NHTSA Complaint #11351926 — 2013 TESLA MODEL S

WHILE SLOWLY BACKING CAR UP IN DRIVEWAY, THE LEFT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM UNEXPECTEDLY FAILED AND THE SUSPENSION COLLAPSED WITH THE WHEEL CAMBERED OUTWARD AT 30 DEGREES OR SO. THE WHEEL WAS TRAPPED IN THE WHEEL WELL AND UNABLE TO ROTATE, AND RELATED SUSPENSION PARTS INCLUDING A BRAKE LINE AND THE AIR SPRING MODULE WERE DAMAGED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT SPEED THE LOCKED-UP REAR WHEEL WOULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL WITH SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. THERE IS AN EXISTING TESLA SERVICE BULLETIN, SB 19-31-001, WHICH STATES: "ON CERTAIN MODEL S VEHICLES, EITHER LOWER REAR CONTROL ARM MIGHT CRACK, CAUSING EXCESSIVE NEGATIVE CAMBER OF THE REAR SUSPENSION." IT STATES THAT THE CORRECTION IS: REPLACE BOTH LH AND RH LOWER REAR CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES WITH UPDATED PARTS." THIS DESCRIBES EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY VEHICLE. THE CIRCULAR, CAST ALUMINUM PART OF THE ARM WHICH CONTAINS A LARGE BUSHING AT THE OUTBOARD END OF THE CONTROL ARM CRACKED AND FAILED SO THAT THE BUSHING WAS NO LONGER HELD BY THE ARM. UNDER THE VEHICLE TWO PIECES OF THE CAST ALUMINUM PART WERE FOUND. THESE BROKEN PARTS WERE THE RESULT OF TWO CRACKS IN THE ASSEMBLY. ONE CRACK HAS EVIDENCE OF CORROSION, SUGGESTING THAT IT OCCURRED MONTHS BEFORE THE UNIT FAILED; THE OTHER CRACK SHOWS BARE METAL INDICATING THAT IT JUST OCCURRED. THE TESLA SB STATES THAT THIS DEFECT IS A "KNOWN NON-SAFETY-RELATED CONDITION." I CANNOT POSSIBLY SEE HOW THIS IS A "NON-SAFETY-RELATED" ISSUE -- IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED AT SPEED IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. TESLA SERVICE HAS QUOTED ALMOST $4000 FOR REPAIR, BUT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE REPLACEMENT OF THE CONTROL ARM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE PER THE SERVICE BULLETIN -- IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE IGNORING THE BULLETIN. OTHERS ON THE TESLA FORUMS ARE HAVING EXACTLY THE SAME CONTROL ARM FAILURES. THE SITUATION IS UNNERVING AND DISCOURAGING.