NHTSA Complaint #10679347 — 2013 TESLA MODEL S

WAS REPLACING THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AND NOTED AN ODD "NOTCH" IN THE LEFT REAR SUSPENSION ALUMINUM UPPER CONTROL ARM. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE UPPER CONTROL ARM WAS PARTIALLY SEVERED WITH APPROXIMATELY 1/2 OF THE LOWER PORTION CROSS SECTION, AND 1/3 TO 1/4 OF THE UPPER PORTION CROSS SECTION, CUT THROUGH BY THE LOWER SHOCK ABSORBER ATTACHMENT BOLT. IT APPEARS THAT THE BOLT WAS MOUNTED BACKWARDS, WITH THE SHARP TIP OF THE BOLT FACING FORWARD INSTEAD OF REARWARD, AT EITHER THE FACTORY, OR WHEN THE POWERTRAIN WAS REPLACED BY THE TESLA DENVER SERVICE CENTER (AS REPORTED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER). EXTENSIVE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AVAILABLE AND, FRANKLY, THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO ACCURATELY DEPICT THE SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC NATURE OF THIS SUSPENSION DAMAGE. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE UPPER CONTROL ARM, A MAJOR SUSPENSION COMPONENT WHOSE FAILURE WOULD LIKE RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND POSSIBLY A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT, WAS AT OR NEAR THE POINT OF FRACTURE DUE TO THE MASSIVE LOSS OF CROSS SECTIONAL MATERIAL FROM THE FREQUENT IMPACTS (ON SUSPENSION COMPRESSION) BY THE MUCH HARDER/STRONGER BOLT TIP. IN OTHER WORDS, THE BOLT TIP ACTED AS A LATHE, CUTTING INTO THE SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM WITH EACH SUSPENSION CYCLE. IN THE SHORT TERM, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND AN IMMEDIATE INSPECTION OF THE TESLA MODEL S FLEET, BEGINNING WITH MODEL S'S THAT HAVE HAD THEIR POWERTRAIN LOWERED AND REINSTALLED, TO SEE HOW MANY OTHER MODEL S'S HAVE THIS IMPENDING CATASTROPHIC DEFECT. WHILE IT COULD HAPPEN, I WOULD BE HIGHLY SURPRISED IF THIS VIN WAS THE ONE AND ONLY CASE OF THIS BOLT BEING INSTALLED BACKWARDS. IN THE LONGER TERM, I RECOMMEND THIS BOLT BE REDESIGNED SO AS TO PREVENT INCORRECT INSTALLATION. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHS. *TR