Tesla blames drivers for part failures it admits were defective: Difference between revisions
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RuefulSeraph (talk | contribs) Couldn't find any super verifiable sources so I mostly cited the Reuters investigation and trade/popular sources |
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|Description=Wheels falling off at speed and other safety incidents caused by defective parts where the blame and cost was placed on the consumer. | |Description=Wheels falling off at speed and other safety incidents caused by defective parts where the blame and cost was placed on the consumer. | ||
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'''[[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]]''' produced various automotive vehicles that were involved in several safety-related incidents, and in some cases where design or manufacturing errors were involved the company allegedly stated the owner of the vehicle was fully responsible. A December 2023 ''Reuters'' investigation<ref name = ":1">{{Cite web |last=Jin |first=Hyunjoo |last2=Krolicki |first2=Kevin |last3=Mannes |first3=Marie |last4=Stecklow |first4=Steve |date=2023-12-20 |title=Tesla blamed drivers for failures of parts it long knew were defective |url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-musk-steering-suspension/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=Reuters {{!}} Breaking International News & Views |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820181027/https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-musk-steering-suspension/ |archive-date=2025-08-20}}</ref> reveals faulty parts in Tesla vehicles have caused incidents of wheels falling off at speed, axles breaking under acceleration, control arms failing and the suspension collapsing without evidence of direct impact. Tesla told U.S. regulators and service centers the failures were due to "vehicle misuse" despite the fact that internal documents show Tesla had been tracking these chronic flaws for years. | |||
A December 2023 Reuters investigation<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jin |first=Hyunjoo |last2=Krolicki |first2=Kevin |last3=Mannes |first3=Marie |last4=Stecklow |first4=Steve |date=2023-12-20 |title=Tesla blamed drivers for failures of parts it long knew were defective |url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-musk-steering-suspension/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=Reuters {{!}} Breaking International News & Views}}</ref> reveals faulty parts in Tesla vehicles have caused incidents of wheels falling off at speed, axles breaking under acceleration, control arms failing and the suspension collapsing without evidence of direct impact. Tesla told | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
{{Ph-I-B}} | {{Ph-I-B}} | ||
Many Tesla models of consumer vehicles use the same or similar parts and components for necessary functionality, such as parts of the suspension subassembly and steering controls.{{Citation needed}} Therefore, any flaws in the design or manufacturing of Tesla vehicles that are repeated across products will increase the likelihood of accidents regardless of the model they use. Tesla models S, 3, X, and Y each have different suspension designs,<ref>{{Cite web | title=Suspension in Tesla Model S, 3, X, Y Everything You Need to Know |url=https://suspensionhq.com/suspension-in-tesla-model-s-3-x-y-everything-you-need-to-know/ |website=Suspension HQ | date=2023-09-05 |last=AriNS |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-20}}</ref> and the Model 3 is the only of the four to strictly use a [[wikipedia:Coil spring|coil-spring]] suspension system as opposed to [[wikipedia:Air suspension|air suspension]], but design features are consistent across models.{{Citation needed}} Tesla Model S vehicles were first delivered to consumers in June 2012,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tesla Model S Sales Figures |url=https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/tesla-model-s-sales-figures-usa-canada/ |website=Good Car Bad Car |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820233406/https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/tesla-model-s-sales-figures-usa-canada/ |archive-date=2025-08-20}}</ref> and some of these models continue to be sold. However, steering and suspension issues are most widely known in the other three models.<ref name = ":2">{{Cite web |title=Tesla Steering and Suspension Issues Key Takeaways |url=https://consumerlemonlaw.org/news/tesla-lemon-law-suspension-steering-issue-is-a-chronic-defect/ |website=Tesla Lemon Law |date=2023-12-21 |last=Paniagua |first=Cynthia |access-date=2025-08-20 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820234154/https://consumerlemonlaw.org/news/tesla-lemon-law-suspension-steering-issue-is-a-chronic-defect/ |archive-date=2025-08-20}}</ref> | |||
== | ==Tesla drivers lost control over their vehicles but were held fully responsible for accidents== | ||
{{Ph-I-I}} | {{Ph-I-I}} | ||
Shreyansh Jain purchased a brand-new 2023 Tesla Model Y and, less than 24 hours after purchase, lost steering control while turning at a low rate of speed with only 115 miles on the odometer.<ref name = ":1" /> His wife and three-year-old child were passengers and according to Jain "were absolutely petrified".<ref name = ":1" /> On top of the trauma caused by the accident, the Model Y sustained a collapse of the front-right suspension and superficial damage.<ref name = ":1" /><ref name = ":2" /> Tesla stated that this was due to "the separation of a lower control arm from the steering knuckle, which the company blamed on 'prior' damage to the brand-new vehicle".<ref name = ":1" />A text communication between Jain and a Tesla representative "implied Tesla would pay for the repairs",<ref name = ":1" />, but Tesla sent a letter to him a week later stating that Tesla was not responsible because their inspection led them to believe there was "a prior external influenced damage to the front-right suspension."<ref name =":1" /> Tesla did not cover any of the over US$14,000 repairs because they believed the damage to the suspension happened earlier.<ref name = ":1" /><ref name = ":2" /> However, Tesla had prior knowledge of the defect because Tesla documents referred to "tens of thousands of Tesla owners" that also had "experienced premature failures of suspension or steering parts" across multiple product lines and at least seven years of history with these incidents.<ref name = ":1" /> | |||
Some of the reported accidents occurred due to Tesla vehicles self-disassembling while in operation. One report by a Tesla technician over an April 2021 incident regarding a 2020 Tesla Model 3, having less than 15,000 miles on the odometer, contained the sentence "Front wheel fell off while driving on Autopilot at 60 mph".<ref name = ":1" /><ref name = ":2" /> | |||
''Reuters'' previously investigated Tesla for their creation of a team to in July 2023 to suppress complaints over Tesla vehicle driving range,{{Citation needed}} which is an issue in electric vehicles where they have a limited distance before they must be recharged. Tesla, because they are direct vendors and have extensive records of failures and claims,<ref name = ":1" /> therefore knew of this flaw. | |||
===Tesla's response=== | ===Tesla's response=== | ||
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==Lawsuit== | ==Lawsuit== | ||
{{Ph-I-L}} | {{Ph-I-L}} | ||
Some consumers of Tesla products may be eligible to take legal action against Tesla if their personal incident meets certain criteria.<ref name = ":2" /> Following the Jain family's incident, public figures such as U.S. Senators [[wikipedia:Richard Blumenthal|Richard Blumenthal]] and [[wikipedia:Ed Markey|Edward John Markey]] called for a recall of the allegedly defective models, and they encouraged Tesla to communicate with the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) about these issues.<ref name = ":3">{{Cite web |title=Lemon Alert: U.S. Senators Demand Recall on Tesla's Steering and Suspension Safety Crisis |url=https://consumerlemonlaw.org/news/us-sentators-calls-for-recall-tesla-steering-suspension-problem/ |website=Tesla Lemon Law |last=Peniagua |first=Cynthia |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820235013/https://consumerlemonlaw.org/news/us-sentators-calls-for-recall-tesla-steering-suspension-problem/ |archive-date=2025-08-20}}</ref> Additionally, Norwegian and Swedish agencies are also investigating Tesla suspension failures, which may lead to further lawsuits or recalls.<ref name = ":1" /><ref name = ":3" /> | |||
==Consumer response== | ==Consumer response== | ||
{{Ph-I-ConR}} | {{Ph-I-ConR}} | ||
==See also== | |||
* [[Tesla asks customers to vote against Right to Repair]] | |||
* [[Tesla cybertruck voids warranty if advertised power your site feature is used]] | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Tesla]] | [[Category:Tesla]] | ||
[[Category:Tesla Model S]] | |||
[[Category:Tesla Model 3]] | |||
[[Category:Tesla Model X]] | |||
[[Category:Tesla Model Y]] | |||
[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]] | |||
[[Category:Automotive security]] | |||