While the car is parked and locked the rear driver side door opens in its own. The door handle does not present itself and is scheduled for repair. This is new and started happening today. Despite how many times I close it. It opens on it own. The door is locked when this happens. Door sitting still. Plugged in to charge and locked. The door opens on its own. It unlatches, Does not fully open.
Electrical system
Tesla Model S 70 Electrical problems by year
137 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Tesla Model S 70's electrical system. Dead batteries, warning lights, wiring, alternators, infotainment and electronic module failures.
Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Electrical complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 137 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
Latest Model S 70 electrical complaints
My driver's side of the vehicle looks like it's melting. I was informed by the service advisor at Tesla that this is a common issue, and the computer needs to be replaced at my expense.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while attempting to park the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact depressed the brake and the vehicle kept rolling forward. The contact opened the door for the vehicle to come to a stop. On another occasion, the contact stated that the ADAS feature engaged and while driving at various speeds, and the vehicle failed to recognize stop signs, traffic lights, or pedestrians. The...
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contact stated that the function was a paid feature; however, the system failed to operate as designed. On another occasion, the contact stated that the steering will shift to one side while driving at various speeds, and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was made aware, and the contact had a pending appointment scheduled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
Component Failure: The Tesla NEMA 14-50 charging adapter for my 2016 Model S malfunctioned, causing overheating that melted a prong and led to an electrical fire. The defective adapter appears identical to those in Tesla's November 2016 recall, though mine was designated "not affected." The damaged adapter and charging cable are available for inspection. Safety Risk: This malfunction created a serious fire hazard endangering myself and my property. The electrical fire damaged both my vehicle and charging equipment,...
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and the fire could have spread to my home, potentially endangering my family and neighbors. Verification: I took the damaged adapter to the Tesla Service Center in Colorado Springs, where technicians acknowledged the damage but refused to replace it under the recall. They visually confirmed the melted prong and fire damage. Manufacturer Response: After the incident, I contacted Tesla Corporate requesting replacement of the defective equipment. They responded that they don't believe the electrical fire was caused by the defective plug, despite physical evidence showing the same issue as recalled units. Warning Signs: Prior to failure, I noticed intermittent charging interruptions and the adapter becoming unusually hot. These symptoms began approximately three weeks before the fire incident. There were no dashboard warnings about potential charging equipment issues.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the instrument cluster became inoperable on several occasions. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the failure would reoccur unless the vehicle was updated with a new infotainment center and a faster processor. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer several times due to the...
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failure. The contact stated that recently the instrument cluster and the ECM were replaced. In addition, the vehicle recently received a software update. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V838000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Received and OTA notice on the dashboard that states "Battery Fuse replacement" is required. The fuse is due to a Li-ion battery that wears out for a safety system. Life expectancy of the battery is 10 years. It has not lasted 8 full years. This is stated as a safety issue and Tesla has since redesigned this item to not required the batteries. I have alerted Tesla about this issue, have not had a reply, as yet. The vehicle can be operated without this safety device, which seems inappropriate. I feel this should be replaced under warranty and/or recall - but it appears Tesla will want to charge an excessive amount of money.
Sudden unintended acceleration appeared to cause the Tesla while parking the car on the street in front of home accelerate go out of control and crash into the home totaling the car and damaging the house. Two days prior the vehicle was brought into a Tesla service location where Tesla replaced the 12 volt battery that they believed was causing the car not to power on properly at that time. After the crash and googling to see if others suffered similar issues it appears the NHTSA recently reopened a review of...
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sudden unintended acceleration and this incident seems to align with concerns of the petitioner [[redacted]] . The police filed a report and it's at the towing place where the insurer Allstate is going to evaluate the car for a total loss. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to file a complaint regarding a SUA incident that occurred on October 20, 2023, involving my 2016 Tesla Model S. On the day of the incident, I pulled into my garage and began to park my car. When I pressed the brake pedal, the car suddenly accelerated forward, crashing into the garage wall and totaling the vehicle. The garage wall was severely damaged and will need to be rebuilt. This is not the first time that my Tesla has experienced SUA. In 2017, I filed a complaint with NHTSA regarding...
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a similar incident. In my previous complaint (issue # 11000097 dated June 19, 2017), I described a similar incident that occurred in December 2016. At the time, Tesla denied that the incident was caused by SUA and no further action was taken. I am convinced that the SUA incident on October 25, 2023, was caused by a defect in my Tesla Model S. I am also concerned that other Tesla owners may be at risk of similar incidents. I urge NHTSA to investigate this matter and take appropriate action to protect consumers. I believe that Tesla should be held liable for the damages to my vehicle and my garage wall, and that the company should be required to recall all Tesla Model S vehicles that are at risk of SUA. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,
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.
The glue that was used on the screen of the Tesla has been leaking and the service center refused to pay for the repairs. The glue is now exposed into the car and outside of the screen and is toxic. I am now breathing toxic glue and its giving me and my family headaches when we are inside of the Tesla.
At 22 degrees fahrenheit, the vehicles cabin heat shut off after hearing a noise. The Noise appeared to be a broken cabin heating element. The window screen quickly fogged, and water began attaching to the outside of the windscreen, building up as ice. The windscreen was completely almost blocked. This problem has appeared common in my online research. I was informed by a non manufacture repair business that the issue became apparent during the low temperature cold weather in December 2022. The vehicle will be inspected by the manufacture. No warnings, alerts, or service indicators were show. The vehicle is still showing proper operation.
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the electrical system intermittently failed. The contact stated that the turn signals failed to sound, the back-up camera was blank or was sometimes distorted. The contact stated that he was concerned for his safety while driving. No warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that two years ago, the vehicle performed a software update and afterwards, the electronics failed to properly operate....
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The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the failure was a known issue, and that the contact needed to wait for a software update. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed to wait for the software update but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unavailable.
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...
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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.
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.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data