2016 TESLA MODEL S Structurebody Problems
27 NHTSA complaints on file
Structurebody Issues in the 2016 TESLA MODEL S
27 structurebody complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 TESLA MODEL S. Of these, 6 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, and 2 resulted in injury.
27
Complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
All Structurebody Complaints
The retracting door handle on my Tesla Model S failed, creating a dangerous situation where I could not enter the vehicle when needed. This defect poses a serious safety risk because if this failure occurred during a medical emergency, a crash, or a fire, neither I nor first responders would be able to access the vehicle quickly. In real‑world scenarios — such as needing to reach a child in the back seat, assisting an injured passenger, or evacuating the vehicle in traffic — a non‑functional door handle can cause delays that lead to injury. The failure also increases risk in cold‑weather regions, where being locked out of the vehicle can expose occupants to freezing temperatures. This is not a cosmetic issue; it is a critical safety hazard.
1.) Passenger Side Door is a potential hazard. Door latch and door mechanism does not open from the outside. 2.) Lane keep assist on Autopilot veers off to the right when it is first engaged and does not want to stay centered until it's been on for awhile.
In April, 2023 we received a recall notice directly from Tesla about a safety recall involving the front trunk hood opening while driving. The letter stated we would be contacted later about the fix. But we have never heard anything since from Tesla yet the recall does not show up on your website for our car. Can you explain what happened to the supposedly required repair?
So essentially I stopped for a charge about 30 minutes before, I charged it, then hopped back on the turnpike as I was heading to Outer Banks NC, while I was on the turn pike where I believe at the time I started to go around a curve not a sharp one but a curve right after coming off this bridge. Every 1 minute and 30 seconds you have to put your hands on the wheel and give it a jerk to keep it enable so it had to have popped up within the 1 minute and 30 seconds. As I was changing the album of the artists I was listening too I heard the BEEP BEEP BEEP which means you are approaching something and are about to hit it, As I looked up all I saw was blinking lights and really smacked the rear end of this traffic control...
Every time the car was put into park, or when the car turned off the passenger front door would pop open. Please see concern 7 on Tesla repair invoice.
Front trunk latch would not engage to latch frunk, and when frunk opened, would not engage to lock frunk. Error message kept repeating that frunk was opened, but it would not latch. When asked about the existing recall, was told that it does not apply to my vehicle, despite the problem being exactly as described in the recall.
All 4 door handles have ceased working. 1st responders wouldn't be able to gain entry.
Warning doors are opening by itself headlights are not working and parking sensors emergency braking as well a lot of issues with this car.
The contact owns a 2017 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, he heard an abnormally loud sound come from the driver’s side wheel. The contact pulled over and inspected the wheel but did not see an issue. The contact stated that he continued driving and while driving approximately 35 MPH, the driver’s side wheel detached and went into the wheel well. The vehicle then began to steer slowly to the left independently and the contact was able to get the vehicle into a parking lot. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to his place of employment. The local Tesla dealer was contacted however, the cause of the failure not yet determined. The dealer informed the contact that the driver’s side control arm needed to be replaced but the part was not available....
The safety latch on the front hood has failed 3 times. The first two times were not reported to Tesla, because I assumed that it must have been my fault and there was little actual damage to my car. Fortunately, both occurances were at low speeds in a parking lot. The result was that my hood didn’t align properly. There was no other damage to the hood. I read about a Tesla recall for this very issue, so when I had my last service with Tesla (May 1) to replace the drive train (under warranty), I asked them to fix the safety issue on my hood. They refused to cover it saying that 1.) I was out of warranty. 2.) they could find no record in their system of the occurrences because the timing of the incidents was further back than what their system can recover and 3.) they couldn’t...
The doors on my Tesla are electronic from the inside and outside. Sometimes the car will not let me out or in, especially in the rear drivers side door where the kids are. It will not open the door and presents a huge safety issue. My sons was trapped in the door previously and we couldn't get the door to open - it took about 5 cycles of locking and unlocking the car for the doors electronic door handle to finally allow the door to be opened Recently there was a lawsuit for a similar issue in which a man became trapped inside a Tesla and died of smoke inhalation because the doors would not open and first responders couldn't get in the car either. I contacted Tesla, who was able to diagnose my car and create a repair estimate for the malfunctioning door handles without even looking at the...
Door/Door Handle. Puts my children at risk, as when I place car in park, door opens on it's own. With or Without someone sitting there. Drivers side rear door. Not the first time this has happened. Tesla blames their self-extending door handles. This will happen if I am outside the vehicle and unlock it. Door opens, it also happens if we are driving, and I put the vehicle in PARK. When the door handles extend, the door opens. My son has unbuckled himself preparing to exit the vehicle, not expecting the door to open on it's own. When it did, if a passing car drove by, the door may even have been ripped off and/or my child injured. Thankfully, THIS TIME, he only got a few scrapes when he hit the concrete. The whole mess of the self-extending door handles has been a nightmare since the beginning. These handles have...
The rear passenger door would open itself. This happened numerous times. An example of when it occurred and why it was dangerous is I would be in carpool line at my kid’s school and would slow down, stop, put the car in park, one passenger would leave from the front right door, I would put the car back in drive, start to drive off and then would see a warning that the rear right passenger door had popped open all by itself. I’m now driving 20 mph. I have young kids who are in the car which is very dangerous with a moving vehicle and a door next to them that has opened unexpectedly while now in motion. The car door would also open itself when it was just parked in a parking lot with no one inside it. I would come back from the grocery store and I would...
PASSENGER DOOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENED WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. NO PASSENGER WAS OCCUPYING THE SEAT.
PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED REPORT I FILED ON SAFER CAR.GOVE AND THE LETTER I WROTE TO TESLA. I HAVE NOT GOT RESPONSE TO ANY OF THOSE.. .THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED AFTER I HAD SUCCESSFULLY TURNED THE CAR 90 DEGREE TO PARK HEADON. THE CAR HAD TO BE AT A VERY LOW SPEED AT THAT TIME. THEN WHEN I AS JUST A COUPLE OF FEET FROM THE CURB, THE CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. IF YOU GET THE REPORT FROM TESLA, YOU WILL FIND THAT CAR COULD NOT HAVE ACCELERATED THIS FAST EVEN IF I HAD PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BY MISTAKE. MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY. I ASKED TESLA TO GIVE ME THE REPORT OF THAT TIME AND THEY DID NOT GIVE. WE ALL FEEL THAT TESLA HAS BECOME SO MIGHTY THAT IT DOESN'T CARE. WE DEPEND...
ECU1 IS FAILING. MEMORY CHIP, PAINT ON MIRROR PEELING.
DOOR HANDLE FAILURE. THE DOOR PHYSICALLY OPENS BY ITSELF ONCE THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN PARK AND HANDLE EXTENDS. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD MULTIPLE HANDLES REPLACED ALREADY, EITHER DUE TO NOT EXTENDING, SO NO ABILITY TO USE AND OPEN CAR DOOR AT ALL, EXTENDING BUT NOT FUNCTIONING, NOT RETRACTING, AND EXTENDING AND PHYSICALLY OPENING THE DOOR WITH NO OCCUPANT INTERACTION. HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONARY. CURRENT FAILURE COULD ALLOW AN EXTERNAL THREAT INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN THE PARK (SUCH AS CARJACKER, RIOTER ETC...) MY PREVIOUS MODEL S HAD OVER 15 DOOR HANDLES REPLACED DUE TO A MIXTURE OF THE SAME ABOVE ISSUES. THIS IS OUT OF HAND, A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE. *TR
EXPERIENCING MAJOR AND PAINFUL PRESSURE BUFFETING FROM THE LIFT GATE OF THE MODEL S. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED AMONGST MANY OWNERS AND THE RESOLUTION IS TO ADJUST THE RUBBER DISCS THAT COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE PLASTIC ADJUSTABLE SHIMS OF THE CAR BODY. I'VE PERFORMED THIS ADJUSTMENT AND SO HAS THE SERVICE CENTER. BUT NOW, THERE'S NO WAY OF RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, TESLA SERVICE REFUSES TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. MY 15 YEAR OLD SON AND I PERFORMED EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THIS MATTER, AND WE DISCOVERED A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE INCONSISTENT PANEL GAPS OF THE REAR PORTION OF THE MODEL S AND THE PRESSURE BUFFETING. THE THREADING ATTACHED TO THE FRAME, UNDER THE PLASTIC ADJUSTABLE SHIM IS STRAIGHT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, AND ASKEW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE SURROUNDING ALUMINUM IS ALSO SHOWING SIGNS OF DUCTILE FRACTURING. THE MOVEMENT OF THIS THREADED COMPONENT, PREVENTS...
DOORS RANDOMLY POP OPEN. WHEN ENTERING THE CAR FROM ANY DOOR, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR POP OPEN. THE DOORS ALSO POP OPEN ANYTIME THE CAR IS PUT INTO PARK. SOMEIMES IT IS NECESSARY TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK WHILE IN TRAFFIC AT A STOP LIGHT, OR WHEN STOPPED IN TRAFFIC JAMS. THIS CAN HAPPEN ON CITY STREETS, HIGHWAYS, FRANKLY ANYWHERE. WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO PARK THE DOORS POP OPEN. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR IS LOW MILES AND ONLY 3.5 YEARS OLD. 3 OUT OF 4 DOORS HAVE HAD ISSUES. I SEE ON TESLA FORUMS THAT I AM ONE OF MANY PEOPLE THIS HAPPENS TO, SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES, IN SOME CASES SOONER ALL OF THESE OWNERS FEEL THE SAME WAY I DO, THAT THERE ARE CLEARLY FAULTY DOORS THAT TESLA NOT ADDRESSING AS...
AS USUAL, I DROVE TESLA TO WORK. MY PARKING SPOT IS A HEAD-IN PARKING SPOT. TO PARK MY CAR I HAVE TO MAKE A 90-DEGREE TURN, SO I PRESSED THE BREAKS TO SLOW THE CAR. JUST AS THE CAR COMPLETED THE 90-DEGREE TURN AND I WAS ABOUT TO STOP THE CAR TO COMPLETE PARKING, IT ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. IT JUMPED THE CURB IN THE FRONT AND HIT BUSHES ABOUT 5-6 FEET AHEAD. THE CAR SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE THAT IS ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $20,000. I ALSO TRUST THAT TESLA IS COMMITTED TO MAKING TESLA 100% SAFE TO DRIVE. THEREFORE, IT IS IN BOTH PARTIES' INTEREST TO FIND WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED. FORTUNATELY, TESLA KEEPS TRACK OF EVERY MOVEMENT THAT EVERY TESLA MAKES. THE RECORD CAN PROVE BEYOND DOUBT WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED. I, THEREFORE, REQUEST A COMPLETE RECORD OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THIS INCIDENCE HAPPENED BETWEEN...
HELLO, I PURCHASED A USED CAR FROM LEXUS OF ROCKVILLE ON SATURDAY AND AS I WAS DRIVING HOME I HEARD A 'PRESSURE BUFFETING SOUND' ( SOUNDS LIKE A WINDOW IS CRACKED- BUT ALL WINDOWS ARE UP) I CONTACTED LEXUS ON MY WAY HOME AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING BACK THE CAR . I RETURNED WITH THE CAR AND THE SALESMAN AND SALES MANAGER TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT TAKE THE CAR BACK BECAUSE I PULLED OFF THE LOT WITH THE CAR. THEY REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR. AND INFORMED ME THERE WAS A NO RETURN POLICY. WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. NOW, I'M STUCK WITH A $50K THAT I CAN'T DRIVE. THE NOISE IS SO BAD IT IMPEDES MY ABILITY TO DRIVE, WHICH IS A COMPLETE SAFETY HAZARD . I EVEN ASKED IF THEY COULD TAKE THIS CAR BACK AND LET ME FINANCE A DIFFERENT CAR AND THE SAID...
REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FAILS TO OPEN DOOR. THIS HAS BEEN A ON-GOING ISSUE WITH TESLA MODEL S VEHICLES. MY FIRST 2013 MODEL S HAD OVER 15 DOOR HANDLES REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. MY CURRENT 2016 MODEL S HAS HAD AROUND 6. THE LAST WAS FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE REPLACED IN MAY 2018 WHICH WOULD NOT EXTEND NOR OPEN THE DOOR. I HAVE THE FAILED UNIT IN HAND, AS I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET NON-WARRANTY (AS I WAS OVER THE WARRANTY MILEAGE), TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE DOOR HANDLE SHORTED OUT DUE TO WATER INTRUSION FROM POOR DESIGN (HIS WORDS). REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE HAS NOW FAILED. IT WILL EXTEND, BUT WILL NOT OPEN THE VEHICLE'S DOOR. THIS IS A KNOWN, AND ON-GOING ISSUE FOR THE MODEL S VEHICLES OF ALL YEARS AND TRIM LEVELS. TESLA NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, AND PERMANENT FIX. I ALSO WANT...
THE VEHICLE WAS IN SERVICE FOR WARRANTY ISSUE. TESLA BURBANK SERVICE CENTER DENIED TO DONE THE RECALL. REGARDING TO THEM, THE RECALL IS UNNECESSARY AND DID NOT NEED TO BE DONE UNTIL RAINING. HOWEVER, THIS RECALL IS IN NEEDED FOR THE POWER STEERING GEAR ASSIST MOTOR MAY MOVE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION BELT TO SLIP, AND RESULT IN REDUCED OR LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST.
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK MY TESLA S75 D IN A COSTCO SPACE, THE CAR BOLTED. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS IN AUTOPILOT MODE WITHOUT ME ENGAGING IT MANUALLY. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. IT HIT THE REAR BUMPER OF THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT. FORTUNATELY, IT DIDN'T DO ANY DAMAGE TO THAT VEHICLE BUT IT CAUSED PLENTY OF DAMAGE TO MY FRONT END. I'LL NEED A NEW BUMPER AND HOOD. IT ALSO DEACTIVATED MY AUTOPILOT AND RADAR WHICH ARE BEHIND THE BUMPER. I CAN STILL DRIVE THE CAR AND FEEL FAIRLY SAFE AS I BELIEVE THE COMPUTER ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT AND NOW THE AUTOPILOT ISN'T OPERATIONAL. HOWEVER, I NO LONGER TRUST THIS CAR. I'VE PRESENTED THIS PROBLEM TO TESLA AND THEY SAID IS WAS USER ERROR BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I WAS NOT AT FAULT. I'VE DONE RESEARCH AND THERE IS A CLASS...
TAKATA RECALL. A SERIOUS INCIDENT HAPPENED TO MY TESLA MODEL S IN DECEMBER 16, 2016 WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AT PARKING SPOT. THE VEHICLE KEPT RUNNING OVER A CONCRETE BARRIER AND HIT A WALL WHICH RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. I CALLED TESLA MOTOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT AND TOLD THEM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. PICTURES OF THE CRASH ARE UPLOADED BELOW. REPAIRING THE VEHICLE DAMAGES COSTED $11,717.85 AND OVER 2 MONTHS TO FIXED PLUS EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH CAR RENTAL AND TOWING THAT BESIDE THE INCONVENIENCE I WENT THROUGH. AFTER RECEIVING A RECALL LETTER REGARDING THE THE BRAKE CLAPPERS ISSUE LAST MONTH I SENT AN EMAIL TO TESLA AND I WAS TOLD TO COME TO TESLA SERVICE ON TUESDAY 06/20/2017 TO CHECK THE SITUATION.
ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016, MY MINOR SON WAS DRIVING MY TESLA (VIN [XXX]) NORTHBOUND ON ROUND HILL ROAD IN GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, WITH THE AUTOPILOT ENGAGED. AT APPROXIMATELY 3:50PM, THE TESLA APPROACHED A VEHICLE THAT WAS PARKED PARTIALLY ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND PARTIALLY ON THE ROAD IN FRONT OF 273 ROUND HILL ROAD. THE VEHICLE OBSCURED THE WHITE LINE ALONG THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD. RATHER THAN MOVING TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE PARKED VEHICLE, THE TESLA CONTINUED ON THE SAME PATH. AT THE LAST MOMENT MY SON GRABBED THE STEERING WHEEL AND MOVED THE TESLA TO THE LEFT, BUT NOT SOON ENOUGH/FAR ENOUGH. THE TESLA'S RIGHT SIDE COLLIDED WITH THE PARKED VEHICLE'S LEFT SIDE. MY SON BELIEVES THAT HAD HE NOT GRABBED THE STEERING WHEEL, THE RIGHT FRONT AREA OF THE TESLA WOULD HAVE HIT THE REAR OF THE PARKED VEHICLE. TO THE...
DOOR HANDLES ARE MADE OF METAL CHROME AND GETS EXCESSIVELY HOT IN THE SUN. YOU ARE UNABLE TO HOLD THE HANDLE AND OPEN IT WITHOUT CAUSING A BURN. (THERE IS A REASON ALL OTHER CAR MANUFACTURERS MAKE THE DOOR HANDLES WITH PLASTIC MATERIAL SO IT DOES NOT GET AS HOT IN THE SUN. ALSO THEY MAKE IT SUCH THAT WHEN HOLDING THE HANDLE, YOU HOLD FROM INSIDE THAT IS PROTECTED FROM THE SUN). TESLA NEEDS TO MAKE THE DOOR HANDLE WITH A MATERIAL THAT DOES NOT GET HOT IN SUN AND DESIGN IT IN A WAY THAT THE HOLDING PORTION PROTECTS IT FROM THE SUN.
Other 2016 TESLA MODEL S Problem Areas
Suspension
206 complaints
Unknown Or Other
148 complaints
Electrical System
140 complaints
Steering
83 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
75 complaints
Service Brakes
53 complaints
Exterior Lighting
49 complaints
Visibilitywiper
25 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control
22 complaints
Back Over Prevention
15 complaints
Wheels
15 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking
14 complaints
Air Bags
13 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
13 complaints
Power Train
13 complaints
Visibility
13 complaints
Electronic Stability Control Esc
11 complaints
Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection
7 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Warnings
6 complaints
Lane Departure Assist
6 complaints
Lane Departure Warning
6 complaints
Engine
5 complaints
Back Over Prevention Rearview System Braking
4 complaints
Back Over Prevention Warnings
3 complaints
Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel
3 complaints
Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch
3 complaints
Seats
3 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance
2 complaints
Parking Brake
2 complaints
Electrical Systemadasautonomousself Driving
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatchemergency Mechanical Release
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkagestrunk Lidlatchemergency Mechanical Release
1 complaint
Seat Belts
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulic
1 complaint
Structure
1 complaint
Structureinterior Panelsdashboard
1 complaint
Tires
1 complaint