NHTSA Complaint #11330553 — 2013 TESLA MODEL S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM issue reported to NHTSA

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Complaint Details

ODI Number 11330553
Vehicle 2013 TESLA MODEL S
Component ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of Incident
Date Filed
Mileage 98,200 miles
Crash No
Fire No
Injuries 0
Deaths 0
Vehicle Towed No
State CO

Consumer Description

THE CENTER MEDIA TOUCHSCREEN (MCU) IN MY VEHICLE STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND SEVERAL FUNCTIONS CEASED WORKING. INITIALLY I RECEIVED A "TOUCHSCREEN UNRESPONSIVE" MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING SO WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT I ATTEMPTED TO REBOOT THE MCU USING THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS. THE SCREEN STARTED THE REBOOT PROCESS BUT EVERYTHING THAT WAS ON INCLUDING HVAC AND RADIO TURNED OFF FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY DRIVE AND WERE INOPERABLE UNTIL AFTER THE SCREEN WAS REPLACED. THE TOUCHSCREEN NEVER TURNED BACK ON. MANY FUNCTIONS DID NOT WORK WHEN THE MCU DIED WITH THE ODDEST ONE OF ALL BEING THAT I HAD NO TURN SIGNAL SOUNDS WHICH I THINK ARE CREATED BY THE CARS AUDIO SYSTEM AND THE MCU. WITH THE LOSS OF THE MCU, I LOST THE USE OF MY BACKUP CAMERA AND MY HVAC WHICH WAS STUCK IN AN OFF STATE SO I HAD TO ROLL DOWN MY WINDOWS IN ORDER TO HAVE ANY AIRFLOW IN THE CABIN. THANKFULLY I DID NOT NEED THE FORWARD OR REAR DEFROSTER BETWEEN WHEN MY SCREEN STOPPED WORKING AND IT WAS REPLACED AS BOTH ARE CONTROLLED VIA THE MCU AND WERE UNAVAILABLE. CHARGING AT HOME WAS EXTREMELY LIMITED AND MAXED OUT AT VERY LOW AMPERAGE AND I WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE THE CHARGING AMPERAGE DUE TO THE INACCESSIBLE TOUCHSCREEN. I DID NOT TRY A DC FAST CHARGER. MOBILE APP CONTROL WAS UNAVAILABLE SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO USE IT TO ADJUST MY HVAC OR CHARGING SETTINGS. THE CONTROLS FOR ADJUSTING THE ACTIVE AIR SUSPENSION WERE ALSO NOT AVAILABLE HOWEVER THE CAR APPEARED TO SET ITSELF TO A NORMAL RIDE HEIGHT. NO STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS (HVAC, RADIO, SUNROOF, VOICE COMMANDS) WORKED AND MY HEADLIGHTS WERE STUCK IN AUTO MODE THAT WAS THE SECOND MCU IN MY CAR, PREVIOUSLY BEING REPLACED ABOUT 14 MONTHS EARLIER DUE TO THE SCREEN ADHESIVE FAILING WHICH CAUSED AIR BUBBLES TO FORM WITHIN THE TOUCHSCREEN. I THINK THE CAUSE OF THE MCU FAILURE WAS EMMC FLASH REACHING ITS MAXIMUM WRITE LIFETIME DESPITE THE PRIOR REPLACEMENT. *TR

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