2016 Tesla Model S complaints

The driver's side front suspension control arm (aka "fore link") spontaneously snapped. This occurred when I started the car in the garage, and began to slowly back out. The terrain was level and smooth, and my speed was under 5mph. One piece of the assembly fell from the car and is in my possession. The car was rendered undriveable.

While backing out from the garage at speed below 5 MPH I heard loud snapping sound from the front suspension, then immediately rubbing sound of the front passenger tire against the wheel well. Had the car towed to Tesla dealer in Burlingame CA, and upon inspection has been advised that Front Fore link assembly left and right have to be replaced at my expense since vehicle is out of warranty, yet only has 20k miles on it. If this happened while driving on the freeway the consequences would have been much more dire as reflates to safety. There was absolutely no warning signs that these critical parts are about to fail- absolutely shocking, yet Tesla refused to accept responsibility and Goodwill the repair cost. I am attaching the Tesla service invoice and the pictures of the broken fore link piece I have found underneath the car.

The right front suspension "Lower Fore Link" broke under braking. The Fore Link broke/separated from the ball joint connecting it to the right spindle/upright, causing loss of directional and braking control. The damaged Four Link is available for inspection. Once the Fore Link broke, any braking caused the wheel to move rearward and contact the body wheel arch liner. Once the body contacted the tire, it rode up on the rotating tire, causing the front end to rise and bounce up and down. Under my situation, with my advanced driving experience, I was able to bring the car to a stop before hitting the cars stopped ahead. But under more severe braking conditions, or lower experienced driver, the car might not be able to stop in time, putting me, my passengers, and those of any cars in front of the car at risk. This problem is documented by Tesla Technical Service Bulletin SB-17-31-001. The vehicle and defective component has been inspected by the local Tesla Service Center in Carlsbad CA, but not by any police/insurance/other representative. There were no warnings in advance of the failure.

Touch screen melting and leaking substance worried it will shut down dealer says not under warranty no warning or messages about leak

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.

On Friday, June 2, 2023, I was traveling at highway speed in the left lane south on Interstate 15 just south of Temecula, California. With no warning my vehicle speed started dropping quickly, and did not respond to pressing the accelerator pedal. I immediately started moving lanes to the right, as my speed quickly decelerated to 30 mph. Luckily, I was able to make it to the shoulder safely. There was an exit up ahead, so I continued to drive as my speed continued to decelerate, in the hopes that I could make the exit and have a safe place in which to stop and contact Tesla service. I was able to make that exit, but by the time I got there my speed had decelerated to 20 mph, and as I continued up the exit to a wider shoulder, the car rolled to a stop and would not move again. The car battery had been fully charged before I left home, and the indicator showed over 180 miles of range available. I contacted Tesla, and followed their instructions to attempt to reboot the car, but was not able to. I then arranged for a tow to the Tesla Service Center in Temecula, where the car is now, and we are awaiting a diagnosis. A similar event happened to us in this vehicle in December of 2022; however, at that time the max speed of the car was able to be maintained at 60 mph, and we were able to make it to our destination safely (10-15 minutes of driving.) Once we arrived at that destination and stopped the car, the car would not restart, and it was towed to a Tesla service center in Burban

The front suspension has failed at 124,947 miles and this is unheard of in a 6 year old car. There have been issues with this model S 2016 which Tesla is unwilling to recall and replace. The rear suspension had to be redone in 2021 with less than 100,000 miles

While driving reduced power light came on. On Highway speed reduced to a crawl.

Speedometer went completely blank and not able to see anything on that which includes safety features like blind spot monitoring and land departure. Also multiple time screen freezing issue causing absence of rear view camera.

Right rear suspension lower control arm part # 1021416-00-D broke on bushing mount with no warning while driving the car at 40 mph,… this part is available for your inspection and looks like corrosion may have played a part in this failure. This failure could have caused an accident as the car became uncontrollable especially if it failed while driving on a freeway. The dealer manufacturer/Tesla replaced this part and inspected it. No warning of this parts failure was given by the vehicle.

Tesla Model S touchscreen (MCU 1) continue to respond extremely slowly. Sometimes this means that the rear camera does not respond / turn on when the car is in reverse. Camera has been previously replaced under warranty. However, the issue remains. Have had several past appointments with various errors including black screen resets at random times and lack of responsiveness which impacts required safety features like the rear camera, but also convenience features such as climate control, radio, navigation, etc. Tesla continues to push for customers to pay for an upgrade to MCU 2. However, it seems that these safety features should work correctly in a consistent manner without the customer being required to pay.

This vehicle had the driver side lower suspension connector link crack and fail at the lower ball joint at 22K miles. Now at 50K miles, the rear drivers side lower control arm has failed in the same way, In both cases, this is either due to a design defect or manufacturing defect. I have included pictures of both the front and rear links.

Tesla designed a combined 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 apparently has a tendency to overheat and fail prematurely. For example, the replacement cost for a portion of the daytime running light (on one side) is over $1,000. This is apparently a known weak point and should be addressed.

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.

While pulling out of a parking space at less than 5 mph the front left suspension fore link broke, resulting in damage to the wheel liner. The left front wheel could be described as loose or wobbly and resting at less than 1 cm from the rear side of the wheel liner, making turning nearly impossible. If this had happened at a higher speed it could have been catastrophic. There was no warning measures on the vehicle but a series of unusual metal grinding noises could be heard immediately after the break. The vehicle was placed on a flatbed and towed to the local Tesla, Inc. repair location where it was inspected and repaired. All 4 front lower fore links were replaced both on the left and right side for a total cost of approximately $2000.

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

All 4 door handles have ceased working. 1st responders wouldn't be able to gain entry.

The contact owns a 2016 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 contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the center display screen went blank, causing the gear shifter, cameras, and defroster to become inoperable. The center display screen inadvertently rebooted shortly afterwards. The contact stated that the Tesla app confirmed that the EMMC was still operating and functioning as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.

Multiple failure of left and right suspension link and sway bar

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.

When in Autopilot mode on I287S highway , the vehicle in my right lane changed to my lane with more than enough distance. But, Tesla applied sudden break bringing car speed from 65mph to around 45 mph. Luckily, no one was following me, and, I took control and disengaged autopilot.

Windows both on passenger and driver side won’t close once open. They close halfway and go back. It takes multiple attempts to close them. It is happening for more than 3 years.

While driving, left front lower fore link broke. Front wheel became lose in the fender well. Smashing the wheel front and back in the well, whilst pulling the car very hard to the left. Front link completely broken. Inspection shows, two rear links cracked and ready to break . Telsa knows about this in Safety Bulletin SB-17-31-001 . They did not notify us. And additionally refuse to fix it unless we pay over $10,000 in repairs. I purchased this car brand new. Has never been wrecked, well serviced and well maintained.

Tesla vehicles suffer excessive “toe-in” wear on all tires. Tesla claims it is a function of the vehicle being heavy and that it is “normal” Tires have to be replaced every 12-24 months as a result of the inner portion showing cord, wire, and losing air. The tread on the rest of the tires appears to have 1/8 to 1/4 inch of usable tread however all tires have to be replace as a result of the toe in. Vehicle was repeatedly aligned by Tesla but that did not alleviate the issue. Presents a real danger as the portion of the tire dangerously worn down is on the most inner side of the tire. Not easily visible.

While driving with Auto Pilot engaged on the highway, traffic slowed and AP applied the brakes at a light to moderate level. I immediately heard a loud squeal come from the front passenger wheel area that stopped when braking stopped. No warning lights or messages showed but I could tell I had reduced steering response after disengaging AP. I was able to get off the highway and navigate to a nearby service center, where they told me that a ball joint had sheared off. The squeal was a result of the tire contacting the wheel well. The service estimate called for replacement of right and left fore link and aft link assemblies of the front suspension. A web search revealed that Tesla was aware that "Some Model S and Model X vehicles may have been manufactured with front suspension fore links that may not meet Tesla strength specifications," per service bulletin SB-17-31-001.

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).

There is fluid a fluid leak in the main large display and edges of driver display. The large display leak is obscuring driver view of display information. Driver side display is distracting and appears to move. Tesla verified that this problem exists in most of these vehicles, of this age, but it is not covered by warranty. Apparently, the fluid origin was from the breakdown of the adhesive used to attach glass. She could not assure me that the fluid would not leak out of glass screens or if the fluid was toxic to touch or inhalation. Despite the number of cars affected, there was never a recall, but many were fixed during another recall of a different display problem. The replacement of the screens will cost over $2000. Tesla was very much aware of this problem. There were many people affected and most were trusting Tesla’s replaced speech. Very sad.

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!

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.

Tesla did not include all of the vehicles on the power steering recall from last week. Mine developed the problem right after the software download. They won’t push me the fix. The recall starts with MY17 but I have a late MY16 which is the same refreshed model s as the MY17.

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.

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 day

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.

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

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 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.

We were entering our driveway to park the car at the garage As always, I drove towards the end of the driveway to reverse into the garage. I turned the wheel towards the right, pressed the break to stop the car to reverse, car lurched forward and went down the small hill (3-4 feet high) to the neighbors yard and when I pressed the break again the car stopped (after about 15 feet from the driveway). Damages : Car’s bottom hit the ground and all plastic parts came out. Also, some kind of fluid (likely radiator ) started leaking. Also noticed some scratches/damages to the bumpers

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.

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.

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. 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.

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 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.

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.

I purchased a used 2016 Tesla Model S in September 2021, with 58,961 miles. Within a month, a strange scraping sound can be heard as I was backing out of my driveway, it was the metal piece that was connected to the wheel. Somehow it had broken off and was bent in a position where it was grinding my brake pads down to unsafe levels. Telsa said it was caused by making a 'sharp turn' and is not covered under warranty. The work to fix costed $1450.03 to replace brake pads and wheel that was cracked. But didn't disclose in the invoice what was causing the scraping sound. They claimed that when they drove the vehicle they could not hear any scraping sound. Based on Tesla's TSB report, this is a known defect and Tesla should have repaired it without charging me. But they would rather have me believe that I was a terrible driver.

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.

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

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

While driving the vehicle car shutdown and went into park for unknown reasons. The steering wheel became almost impossible to turn. I also experienced the regenerative emergency braking and brakes malfunction. Car rolled off into the street nearly hitting another vehicled parked in front of it. The malfunction was initially reported to Tesla on January 5, 2022. Appointment was made for January 26, 2022, but was later rescheduled for a later date due to the service centers backlogged. This pushed my coverage outside the warranty periord rendering my warranty claim useless. Tesla refused to make repairs for free citing, "vehicle is out of warranty period"

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.

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.