the right front tire literally touching the back liner. Tesla towed car to Tesla service center which is almost 3 hours away from home. Weekend road trip cut short. Service center was closed. Rental car companies nearby closed. Uber voucher not enough to cover fee. Service found RF fore links broken, and RF fender liner damage and replacement of 2 front tires and alignment. Estimate of $1602.90. Back in 2020 September, I heard soft noise coming from left front. Tesla took care of it under warranty. But we asked if they should inspect and replaced the right side. They refused. Now manager said that it’s wear and tear and refused to cover under warranty when it’s still under 50,000 miles. I asked them about condition of back links and they did not inspect or given estimates for replacement for back links after 7 requests. Manager told me it’s super pricy labor alone is around $700. We feel it’s a serious safety concern. We were lucky this didn’t happen on a highway. The parts definitely broke pre maturely. Also has to file with warranty department with written letter to dispute the charge now. What a hassle. They should recall asap.

I WAS STOPPED, PREPARING TO PULL INTO MY GARAGE, WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED RAPIDLY AND SMASHED THROUGH MY WALL, BREAKING FREEZER & SHEVING UNIT IN MY GARAGE. IT ALSO DAMAGED MANY ITEMS IN THE BATHROOM AND LAUNDRY ROOM, DOORS, AND WALLS ON OTHER SIDE OF GARAGE WALL. THIS IS THE 2ND INCIDENT, IN 2019 THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON A STREET. I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WHEN I STARTED TO MOVE THE CAR ACCELERATED AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT I DID NOT FILE A CLAIM. TESLA WAS CERTAIN THAT I HAD ACCIDENTALLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR INSTEAD OF BRAKE, AND ACCEPTED THAT. IN BOTH INCIDENTS THE CAR FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS FLYING, THE CAR WAS MOVING SO FAST.

THE VANITY MIRRORS CAN EASILY FELL OFF FROM THE SUN VISORS. I GOT THIS PROBLEM, AND FOUND THE HEAVY MIRROR IS GLUED BY WHITE DOUBLE SIDED ADHESIVE TAPE WHICH WILL LOSS ADHESION AT HIGH TEMPERATURES. THEN THE MIRROR FELL BECAUSE OF GRAVITY. ALTHOUGH, THERE IS A PLASTIC MIRROR COVER, THE COVER HAS VERY FRAGILE THIN SPIN AXLES. I DID NOT WITNESS THE WHOLE PROCESS, BUT SINCE I DO NOT USE THAT MIRROR SO THE MIRROR COVER SHOULD NOT BE DAMAGED BEFORE THIS HAPPED. SO I GUESS THAT IN MY CASE THE FALLEN MIRROR SMASHED THE COVER, AND THE COVER AXLES ARE BROKEN AND SO THE COVER GOT OPENED AUTOMATICALLY AND LET THE MIRROR CAME OUT. THERE ARE AIRBAGS BEHIND THE SUN VISORS, SO THE FALLING MIRRORS AND COVERS ARE NOT ONLY A RISK FACTOR FOR DAILY DRIVING BUT ALSO MAY CAUSE SEVERE INJURY WHEN THE AIRBAGS ARE ACTIVATED. I DO NOT USE THAT MIRROR, I ONLY USE THE SUN VISORS, SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A CAR DEFECT. THE FALLEN MIRROR IS NOT SHOWED IN MY PICTURES. WHEN I FOUND THE PROBLEM, THE COVER WAS NOT COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE SUN VISOR, SINCE I CANNOT CLOSE IT ANYMORE AND IT SEEMS LIKE WILL FALLING SOON, SO I PULLED IT OFF.

CENTER CONTROL PANEL IS NOT VERY RESPONSIVE AND FREEZES OFTEN. MANY OF THE MAIN CONTROLS FOR THE CAR ARE ON THE INSTRUMENT CENTER PANEL. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM TESLA BUT THEY REFUSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND KEEP SAYING PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. IT IS HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS SINCE I RECEIVE THE NOTICE AND I FEEL THEY ARE DELAYING CORRECTING THE KNOWN ISSUE WITH EMMC DUAGHTERBOARD CHANGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V035000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION, VISIBILITY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE CENTER DISPLAY SCREEN WOULD NOT TURN ON OR WOULD BLACK OUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD BE CONTACTED WHEN THE HARDWARE EMMC UPGRADE WAS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

AS I WAS PULLING OUT MY PARKING SPACE AT WORK AT ABOUT 2 MILES AN HOUR I HEARD A LOUD THUMP AND I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS UNDER MY TIRE. AFTER GETTING OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A 2-3" PIECE OF ALUMINUM NEXT TO MY FRONT LEFT TIRE. I ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE CAR BACK INTO MY PARKING SPOT AND THE LOUD NOISE CONTINUED. I LEFT THE CAR AT WORK OVERNIGHT AND INSPECTED IT THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND NOTICED THAT THE SUSPENSION ARM WAS BROKEN. LUCKILY THIS DID NOT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AS THIS COULD HAVE KILLED ME. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON A TESLA FORUM, I LEARNED THAT THIS EXACT BREAK OF THE SUSPENSION ARM IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON ON THE S AND X MODELS WITH SOME PRETTY SCARY CONSEQUENCES. TESLA NEEDS TO DO A RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T THERE WILL BE LIVES LOST.

2016 TESLA MODEL S. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 21V-035. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DISPLAY SCREEN WOULD TURN BLACK. REPAIR ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE BUT, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. *JS

THE VCM MALFUNCTION IS CAUSING MY CAR TO SOMETIMES NOT EVEN TURN ON AND IT HAS BEEN OVER 6 MONTHS SINCE I STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND STILL IT'S NOT FIXED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE MCU SCREEN INTERMITTENTLY BECAME INOPERABLE. DURING THE FAILURE, THE REAR VIEW CAMERA AND EXTERIOR TURN SIGNALS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT YET DETERMINED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V035000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION, VISIBILITY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.