NHTSA Complaint #11373434 — 2016 TESLA MODEL X

THE TOUCHSCREEN IN THIS CAR, WHICH TESLA MISLEADINGLY CALLS THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM, HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY, LEAVING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE AND EVEN UNABLE TO BE PLACED INTO NEUTRAL. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, ALL THE CAR'S COMPUTER SYSTEMS WENT DEAD AND THE CAR LOCKED UP (PARKED AT HOME) AND HAD TO BE DRAGGED ONTO A TOW TRUCK. TESLA REPLACED THE ENTIRE CENTER SCREEN (AT MY EXPENSE) IN JULY 2020. IN ANOTHER INSTANCE ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE SCREENS DIED WHILE IN A GROCERY PARKING LOT. EVENTUALLY THE POWER SCREEN CAME BACK, WHICH ALLOWED THE CAR TO BE DRIVEN HOME, BUT WITH NO CONTROL OVER LIGHTS, CLIMATE SYSTEMS, REAR CAMERA, ETC. IN THAT CASE TESLA REPARTITIONED THE HARD DRIVE, WHICH MADE THE CAR OPERABLE AGAIN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. BOTH SCREENS ARE NOW FAILING AGAIN, WHICH MAKES THE CAR UNSAFE TO TAKE ANYWHERE. JUST TO BE CLEAR, DESPITE CALLING THE CENTER SCREEN AN "INFOTAINMENT" SYSTEM, THAT SCREEN IS NECESSARY TO OPERATE THE CAR SAFELY. WITHOUT THE BACKUP CAMERA, THERE IS NO VISIBILITY BEHIND THE CAR. IT ALSO CONTROLS HEADLIGHTS, CLIMATE, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS. BASED ON ANECDOTAL REPORTS IN TESLA FORUMS, SIMILAR PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE HAPPENING TO MANY 2016 MODEL XS, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT THE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED.