NHTSA Complaint #11176146 — 2013 TESLA MODEL S

THREE DAYS AGO I PARKED MY VEHICLE TO P/U A DOG FROM THE VET THUS PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH THE TIRES CLOSE TO THE CEMENT STOP. NO ISSUE. CAME OUTSIDE WITH THE PET AND LOADED HER INTO THE REAR SEAT. STARTED THE VEHICLE, PUT UNIT INTO REVERSE AND BACKED PERHAPS 3" WHEN UNIT STOPPED MOVING. PULLED FORWARD A FEW INCHES AND TRIED AGAIN. SAME. PULLED UP VEHICLE INFO ON THE IT SCREEN TO HEIGHT OF VEHICLE WHICH HAS AIR SUSPENSION. HEIGHT SHOWED NORMAL. HIT BUTTON FOR MAX HEIGHT, SAME ISSUE. WENT BACK INTO SCREEN AND WENT THROUGH THE SAME PROTOCOL. THIS TIME I COULD SEE THE UNITS FRONT END ROSE A FEW INCHES. PUT UNIT INTO REVERSE AND UNIT BACKED WITHOUT PROBLEM. I KEPT THE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT AT THAT LEVEL. YESTERDAY, 2/20/19. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AND DROVE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING SPACE WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. PICKED UP TWO ORDER OF CHINESE FOOD WEIGHING ABOUT 1 POUND. PUT UNIT INTO REVERSE AFTER SEAT BELTS SECURED. BACKED OUT VERY SLOWLY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. DISMOUNTED FROM VEHICLE TO FIND THE ENTIRE FRONT PORTION OF THE UNIT WAS LYING ON THE GROUND. A PASSERBY SAW WHAT HAPPENED AND SAID "YOU MUST HAVE AIR SUSPENSION LIKE I HAVE IN MY TESLA. THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME"!! THREE OF US WORKED 20 MINUTES OR SO TO REATTACH THE ENTIRE FRONT END. HAD A PEDESTRIAN BEEN WALKING TO THE VEHICLES PARKED NEXT TO ME THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT. WHAT IS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING WHEN DRIVING? I HAD AN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER WITH ME WHEN THIS EVENT HAPPENED. THEY WERE SHOCKED. TESLA WOULD NOT ADMIT THERE IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND STATED OWNERS SHOULD NOT DRIVE FORWARD TO THE TIRE STOP. SO, WE ARE TO LET THE REAR END OF THE UNIT HANG OUT 2 TO 3 FEET IN THE DRIVE AREA. THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE FENDER, HOOD AND FRONT END. THIS SHOULD STOP IT IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE, NOT OPERATOR FAULT.