Here is another tesla with a collapsed front suspension. http://www.copart.com/us/en/lot/21054696?searchid=632075351 the car has not been involved in a collision, the front suspension has simply fallen apart. the front wheel is sliced nearly in half by a broken suspension component. this type of failure can be seen in many accidents involving teslas. please look at the pattern here. the alloy suspension links are weak. the steering-knuckle has been redesigned and made stronger from 2015 onwards but nothing has been done about the older model cars. even the new and stronger suspensions are still snapping off the cars. customers are being forced to sign non disclosure agreements in exchange for goodwill payments. please investigate.
Here is an auction listing of a tesla that has caught fire. http://salvage-bid.com/result.php?vin=[xxx] the pjhotographs show that the lh top ball-joint has pulled out from the steering knuckle. this is not the result of the fire because those parts are solid metal and neither the steering knuckle nor the wishbone have melted. the suspension failure is consistent with the pattern of similar failures that appear to have been the cause of crashes. please investigate this recurring failure information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr
Left rear suspension integral link completely broke and the attached piece lodged in the inside of the tire rim causing major damage to the tire rim. *tr
Was replacing the left rear wheel and noted an odd "notch" in the left rear suspension aluminum upper control arm. closer inspection revealed that the upper control arm was partially severed with approximately 1/2 of the lower portion cross section, and 1/3 to 1/4 of the upper portion cross section, cut through by the lower shock absorber attachment bolt. it appears that the bolt was mounted backwards, with the sharp tip of the bolt facing forward instead of rearward, at either the factory, or when the powertrain was replaced by the tesla denver service center (as reported by the previous owner). extensive photographs are available and, frankly, they are essential to accurately depict the serious and potentially catastrophic nature of this suspension damage. it would appear that the upper control arm, a major suspension component whose failure would like result in a loss of vehicle control and possibly a rollover accident, was at or near the point of fracture due to the massive loss of cross sectional material from the frequent impacts (on suspension compression) by the much harder/stronger bolt tip. in other words, the bolt tip acted as a lathe, cutting into the suspension control arm with each suspension cycle. in the short term, i strongly recommend an immediate inspection of the tesla model s fleet, beginning with model s's that have had their powertrain lowered and reinstalled, to see how many other model s's have this impending catastrophic defect. while it could happen, i would be highly surprised if this vin was the one and only case of this bolt being installed backwards. in the longer term, i recommend this bolt be redesigned so as to prevent incorrect installation. please feel free to contact me for additional information and for the photographs. *tr
This is the car which swerved over a cliff and killed the driver. https://www.easyexport.us/vehicle-finder/lot-16405175/2013-tesla-tesla-non-repairable-ca-san-jose http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/3318773-181/pd-default-story-headline-xy?gallery=3314901&artslide=0 i have attached photographs that show not only that the steering knuckle has snapped but the tread is worn off the tire. this can only have happened while the car was driving on the road. this was almost certainly the cause of the crash. this same effect of snapped suspension with worn tire can be seen in many other tesla crashes.. since about 2015 tesla has redesigned the steering knuckle to a solid h-section instead of the hollow die-cast original. there should be a recall to replace all of the earlier fragile versions. many more images of snapped knuckles can be seen at https://www.flickr.com/photos/136377865@n05/sets/72157658490111523/. *tr
Here is a story about a tesla owner who claims the car saved his life. http://insideevs.com/tesla-model-s-gets-wrecked-owner-says-vehicle-saved-his-life-images-owner-testimonial/ look at the photographs. the front suspension has collapsed and the tread of the tire has been worn away. the collision with the hyundai was a secondary effect of the tesla suspension collapsing and causing loss of control. tesla spins these stories and makes the owners sign non disclosure agreements. this is no accident. it is a deliberate cover up.
Here is a report of a tesla crash at an intersection. http://insideevs.com/tesla-model-s-gets-wrecked-owner-says-vehicle-saved-his-life-images-owner-testimonial/ the report blames the other driver and credits the tesla with saving the owner from injury. the claim that the hyundai hit the tesla and then rebounded and hit the tesla once more is quite unusual. the photographs are high resolution and if they are blown up and examined close up you can seethe that tip of the steering knuckle is broken off (close up photograph of the actual part -which was purchased by a rebuilder- here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/136377865@n05/22799472895/in/album-72157658490111523/ i think it is possible that suspension failures are causing many crashes. the date of the incident is an estimate. the owner says that tesla have been very helpful. "?tesla called my home shortly afterwards saying that they received multiple alarms from the car and wanted to make sure i was ok. they picked up my car free of charge and transported it 50 miles to the nearest service center. they are also arranging a loaner model s. can i ask for more? please note that i am not the owner just a concerned citizen please include this crash in any inquiry into the tesla suspension issue. *tr
This is a complaint about the issue of fires in the tesla model s. tesla claims that the fires in 2013 were caused by impact with road debris and the danger has been reduced by fitting a battery shield and raising the ride height. the ride height was returned to low after your investigations were completed. the photographs from the fires in 2013 show that the fires were caused by collapsed suspensions and not by any impact with road debris. i believe that the battery shield is no more than window dressing and that the low quality videos showing objects crushed by the battery shield are faked. https://www.tesla.com/blog/tesla-adds-titanium-underbody-shield-and-aluminum-deflector-plates-model-s it is impossible for a block of concrete or a car alternator to crumble like chalk (unless they are made from chalk!) teslas are still catching fire and occupants have been incinerated. there have been many more burned teslas than the company is admitting to. see attached photographs. please investigate.