NHTSA Complaint #11483680 — 2022 TESLA MODEL Y

On August 21, 2022, the front hood ("frunk'") of this car inexplicably flew open, swinging around and severely damaging the windshield (and the hood, naturally). The car was not being driven, it was being transported from California to Florida atop a large vehicle transportation truck. On the third day of driving, after nearly 2000 miles of the trip on a highway in Louisiana, the hood inexplicably popped open while the car was riding on the top of the transport vehicle. The truck driver was made aware of the issue by a passing motorist, pulled over, and was able to pull the hood down and latch it. Tesla customer support has told me via a chat app that their systems indicate that the hood remained latched during the entire journey, and at no point was unlatched during the transportation period. Tesla also cancelled a scheduled inspection at its own service center, indicating the company has no interest in understanding why a presumably latched hood would suddenly fly open. I have had the vehicle evaluated by two repair shops, and the windshield damage is very obviously and perfectly consistent with a hood swinging around on its hinges and smashing the windshield. The hood, at the near corners which smashed into the windshield, also show scratches and damage/bent metal. I feel very fortunate to not have been driving this vehicle at the time it happened, as I would have completely lost visibility with the hood raised. The transport driver was in possession of a fob, which when pushed very deliberately in a specific manner, could unlatch the front hood. However, the driver did not do so. I believe the safety of Tesla's Model Y hood latch should be investigated, from a mechanical and software/electronic/radio systems activation perspective.