NHTSA Complaint #11461558 — 2018 TESLA MODEL 3

Hello. I am writing this report to describe a dramatic decrease in steering responsiveness and vehicle front-end control over my ownership of this car from new. Over about the last year, I have noticed that the steering and handling of the vehicle is not nearly as composed as it was when new. Today, the car has difficulty staying centered in the lane. This unsteadiness is especially evident at Interstate speeds (60-75mph) while the car enters a curve and experiences suspension loading. It feels loose and floaty, almost like the toe is changing while mid-corner. This results in "hunting" or back-and-forth steering inputs just to stay on center. Furthermore, any type of road imperfection causes dramatic bump steer. This culminates into white-knuckled grip driving, since the car will sharply pull out of its driving line. Performance driving, long road trips, or higher-speed cruising are no longer possible with this uncertain steering. Safety is somewhat impacted and the driving and ownership experience is dramatically diminished. For example, a new driver has difficulty with this car due to the ambiguous steering. Over the year this issue has continued, the car has been inspected exactly one dozen times, nine visits to various area Tesla Service Centers and three to reputable and performance-oriented suspension shops. They have confirmed some type of pulling but have yet to adequately resolve the issue. Across all service visits, I have requested and completed replacements of many front-end parts: solid lower control arm bushings, upper control arms, and wheel hubs. Also, a dozen alignments, few balances, and new tires. I have attempted to make an appointment with Tesla for a rack-and-pinion replacement, but they continue to serve alignment estimates and show a lack of willingness to truly troubleshoot my issue. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance. There have been no warning messages related to steering hardware, computer, or control systems.