Reuters reports that Tesla has been tracking chronic flaws and failures in its vehicles’ steering and suspension parts for years, according to company documents dated between 2016 and 2022. Despite this knowledge, the electric car maker has sought to blame drivers for these issues, claiming vehicle “abuse” rather than acknowledging defects.

Falhas prematuras de peças e reclamações de clientes

The documents, which include repair reports from Tesla service centers worldwide, reveal that tens of thousands of customers have experienced premature failures of suspension or steering parts since 2016. Engineers’ analyses and data reviews also highlight parts with high failure rates.

One such case involves Shreyansh Jain, who purchased a new 2023 Tesla Model Y in March. Just one day later, with only 115 miles on the odometer, the vehicle’s front-right suspension collapsed while Jain was driving with his family.

“Front wheel fell off while driving on Autopilot at 60 mph,” reads one of the many complaints cited in the documents.

Tesla’s Response to Regulators

Despite acknowledging the flaws internally, Tesla has denied the existence of defects to regulators. In a September 2020 letter to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla denied any defects with the same aft links that its engineers had determined were flawed. The company refused to recall the part for U.S. customers, even though it had recalled the same part in China a month earlier.

Investigações e recalls em andamento

The NHTSA is currently investigating power steering loss reports in approximately 334,000 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from the 2023 model year. The agency has received over 2,300 complaints related to steering or related failures, with some owners reporting an inability to turn the steering wheel or an increase in required effort.

Since 2018, Tesla has had nine recalls in the United States for steering and suspension issues, according to NHTSA records.

EVXL’s Take

The revelations about Tesla’s handling of known defects in its vehicles raise serious concerns about the company’s commitment to customer safety and transparency. As a leader in the electric vehicle industry, Tesla has a responsibility to address these issues promptly and openly, rather than attempting to shift blame onto its customers.

Embora as investigações e os recalls em andamento demonstrem que os órgãos reguladores estão tomando providências, é fundamental que a Tesla resolva esses problemas de forma proativa e priorize a segurança de seus veículos. Ao fazer isso, a empresa pode manter a confiança de seus clientes e continuar a impulsionar a inovação no setor automotivo.

Foto cortesia da Tesla.