Tesla Model S Complaints

470 consumer complaints on file.

#11456312March 11, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while pulling out of the garage without the seat belt securely fastened, the audible seat belt reminder failed to engage. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a Tesla service center twice, where it was diagnosed that the software needed to be updated; however, the service center advised the contact that they were unable to update the software on his vehicle for unknown reasons. Additionally, a Tesla mobile technician came to the contact's residence to repair the failure but was unable to update the software. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated upon contacting the Tesla service center he had previously taken the vehicle to, to inquire whether a recall was associated to the failure, he was referred to the NHTSA.gov website. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V045000 (Electrical System, Seat Belts) and 22V063000 (Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 400. Parts distribution disconnect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11455948March 9, 2022
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
The 3 rear-looking cameras display 3 images to the center display, when the car is in reverse. I rely on them as I pull my car into the narrow opening of my garage stall at home. The opening is for a single car, & has pillars on either side, allowing 8-9", total, clearance with mirrors folded. Even with mirrors extended, I have limited visibility to the clearance of the sides of the car, as they pass the pillars. The repeater cameras, in the front fenders, are a great support to see the garage as I back into my garage. However, the UI, immediately upon selecting 'Reverse' while near the home garage, conceals 50% of these side images from view with a pop-up rectangular user interface (UI) -- ruining any advantage I have to see the rear as I pass these obstacles. As a result, I have to dismiss the pop-up UI & avoid triggering the controls within it, by making a sliding motion on the center display, with my fingers applied to the UI. This is a problem because: 1) the UI displays the option to trigger one of my 3 garage doors, each of which have an associated homelink rectangular button. This is useless when the garage is already open. 2) I'm in reverse, so I'm trying to back-in to the garage in one motion. Adding an extra steps, by clearing this obscuring UI distracts. 3) With tight clearances added problems are: trash might lie outside the garage; items can be left in my garage stall; people could be nearby. Distractions mess this up. Tesla likely fails: a) that the garage could already be activated to be open (or even opening) -- & therefore, tends to prompt the user multiple times, while parking; b) that 3 homelink garages are at the home. They didn't budget screen real-estate to show the homelink buttons without obscuring the backup display-screens assigned to each of the 3 rear-ward facing cameras; c) that a driver prefers to back-in to the parking space, relying on views of the 3 cameras to avoid obstacles. Tesla counted on people to forward to park.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11455846March 9, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the shift bar became inoperable. The hazard warning activation switch was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the control bar needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 1,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11455714March 8, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11455277March 4, 2022
AIR BAGS
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).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11453408February 22, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11453334February 22, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
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).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11453175February 21, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11452894February 18, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
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 conforming”. 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11452802February 18, 2022
STEERING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11452601February 17, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Automatic emergency braking on interstate where it is dangerous to slam on the brakes in the middle of traffic.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11452586February 17, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11452331February 16, 2022
STEERING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11452149February 15, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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 $175 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.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11451788February 13, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11450921February 8, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11450100February 3, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11450079February 3, 2022
STEERING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
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 $28-30K. 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
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11449218January 28, 2022
WHEELS
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11449097January 27, 2022
SEATS
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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