NHTSA Complaint #11618666 — 2018 TESLA MODEL 3
SUSPENSION issue reported to NHTSA
Complaint Details
| ODI Number | 11618666 |
| Vehicle | 2018 TESLA MODEL 3 |
| Component | SUSPENSION |
| Date of Incident | |
| Date Filed | |
| Mileage | N/A miles |
| Crash | No |
| Fire | No |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Vehicle Towed | No |
| State | CA |
Consumer Description
On [XXX], I started driving to work when I heard an click from my front wheel. The car was driving without any problem. After a while when making a U-turn, the car front wheel got completely locked with a "grinding sound" and I lost control of the car. Fortunately, it was at low speed and I just stopped driving, If it was at high speed, it could've been a horrible situation. I had to park my car, call Tesla and tow the car to them as it was not drivable. After initial evaluation, they said the bolts of the right suspension lateral arm were not only loose, but detached and fell off, so there was physical locking between the wheel and the lateral arm. Also the bolt attachment site at the subframe was completely worn out so they needed to change the whole subframe and both lateral arms. Beside a clear RECALL from TESLA models 3/y made between 2018-2020 about the exact same issue, and this event being for the same exact problem, Tesla keeps not appreciating that and says that recall is gone. Tesla says the loose component will be audible before it completely separates, but it was not in my case. Looking at people's posts in public media, I strongly believe Tesla is ignoring this life-threatening deficit in these cars and models and this can put the lives of many drivers at risk. While I paid out of pocket for repairs, I'm more concerned about the safety of driving my and similar cars at the moment, so I request adequate investigation. Here is some evidence: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Related Complaints for the 2018 TESLA MODEL 3
Other SUSPENSION Complaints
#11716305
2018 Tesla model 3 front chassis subframe welded nut to the chassis is come off now left side control arm keep gettin...
#11715637
My 2018 Tesla Model 3 started squeaking at 36k miles at the end of 2023 (5 year old) I took to the Tesla service cent...
#11714500
The front control arms are creaking and I’ve read that many of models built in 2018 have this problem as well. It is ...
#11709664
I purchased this car new in 2018 and recently replaced the front lateral suspension arm due to worn bushings. During ...
#11709248
The front suspension began having grinding noises. This was especially pronounced during turning at low speeds. At 58...
Recent Complaints for the 2018 TESLA MODEL 3
#11718114
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
There is no checkbox for Full Self Driving (Supervised): 3 times in the last 4 weeks, my Tesla has become impatient a...
#11716395
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Description of the Defect: While driving with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged, the vehicle's primary computer shuts ...
#11716395
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Description of the Defect: While driving with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged, the vehicle's primary computer shuts ...
#11716395
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Description of the Defect: While driving with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged, the vehicle's primary computer shuts ...
#11716455
STRUCTURE:BODY
The rear doors are not equipped with manual door releases. In the event of a crash or fire the rear seat passengers w...