2016 Tesla Model S Complaint Log

Day time running lights have a very short life of 1-2 years before failing. The bulbs are not replaceable and require replacement of entire headlight unit which costs over $1,000.

Warning doors are opening by itself headlights are not working and parking sensors emergency braking as well a lot of issues with this car.

Drivers side suspension fore-link failed while driving. There was no warning, simply a loud "clunk" sound. I was able to limp the vehicle home, and then to the service center several days later. The fore-link completely failed while driving to the service center, causing the wheel to interfere with the inner fender, requiring us to stop. The dealer replaced the fore-link, however, we were required to pay for the replacement. There is currently a TSB for this issue, however, Tesla indicated that our VIN wasn't included, despite being within the dates of manufacture listed on the TSB. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2017/MC-10110741-9999.pdf Do I have any recourse to get Tesla to reimburse me for the cost of replacing my fore links? Thank you!

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle emitted an abnormally loud sound and experienced phantom braking. The forward emergency braking system warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed that the forward emergency braking system sensor was sensitive. The dealer instructed the contact to deactivate the forward emergency braking system. The contact stated that the emergency braking system was deactivated, however, it reengaged independently as the failure persisted while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 72,000.

While backing out in my driveway, which has a gentle slope, the front suspension link broke and the front part of the chassis/fender scraped against the driveway surface making scraping sounds of friction and damage underneath the front fender. It is certainly a safety issue and I am glad I was still near home and not on the road, especially highway. I could see a broken metal part on the driveway which I showed the service personnel. The car has barely 45000 miles on it. It is used solely for city driving on mostly flat roads (including Cupertino to Palo Alto office commute). I bought the car in August 2018 from a certified used car dealer with 18000 miles on it. The car was not driven that much during the pandemic closure for about 1.5 years. There was never a service reminder sent by Tesla. So this is completely unwarranted that a critical part like suspension link will randomly break apart! I see that this is an issue known to NHTSA (https://www.reuters.com/article/tesla-safety-investigation-idINKBN2871ES), but I did not receive any recall notice from Tesla. Therefore the service station is charging me full money for the broken fore link as well as the yet unbroken fore link on the other side, and suggesting that I replace the aft links too. This seems totally unfair that the customer has to pay large sum for a mechanical failure known to Tesla.

The LCD screen is blinking, sometimes going blank. And its getting worse as the days are passing by. I heard there was a recall for models older than 2018.

With full self driving mode engaged the automatic braking feature comes on even though no cars or obstacles are present. This has been very dangerous on the highway.

The driver’s seat back will only rise partly from the reclined position. All other driver seat functions seem to be normal. I estimate the maximum upright angle to be 30 degrees from vertical, making driving difficult and sometimes painful. The manual states to not drive the car with more recline than 30 degrees as seat belts may not function as intended (driver may slip under belt during impact).

1) repeated incidents of Tesla ghosting braking on the highway in autopilot. Sometimes with no cars in sight 3) braking from a high speed to 35 or 40 mph - would have definitely caused a crash if auto close behind me 3) all incidents have been reported to teslas with time date stamps and they have never gotten back to me and ignored all my warnings that this will cause an accident ( which I now see it has ) I can get a date and time on some if needed. You can also search the Tesla support call log

Unknown. Both left and right daytime running lights are failing. Problem started about two months ago. The bright LED lights are slowly turning an amber color. Daytime running lights are part of the assembly of the headlight so all headlight and daytime running light would have to be replaced just to fix the daytime running light problem. I use daytime running lights for safety reasons while driving.

Lh suspension fore link broke causing tire to rub inner wheel well while driving at around 30mph resulting in damage to tire and wheel well liner .... car was not able to be driven ..... Tesla service center was not willing to repair under warranty or good will even though they issued a tsb regarding certain 2016 model s cars having suspension parts that were not up to Tesla quality standards and could result in failure

Main Display is de-laminating. Glue is leaking inside of car. Fear it will short out electrically and fail or become a fire hazard.

When backing up in a level parking lot, heard a loud crunch (something like rolling over a large plastic beverage bottle). Subsequently, heard frequent "scraping" sounds when turning. Took to Tesla for service - technician diagnosed "broken lower driver side forelink" - replaced (at cost of $701.36 to me). Technician reported "inspected passenger side forelink and did not need to be replaced." Tesla did NOT give me the replaced (broken) part.

"My safety concern is with the 17 inch screen. Originally in the information about the car before it was purchased, the manufacturer said that the screen would tilt left or right to give the drive better a better view and access to the touch screen. I have talked to service about this issue and they have said they do not plan to retrofit our cars with the motors to make the screen move. This is now working on the same car that is one year newer. We were promised this and I believe this issue with the screen not moving is a serious concern. You cannot see the screen as well or touch it as well because it does not tilt towards the driver. Please investigate this problem, it is dangerous."

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed to avoid hitting an animal and the suspension detached from the vehicle as wheel well the front driver’s side wheel was loosened and the wheel rail liner was fractured. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he was able to drive the vehicle back to the residence. The local Tesla Service Center was contacted; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The dealer informed the contact that the suspension needed to be replaced but the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 44,000.

I could hear a noise in the front suspension while driving. Upon returning home the front driver side suspension collapsed while I was parking the car. The front suspension link broke and the wheel was rubbing against the arch liner. I was lucky that the failure occurred at very low speed but the damage could have been significant if it had happened just a few minutes earlier, while driving.

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 vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was informed that the failure was not related to the control arm, but that the wheel well and the front fascia lower valence needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,466.

Multiple failure of left and right suspension link and sway bar

Drivers side fore links broke under warranty. Per Tesla Service bulletin SB-17-31-001 filed February 17, 2017 for automobiles manufactured between January 19 and May 25, 2016, if one of the fore links break both should be replaced. Per the attached invoice and scree shots, Teslas service center in Raleigh is refusing to follow the bulletin citing that the vehicles ein is not eligible but showing no proof. Attached is an email from that shows the car finished manufacturing on May 8,2016. I'm requesting Tesla to follow their service bulletin and include replacing the passenger side fore link as part of their warranty service.

The car was in autopilot mode 3 days ago on Highway 41 in CA at a speed of about 65 mph when the brakes were suddenly activated, dramatically slowing the speed. There was no obstruction in the road to warrant braking. I pressed the accelerator to resume my speed and to avoid stopping in the middle of the highway. The same thing happened to me few months ago while in autopilot mode.

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the display screen was leaking fluid into the vehicle. The contact stated he sustained respiratory issues and medical attention was provided. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

Headlight daytime running lights (eyebrows) have experienced a failure. Progressively turning yellow, then eventually failing to light up. Tesla designs a single piece headlight with no serviceable parts. This includes headlights, high beams, and namely daytime running lights. All of these components are on an LED strip that overheats and un-solders due to this high heat, which causes premature failure. Some owners have reported as little as 3 months of life before failing. The daytime running lights are essential for safety. The repair is a big cost to car owners with no recourse to fix the headlights themselves at a fraction of the cost the manufacturer charges to replace at their service center. This is a serious safety issue for drivers.

The center console is once again failing. It will randomly go black and then reboot. This is the same component that was subject to a previous safety recall. I had it repaired under that recall, but it is now failing again. When I reported the problem to Tesla Service, their response was to tell me "it's acting as expected". Huh? They told me I would have to spend over two thousand dollars to get it fixed this time.

Suspension Component: RH Front Aft Control Link - I will provide the damaged/exploded part via FEDEX to your office. Event happened while backing out of garage, was under 5miles speed and hence nobody was injured or put at risk. Could have gone worst if this would have happened at higher speed/highway. There was no prior warning, corrosion and/or indication alerting of wear & tear on the part that was broken. This car has very low mileage (44k miles over 6 yrs) for some major component to fail like this without notice.

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 fix the latch without fixing the hood hinge mechanism I have since had a 3rd incident with my hood flying up. It happened on July 6. This time, there was damage to the hood of the car. I am uploading photos of the damage. I feel that Tesla should cover the entire cost of this repair. Clearly my 3 incidents were the result of a defective latch mechanism. I am fortunate that all of them happened at low speeds because it could have resulted in very serious injury if it would have happened on the road or highway. I am guessing that the latch in my Tesla is the same design and part number as the one in the recalled models. I,hope you can help me with this. Thank you for considering it.

The main display in the vehicle is leaking very sticky hazardous fluid. Sometimes display goes out, sticky fingers make screen issues worse when so many controls are handled electronically. Tesla refuses to correct issue without spending $2000+ with dealer. This started 3 years ago. Leaking fluid on LCD is both main display and driver heads up dashboard. Huge safety issue with sun reflects on the bubble portions. Hard to read.

My car has only 50,000 miles but suspension is making noise. Tesla dealer is saying they need to replace the Links - Front Suspension - Lower - Aft -LH/RH. Tesla is charging me $1,828.87 to replace these links. I see in the internet that lot of 2016/2017 made cars has this defect. I strongly believe this is manufacturing defect and Tesla is responsible for fixing this issue for all effected customers. I appreciate if you can investigate into this issue.

CPU compatibility to existing OS and memory system causing multiple failures during driving with: 1. instrument cluster reset or reboot (temporarily disables all controls related to buttons/knobs on steering wheel and possibly other safety functions), 2. main nav/computer screen reset or reboot (temporarily disables all controls), 3. auto braking activation (cannot be disabled by user) enabled at dangerous and unpredictable times of city traffic, 4. backup camera picture not updating/frozen during backing uo vehicle, creating illusion of: a. not moving when in reverse while driving, b. not showing objects that may be directly behind vehicle when in reverse Manufacturer (Tesla) service ticket opened and closed as “resolved with memory reset” without follow-up if problems still occur

I was traveling on HWY 98 in Florida, headed home to Austin, TX from vacationing. I was with my wife and three young children. I stopped at a stop light, and when I went to reaccelerate, the car lurched. I pulled over and discovered I could barely turn and the suspension was making a terrible sound. I was able to maneuver into a parking lot and determined that my front driver's side fore link had cracked and was no longer holding. There is an existing Service Bulletin (SB-17-31-006) that should have covered this. My car is in warranty, and I have had it serviced before the accident, but after the publishing of the SB and Tesla never notified me that the links should be replaced. This was a tremendous hassle, and posed a very serious safety issue, because the broken link can protrude through the wheel well can cause the wheel to lock up.

I’ve been complaining about my mcu1 glitching, freezing and my rear view camera not working since June 2022. I also filing a complaint because I have the fsd package on my 2016 mcu1 car and that has not been delivered after a 6 year wait. They released fsd to the mcu1 platform. But less than 50 cars got it and that very software got recalled. They have fixed every other platform but mcu1 since. I truly believe there is a issue with mcu1 hw3. I’ve complained several times about my mcu under warranty about these issues and they said the only fix is mcu2 . Which means they couldn’t fix it under warrranty. That’s a breach of warranty. I almost hit a elderly gentleman a few weeks ago because I was backing up and my screen went black. This has been happening and tesla knows all about it. But Tesla says the only fix is the paid mcu2 upgrade for 2500 dollars. Tesla has been really deceptive and is trying to force it customers to their upgrade. This has been a ongoing issue with many loyal customers. Pretty much anyone that has a 2016-17 tesla s or x with mcu1. Losing basic functionality shouldn’t be a issue but here we are. Please look into this I’m sure you find several others just like me. Thanks for your help.

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that over time, the adhesive for both the forward display and center console had degraded to the point that both components were able to move freely. The contact stated that the center console eventually lost electrical power, and as a result, the contact lost control and visibility of important vehicle safety features and information. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to provide a specific diagnosis, but the vehicle was repaired after replacing the forward display and center console. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000. The VIN was invalid.

I have recently been made aware of pending requests and investigations re the Tesla autopilot system and ‘phantom braking.’ The issue is much broader than the 2020-2022 models. I experience this on an almost daily issue when I use the autopilot features with my FSD package. It has always been a common issue amongst all models of Tesla owners and discussed in group chats on Tesla owner forums (see eg., https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/phantom-braking-discussion.233400/) I have reported it to Tesla when I’ve gone in for other service and the response is always ‘yeah we are aware and working to fix it,’ or something to the effect acknowledging an issue they are investigating. I can’t give you a specific date but I didn’t record it- I just know it happens quite often, even on the highway with no car in front of me. The car does more than slow- it brakes hard and jarring. I learned there is no point telling Tesla when because they review the footage over the last few days before service and see no errors to fix despite knowing that it’s an issue. I hope you expand your recall and simply request that whatever is causing it, all modes and all years can be repaired. It’s too dangerous to use.

Suspension control arm failure on front left and right. It happened twice on two separate occasions while driving. Before failure it was making a creaking sound. It failed while driving on both occasions. The first failure happened pulling out of the driveway. The second failure happened driving down the street and it certainly put myself and others on the road at risk. Speed was fairly slow when it failed ~20 mph. Nevertheless, it was a busy street with cars going fast around us. The upper control arm broke on both occasions. The car is driven as one would expect. Around town and regular highway driving. No other accidents, off-roading, no notable potholes, etc. Unfortunately, even after recent repairs it is again making the same sounds that it made right before the previous failures. Tesla is refusing to fix the defects. This is likely the same issue as the recall in China.

The Driverside Front suspension fore links completely failed and broke off, and separated and it made the Tire shift towards the the wheel arch liner and rub against it which damaged the tire and the wheel arch liner. And it caused the Front suspension LINK bushing to become damaged as well when the FRONT SUSPENSION FORE LINK broke ( the metal completely broke in half & became separated from each other ) because the two links are connected together to the front suspension arm wishbone on top when I was driving down a residential street going 20 mph, there was a small dip in the road so I slowed down to about 5 mph and after the dip I noticed this loud sound coming from my front tire & wheel. I think it was already cracked and the dip made it come off. Because that small dip could not of had the torque & power to do that to the metal on the front suspension Fore link. I own 2016 TESLA MODEL S 75. I researched and Many teslas are having the same problem!! Tesla even put out a service bulletin SB-17-31-001 stating “Some Model S and Model X vehicles may have been manufactured with front suspension fore links that may not meet Tesla strength specifications. In the event of link failure, the driver can still maintain control of the vehicle but the tire may contact the wheel arch liner.“-years affected 2016 OMG Which exactly happened to my 2016 TESLA MODEL S 75!! Now I found there’s a class action lawsuit vs Tesla and NHTSA INVESTIGATION about the same exact matter! My car is not driveable, I called Tesla roadside to get it towed to Tesla service center, they told me I would have to pay for the tow!! I made a service appt but it’s not until another 7 days! I’m waiting to find out if Tesla will cover the cost to fix it?? 🤞

Tesla 17 inch touchscreen blacks out repeatedly and then cycles and turns back on. This is more common in hot environments after charging. Sometimes it happens more than 10 times in a short drive. Per a similar recall in newer 2021 vehicles this means the cars can lose rearview camera displays, settings that control windshield defrosters and indicators. I have had the eMMC replaced per the prior recall, but this issue continues to happen after multiple Tesla Service Center visits.

Driving on highway in early rush hour at 80 mph on autopilot (6:35am May 20). Car just full braking as if something in road even though there were no objects on roadway. Truck behind me nearly crashed into the back of me before I could hit accelerator.

The instrument cluster goes out randomly when driving. This means there is no speed displayed. I reported to Tesla and they did nothing to correct this problem.

Driver Door opens by itself

On April 9th, 2022, the vehicle in traffic went from the drive gear to the park. vehicles were coming behind me at 55mph and I could not maneuver to safety. It took up to 4mins before I got moving. The incident occurred again on April 25th, while my kids and I were on the way to basketball practice. Finally, I got an appointment with Tesla service, and after two weeks of troubleshooting I was informed that the issue is an anomaly.

Tesla service center refuses to perform recall on my car: - Manufacturer Recall NumberTBD, NHTSA Recall Number21V035 - Manufacturer Recall NumberTBD NHTSA Recall Number17V-260 - Manufacturer Recall NumberTBDNHTSA Recall NumberTBD - Manufacturer Recall NumberTBD NHTSA Recall Number21V-00B

Bubbles first appeared in the dashboard / instrument control panel display on the driver side on 3/25. The bubbles have been moving around over time and at some points while I've been driving (unable to take a photo), have travelled to the speedometer blocking my visibility of current speed.

Driver side fore link failure, driver side suspension collapsed on the tire. The car came to an immediate stop. The car did go up in the air for some time before stopping. Since the driver side fore link failed, Tesla said that they have to change both the fore links.

A newer Tesla will come to a complete stop with the one pedal operation, however my older car does not. It will roll through a stop sign or red light. This has been fixed on full self driving cars but should be fixed on single pedal operation cars.

I took my car in for the tesla video card replacement voluntary recall. After the "repair," my display screen acts erratically and visually becomes distractive. So far the service centers are trying to UPSELL me a new system to replace the current "repaired" system for $1500. I have had no luck with them taking responsibility for this issue. The big screen flickers the navigation screen and also distorts the items on the screen. As of yet, they keep saying this is normal function/behavior and all I have been asking is to have the screen operate as it is intended. (which it was prior to the chip update). Also, I believe the issue is also affecting the audio in the car.....at times the sound has become distorted and think that sound is absent from the turn signals. I know the audio system must have been impacted by their "repair" because initially the system sounded twice as clear than before the chip upgrade.

Tesla notified me that my vehicle had been recalled due to a faulty eMMC in the media control unit. My vehicle is affected. I am having problems with the media control unit. I went to schedule service to get the replacement under the recall, and Tesla sent me a notice that my vehicle is not eligible for parts replacement unless the media control unit screen is completely blank. When this happens, it is an immediate safety issue. I do not believe Tesla is complying with the spirit of the recall. Parts should be replaced BEFORE a safety issue occurs. Tesla invited me to file a complaint if I feel that they are not complying with the NTHSA. So that is what I am doing.

When using the cruise control, vehicle will break hard, almost to a stop. This happens mostly on a curve 1 or 2 lanes when going highway speeds for no apparent reason.

While on the road/highway, the screen goes blank and soon starts rebooting itself. This is a big distraction and a matter of anxiety for the driver who fears sudden stopping of the car till the screen comes back up in a few minutes. This has happened to me intermittently many times. I have reported it several times but nothing was done since the technician at Tesla couldn’t repeat it the one time they may have test driven the car. That is the problem with intermittent issues. But for me, that one more time it happens next time, and I get anxious and distracted, it may result in an accident. I think this is a serious safety issues that many other Tesla owners have reported as seen on the web. Since your form asks for one specific date of incident I have indicated one approximate date but this has happened several times over last three years.

HUNDREDS of times, usually on interstate highways, our car would suddenly brake for no apparent reason. Often there are no vehicles or obstacles or bridges nearby. The car will brake from 75 mph down to 25 mph if we don't hit the accelerator. This is scary every time.

The recent upgrade of the Tesla MCU UI (User Interface) firmware from V10 to V11 has significant User Experience problems creating a less safe vehicle. Standard pieces of automotive functionality have been moved off the main screen and into sub-menus. Two weeks ago, my car was forcefully or accidentally (may be my fault) updated to the V11 UI. To my dismay the window defrost button was moved from a single press on at the bottom of the touchscreen to multiple precise presses. I experienced how unsafe this is while driving in northern New Mexico on a snowy curvy mountain road after sunset departing Bandelier National Monument. The front windshield began fogging up as I reached 50 mph on the one lane 55mph speed limit road. Previously, a quick glance at the screen would be sufficient to make sure my finger was over the correct button. But now, the defroster button is hidden. I'm in the middle of a turn, my window is quickly fogging up, and I need the defroster ASAP. I didn't have time to take my eyes off the road for multiple seconds to make sure I was using the touchscreen correctly and wait for the slow UI animations to run. So, I did an unsafe, but least worst thing and stopped in the middle of the road. I enabled the defroster and continued the trip, but was shocked I needed to risk being rear ended to enable the defroster. These changes have not been thought through from a safety perspective. The goal seems to make the UI pretty, at the expense of safety. I could enable the defroster on previous vehicles without taking my eyes off the road at all, because they had physical buttons. The V10 defroster button location was simple to locate with a glance. The V11 defroster button requires multiple seconds and is now a significant safety hazard. I dislike the V11 firmware for many other reasons, but this is the most clear safety issue. Note: The defroster can be turned on via voice control, but it is not available in areas without mobile/cell service.

Some versions of Model S and X front drive unit halfshafts might cause excessive vibrations during hard acceleration at higher ride height settings. If the drive shaft fails while driving on the freeway then it will not be safe especially with kids in the car. Tesla needs to add this on their recall list. Please see service bulletin https://cdn.motor1.com/pdf-files/sb-21-39-001-replace-front-drive-unit-halfshafts.pdf