NHTSA Complaint #11062872 — 2015 TESLA MODEL S

THERE IS A THREAD RUNNING ON TESLA MOTORS CLUB FORUM IN WHICH AT LEAST 5 DIFFERENT OWNERS REPORT THAT THEIR STEERING BOX HAS COMPLETELY FALLEN APART. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/POWER-STEERING-FALLING-APART.100951/PAGE-3 THE LATEST COMPLAINT FROM AN OWNER PROVIDES DETAILED PICTURES THAT SHOW SNAPPED BOLTS AND DAMAGE TO THE STEERING BOX MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS PARTICULAR OWNER LIVES IN CANADA AND HAS TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE CANADIAN AUTHORITIES. HERE IS A LINK TO MORE PHOTOGRAPHS POSTED BY THAT OWNER. HTTP://WWW.TESLAZOOM.COM/POWER_STEERING.HTM - MESSAGE: POWER STEERING REDUCED FUNCTION WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IT MADE AN AWFUL GRINDING NOISE AND NO POWER ASSIST AVAILABLE. ALL THEY COULD DO FOR ME IS TO PATCH ME IN TO SERVICE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY. I DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK FOR MYSELF AND REMOVED THE FRUNK TUB. VOILA!, THE ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING RACK. ALL 3 ALUMINUM BOLTS HOLDING THIS MOTOR TO THE STEERING RACK HAD SHEARED OFF. HERE IS ONE THAT I FOUND. THERE WAS MASSIVE CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT GETTING INTO IT WEB RESEARCH SHOWS AT LEAST FIVE OTHER INSTANCES OF THE SAME FAILURE ON A PRE FACELIFT CAR. POST FACE LIFT CARS HAVE A REDESIGNED STEERING MOTOR WITH COATED STEEL BOLTS HOLDING IT. ** MANY OWNERS ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ELECTRIC CARS ARE ALMOST MAINTENANCE FREE AND THEY CAN SAVE MONEY BY SKIPPING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE OWNERS ON THE POWER STEERING FAILURE THREAD STATE THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. THE NUMBER OF WRECKED TESLAS SHOWING UP IN SALVAGE CAR AUCTIONS IS EXTREMELY HIGH IN PROPORTION TO THE NUMBER OF TESLAS SOLD. IT IS TIME FOR THESE CARS TO UNDERGO A MANDATORY SAFETY INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED NON-TESLA AUTHORITY. PLEASE TAKE URGENT ACTION. SNIP**