2013 TESLA MODEL S Engine Problems
20 NHTSA complaints on file
Engine Issues in the 2013 TESLA MODEL S
20 engine complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 TESLA MODEL S. Of these, 3 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, and 1 resulted in injury.
20
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
All Engine Complaints
Complete engine failure. Car became disabled and unable to move. Upon investigation, this was drive unit failure due to coolant leaking past the seal. A common issue of Tesla Model S and X with the large drive unit. I believe that this is a design flaw and should be a class action type situation. Can you help?
Without warning, vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating while driving on freeway. Driver had to manouver to avoid a potentially fatal situation. Manufacturer's service center noted this malfunction was due to a failed Drive Unit (electric motor.) Only during incident was there any warning to driver - dashboard indicated "PRND" in red. No prior symptoms at any point were noted by driver in advance. This specific Drive Unit was a replacement unit that lasted only around 40,000 miles (stated by vendor records - installed at approx. 131,000 miles three years ago.) Drive Units on these vehicles can fail at similar mileage due to a known manufacturing defect. This vehicle and early model S vehicles are impacted. This defect is due to a flawed design of a rubber seal that causes coolant fluid to leak into the Drive Unit and results in sudden catastrophic failure. Manufacturer has been aware of failing Drive Units...
The Tesla Large Drive Motor, has a known design flaw that Tesla will not repair… it has a coolant leak the affects and kills the motor… they have down a redesign for the performance motor called a coolant delete but not for the LDU… and they will charge over $6500 to replace the motor. I’m on my 6th LDU (motor) and now out warranty. There are thousands of cases of this failure .. it should be absorbed recall and free replacement … they know it’s a problem, please force a design change oand recall
I am writing to express my serious concerns regarding two critical component failures in my 2013 Tesla Model S within the past 12 months, both of which occurred shortly after the manufacturer's warranty had expired. These issues have not only been financially burdensome but also raise questions about the reliability and longevity of Tesla vehicles. Motor Replacement: In Sept 2022, I was compelled to replace the motor in my Tesla Model S at a cost of $6,304.89. This occurred despite my vehicle maintaining a clean record and having only around 70k miles on it at the time. The timing of this failure, immediately after the expiration of the manufacturer's warranty, is concerning and suggests a potential design or manufacturing flaw. Battery Replacement: Most recently, I have been informed that the battery in my Tesla Model S requires replacement at an estimated cost of $15,545.97. Like the motor failure, this comes...
Explained to Tesla service center immediately upon purchasing vehicle while it was still under warranty that the vehicle range was unacceptable using TESLA's warranty guideline for requirements for a battery replacement while under warranty. TELSA refused to changed the battery even though I took the vehicle to TESLA several times while the Battery was still under warranty. A month after the warranty expired the motor died, it had been showing signs wear but TESLA failed to property inform me of the issue and charged me over $6000 for the repair due to my lack of knowledge on what the symptoms are for a failing motor. Shortly after the warning for "Charging - Maximum battery charge level reduced" has come on and TESLA is trying to charge me about $21,000 for a replacement battery.
Vehicle stops unexpectedly when driving. Put other drivers and myself at risk when vehicle suddenly stopped. The vehicle stopped on June 15 at approximately 6:57 pm EST. The vehicle stopped unexpectedly 4 times. After a period of time I was able to drive the vehicle a short distance. I was finally able to get the vehicle almost home. A few days later I was able to get the vehicle to the Tesla dealership for service. The vehicle has not been repaired yet.
2013 TESLA MODEL S. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO FAILURE DRIVE TRAIN SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVE FAILED TWICE AND WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE 2ND FAILURE WS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR COST.
I was just getting off the freeway, into a business area, and all of a sudden car stopped without any warning, with a quick "power reduced flash on the screen, unable to move at all. I was in the middle of busy area, blocking the street and cars parked on each side. The rear wheel drive locked, even in neutral position, and also tow mode. 4 people tried to push the car into a safe area without success. Had to wait for a tow truck to take the car to tesla facility. Was told there was an internal failure of the inverter and the unit its self, which would coast over 6k. Very scary and a stressful situation I suffered and it needs to be addressed of the danger.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MEDIA CONTROL UNIT FAILED TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACHIEVE THE ESTIMATED 210 MILES PER CHARGE INSTEAD ONLY ACHIEVING 120 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA (4361 GRANITE DRIVE, ROCKLIN, CA 95677, 916-652-7740), WHERE THE MEDIA CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE IN REPLACING THE BATTERY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. INVALID VIN. *LN*DT*AS
THE EMMC IS FAILING AND CAUSING THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS TO ACT ODD. I'VE REPORTED IT FOR THE FAILING MAIN SCREEN AND IT TURNING OFF FOR OVER 36 HOURS BUT YESTERDAY THE SPEEDOMETER SCREEN WENT BLANK AND WOULDN'T COME ON FOR A AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE CAR WOULDN'T START AT FIRST, AND WHEN IT DID, THERE WAS NO SPEEDOMETER (!), NO ODOMETER, NO BATTERY LEVEL READ OUT, NO GEAR INDICATOR, NO HEADLIGHTS, NOR ANY OTHER FUNCTION OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN IT FAILED. IT FLASHED ON FOR A SECOND, WHICH ALLOWED LIGHTS TO COME ON AND GO IN DRIVE, BUT IT IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK OFF LEAVING THE CAR WITHOUT ANY SPEEDOMETER OR OTHER ITEMS LISTED ABOVE. THIS WAS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
2013 MODEL S 40. MCU FAILED DUE TO MEMORY CARD FAILURE IN DECEMBER 2018. CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE. HAD TO BE TOWED. CAR LOWERED WINDOWS BY ITSELF AND COULD NOT BE CLOSED. DRAINED BATTERY. CAR COULD NOT BE OPENED. CHARGED $2100 TO REPLACE MCU OUT OF WARRANTY. MCU ALSO FAILED ON MY 2015 MODEL S 70D [XXX] IN 2019. REPLACED EMMC CHIP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
RE: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: DP19005 - INVESTIGATION SUBJECT : BATTERY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE UPDATES
I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF RANGE WITH 2019.16 SOFTWARE UPDATE THAT TESLA RELEASE. I NO LONGER HAVE THE RANGE OR CHARGING SPEED BEFORE THE UPDATE. THIS WAS A PURPOSEFUL ACTION FROM TESLA DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR THE BATTERIES CATCHING FIRE. TESLA TOOK ACTION TO DOWNGRADE HORSEPOWER AND RANGE ALONG WITH ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE THROUGH A TOTAL VOLTAGE CAP. THIS IN EFFECT HAS DEVALUED THE RESELL VALUE OF MY CAR BY REMOVING FUNCTIONS, RANGE AND CHARGING SPEED. THIS CHANGE HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE AND STATIONARY.
ON 9/5/19 MY MCU (MEDIA CONTROL UNIT) (THE MAIN COMPUTER IN MY CAR) DIED. AS A RESULT, I WAS UNABLE TO: 1. MANUALLY POWER OFF THE VEHICLE AND PLACE IN TOW MODE 2. TURN ON PARKING LIGHTS, TURN ON/OFF HEADLIGHTS 3. TRIGGER ON/OFF CHILD PROTECTION LOCKS ADDITIONALLY, 1. ALL HEATING, COOLING, DEFROST, AND DEFOGGING WAS DISABLED I'VE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH MODEL S/X CARS ON MULTIPLE FORUMS INCLUDING HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/ & HTTPS://FORUMS.TESLA.COM. I BELIEVE THE REASON IS SHOWN HERE HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=O-7B1WAOJ9Q. START AT 8:40. THIS IS QUITE WORRISOME, AS IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS FAILURE WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IN A FEW YEARS. IT WAS A HOT DAY AND NOT ONLY WAS IT UNBEARABLY INSIDE MY CAR, HOWEVER, MORE IMPORTANTLY, MANY OF THE KEY SAFETY FUNCTIONS (SEE ABOVE) WERE ALSO DISABLED DUE TO THIS FAILURE.
IT WAS A 2HR45MIN DRIVE INTO WORK ON AN ICY BLIZZARDY MORNING, DRIVING MY 2013 MODEL S RWD P85 WITH 90,000MI. HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 4 YRS. MADE IT TO WORK SAFELY AND THE LAST 6 FEET IN THE PARKING GARAGE, GOING ABOUT 3 MPH PULLING AT A RIGHT ANGLE INTO A PARKING STALL. HAD BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, SHIFTED MY FOOT TO TAP ON THE ACCELERATOR TO INCH FORWARD AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, CAR IS ACCELERATING FULL THROTTLE INTO A CEMENT WALL. CRASHED HEAD ON AND AIRBAG DIDN'T EVEN DEPLOY. SAT FOR A MOMENT TO CATCH MY BREATH AND TRY TO PROCESS WHAT HAPPENED. SENT "BUG REPORT" ON TO TESLA CENTRAL FROM THE CAR. THE DASHBOARD HAD PRND LIT UP IN RED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS COMPLETELY LIMP. ZERO RESISTANCE. THANKFULLY, NO OTHER CAR WAS AROUND ME. CALLED TESLA...
I WAS DRIVING MY TESLA MODEL S EARLY IN THE MORNING IN A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN WAS SLOWLY APPROACHING TO FOUR-WAY STOP SIGN INTERSECTION BY GRADUALLY STEP ON THE BRAKE. AT THE VERY BEGINNING, I CAN FEEL THE CAR DECELERATED, SUDDENLY THERE WAS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION THAT I FELT. THERE WAS A JERKING FORWARD OF THE CAR, SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE A FULL STOP AT THE STOP SIGN. THEN THE SPEED DROPS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY, ALMOST TO ZERO. I PRESSED THE FLASHING LIGHT BECAUSE THERE WAS A LINE OF CARS BEHIND ME AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS IN ALMOST ZERO SPEED, SO I TRIED TO MOVE THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATION PEDAL A LITTLE. THE CAR DIDN'T ACCELERATE, INSTEAD, IT TURNED INTO A STOP SITUATION. I REALIZED I LOST DRIVING POWER OF THIS CAR. I...
SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT A STRIP MALL, I RELEASED MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS, LIGHTLY TAPPED BRAKE AND THE CAR "UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED" INTO A PALM TREE IN FRONT OF A BRICK PILLAR AT A STRIP MALL. I BACKED OUT TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. HUSBAND WAS WITNESS IN DRIVER'S SEAT. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME, (LAST YEAR AT A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT) ALTHO THE FIRST TIME NO DAMAGE WAS DONE AND NO REPORTS WERE FILED. POOR DECISION IN HINDSIGHT! SINCE NO PERSON WAS INJURED, THE POLICE DEPT WOULD NOT TAKE A REPORT. INSURANCE WAS CALLED AS WELL AS TESLA. TESLA TOOK 6 DAYS TO PULL LOGS AND ASSURED US IT WAS BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND ESCALATED TO MANAGEMENT. WE RECEIVED A CALL YESTERDAY FROM TOSHA AT TESLA, RELAYING THAT THEY DETERMINED THAT T WAS DRIVER ERROR AND LOG REPORTS SHOW THAT AS...
I PREVIOUSLY FILED A COMPLAINT TO NHTSA ON 9/24/2013 WITH NHTSA ID NO. 10545230. I NOTICED SIMILAR ISSUE WAS REPORTED BY 3 OR 4 OTHER TESLA OWNERS: (1) 9/26/2013 NHTSA ID NO. 10545488, (2) 9/29/2014 NHTSA NO. 10639849, (3) 9/29/2014 NHTSA NO. 10639935, AND (4) 6/8/2015 NHTSA ID NO. 10723925. THERE WAS ANOTHER SIMILAR CASE IN CAMARILLO CA AS REPORTED BY VENTURA COUNTY STAR ON 3/29/2013 BUT APPARENTLY WAS NOT REPORTED TO NHTSA. THERE WERE SO MANY SIMILAR INCIDENCES HAPPENED WITH ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF 2013 AND 2014 TESLA MODEL S ON THE ROAD, SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THE MODEL S. TESLA CANNOT KEEP BLAMING THE DRIVERS BEING AT FAULT.
NEEDED TO REPLACE DRIVE MOTOR, 85KW BATTERY IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND CURRENTLY HAVE FAULTY ONBOARD CHARGER AND NOT ABLE TO CHARGE. THESE FREQUENT CHARGING PROBLEMS HAVE REALLY ANNOYED ME. TESLA SERVICE HAS BEEN REALLY NICE AND RESPONSIVE, HOWEVER, I DECIDED TO REPORT THESE BECAUSE THE ISSUES ARE BEYOND WHAT'S EXPECTED FROM A NEW CAR, LET ALONE A TESLA. THIS IS LESS THAN RELIABLE FOR A 1+ YR OLD CAR. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE EXTENSION OF TESLA DRIVE TRAIN AND BATTERY WARRANTY (UNLIMITED MILES) THESE WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. *TR
I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY MODEL S ON MONDAY, JULY 1, 2013. I TOOK THE CAR FOR A FAST DRIVE AND I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. IT WAS COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE SMELL MADE ME DIZZY ALONG WITH MY FAMILY MEMBERS TO A POINT WHERE WE HAD TO STOP AND GET OUT OF THE CAR FOR AIR AND WALK IT OFF. WHY HASN'T THE GOVERNMENT ISSUED A RECALL ON THE TESLA MODEL S. I CALLED TESLA, I WAS TOLD, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT, THE SMELL WILL EVENTUALLY GO AWAY. THIS IS B.S. I PAID OVER $100,000 FOR A CAR THAT I CANNOT DRIVE FOR 2 TO 3 WEEKS BECAUSE OF A BURNING SMELL THAT MAKES EVERYONE IN MY CAR DIZZY AND ALL TESLA DOES IS SAY, OPEN YOUR WINDOWS? GO CHECK THE TESLA FORUM, EVERYONE IS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SMELL BUT TESLA WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. HTTP://WWW-ORIGIN.TESLAMOTORS.COM/DE_AT/FORUM/FORUMS/BURN-SMELL-NEW-TESLA-S-WHEN-HEAT I...
Other 2013 TESLA MODEL S Problem Areas
Electrical System
188 complaints
Unknown Or Other
120 complaints
Suspension
91 complaints
Power Train
31 complaints
Steering
28 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
25 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
23 complaints
Service Brakes
21 complaints
Visibilitywiper
18 complaints
Exterior Lighting
14 complaints
Structurebody
14 complaints
Wheels
7 complaints
Air Bags
6 complaints
Electronic Stability Control Esc
6 complaints
Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection
5 complaints
Back Over Prevention
4 complaints
Seats
4 complaints
Visibility
4 complaints
Back Over Prevention Warnings
3 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking
3 complaints
Structure
3 complaints
Tires
3 complaints
Equipment
2 complaints
Parking Brake
2 complaints
Power Traindrivelinedriveshaft
2 complaints
Back Over Prevention Rearview System Braking
1 complaint
Electrical System12v24v48v Battery
1 complaint
Electrical Systempropulsion Systemchargingcablecordaccessory
1 complaint
Electrical Systempropulsion Systemtraction Battery
1 complaint
Electrical Systemsoftware
1 complaint
Equipmentelectrical
1 complaint
Equipmentelectricalinfotainmentvideo Touchscreenmonitorunit
1 complaint
Lane Departure Assist
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkages
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch
1 complaint
Seat Belts
1 complaint
Structurebodydoor
1 complaint
Structurebodydoorhandleexterior
1 complaint
Structurebodyhood
1 complaint