NHTSA Complaint #11233752 — 2017 TESLA MODEL S

AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEED IN MY 2017 TESLA MODEL S 90D (16,500 MILES) WITH THE WHEELS TURNED TO THE LEFT, I HEARD A LOUD BANG. I THOUGHT I RAN OVER SOMETHING SO GOT OUT TO LOOK AND SAW NOTHING. AS I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT DROVE SMOOTHLY AT FIRST BUT I COULD HEAR A SCRAPING OR RUBBING SOUND AS I PUT ON THE BRAKES OR HIT THE ACCELERATOR AFTER BRAKING. AFTER PARKING AT MY DESTINATION, WHEN I WAS BACKING OUT TO LEAVE I HEARD AND FELT RUMBLING AND SCRAPPING ON THE LEFT FRONT DRIVERS WHEEL. I LOOKED AND SAW THAT THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL LINER WAS BROKEN AND COLLAPSED AND THE TIRE WAS RUBBING ON THE WHEEL WELL. I PUSHED THE LINER INTO PLACE AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO TESLA SERVICE (3 MILES AWAY) NOTICING MY BRAKES WHERE SLIPPING WHEN APPLIED. ON ARRIVAL THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME MY LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM WAS BROKEN AND ASKED ME IF I HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I TOLD HIM NO, AND HE SAID THEY WOULD NEED TO ELEVATE THE CAR TO LOOK AT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. THE LEFT CONTROL ARM FORE LINK HAD SPONTANEOUSLY FAILED. TESLA FIXED BOTH THE FAILED LEFT AND THE INTACT RIGHT UNDER WARRANTY ALONG WITH THE WHEEL LINER, ALIGNED THE CAR AND IT IS NOW RUNNING NORMAL. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FORE LINK ASSEMBLY IN THE MODEL S AND BELIEVE THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM.