Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2015 Tesla Model S submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words
The outside passenger front door handle stopped working and no longer allows the door to be opened from the outside. The handle does present and retract but does not respond when you pull it. This handle has been replaced once before by Tesla. Now, when the vehicle goes from being locked to unlocked the passenger front door pops open without any user interaction whatsoever.
I parked my 2015 Tesla Model S and found the rear door on the passenger side would not open from the outside even though the door handle was extended. This is a safety concern as we could not open the door to remove our pet dog from the car. It would also not be possible to open the door from the outside to remove a child in a car seat next to the door or an elderly or disabled person sitting next to the door who is unable to open the door from the inside. This could be life threatening in the case of a car crash. It is a major safety defect that should be repaired at no cost by Tesla for the entire lifespan of the car. The problem persists and is reproducible.
Safety concern related to the tail lights and trunk lid lights on a tesla model s. I have had to replace both right and left turn lights and the trunk brake lights on multiple occasions due to water intrusion into the light housings. Water seepage over time or after heavy rains starts shorting the LEDs, thus causing safety concerns due to non-functioning tail lights. The vehicle has not been in an accident. It was purchased from a tesla "dealership" and they stated that there were no accidents. The car history report also indicates that the car has not been in an accident. There has been one attempted repair which added two drains to the trunk lid but the repair did not remedied the seepage into the light housing. There are reports online relating to water seepage into the light housings so its not just my car.
This incident happened on March 18, 2024 at approximately 4:20 pm central time. My daughter pulled out of the school parking lot after school. As soon as she pulled on to the main road she noticed a warning light pop up saying hood latch not detected. About one minute later the hood flew open very aggressively hitting the windshield and blocking her view. Tesla vehicles are equipped with a second safety latch that should prevent this hood from popping up. My daughter was blinded by the hood and could not see while in traffic. Thankfully, she was able to avoid running into another vehicle, object or off the road. I took the vehicle into Tesla on March 23, 2024 which was the first available appointment I was able to get. They inspected the vehicle and said they were not responsible for the hood flying open. I tried explaining to them the part that failed was the part that was apart of a recall in 2022 (the hoods 2nd safety latch). They told me my issue was different because they checked my latch in January 2022 and it was fine. They said my latch failed do to normal wear and tear. It just gave out. They charged me $235 for inspecting my hood. Since that day I have been trying to contact Tesla's corporate office to get them to repair my vehicle and refund my $235 but I have not had any luck. I am the original owner of this vehicle. I have had nothing but problems with this car from the moment I purchased the $100k vehicle. The company had to replaced the touch screen twice, the high voltage battery once, both headlights were replace. The car was in the shop several times for the leaking sunroof. Finally, the warranty ran on the car and the sunroof still to this day does not open. I went to the shop after the warranty expired and they were happy to tell me the car is not covered and it would cost $1300 to repair the sunroof after they had been patching it up with black tape. There are several reports of Tesla owners having this issue and Tesla need to step up.
There have been 7 incidents with my car where the door handles for both front doors (left and right) handles stopped working. The door handles would not "present" or "extend" and thus making it impossible for entry into the car. The latest incident occured on 1/13/2024 where the front driver side door would just pop open anytime any other door was opened. This is while the car was still in operation and the drive would then have to manually close the door. The door handles have malfunctioned on the following dates - January 2019, April 2019, July 2019, April 2022, June 2023, January 13, 2024.
The front trunk flew open without any warning and smashed the front windshield. We could not see. We never received any info on recalls.
The hood (frunk) lid disengaged while driving at highway speed and obstructed the windshield. I had to make an emergency exit. The car did not indicate that the latch was released and it did not slow as the manufacturer claims will occur with this problem. I was not notified of the known recall for this defect. As of now, Tesla collision is not taking responsibility and sent me to a third party for repair of the hood.
Recently I had an accident while I was driving my car (Tesla model S) with my wife and daughter in the car. The reason for accident was the front hood popped up in the middle of the county highway due to the secondary latch malfunction leaving us completely blinded as the hood fully blocked our vision. Luckily we were not met with a collision and had no bodily injuries, but the hood of the car got damaged. The repairs are running in thousands of dollars but Tesla is not covering. When we reached out to Tesla they informed there is a recall for the latch malfunction and sent us the recall, unfortunately they were sitting on this recall for 3 years and only sent us when we actually reached out. Still they denied any coverage owning no responsibility and even refused to fix the latch until we get the hood fixed by ourselves leaving it in unsafe condition as the hood might pop up again if we drive.
Door handle that allows for opening the door from the outside fails to present. Motor just turns and turns, and it is impossible to open the door from the outside. This is the SECOND time for this defect on this vehicle - in 2021 the driver-side door failed in the same manner. This is the passenger side door that has failed now. Tesla said in 2021 that this was a known defect with a cheap gear that fails. There is also a class action lawsuit pending in California federal court, Urban v. Tesla, related to this identical defect which involves 2014-2016 Model S vehicles. No warning signs before the failure. In the event that the vehicle is in an accident, this failure would make it difficult for emergency personnel to open the door from the outside (which they otherwise would be able to do, because the key fob in the vehicle would ordinarily allow extension of the handle upon merely pushing in the handle).
The retracting door handle mechanism is defective. The motor that activates the door handles breaks and I cannot open my passenger doors from the outside. I have to deactivate the child safety locks and open the door from the inside. This creates a hazard in emergency situations. I have two young children that are still in car seats. They need assistance in and out of the vehicle. Tesla has replaced both the rear passenger door handle mechanism at cost. The tech says this is a known problem for early models of this car.
Driver door of vehicle will unexpectedly and randomly unlatch and open whenever the vehicle is unlocked. While moving, as well as parked and when vehicle is unattended.
Door handle is supposed to pop out to open the door. This is the 2nd time my door handle is stuck and does not pop out, making it impossible to open the door from the outside. This appears to be a systematic defect in Tesla Model S cars as seen from numerous online complaints. It is a safety issue as not being able to open a door can prevent help from getting in in case of any accident. Tesla refuses to consider this in issue and treats it as an out-of-warranty expense to be covered by the owner. The right thing to do is to recall these broadly and fix this correctly.
Like everyone else who owns an early Model S, we have had numerous issues with our door handles. A couple were replaced under warranty, but now the car is out of warranty. The design is OBVIOUSLY defective. Our best friends have the same car and they have had to replace all four of them. Our car just started opening two of the doors randomly. Not just unlocking, its actually opening the doors all the way. This is seriously concerning to me. Tesla wants $700 to fix the doors. It would seem to me that Tesla needs to recall these handles or at least fix them for free as issues arise for people. Its NOT okay to have doors that randomly pop open with children in the back seat. So dumb! Please help!
Two issues to flag: 1) Door handles are defective. I have now had to replace all 4 door handles at $500+ each. There is clearly a design issue that should have been addressed and every part failing in the same way is unacceptable. 2) Phantom braking when 'Autopilot' engaged... rarely the car will brake hard at highway speeds for no apparent reason. I have noted this seems to occur on specific parts of road such as driving under an overpass with an uphill slope... this has been dangerous and required quick reactions to prevent the car from stopping on the highway.
DOOR HANDLES THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES WHEN YOU APPROACH VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY BREAK AND PREVENT THE ABILITY TO OPEN THE VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS ALSO RESULTS IN INABILITY TO OPEN THE DOOR COMPLETELY WHEN CHILD LOCK IS IN PLACE. ALTHOUGH BROKEN DOOR HANDLES CAN HAPPEN THESE BREAK EVERY YEAR OR TWO. IT'S A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS STRAPPED TO CAR SEATS IN THE EVEN OF AN EMERGENCY. PLEASE INTERVENE BEFORE THEY MOVE TO TOUCH LESS DOOR HANDLES, FUNCTIONING OUTDOOR AND INDOOR HANDLES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY SUCH AS FIRE AFTER AND ACCIDENT. FIRST TIME HANDLE BROKE WAS AROUND 30K MILES THEN AGAIN ANOTHER AROUND 50K
ON AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 23, 2020, 2015 TESLA MODEL S 85D WAS IN MOTION WITH SINGLE OCCUPANT, TURNING RIGHT TURN INTO RESIDENTIAL AREA OFF CITY STREET. DRIVER HEARD LOUD AND DEEP METALLIC SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY SLOWED. WARNING MESSAGE SIMILAR TO 'UNSAFE TO DRIVE, PULL OVER SAFELY' APPEARED ON DASH. DRIVER STOPPED CAR RIGHT AWAY AND HEARD 3-4 LOUD, IDENTICAL SOUNDS. DRIVER HEARD ANOTHER SOUND FOLLOWED BY LOUD 'POP' AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. DRIVER IMMEDIATELY EXITED AND SAW SMOKE BILLOWING FROM BELOW THE VEHICLE. DRIVER MOVED AWAY. THERE WAS ANOTHER LOUD 'POP' SOUND AND FLAMES STARTED VISIBLY SHOOTING OUTWARD AND UPWARD FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WELL AREA, MID-CABIN AND REAR PASSENGER TIRE WELL, CHARRING THE CURB AND GRASS NEXT TO VEHICLE. FIRE CONTINUED TO BURN THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR, FRONT OF CAR (FRUNK), AND UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON SCENE WITHIN MINUTES AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE. FIRE DAMAGE TO EXTERIOR WAS VISIBLE TO FRONT TIRE WELL AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. ADDITIONAL FIRE DAMAGE NOTED INSIDE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. CAUSE IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN.
TESLA MODEL S HAS AN AUTO PRESENTING DOOR. EARLY MODEL HAS A FREQUENT FAILURE AND TEALA HAS UPDATED IT WITH 3RD GENERATION. IF IT IS FAIL IT CANNOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE SINCE IT IS STUCK AND IT MIGHT BE CRITICAL IN ACCIDENT
TWO DAYS PRIOR DOOR HANDLES ON FRONT PASSENGER DOOR ,OPENING AND CLOSING BY ITSELF. NOT EVEN ALLOW ENTRY TO CAR. ON 11/8/2020 WHILE CAR IN DRIVE DOOR COMPLETELY OPENED. NOT HANDLE BUT DOOR COMPLETELY OPENED. I'M AFRAID OF SEVERE CONSEQUENCES. TESLA NOT ADMIT ANT ISSUE LIKE THIS . DOORS WERE RETROFIT FOR A FIX ABOUT A YEAR AGO . NOW THI IS LIFE AND DEATH OR SEVERE INJURY AND LOST OF LIFE . HELP ME , TESLA ONLY WANTS ME TO PAY AGAIN AND COVERUP AGAIN . MUST RECALL BEFORE LOST OF LIFE IS THE COST.VIDEO AVAILABLE
SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I HAD ALMOST COMPLETED A U TURN (BUT NOT COMPLETELY) TO SLOWLY PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT PARALLEL TO THE SIDEWALK WHEN THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN LOUNGED FORWARD (SEE SKID MARKS). IT ONLY SLOWED AFTER HITTING AND DAMAGING THE BRICK WALL.I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES, THE SCREEN FLASHED SOMETHING LIKE: YOUR AUTO PARK IS NOW DISABLED. I WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY EASE INTO MY INTENDED PARKING SPOT AND COME OUT AND ASSESS THE DAMAGES. IT ALL HAPPENED OVER A SPLIT SECOND. THE COLLISION DEFINITELY FELT LIKE THERE'S A MAJOR FAULT WITH THE CAR'S COMPUTER SYSTEM - INSTRUCTING IT TO LURCH FORWARD AT RAPID SPEED AND NOT ABLE TO AUTOSTOP WITH AN OBJECT (BRICK WALL) IN FRONT OF IT. I WAS AT A RESIDENTIAL AREA WITHIN A GATED COMMUNITY. WHEN CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL CAME, THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FILE A REPORT WITHIN PRIVATE PROPERTY. *TR
MY TERSLA EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION EVENT ON JULY 31, 2019. IT WAS BEING PARKED IN A TARGET PARKING LOT ABOUT TO BE PUT IN PARK WHEN IT SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED A FULL ACCELERATION. IT JUMPED OVER A 6 TO 8 FOOT WIDE CONCRETE MERIDIAN, TOOK OUT A BUSH AND HIT A PARKED PICK-UP, MOVING IT ABOUT 15 FEET AND TOTALING THE TRUCK. THE CAR HAD ALMOST $40,000 IN DAMAGE AND THE DRIVER WAS INJURED. TELSA FIRST SAID THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR READ OUT IN ONE WEEK THEN 3, THEN 4 - FINALLY AFTER ABOUT 4 MONTHS THEY SAID IT WAS DRIVER ERROR BUT THE DRIVER DENIES TOUCHING THE GAS OR BRAKE. SHE WAS ALREADY STOPPED AND IT HAPPENED SO FAST SHE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO REACT.
ON JANUARY 2, 2019 BETWEEN 1:45 AND 2 PM I DROVE FROM MY HOUSE INTO A CLINIC PARKING LOT. AS I DROVE MY 2015 TESLA MODEL S FORWARD AND STEERED TO THE RIGHT INTO A PARKING SPOT, I CONSCIOUSLY EASED MY RIGHT FOOT OFF FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THUS LOWERING MY SPEED FROM 10-9 MPH TO ABOUT 5-6 MPH. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED, ALLOWING REGENERATIVE BREAKING TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. ABOUT A SECOND INTO THE PARKING TURN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JOLTED FORWARD, ACCELERATING UNEXPECTEDLY. I FELT AS IF THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK WHEN I REFLEXIVELY REMOVED MY RIGHT FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR, AND STOMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD. MY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP ONLY AFTER COLLIDING WITH A CHEVROLET SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLE PARKED IN THE SPOT ACROSS. AS I REGAINED MY BEARINGS, I CAUGHT MYSELF STILL FLOORING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH MY RIGHT FOOT, AND CONTINUED TO FLOOR IT UNTIL I AFTER I HAD SHIFTED IT INTO PARKING GEAR, AND MADE SURE THERE WAS NOBODY WALKING IN THE VICINITY. THE IMPACT FROM THE TESLA MODEL S BUMPED THE CHEVROLET SUV PARKED IN FRONT ABOUT 5 FEET BACK. THE MODEL S ITSELF STOPPED BETWEEN 2-3 FEET INTO THE NEXT PARKING SPACE, SLIGHTLY INTO THE OPPOSING PARKING SPACE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AS SEEN IN THE INCLUDED PHOTOS. THIS WOULD INDICATE THE BRAKES **EVENTUALLY** WORKED. HAD THEY NOT, THE TESLA WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO ROLL FORWARD AND INTO THE SUV'S BUMPER AFTER THE COLLISION. THIS IS CALLED TESLA CREEP MODE, WHICH I HAVE ENABLED (SLOWLY ROLL FORWARD WHILE NO PEDAL IS PRESSED). I ASKED THE POLICE OFFICER TO POSITION HIS PATROL CAR BEHIND MY VEHICLE BEFORE I MOVED IT AND ADVISED THE POLICE OFFICER I DID NOT TRUST THE CAR. I USED AN APP TO CALL FOR A TOW THROUGH MY INSURANCE, BUT THE TOW'S NUMBER WAS DISCONNECTED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF WITH THE PATROL CAR IN ESCORT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN OR OPERATED WHEN NEEDED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND THE REPAIR COST WAS ESTIMATED AT $600. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
ON THURSDAY , JUNE 7 AROUND 6:30 PM I MET WITH A BIZARRE INCIDENT ON MY 2015 TESLA MODEL S , 70D. INCIDENT TOOK PLACE ON RT 83 NEAR OAK BROOK MALL NEAR CHICAGO. THE CAR SLOWLY ROLLED AND APPROACHED A SEMI IN FRONT IN A TRAFFIC JAM. I HEARD A BEEPING SENSOR AS IT WAS ABOUT TO TOUCH THE SEMI, I IMMEDIATELY PRESSED THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING INSTEAD. I THOUGHT I MUST HAVE PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL, SO IMMEDIATELY LIFTED MY FOOT TO MAKE SURE I WAS PRESSING THE BREAK PEDAL. THE SECOND TIME ALSO IT STARTED ACCELERATING AND KEPT PUSHING THE SEMI IN FRONT BECAUSE IT WAS TOUCHING IT. PERPLEXED I THEN BROUGHT THE CAR TO PARKING MODE TO MAKE IT STOP. AS THE SEMI STARTED MOVING AGAIN AND THERE WAS SUFFICIENT GAP, THE CAR STARTED FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. I GOT A REPAIR ESTIMATE ON THE FOLLOWING DAY FROM A TESLA APPROVED GARAGE AND THEY HAVE QUOTED ABOVE $4000 TO REPAIR.
REAR DRIVER DOOR HANDLE STOPPED PRESENTING RESTRICTING ACCESS TO THE CAR. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN COMMON BREAK ON CARS WITH SOME CARS EXPERIENCING AS MANY AS 6 DOOR HANDLES BREAKING.
WAS USING THE AUTO-SUMMON FEATURE TO GET THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND IT CRASHED ON THE GARAGE WALLS.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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