NHTSA Complaint #11376323 — 2018 TESLA MODEL 3

WE HAVE A 2018 TESLA MODEL 3, PURCHASED NEW IN LATE JULY 2018, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 32,000 MILES. WE HAVE NOW HAD 8 FLAT TIRES IN THE SPAN OF 26 MONTHS OR ON AVERAGE ONE EVERY 4,000 MILES, ALL BY PUNCTURE. WE LIVE AND DRIVE IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. OUR OTHER VEHICLES HAVE GONE 10+ YEARS WITHOUT A FLAT TIRE SO THE TESLA FLAT TIRES ARE NOT DUE TO THE AREA WE LIVE IN.. ON OUR TESLA WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 7 TIRES, 5 WITH ASSISTANCE FROM MICHELIN AT A TOTAL OUT OF POCKET COST OF ABOUT $2,000. PLUS MUCH TIME, PAIN AND SUFFERING. THE FLAT TIRE ISSUE IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW AS TESLA SPECS AND DELIVERS THE CAR WITH MICHELIN 235/45R18XL 98W MIC PRIMACY TIRES THAT ARE PRONE TO PUNCTURE DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE, THE LOW PROFILE SOFT RUBBER TIRE AND THE CAR DOES NOT COME WITH A SPARE TIRE. WE HAVE TALKED AT LENGTH WITH TESLA SERVICE AND THEY ADMIT THAT THE CAR IS A 'FLAT TIRE MAGNET' AS IT IS ONE OF THE HEAVIEST VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, THE LOW PROFILE PERFORMANCE TIRES ARE PUNCTURE PRONE AND FLAT TIRES ARE THE MOST COMMON REPAIR. WE HAVE BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO GETTING A FLAT IN AN AREA WITH POOR CELL PHONE COVERAGE, WHICH MEANS YOU ARE BASICALLY HITCH HIKING. ON 2 OCCASIONS WE WERE ON A FREEWAY IN THE FAST OR SECOND LANE WHEN THE PUNCTURE OCCURRED AND THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SLOWED DOWN WITH ALARMS SCREECHING FORCING DRIVERS BEHIND US TO PASS ON THE RIGHT PRECLUDING US FROM PULLING OVER FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, WHICH DESTROYED THE FLAT TIRE, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND LEFT MY WIFE AND I TERRIFIED. WE NO LONGER TRUST THE VEHICLE FOR TRIPS OUTSIDE OF OUR IMMEDIATE AREA.