NHTSA complaint #11337132

Owner complaint summary

FRIDAY JUNE 26TH, 6:00 P.M. PUBLIC ROADS. SUNNY, DRY. SOMETHING SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AT THE MOMENT I STARTED A SLOW LEFT TURN. THE CAR LURCHED TO A HALT. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS ANGLED LEFT AT ABOUT A 35 DEGREES, WHILE THE LEFT WHEEL POINTED STRAIGHT. TESLA SENT A FLAT BED. THE TRUCK TECHNICIAN REPORTED BY PHONE THAT THE WHEEL WAS SEPARATED FROM THE SUSPENSION AND A TESLA BOLT WAS AVAILABLE FOR HIM TO TEMPORARILY HOLD ALIGNMENT FOR SAFE LOADING. I UNDERSTAND HE LEFT A NOTE AND THE BOLT INSIDE THE CAR. I BELIEVE THE BOLT WAS PART OF THE BROKEN SUSPENSION. THE CAR HAD 3,300 MILES. DURING MY OWNERSHIP, I NOTICED A LIGHT CLICKING (OR CLUNKING) WHEN THE CAR PASSED OVER A 3 INCH CHANGE IN ROAD ELEVATION, SUCH AS OCCURS DURING REPAVING WHEN STRIKING A MAN HOLE COVER OR NEW LAYER OF ASPHALT. I TOOK THIS TO BE A PECULIARITY OF THE TESLA SUSPENSION COMBINED WITH THE 18 INCH WHEELS. THE SOUND WAS RARE, AS MOST ROADS ARE QUITE SMOOTH AND I MADE IT A POINT TO DRIVE SLOWLY OVER SUDDEN BUMPS. MORE RECENTLY, AS OUR TOWN IS REPAVING, I HEARD THE CLICK MORE FREQUENTLY. ON FATHER'S DAY, WHILE A FRIEND WAS TEST DRIVING THE CAR, HE BEING A CAR GEEK, HEARD THE CLICK, CALLED IT A "CLUNK," AND TOLD ME TO GET IT LOOKED AT. I HAD NOT YET MADE THE APPOINTMENT WHEN SOMETHING SNAPPED ON JUNE 26TH. OVER THE WEEKEND I LEFT VOICE MAILS AND SENT TO TESLA SERVICE AN EMAIL STATING TESLA SHOULD CONSIDER GIVING ME A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE, BUT I WISHED FIRST TO HEAR THEIR REPORT ON WHAT HAD OCCURRED. TESLA SERVICE IN MILFORD IS NOT OPEN ON WEEKENDS. TESLA CALLED ON MONDAY AFTERNOON SEEKING MY INPUT ON WHAT HAD OCCURRED. LATER THAT DAY THEY REPORTED IT APPEARED TO THEM THAT A CRITICAL BOLT HAD NOT BEEN WELDED ONTO THE SUB-FRAME. TESLA SERVICE IN MILFORD ORDERED A NEW SUB-FRAME, PART NUMBER 1044521-00-R, FROM CALIFORNIA. TESLA IS RESEARCHING WHAT OCCURRED.