2013 TESLA MODEL S Structurebody Problems
14 NHTSA complaints on file
Structurebody Issues in the 2013 TESLA MODEL S
14 structurebody complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 TESLA MODEL S. Of these, 2 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, and 1 resulted in injury.
14
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
All Structurebody Complaints
Front impact bumper separated from mount on one side due to rust. Noticed a noise from front of car when going over small bumps in the road. If we had been in an accident, the impact bumper would not have provided adequate protection for the passengers or vehicle components near the drivers front where the mount had separated from the bar. No other inspections have occurred. Pictures and info can also be found here: [XXX] Issue found during replacement of upper control arms. (image has an upper control arm that was removed from the same car at the same time with little/no rust) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
When parked and opening the drivers door or rear passenger doors, the front passenger door will unlatch. Something is setting off the relay to open the front door when other doors open. Does not happen 100% of the time, but 50%+
First the passenger door handle broke and Tesla fixed it, now the driver door handle broke. Seems like a safety issue and these things are just designed to break.
When driving out of parking lot I turned on to the main road and was going about 20 mph when the front hood of car ( Tesla calls this the frunk) came open and raised up to a vertical position completely blocking my view. Fortunately I was going slowly and was able to pull off to the right shoulder and stop. I then was able to close this hood and continue home. Nothing appears damaged. I have no idea how or why this happened. There is no safety catch on this hood to keep it from flying open if the latch fails for some reason or another. Further more on the screen there is a button that can be pushed to open this front hood. I have not opened this front hood for several months. Further I don't know if this button will open the front hood if the car...
DRIVER'S FRONT SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED TO PRESENT AND REQUIRED REPAIR. REPAIRED WITH LATEST GENERATION HANDLES. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME A HANDLE HAS HAD ISSUES ON MY CAR (IT IS THE 3RD TIME A HANDLE HAS BEEN REPLACED). THIS IS CONCERNING AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE. I WAS WITHOUT A WORKING HANDLE FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE I COULD GET IT FIXED. IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR DURING THIS TIME - AND SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR AND UNABLE TO DUE TO THIS DEFECT - THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE A DELAY IN EXTRACTION AND POTENTIALLY A LOSS OF LIFE.
ON NOVEMBER 1, 2019, I WAS SLOWLY BRAKING AND START TURNING RIGHT INTO MY DRIVEWAY ON THE 2013 TESLA MODEL S. I FELT A SURGE OF THE VEHICLE AND 1 SECOND LATER, THE VEHICLE LANDED ON TOP OF THE STAIRCASE OF MY HOUSE ENTRANCE AND DRIVEWAY. I DID NOT PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR AT ALL WHEN I SLOWLY TURNING INTO THE DRIVEWAY.THE VEHICLE SPED ON ITS OWN FOR ONLY A SPLIT SECOND. I CALLED TESLA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE REPRESENTATIVE CONTACTED ME AND DIRECT ME TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD HAVE THE VEHICLE'S INFORMATION TO BE SENT TO THE ENGINEERS TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED BUT TO REPAIR SHOP BUT TESLA SUPPORT TEAM HAS BEEN IGNORING ALL MY CALLS AND EMAIL. MY VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY.
TESLA MODEL S DOOR POPS OPEN WHEN YOU SELECT THE DOORS TO UNLOCK. MANY TIMES, IT DOESNT EVEN SHOW ON THE DASH BOARD, SO YOU DONT KNOW ITS OPEN UNLESS YOU NOTICE IT OR HEAR NOISE COMING FROM OUTSIDE. YOU GO CHECK AND THATS WHEN YOU REALIZE IT IS OPEN. VERY UNSAFE. SOMEONE CAN JUST ROLL OUT OF THE CAR.
11 DAYS AGO, THE DOORS AND WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING ON MY TESLA MODEL S. THE CAR WAS PARKED, AND WHEN I CLICKED ON THE "OPEN" BUTTON TO CAUSE THE DOOR HANDLES TO EXTEND, I DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER-SIDE HANDLE NO LONGER OPENED. IN FACT, 3 OF THE 4 DOORS NO LONGER OPENED. IN ADDITION, AFTER CRAWLING IN THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, I DISCOVERED THAT THE WINDOWS NO LONGER OPENED EITHER. IN ADDITION TO BEING A NUISANCE, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR SEVERAL REASONS. FIRST, IF THE CAR IS IN AN ACCIDENT, EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. SECOND, IF A DRIVER IS APPROACHED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR ANOTHER PERSON, HE/SHE CANNOT OPEN THE WINDOW TO COMMUNICATE. IN FACT, EARLIER THIS YEAR, A DRIVER PERISHED IN A FIERY TESLA CRASH. THE POLICE WERE UNABLE TO RESCUE HIM, BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT OPEN HIS...
THE DOORS OPEN BY THEMSELVES!! THIS CAN HAPPEN AT A VARIETY OF TIMES, BUT THE MOST CONCERNING TO ME IS WHEN I OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR, RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR OPENS BY ITSELF. IF I DON'T NOTICE, I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD W/ THAT DOOR OPEN, MULTIPLE TIMES IT HAS BEEN LITERALLY SWINGING OPEN AS I GO AROUND A CORNER!!! MY CHILDREN RIDE IN MY CAR IN THE BACK AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THEY WILL FALL OUT OF THE CAR!! NOTE, THIS ISSUE HAS AFFECTED MANY MANY MANY OF THE TESLA MODEL S OWNERS, WHICH YOU CAN SEE BY REFERENCING THE DIFFERENT FORUMS. IN FACT, IT APPEARS THAT OWNERS THAT HAVEN'T EXPERIENCE IT ARE HUGELY IN THE MINORITY.
THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE PRESENTS TO OPEN, BUT WILL NOT OPEN THE DOOR WHEN PULLED. THIS IS THE SECOND DOOR FOR THIS MALFUNCTION.
WHEN DOOR HANDLE PRESENTS ITSELF, IT EXTENDS TOO FAR SO THAT THE CAR THINKS SOMEONE IS TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR AND THE CAR POPS OPEN THE DOOR BY ITSELF. THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS A SECURITY ISSUE BECAUSE THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK WHEN ONE IS OPEN. THIS ISSUE OCCURS WHENEVER THE OWNER APPROACHES THE CAR (CAUSING THE HANDLES TO PRESENT THEMSELVES) AND WHENEVER THE DRIVER PUTS THE CAR IN PARK (ALSO CAUSING THE HANDLES TO PRESENT THEMSELVES). ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MANY. MANY OWNERS OF EARLY TESLA MODEL S CARS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE, WHICH SEEMS TO RELATE TO A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE FIRST GENERATION OF DOOR HANDLES. TESLA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR ALL FIRST GENERATION DOOR HANDLES. HERE IS THE YOUTUBE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=Q5XAIN-K2PU&APP=DESKTOP
MY CAR WENT OVER A POTHOLE ON 101 S JUST SHORT OF WOODSIDE RD. EXIT. I HEARD A LOUD THUD AND MY CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND VEERED INTO THE LANES NEXT TO ME AS I TRIED TO CONTROL IT. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO STOP IT, IT FINALLY CAME TO A STOP. THE REAR, RIGHT TIRE BURST AND THE WHEEL IMPACTED BADLY. REAR SUSPENSION BROKEN AND THE 'QUARTER AND ROCKER PANEL' BROKEN.
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 REMOVED THE REAR BUMPER COVER FROM THE CAR TO INSTALL A TRAILER HITCH. THREE OF THE FOUR NUTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEEL BUMPER CROSS MEMBER. THE NUTS WERE LOOSELY STARTED ONTO THE STUDS. THE NUTS ARE LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT CANNOT BE INSPECTED WITHOUT DISASSEMBLING THE REAR OF THE CAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS IT AFFECTS CRASH CRUMPLE ZONE INTEGRITY AND PROTECTION FOR THE REAR FACING JUMP SEATS IN THIS VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AND I DO NO BELIEVE THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN ASSEMBLY QUALITY CONTROL ISSUE. *TR
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
Engine
20 complaints
Visibilitywiper
18 complaints
Exterior Lighting
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