NHTSA Complaint #11711497 — 2023 TESLA MODEL Y

A critical front suspension component failed on my 2023 Tesla Model Y without any accident, misuse, or external damage. While backing out of my garage at low speed, a loud “BAM” occurred — the front lateral link bolt fell off, detaching the lateral link and causing the front body to drop onto the tire. My child was inside the vehicle. Tesla-certified technicians inspected the vehicle and service records confirm the lateral link bolt was loose and missing, directly causing the failure. Multiple suspension components were replaced under warranty, confirming a manufacturing defect, not customer-caused damage. This is a serious safety-critical failure. At driving or highway speed, it could have caused loss of steering, severe injury, or death. The day before, my spouse drove the vehicle on the highway with our younger child — by luck, a catastrophic event did not occur. Before and after the wheel detached, the Tesla monitor did not display any warnings. Even after the lateral link and wheel partially detached, the vehicle remained in driving mode and ready to operate, despite a wheel being unsecured — a basic condition that should trigger an immediate alert. This demonstrates a critical failure in Tesla’s safety systems. There were no recalls listed under my VIN. However, NHTSA records show similar failures, with recall notifications issued under NHTSA Recall 21V-835 in 2021 for 2021 and earlier Tesla Model Y and Model 3 vehicles. The same failure in my 2023 Model Y at 23,641 miles shows the defect was not fully corrected and continues to pose a public safety risk. I am reporting this to NHTSA due to the extreme safety risk and request a full investigation.