NHTSA Complaint #11691987 — 2024 TESLA MODEL X

Tesla remotely blocks a car powertrain without warning if a service invoice wasn’t paid before leaving a service center. This poses a safety risk because the car might unexpectedly become non-driving, such as after returning from a hike with young kids in a remote area, without water, food, or medications. To reproduce this issue, follow these steps: 1. Leave a Tesla service before a service or part is charged to the card on file (this can happen for various reasons). 2. Park the car in an underground parking garage or a remote area with no cellular connectivity. 3. Attempt to return home. The result is that the car will be blocked by an unknown PIN, even if the invoice was automatically charged to the card on file while driving. Without Internet connectivity, it’s impossible to work around the PIN. The car has be towed to an area with cellular connectivity to resolve the issue.