NHTSA Complaint #11344209 — 2015 TESLA MODEL S

STEERING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WAS SOMEWHAT UNFAMILIAR TO ME, IT STAYED IN ONE LANE BUT WOULD WANDER MORE THAN I RECALLED. I ASSUMED IT WAS THE STUDDED SNOWTIRES (HAKKEPELLITA) AND PULLED OVER TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURES. I CAREFULLY DROVE ON TO THE SUPERCHARGER, NOTICED AS I BACAKED INTO THE SUPERCHARGER POSITION THE STEERING WAS DIFFICULT, AS IF THE POWER STEERING WAS COMPROMISED. DROVE HOME CAREFULLY, FOUND THE ELECTRIFIED GARAGE WHICH SPECIALIZED IN TESLA REPAIRS, IN SEABROOK, NH. THE TESLA WAS FLAT-BED TRANSPORTED TO THEM. THEY REPORTED THAT DURING THE MANY WEEKS THEY HAD IT, THAT THE STEERING BOX HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED TESLA CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND. AS A RESULT, I CANCELLED A NEW 2020 MODEL S DURING THE SUMMER OF 2020, AND BOUGHT A NEW LEXUS INSTEAD. I WAS TOO UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE ENGINEERING OF THE TESLA, AND THAT THE STEERING BOX SHOULD NOT FAIL IN 7,690 MILES SINCE NEW. I FOUND A SERVICE MESSAGE THAT DISCUSSED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE 5 POWER STEERING MOUNTING BOLTS. THEY CAME TO MY HOME TO REPLACE THEM. I LOOKED UP THE 38 PAGE SERVICE BULLETIN AND FOUND SEVERAL WARNINGS IN IT ABOUT NOT TAKING MORE THAN ONE BOLT OUT AT A TIME. SINCE THEY HAD COME TO MY HOME TO REPLACE THE BOLTS, I THEORIZED PERHAPS THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT FOLLOW THE BULLETIN CONTENT EXACTLY. BULLETIN WARNED THAT IF YOU REMOVE MORE THAN 1 BOLT AT A TIME YOU MUST REPLACE THE STEERING BOX. SEE BULLETIN SB-18-32-002 R1 (AND REVISION 2 AND REV. 3) . MINE IS SUBMODEL P85D (AWD) AND PLEASE NOTE FIRST VERSION OF THE BULLETIN AND REVISION 2, AND 3RD REVISION ARE DIFFERENT. THEY REFERENCE SERVICE MANUAL PROCEDURE 32010102 TO REPLACE THE STEERING BOX ON PAGE 4 OF SB 18-32-(001) SEE ALSO: HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/POWER-STEERING-FALLING-APART.100951/ WHERE THE STEERING BOX/PS FAILURES ARE DISCUSSED BY TESLA OWNERS.