NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Tesla Model S. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
THE ONLINE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THERE SHOULD BE 144MM OR 5.65" OF GROUND CLEARANCE ON MY 90D. I HAVE LESS THAN 5". I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO TESLA'S ATTENTION AND THEY STATE THAT THERE IS A RANGE THAT THEY CAN HAVE. I HAVE BELOW THE MANUAL CLEARANCE. THIS LOWER CLEARANCE HAS MADE ME BOTTOM OUT AND TO TAKE SPEED BUMP/DITCHES SLOWER MAKING CARS ALMOST HIT ME FROM BEHIND. I'M NOT SURE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT IT DOESN'T MEET THEIR OWN SPECIFICATIONS. IT IS VERY UNNERVING TO WORRY ABOUT IMPEDING TRAFFIC OR DAMAGING MY VEHICLE.
ON THE AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 25, 2015, I WAS DRIVING INTO A STRIP MALL PARKING LOT. I WAS GOING TO PULL INTO ONE OF THOSE SPACES WHERE YOU CAN PARK PERPENDICULAR TO A SIDEWALK CURB AND THE SIDEWALK LEADS UP TO THE STORE FRONTS. WHEN APPROACHING THE PARKING SPACE, THE CAR WAS ALREADY IN REGENERATIVE BRAKING MODE, AND ACCORDING TO TESLA'S LOGS, THE CAR SLOWED DOWN TO 3.5 MPH. SINCE THE CAR HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO ROLL INTO THE SPACE ON ITS OWN, MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR OR THE BRAKE PEDAL. MY FOOT WAS UP RESTING ON ITS HEEL, READY TO TAP THE BRAKE WHEN IT GOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE CURB. WHILE THE CAR WAS COASTING INTO THE SPACE THE MOTOR WAS VERY QUIET. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD A 'WHIRRING' SOUND FROM THE MOTOR. I DON'T KNOW HOW BETTER TO DESCRIBE IT, THAN TO SAY IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THE MOTOR WENT FROM A STATE OF SLUMBER TO A FULL STATE OF AWARENESS. I BELIEVE THE MOTOR WAS 'WHIRRING' LOUDLY FOR ABOUT A SECOND BEFORE THE CAR TOOK OFF AT SUCH A FAST PACE AND WOUND UP HITTING A BRICK WALL. IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TIME TO REACT. AFTER THE IMPACT, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UNTIL I OPENED MY EYES AND SAW THE DEFLATED AIRBAGS IN THE CAR. IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB, HIT THE BRICK WALL, BOUNCED BACKWARDS FROM THE IMPACT AND LANDED BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE. ACCORDING TO TESLA'S LOGS, THE DATA READS THAT THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED DOWN TO 97% AND THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO DRIVER ERROR. I STAND FIRMLY BY MY STATEMENT THAT MY FOOT WAS NOT ON EITHER THE ACCELERATOR OR THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED. DATA MAY SHOW THERE WAS PEDAL DEPRESSION BUT I DID NOT DO THE DEPRESSING. THIS WAS DUE TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION BY THE CAR.
PLEASE NOTE: I HAVE SUPPLIED THE VIN OF A DIFFERENT CAR IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FILE THIS REPORT. I HAVE ALSO SUPPLIED A MADE UP ADDRESS BUT ONLY BECAUSE I NEEDED TO SO AS TO COMPLY WITH THE WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS. I HAVE REPORTED PREVIOUSLY THAT THE SUSPENSIONS OF THE TESLA MODEL S HAVE A DESIGN WEAKNESS. HERE IS FURTHER PROOF. THIS REPORT WAS POSTED ON THE TESLA MOTOR FORUM TODAY AND SHOWS A PHOTOGRAPH OF A CAR WHOSE SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED AFTER RUNNING OVER A POTHOLE. THIS POTHOLE WAS NOT BAD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE THE CAR, THE WHEEL OR THE TIRE BUT THE SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED AND CANTED OVER AT A SEVERE ANGLE. I'LL QUOTE FROM THE POST IN CASE IT GETS DELETED FROM THE FORUM. (I'VE SAVED A COPY) POTHOLE IN VIDOR TEXAS TOOK THE P85 DOWN THIS WAS GOING TO BE AN AWESOME ROAD TRIP NOTE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY INSTEAD IT'S A TALE OF CAUTION. ON MILE ~800 OF THE TRIP, WE FOLLOWED THE GPS DIRECTIONS TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY TO SKIP SOME TRAFFIC. UNFORTUNATELY THE EXPECTED ON RAMP WAS CLOSED, SO WE ENDED UP ON A POORLY MAINTAINED STRETCH OF FEEDER ROAD JUST OUTSIDE VIDOR. RIGHT AFTER THE FORCED U-TURN SO WE DIDN'T END UP IN THE NECHES RIVER, I AVOIDED A POTHOLE ONLY TO HIT ANOTHER... AND THIS ONE WAS BAD. SO BAD, IN FACT, THAT WE BECAME ONE OF THREE CARS WITH OUR HAZARDS ON RIGHT AFTER IT DUE TO DAMAGE TO THE CARS. I THOUGHT I HAD POPPED A TIRE, BUT WHEN I GOT OUT, IT WAS MUCH WORSE. MY REAR PASSENGER TIRE IS NOW AT SUCH A STRONG CAMBER THAT IT IS RUBBING THE WHEEL WELL. WE HAVE NOW BEEN STRANDED FOR 2 HOURS WHILE A TOW TRUCK DRIVES IN FROM HOUSTON TO PICK US UP AND TAKE US TO THE TESLA AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP. WISH US LUCK. PHOTO TEXAS REGISTRATION NUMBER IS P05283
THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE TESLA MODEL S AUTOPILOT SYSTEM WHICH HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED. DESPITE THE DISCLAIMER BY TESLA MOTORS THAT THIS SHOULD BE USED SAFELY WITH HANDS ON THE WHEEL IT IS CLEAR THAT OWNERS ARE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE. THERE ARE MANY VIDEOS UP ON YOUTUBE SHOWING OWNERS DRIVING FOR LONG DISTANCES TOTALLY HANDS FREE WHILE PAYING LITTLE ATTENTION TO THE ROAD. HERE IS A YOUTUBE VIDEO ENTITLED TESLA AUTOPILOT TRIED TO KILL ME! HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=MRWXEX8QOXA HE IS USING AUTOPILOT ON AN UNDIVIDED ROAD HERE IS A VIDEO OF SOMEONE DRIVING HANDS FREE HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=URNPBHLDY0M&FEATURE=YOUTU.BE SURELY IT IS A DANGEROUS IDEA TO ALLOW THIS BETA RELEASE SOFTWARE TO BE GIVEN OUT TO OWNERS OF A TWO AND A HALF TON HIGH POWER VEHICLE. INCIDENTALLY THE CAR WHOSE VIN # I HAVE USED IS A BURNED OUT CAR HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLES/VEHICLEDETAILS.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=19224036&ROWNUMBER=0&LOADRECENT=TRUE SO MUCH FOR THE TITANIUM BATTERY SHIELDS!
HERE IS A NEWSPAPER REPORT FROM GERMANY. HTTP://WWW.ECHO-ONLINE.DE/LOKALES/BERGSTRASSE/KREIS-BERGSTRASSE/ZWEI-MAENNER-NACH-VERKEHRSUNFALL-IN-AUTO-EINGEKLEMMT_16183699.HTM TWO MEN SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN MODEL S SWERVED OFF ROAD. THE SNAPPED OFF FRONT SUSPENSION WITH HALF THE WHEEL ATTACHED IS LYING ON THE GROUND 10 METRES IN FRONT OF THE CAR. THE WHEEL HAS BEEN SLICED IN HALF WHILST STILL ROTATING. THE REPORT STATES THAT THE CAR WAS TRAVELLING ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF THE FREEWAY, BRAKED FOR ROADWORKS AND SUDDENLY VEERED OFF ROAD. PLEASE ADD THIS TO THE LIST OF CRASHES THAT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY COLLAPSING SUSPENSIONS
CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT . WHILE BACKING THE CAR, IT SPIN FAST OUT OF CONTROL EVEN THOUGH BACKING WAS STARTED AT A VERY SLOW SPEED . CAR STOPPED AFTER HITTING FOUR VEHICLES DIRECTLY, AND ONE OF THE VEHICLE HIT OTHER TWO VEHICLES. MAJOR DAMAGE ON THE TESLA CAR IS ON DRIVER SIDE AT BACK, WHERE IT HIT OTHER CARS. IT SPIN ALMOST 180 DEGREES FACING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. IT HIT THE CARS ON BOTH SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT LANE .IT ALL HAPPENED IN 2 TO 3 SECONDS. I WONDER, IF THERE IS AUTOMATIC CONTROL IN THE CAR SO THAT IT DOES NOT GO FAST WHILE REVERSING , AS ACCELERATOR SEEMS TO BE VERY SENSITIVE, OR DOES IT GET STUCK? FLOOR MATS IN THE CAR WERE ORIGINAL AND CAME WITH THE CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.
PLEASE DON'T THINK I AM MAKING FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS. THERE IS A PATTERN OF SUSPENSION FAILURES. THIS ONE HAS RESULTED IN A VERY SERIOUS CRASH. 2015 TESLA 70D IS FOR SALE AT SALVAGE COMPANY IAAI. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLES/VEHICLEDETAILS.ASPX?ITEMID=20460578&ROWNUMBER=2&LOADRECENT=TRUE IT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A MAJOR NOSE-TAIL CRASH. THE BACK WHEEL IS SKEWED OVER IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE OTHER DAMAGED CARS THAT I HAVE REPORTED TO YOU. THERE IS ZERO DAMAGE IN THAT AREA OF THE CAR AND NO REASON FOR THE WHEEL TO BE SKEWED LIKE THAT. AN INVESTIGATOR THAT WAS UNAWARE OF THE STRING OF SIMILAR EVENTS MAY HAVE OVERLOOKED THE SKEWED WHEEL AND ASSUMED IT WAS JUST ANOTHER TAIL-ENDER ACCIDENT. A POSSIBLE SCENARIO IS THAT THE WHEEL SKEWED SIDEWAY AND CAUSED A SUDDEN STOP WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY CASES OF SUSPENSION FAILURE WHICH POINTS TO A DESIGN WEAKNESS.
PLEASE NOTE I HAVE USED A FICTITIOUS ADDRESS TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE WEBSITE. I AM NOT A US RESIDENT, JUST A CONCERNED CITIZEN I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TESLA REAR SUSPENSION AND I AM FINDING SEVERAL CASE WHERE THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS FAILED AND CAUSED A CRASH. THIS VEHICLE HAS CRASHED AND BURNED AND IS FOR SALE AS SALVAGE. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLES/VEHICLEDETAILS.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=19224036&ROWNUMBER=0&LOADRECENT=TRUE I HAVE ENLARGED THE IMAGES AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LH SUSPENSION HAS COME APART AND THE SUSPENSION ARM IS LYING ON THE GROUND. THE FRONT STEEL SAFETY GIRDER IS UNDAMAGED SO THE SUSPENSION COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY HITTING AN OBJECT. THE RIM AND SPOKES OF THE WHEEL ARE INTACT ALSO. THE CRASH(?) CAUSED A FIRE IN THE BATTERY PACK. I BELIEVE THESE CARS POSE A SERIOUS RISK TO THE DRIVER AND OTHER ROAD USERS.
THIS CAR IS UP FOR SALE AS A SALVAGE WRECK. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=20015788&ROWID=2&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED AND THE FRONT WHEEL HS BEEN SLICED IN HALF BY A SUSPENSION COMPONENT WHILST THE CAR WAS STILL IN MOTION. THE OTHER WHEELS ON THE CAR ARE SKEWED OR MISSING. SAME, WHEEL SLICED IN HALF EFFECT CAN BE SEEN ON THIS OTHER CAR WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY CAUGHT FIRE. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=19224036&ROWID=1&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS THERE ARE MANY OTHER CASES OF MODEL S WHEELS BECOMING SKEWED OR DETACHED. EXAMPLE HTTP://WWW.INAUTONEWS.COM/CRASHED-TESLA-MODEL-S-SPOTTED-IN-CALIFORNIA THIS FORUM POST MAY PERHAPS EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM HTTP://MY.TESLAMOTORS.COM/FORUM/FORUMS/AIR-SUSPENSION-FAILURE-VERY-UNPLEASANT-RESULTS "THE RIGHT FRONT AIR STRUT FAILED DUE TO A LEAK WHICH CAUSED THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR TO DROP SO MUCH THAT THE WHEELS WERE RUBBING AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL, AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS RUBBING ON THE GROUND." PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE SUPPLIED A DUMMY USA ADDRESS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. I AM NOT A US RESIDENT BUT TESLAS ARE SOLD IN MY COUNTRY AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGER POSED BY THIS VEHICLE.
The Contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle was exhibiting failure. The failure mileage was not available. The manufacturer was not contacted. Parts distribution disconnect.
Parking brake has locked on and cannot be released