NHTSA Complaint #11404368 — 2021 TESLA MODEL Y

TODAY, MAR. 22, 2021, IN MY BRAND NEW 2021 TESLA MODEL Y, WHICH I HAVE NOW OWNED FOR ONE MONTH, I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AT A FAIRLY LARGE INTERSECTION ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF ANNAPOLIS, MD. I HAD MY FOOT RESTING ON THE FLOOR AS THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND IN HOLD MODE. SUDDENLY, WITH THE LIGHT STILL RED AND ON ITS OWN, MY CAR ACCELERATED THROUGH THE RED LIGHT INTO THE INTERSECTION AT TOP SPEED. (I WAS THE FIRST CAR IN LINE AT THE RED LIGHT.) I SLAMMED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT NOTHING HAPPENED, IT KEPT GOING RIGHT THROUGH. A VAN CROSSING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION IN THE OTHER DIRECTION PROCEEDING THROUGH HIS GREEN LIGHT WAS NARROWLY, WITHIN AN INCH, MISSED BY MY CAR, WHICH KEPT GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH UNTIL IT FINALLY STOPPED AT THE OTHER SIDE. CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND THE WEATHER WAS NICE. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 1:00 IN THE AFTERNOON EST. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE UNTIL I CAME TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER, AND THEN CALLED TESLA SERVICE AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND FOUND THEIR ATTITUDE TO BE VERY DEFENSIVE. I WAS TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT SO I HAD THEM COME AND TOW IT TO THE SERVICE CENTER WHERE THEY SAY THEY WILL LOOK AT THE LOG. ABOUT A DAY OR TWO AGO, A SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS PUSHED TO MY CAR; THAT WAS THE SECOND SW UPDATE SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR ONE MONTH AGO. THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST TERRIFYING THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED IN MY 42 YEARS OF DRIVING. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR MY CAR COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. THANK GOD NO PEDESTRIANS WERE CROSSING IN FRONT OF ME AT THE TIME, AND THAT I SOMEHOW MISSED THAT PASSING VAN. I I FELT THE NEED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO THE AUTHORITIES -- I TOLD TESLA I WANT THEM TO TAKE BACK THE CAR AND GIVE ME A NEW ONE IN EXCHANGE. IT IS ONLY ONE MONTH OLD AND HAS JUST 801 MILES OF DRIVING ON IT THUS FAR. I WAS NOT USING AUTO PILOT, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NOR WAS I USING CRUISE CONTROL. I DO NOT HAVE THE SELF-DRIVING PACKAGE.