2015 TESLA MODEL S Complaints

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT TESLA'S FIRST GENERATION MEDIA CONTROL UNIT (MCU). THE MCU IS THE BRAINS OF THE CAR AND CONTROL THE BIG CENTER SCREEN THAT THE TESLA MODEL S IS KNOWN FOR. WHEN IT FAILED NOT ONLY DID I LOSE THE ABILITY TO USE THIS BIG SCREEN BUT I ALSO LOST KEY SAFETY ITEMS SIGNALS, BACKUP CAMERA, CRUISE CONTROL, AUTOMATIC BREAKING, AND AUTO PILOT. ALL THE SOUND FEATURES ARE ALSO DISENGAGED AS WELL AND THIS WAS EVIDENT IN THE LACK OF SOUND FOR THE TURN SIGNAL AS WELL AS THE LACK OF SOUND FOR THE ALERT IF YOUR SEATBELT IS UNDONE. SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO THE TURN SIGNAL FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU PUT THE TURN SIGNAL DOWN TO AS IF YOU ARE TURNING LEFT THE NOB WILL LOCK INTO THE DOWN POSITION LEADING YOU TO BELIEVE YOUR TURN SIGNAL IS WORKING BUT UNLESS YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE CAR YOU HAVE NO AWARENESS TO THE FACT THAT THE SIGNALS ARE NOT BLINKING. IN ADDITION TO THIS MY CAR LOST ITS CONTROL OF THE AIR CONDITION AND ANY MILLAGE TRACKING FEATURES WERE LOST. THE MCU COMPLETELY FAILED ON ME 3 TIMES. THE FIRST TWO TIMES IT CAME BACK AFTER A FEW HOURS AND THE THIRD TIME IT NEVER CAME BACK (WAS DRIVEN TO THE SERVICE CENTER AFTER 3 DAYS AND IT STILL HADN'T COME BACK). THE FAILED MCU ALLOWS YOU TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR AND YOU HAVE NO AWARENESS TO THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT ARE DISENGAGED. ALSO, ALL THE SENSORS ARE DISENGAGED TO ME THE USER WHICH STOPS THE CAR FROM ALERTING ME TO OBJECTS AHEAD, BEHIND AND TO EITHER SIDE OF ME. THERE ARE ENDLESS ARTICLES ABOUT THE FIRST GENERATION MCU FAILURES. THE CHIPS INSIDE THESE CARS ARE KNOWN TO FAIL AFTER A CERTAIN NUMBERS OF CYCLES AND TESLA HAS YET TO ADDRESS THIS KNOWN ISSUES LEAVING THE CONSUMER TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THESE ISSUES AND HOLD TESLA ACCOUNTABLE.

THE TESLA'S LARGE SCREEN QUIT WORKING. THESE ARE CONTROLS THAT POWER OFF THE VEHICLE, TURN THE DEFROSTERS OFF AND ON ALONG WITH THE CLIMATE CONTROL. CONTROL STEERING MODES. CONTROL BACK UP CAMERA, CONTROL LIGHTS. FROM THE READING I HAVE DONE IT IS CALLED THE MCU. IT PARTIALLY WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING, IT CAME BACK ON AND THEN IT DIED WHILE I WAS WORKING AND I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AFTER WORK.

MCU FAILURE INCLUDING BLACK SCREEN. NO TOUCH SCREEN, CLIMATE CONTROLS DOES NOT WORK, TURN SIGNAL NOT WORKING. CAN NOT CONTROL HEAD LIGHTS. CHARGING NOT RESPONDING. NAVIGATION NOT WORKING. BACK UP CAMERA NOT WORKING.

EARLIER TODAY I SENT IN A COMPLAINT ABOUT STEERING RACK/POWER STEERING QASSEMBLY FAILURE. I MADE AN ERROR ON THE TESLA SERVICE BULLETIN #. IT SHOULD HAVE READ CORRECTLY:SB-18-32-002 R3 JANUARY 11, 2019 (NOT SB-18-21-003) MY ERROR WAS IN SUGGESTING THE TSB LAST 3 DIGITS CHANGED FROM 001, 002, AND 003. THEY ARE ACTUALLY ALL SB-18-32-002 R1 (AND R2, AND R3) SB-18-32-002 R3 JANUARY 11, 2019 THE FINAL TSB HAS VERTICAL LINES ON THE LEFT MARGIN TO IDENTIFY THE REVISED NOTE SENTENCE. ADDITIONALLY, I ERRED IN THE BULLETIN CHANGING FROM 18 PAGES TO 38 PAGES. ALL WERE IN FACT 18 PAGES. REVISIONS ON SB-18-32-002 R3 WERE NOTATED WITH A VERTICAL LINE IN THE LEFT MARGIN. PLEASE ADD THIS INFORMATION TO MY COMPLAINT. ALSO, I CAN FORWARD A COPY OF THE EMAIL SENT TO TESLA ON THIS ISSUE, THAT WAS NOT ANSWERED BY TESLA.

STEERING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WAS SOMEWHAT UNFAMILIAR TO ME, IT STAYED IN ONE LANE BUT WOULD WANDER MORE THAN I RECALLED. I ASSUMED IT WAS THE STUDDED SNOWTIRES (HAKKEPELLITA) AND PULLED OVER TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURES. I CAREFULLY DROVE ON TO THE SUPERCHARGER, NOTICED AS I BACAKED INTO THE SUPERCHARGER POSITION THE STEERING WAS DIFFICULT, AS IF THE POWER STEERING WAS COMPROMISED. DROVE HOME CAREFULLY, FOUND THE ELECTRIFIED GARAGE WHICH SPECIALIZED IN TESLA REPAIRS, IN SEABROOK, NH. THE TESLA WAS FLAT-BED TRANSPORTED TO THEM. THEY REPORTED THAT DURING THE MANY WEEKS THEY HAD IT, THAT THE STEERING BOX HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED TESLA CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND. AS A RESULT, I CANCELLED A NEW 2020 MODEL S DURING THE SUMMER OF 2020, AND BOUGHT A NEW LEXUS INSTEAD. I WAS TOO UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE ENGINEERING OF THE TESLA, AND THAT THE STEERING BOX SHOULD NOT FAIL IN 7,690 MILES SINCE NEW. I FOUND A SERVICE MESSAGE THAT DISCUSSED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE 5 POWER STEERING MOUNTING BOLTS. THEY CAME TO MY HOME TO REPLACE THEM. I LOOKED UP THE 38 PAGE SERVICE BULLETIN AND FOUND SEVERAL WARNINGS IN IT ABOUT NOT TAKING MORE THAN ONE BOLT OUT AT A TIME. SINCE THEY HAD COME TO MY HOME TO REPLACE THE BOLTS, I THEORIZED PERHAPS THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT FOLLOW THE BULLETIN CONTENT EXACTLY. BULLETIN WARNED THAT IF YOU REMOVE MORE THAN 1 BOLT AT A TIME YOU MUST REPLACE THE STEERING BOX. SEE BULLETIN SB-18-32-002 R1 (AND REVISION 2 AND REV. 3) . MINE IS SUBMODEL P85D (AWD) AND PLEASE NOTE FIRST VERSION OF THE BULLETIN AND REVISION 2, AND 3RD REVISION ARE DIFFERENT. THEY REFERENCE SERVICE MANUAL PROCEDURE 32010102 TO REPLACE THE STEERING BOX ON PAGE 4 OF SB 18-32-(001) SEE ALSO: HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/POWER-STEERING-FALLING-APART.100951/ WHERE THE STEERING BOX/PS FAILURES ARE DISCUSSED BY TESLA OWNERS.

TESLA MODEL S HAD BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 2 YEARS, SUE TO A MEDICAL CONDITION I HAD. AT NEAR THE END OF 2 YEARS I WALKED DOWN TO EXAMINE THE CAR, NOTICED THE CAR HAD SETTLED DOWN ONTO THE TIRES. I HAD IT CHARGING CONTINUOUSLY, BUT APPARENTLY THE CHARGING OPERATION HAD FAULTED, AND THE CAR WAS DEAD. I CHARGED THE 12V COMPUTER BATTERY, THEN CHARGED THE 400 VOLT TRACTION BATTERY. I TURNED IT ON BUT COULD NOT MOVE FAR BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME INTERFERENCE BETWEEN TIRES AND INSIDE THE FENDERS, WHEN I WOULD HIT A BUMP. I WAITED FOR THE AIR SUSPENSION TO BE PUMPED UP, AND DROVE THE CAR TO HEAD FOR A TESLA SUPERCHARGER STATION. THE TRIP THERE FELT SQUIRRELY AND ASSUMED IT WAS MY STUDDED SNOW TIRES. AT THE SUPERCHARGER THE STEERING GOT VERY DIFFICULT, AND WHEN I LEFT I HAQD TO DRIVE CAREFULLY TO FEEL COMFORTABLE TO MY HOME. I RESEARCHED ONLINE, FOUND THE ELECTRIFIED GARAGE IN SEABROOK, NH AND SET UP A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THEY DISCOVERED I NEEDED REPLACEMENT REAR AIR SHOCKS AND A NEW STEERING BOX. THEY EXPLAINED THAT BECAUSE THE SHOCKS WERE NOT MOVING FOR 2 YEARS, THEY DEVELOPED A CORROSION BETWEEN DISSIMILAR METALS (STEEL AND ALUMINUM) ON THE SHOCKS. THAT RESULTED IN CORROSION ON THE STEEL, AND CORROSION ON THE ALUMINUM, ALLOWING LARGE O-RINGS TO EXPAND AND LEAK AIR. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY ONLY SEE THAT WITH TESLAS THAT SIT UNUSED FOR A TIME. I EMAILED TESLA NOTIFYING THEM, BUT THEY NEVER RESPONDED, PERHAPS BECAUSE BY THEN I WAS 14 MONTHS BEYOND MY WARRANTY. I WILL PUT IN A DIFFERENT COMPLAINT FOR THE FAILED STEERING BOX. MILEAGE AT INCIDENT WAS 7,690. THE CORROSION AND RUST COULD HAVE BEEN DEFEATED WITH APPROPRIATE ENGINEERING, SUCH AS A PLASTIC SHIELD BETWEEN STEEL AND ALUMINUM.

AFTER THE 12V BATTERY ON OUR CAR DIED, IT WAS REPLACED BY TESLA SERVICE. AFTER THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE CENTER SCREEN (MCU) WOULD NOT COME ON. THIS SCREEN CONTROLS ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THE CAR, INCLUDING BACKUP CAMERA, PARK DISTANCE CONTROLS, AUTO-PILOT, DOOR LOCKS, SUSPENSION, ADJUSTING BRAKING AND COLLISION WARNINGS, OPENING AND CLOSING SUNROOF, CHARGING (IT'S AN ELECTRIC CAR - NONFUNCTIONAL IF WE CAN'T ADJUST CHARGING), CLIMATE CONTROL, REMOTE COMMUNICATION, SOFTWARE UPDATES, ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM, ETC. WE CONTACTED TESLA, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US THESE SCREENS REGULARLY FAIL AT AROUND 4 YEARS (OUR VEHICLE IS 4-1/2 YEARS OLD). IN ADDITION, FAILURE IS APPARENTLY ACCELERATED BY THE FAILURE OF THE 12V BATTERY. AFTER WAITING MANY WEEKS FOR A "REPLACEMENT PART," WE WERE CONTACTED AND TOLD THEY HAD ACCIDENTALLY ORDERED A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT, WHICH WOULD COST $2,700 (WE HAD BEEN QUOTED $1,300). THE CAR HAS BEEN UNDRIVEABLE FOR MONTHS. IN ADDITION, IF THIS IS A PART THAT REGULARLY FAILS, IT SEEMS LIKE TESLA SHOULD COVER THE REPLACEMENT. WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY $2,700 TO REPLACE A PART THAT IS APPARENTLY KNOWN TO PREDICTABLY FAIL. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND THE SCREEN WAS BLACK. ALL THE CONTROLS WERE STUCK...FAN/AC...BACK UP CAMERA DID NOT WORK. MY TURNING SIGNALS DID NOT WORK. TESLA SERVICE CENTER WAS CLOSED SO ALL THE AC DID NOT TURN OFF AND DRAINED THE BATTERY ALL THE WAY TO 0 RANGE. TOOK A LOT OF TROUBLE TO GET TO THE SERVICE CENTER THE NEXT DAY. THEY CONCLUDED THE MCU WAS DEAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED CLAIMING THAT IT WAS WEAR AND TEAR. WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE MCU CRASHED AND COMPRISED SAFETY OF THE CAR WITH THE TURNING SIGNALS, SUSPENSION AND REAR BACK UP CAMERA NOT WORKING AMONGST OTHERS SINCE THE MCU CONTROLS EVERYTHING. WE BELIEVED TESLA KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND PUT IT ON OWNERS TO REPLACE AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE IF OUT OF WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN AROUND WHEN THE WARRANTY ENDS. WE HAVE 2 TESLAS AND BOTH THE MCUS DIED A LITTLE OVER 50K. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL AND THE MCUS REPLACED AT NO COST. TERRIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICE AND SERVICE FOR SUCH EXPENSIVE CARS. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TESLA.

MCU FAILURE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT SCREEN INTERMITTENTLY GOES DARK, APP NO LONGER COMMUNICATES, CONTROLS GLITCHY

THE MCU (VERSION 1) OF MY CAR STOPPED FUNCTIONING WHILE PARKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE (EMMC FAILURE). THE CAR WAS STILL OPERATIONAL HOWEVER THE FOLLOWING SAFETY ISSUES RESULTED FROM THE MCU MALFUNCTION: - TURN SIGNALS AND AUDIBLE CHIME BOTH BEAME NONOPERATIONAL - REVERSE CAMERA BEAME NONOPERATIONAL - HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS BEAME NONOPERATIONAL - LANE DEPARTURE WARNING MAY HAE BECOME NONOPERATIONAL - CLIMATE CONTROL STUCK AT ONE LEVEL - INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTING SETTING BECAME UNABLE TO BE CHANGED ADDITIONAL ISSUES RESULTING FROM THE MCU1 FAILURE: - ALL SYSTEMS AND SETTINGS ACCESSED THROUGH THE CENTER CONSOLE SCREEN BEAME UNACCESSIBLE - NAVIGATION SYSTEM BEAME NONOPERATIONAL - AUDIO CONTROLS BEAME NONOPERATIONAL - AUTO-PILOT (LANE ASSIST) BEAME NONOPERATIONAL - ALTERNATING CURRENT (AC) CHARGING SPEED REDUCED TO 2KW - REMOTE ACCESS VIA SMARTPHONE BEAME NONOPERATIONAL *BF