2014 Tesla Model S Driver assistance Problems

I have been driving my Model S Tesla for 13 years. On 30 April as I was pulling into a parking space at my local grocery store, I applied the brakes to ease into the space and my car surged forward with unintended acceleration. I smashed into the concrete base of a light pole, the airbags deployed and my car ricocheted back about 8 feet. There were no warning messages. I was taken to the emergency room and had whiplash and a burn on my leg from the airbag. No one else was hurt. I know it was the car that malfunctioned because my foot was still on the brake after the collision and the airbags bruised the right side of my right leg. It could not have bruised it in that way if my foot had been on the accelerator. The insurance company inspected and declared a total loss. I obtained the black box data from Tesla and am uploading the documents below. The car is currently at the Tesla collision center. They do not seem interested in evaluating the problem.

NHTSA ID

11741164

Incident

Apr 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the digital screen intermittently blacked out and several safety features were inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the resort block remained at 90%, and the same EMMC ID that should have been covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11680333

Incident

Aug 15, 2023

Mileage

100,000 mi

I was driving my car on the freeway on cruise control, when there was a sudden/automatic violent break of 65 MPH to 0 MPH. There was no car in front of me, and there was nothing above my car (no direction sign, no bridge, no FASTRAK billboard, nothing). This was a "phantom break" and it was violent and sudden. Tesla needs to fix this!

NHTSA ID

11651183

Incident

Mar 5, 2025

On February 11, 2024, as I was entering my house garage at a very low speed, the car suddenly accelerated and hit the wall of my garage, causing damage to the garage and interior of my house. The car was insured by State Fram. It was towed to a shop for repair at which time the insurance company notified me that the car could not be repaired. The car had been totaled. Over the following several weeks, I repaired the damage to my house and bought another car.

NHTSA ID

11575320

Incident

Feb 11, 2024

The rear motor (drive unit) has gone out on this car twice in the last four years. I purchased it after it was last repaired. It most recently went out on 08/04/2023. When it went out two days ago it had less than 30,000 miles on it. This car has a motor on both the front and rear axles, so while the vehichle was still moving forward, if it slowed down at all that would engage the regenerative braking. Once regenerative breaking was engaged, the rear drive unit would normal perform that function, but since it was out, it simply knocked the vehicle out of drive and made the transmission flash red. During this part, steering was affected in that the power steering was out, and the ability to move forward was diminished because the vehicle came out of gear. I was able to put my foot briefly on the brake and then tap the car back into drive, but anytime the car slowed down and engaged regenerative braking, this process would repeat. Looking at the forums, this is a known problem. As already stated, this is the second time in less than four years that this motor has needed replacement. Additionally, Tesla is saying that this motor is did not have a warranty on it, despite the fact that it was replaced only a few years ago. In my opinion, this is a clear safety issue. Reviewing the forums, it seems as though this issue is an endemic problem associated with the Tesla Model S from a range of years between 2012-2015. It is more probable than not that the company is aware of this deficit and has chosen to do nothing about it.

NHTSA ID

11536745

Incident

Aug 4, 2023

In 2014, I ordered this Model S P85D, received it on 12/20/2014, I also purchased a 4-year extended service plan. Starting from March 2017, it started to encounter random yet serious problems. The car would randomly produce critical errors, displaying several types of error messages, while losing most of its driving power; the driver would have to perform emergency pullovers onto the road shoulder, if available, before the power rapidly reduce to zero. Then the driver need to restart the main computer (sometimes several times), to reset the error messages. Only after that, the car became drive-able again. I wrote an email to [email protected] on 03/23/2017 describing the problem, since then, this became a chronic issue; Service centers in Virginia, Maryland, and San Juan PR have performed numerous attempts on this problem, none of them was able to fix it. According to my records, for this issue, the car has been in the shop for more than 10 times, and more than a dozen components have been replaced. The total time it has been out of service is more than 380 days. I now consider it "unfixable" by Tesla. This kind of problem have created many dangerous situations when it occurred on the road, especially when the driver doesn't know how to handle it, doesn't pull over on the shoulder quickly, or there's no safe place to pull over.

NHTSA ID

11512964

Incident

Mar 6, 2023

Instrument display is frozen at 0mph at 7:57am even while driving. Uploaded photo was taken at 9:19am as indicated on time stamp and on larger display at center of vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11497732

Incident

Dec 16, 2022

My car has severe phantom breaking due to adaptive cruise control. When I use my Tesla's cruise control on the freeway, on a complete flat straight away that has no vehicle in front of me, no sign/bridge in front of me, and no items/object in front of me, my vehicle while randomly/violently slam on the break violently hurling me and all passengers in my vehicle forward. This is even more dangerous when there are vehicles being me in close proximity who could easily could have rear ended me all those times. I am forced to not use my cruise control due to these dangerous conditions.

NHTSA ID

11492996

Incident

Jun 12, 2021

The vehicle went into "REDUCED POWER" (Turtle Mode) error. Which reduced the power and the ability to accelerate out of an intersection and away from incoming traffic. I followed the recommendations of powering the vehicle off. It would correct itself then randomly does the same thing. This is SAFETY ISSUE and needs to be resolved before someone gets into a major accident which will result in great bodily injury or death.

NHTSA ID

11489859

Incident

Oct 17, 2022

Have experienced phantom braking at high speeds which could cause a rear end collision involving the vehicle or vehicles behind me. The phantom braking occurs about once per 500 to 750 miles and always occurs while traveling on the freeway at 60 to 70 mph. Approximately 80% of the time, it occurs at exactly the same place just before a large freeway sign. The occurrences are regardless of surrounding traffic. Sometimes it occurs with many other cars (at safe distance from me), sometimes with a few cars around me and sometimes with no cars within 100 yards in any direction. This one location is located in mid-California, at the north end of Ventura, on US 101 (freeway) northbound about 200 yards south of the Highway 33 (Ojai) cutoff.

NHTSA ID

11484896

Incident

Sep 16, 2022

The autopilot will apply the brakes in what is basically a panic stop any time you are decending from a hill and there is an overpass crossing the roadway. It happens to me on a particular stretch of the freeway almost every single time, and has happened multiple times. Each and every time it occurs it is as the vehicle is decending from a rise and there is an overpass ahead. For some reason the vehicle detects the overpass as an obstruction and slams the brakes. This has happened at least half a dozen times. Fortunately there was never a car following me very closely. I make it a point when I use the auto pilot to be ready to take over at a moment's notice whenever there is an overpass ahead. The vehicle did this with the OLD (original MCS) and the NEW one Tesla just installed.

NHTSA ID

11453901

Incident

Jan 23, 2021

The contact owns a 2014 Tesla Model S. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, Exterior Lighting) however, the part to the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated she was unable to start the vehicle and the battery was replaced. The manufacturer had not been made aware of the failure. Parts distribution disconnect. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11451931

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

When using Autopilot / TAC cruise control the vehicle sometimes applies the brakes for no reason.

NHTSA ID

11449988

Incident

Jan 27, 2022

I would experience multiple black outs on the technology system for the vehicle. They have not replaced the eMMC which is under recall

NHTSA ID

11419825

Incident

Jun 6, 2018

We have owned this car for a couple of months. Today, when I pulled into a parking spot at my office, the car accelerated quickly as soon as I made the turn to get into the parking spot. It jumped the curb and I barely missed hitting the office building. My feet were not on the gas pedal, the car did this on its own. None of the sensors went off to warn me of the curb like it normally does too. You can see from the skid marks how hard I had to slam on the brakes. Car damaged on front, assuming the windshield wiper fluid line was also cut with the fluid on the ground. Pictures attached.

NHTSA ID

11419332

Incident

Jun 2, 2021

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 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 UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA (5544 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33417) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11416483

Incident

May 13, 2021

2014 TESLA P85. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO THE WALL OF THE GARAGE, WHILE HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR WALL AND THE FRONT WALL OF THE GARAGE WERE BADLY DAMAGED. THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *JS

NHTSA ID

11412733

Incident

Apr 20, 2021

IN 2019 MY MAIN COMPUTER SCREEN WENT BLANK.AND DIDN'T COME BACK ON. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BUT HAD NO DEFOGGER OR OTHER SAFETY FEATURES. TESLA REPLACED AN MCU COMPUTER MODULE. IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN 2020. I BROUGHT IT BACK JANUARY 14 2021 AND INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE UNIT WITH A 64 GB UNIT (THE ORIGINAL WAS A 6 GB UNIT) THEY EMPTIED OUT SOME INFORMATION TO MAKE MORE ROOM. I SEE THIS AS A TEMPORARY FIX.I AM NOT CONFIDENT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

11388591

Incident

Jan 8, 2021

Mileage

72,547 mi

MANUFACTURES KNOWN DEFECTIVE MCU 1 DEFECTIVE MEMORY HOUSED IN DAUGHTERBOARD AND SCREENS LEAKING ADHESIVE IN THE DRIVER'S INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND 17" SCREEN ON MCU, ADHESIVE DRIPPING DOWN ONTO CABIN AREA .

NHTSA ID

11388498

Incident

Sep 9, 2020

Mileage

52,000 mi

TOTAL LOSS OF DISPLAY IN THE MIDDLE CONSOLE KEEPS GOING BLACK, TOTAL LOSS OF TURN SIGNALS, SUSPENSION CONTROL, HEATER CONTROLS, DE FOG AND DE ICE, NO REAR CAMERA, NO CRUISE CONTROL, HIGH LOW BEAMS,NO ABILITY TO USE FOG LAMPS. PLUS MANY MORE THINGS TOO NUMEROUS TO LIST. I TOOK IT TO SERVICE DEPT AND THEY DID A TEMP FIX FOR $150 BUT TOLD ME IT WILL GO OUT AGAIN AND IT DID THE VERY NEXT MORNING. SOMETHING TO DO WHAT'S CALLED THE MCU MEMORY FAILING. ITS GONE DARK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MANY DIFFERENT DATES. THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW WHEN IT WILL DO IT AGAIN. MAKES THE VEHICLE IN MY ESTIMATION MORE LIKELY TO GET INTO A CRASH

NHTSA ID

11388477

Incident

Jul 12, 2020

Mileage

86,000 mi

THE ENTIRE SCREEN WENT BLACK AND IT STARTED SHOWING THE BACKUP CAMERA. I COULDN'T FIX IT EVEN BY RESTARTING IT. NOTIFICATIONS INCLUDED- CENTER DISPLAY UNAVAILABLE, IT ALSO AFFECTED THE TURN SIGNAL WHILE DRIVING AND CRUISE CONTROL. OTHER SAFETY FEATURES OF THE VEHICLE WERE ALSO UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11388365

Incident

Jan 8, 2021

Mileage

104,000 mi

MY FRONT SUSPENSION FAILED, CAUSING A WHEEL MISALIGNMENT AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. THE CONTROL ARMS AND THE SUSPENSION BALL JOINTS FAILED, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL TO BE LOOSE. I HAVE KEPT THE PARTS AND THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILL. IT APPEARS THAT THE RUBBER GASKETS FAILED AND WATER ENTERED THE JOINTS CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR. WITH THE LANE KEEP (AUTOPILOT FUNCTION) ON HIGHWAY 40 BETWEEN LAWRENCE AND TOPEKA, THE CAR STEERS ITSELF EITHER TOWARD THE DITCH OR TOWARD ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN APPROACHING THE TOP OF A HILL. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. 10

NHTSA ID

11377252

Incident

Oct 7, 2020

Mileage

175,000 mi

TESLA CPU FAILURE IS CAUSING CAR TO HAVE ISSUES. BLUETOOTH WILL NOT CONNECT, CAR WILL NOT UNLOCK, LIGHTS DO NOT WORK- EITHER ARE STUCK ON OR OFF, BLINKERS DO NOT WORK, BACK UP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK, AIR CONDITIONING IS STUCK ON WHICH DRAINS BATTERY, CANNOT CHARGE THE CAR WHEN IT IS NOT RESPONDING AS CHARGING PORT WILL NOT UNLOCK. CAR HAS ESSENTIALLY TURNED INTO A BRICK WITH <60,000 MILES. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TESLA. THESE HAPPEN BOTH WHEN VEHICLE IS MOVING AND STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11363349

Incident

Oct 7, 2020

THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TESLA MEDIA CONTROL UNIT (MCU) DEAD OR WON'T TURN ON DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF THE EMMC MEMORIES. THE UNIT EVENTUALLY DIES ONCE THE MEMORIES ARE FULL AND THE UNIT WON'T TURN ON ANYMORE. SINCE THIS MCU IS THE HEART OF THE TESLA VEHICLE, ALL THE SAFETY FEATURES WILL BE DISABLE LIKE COLLISION SENSORS, HAZARD ALERT/NOTIFICATION, UNLOCK THE DOOR/WINDOWS FROM THE INSIDE, MOST OF THE GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD ARE DISABLE, EVEN THE LANE TURN SIGNALS ARE DISABLE AND THE BACKUP CAMERA. MY UNIT WENT OUT SINCE MAY 2020, TESLA WILL NOT COVER THE DEFECTED UNIT, IT THEY WILL CHARGE ME OVER $1700 TO REPLACED A REFURBISHED ONE. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THEY RESCHEDULE MY REPAIR SINCE THEY CLAIM THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE PARTS IN STOCK. I'VE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR WITH A DEAD MCU FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS. IT IS VERY UNSAFE WHEN I DRIVE THE DISABLE CAR ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11343973

Incident

May 28, 2020

MY INFOTAINMENT (CENTER LCD PANEL) SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED WHILE DRIVING. THIS SUDDEN FAILURE TOOK MY ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE ROAD AND REPEATEDLY ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE SCREEN WAS ALSO A HAZARD FORCING ME TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO RESTART THE INFOTAINMENT CENTER. WITH THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM DOWN, THE MAJORITY OF THE FEATURES IN THE VEHICLE ARE CUT OFF FROM ME. I LATER READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AFFECTING TESLAS BUILT BETWEEN 2013 AND 2018.

NHTSA ID

11343553

Incident

Jul 23, 2020

Mileage

70,000 mi