NHTSA Complaint #11098746 — 2016 TESLA MODEL S

BELOW IS A COPY OF AN EMAIL I SENT TO TESLA ON APRIL 30,2018. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION. ON JANUARY 23, 2018 I HAD AN INCIDENT WITH MY TESLA WHERE I HIT A SMALL POTHOLE (11' WIDE BY 18' LONG AND 2' DEEP) AT A MODERATE SPEED OF ABOUT 40MPH. (I HAVE PICTURES OF THE ROAD THE POTHOLE IN QUESTION.) I LOST SOME CONTROL OF MY CAR SWERVING INTO THE ONCOMING LANE FROM THE IMPACT, BUT MANAGED TO PULL OVER ABOUT A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YARDS AFTER THAT WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. I THOUGHT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE SINCE I HAVE LOW PROFILE TIRES ON THE LARGER RIMS ONLY TO FIND THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. HOWEVER THE WHEEL WAS OFF CAMBER AND I NOTICED THAT IT HAD DAMAGED SOME OF THE WHEEL WELL ON FURTHER INSPECTION.I EVENTUALLY GOT EVERYTHING FIXED (ABOUT FOUR WEEKS LATER) AND THE BILL WAS $4200.00 WHICH I PAID. HOWEVER, AFTER MUCH THOUGHT AND CONSIDERATION, I BELIEVE THE CONTROL ARM IS OF A FAULTY DESIGN AND THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY TESLA. IN FACT, I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE CONTROL ARM WHILE IT WAS ON THE CAR AND I AM IN POSSESSION OF IT AND ALL THE DAMAGED PARTS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT MY TESLA SHOULD HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH DAMAGE FOR A RELATIVELY SMALL POTHOLE AND BELIEVE THE HEAVY LITHIUM BATTERY COUPLED WITH THE IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED CONTROL ARM CAUSED THE PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTE MINE IS NOT THE ONLY COMPLAINT OF THIS NATURE AS I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS IN ONLINE BLOGS AND FEEL THAT THIS MAY BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH TESLA'S CONTROL ARMS. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I PURCHASED THE TESLA FOR MANY REASONS, BUT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WAS ITS SAFETY RECORD AND RATINGS BY THE NHTSA WHO I HAVE COPIED ON THIS EMAIL. AFTER LOSING MOMENTARY CONTROL FROM HITTING SUCH A SMALL POTHOLE WHICH PUT ME INTO THE ONCOMING LANE, (I WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NOT ONCOMING TRAFFIC) I DO NOT HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR THAT I ONCE DID.