2016 Tesla Model S Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that approximately six days after purchasing the vehicle, while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle drove over a bump in the road, and a grinding sound was heard coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that after driving over a bump in the road, the vehicle felt different while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who reportedly observed significant corrosion and rust affecting the suspension system and advised the contact that all suspension components needed to be replaced. The independent mechanic advised the contact not to drive the vehicle due to safety concerns and indicated there might be structural damage to the vehicle. The contact stated that after the suggestion, the contact continued operating the vehicle. The following day, the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was purchased, and the contact was advised that the failure was associated with worn brake pads. The dealer replaced the brake pads. The contact believed that additional repairs may have been performed but was not advised of any other work completed. The vehicle had not been modified and had not been inspected by Tesla. The contact believed that the vehicle may have an inaccurate odometer reading; however, no evidence was available to support the concern. The contact remained concerned that the corrosion and possible structural damage might exist within the suspension system even though the brake pad was replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

NHTSA ID

11744540

Incident

Mar 31, 2026

Mileage

108,000 mi

Driver side rear control arm broke in half propagating along what appears to be a weld seam line for this hollow aluminum suspension part. It is incredible that a critical safety component holding a 5,000 pound curb weight vehicle was allowed on the car. The potential situation of a complete lower control arm break while driving at highway speeds is beyond imagining. Not only would such a situation endanger occupants but all other vehicles in the vicinity. This vehicle has never been in an automobile accident. It has 120,000 miles. It has never been used off road or for commercial usage. My wife and I are the original owners and only drivers.

NHTSA ID

11736676

Incident

May 8, 2026

On a side street approximately 1/4 mile before we were going to enter a highway the car suddenly resisted motion substantially and I had to immediately pull to the side. I tried reverse and the resistance was higher, I put it back in forward and it released. However, I immediately but slowly headed for my service station 2 miles away. A warning message appeared just as I brought the car to a stop at the station, but I did not notice what it said as I was being directed to move the car to a parking spot. Before I could fully back the car into the spot the rear wheel collapsed. The rear control arm failed and has been replaced. I have retained the failed control arm. Photos attached of the part as well as the rear wheel when it collapsed. If the initial resistance had occurred one minute later, I would have been on the highway and could have lost control of the vehicle. A serious accident would have been likely risking our safety and any others our car would have collided with. Note: This is the second suspension part failure on this car. The first was also reported to NHTSA.

NHTSA ID

11736109

Incident

Apr 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and making a right turn there was an abnormal sound coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. The contact stated then started to smell a burning rubber odor. The contact was able to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The contact became aware that the front passenger’s side wheel had seized in a right turn position and was rubbing against the wheel well. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE20020 (Suspension). The failure mileage was 60,348.

NHTSA ID

11702321

Incident

Nov 29, 2025

Mileage

60,348 mi

Car was making a rattling noise and no indication on the car indicating that it was a suspension issue. Drove for a few months without realizing that it was a suspension and hence a safety problem. Took it to the Tesla Service Center and they diagnosed as a suspension problem and said that it was unsafe to drive the car. The repair at Tesla to replace the links (aft, fore, sway bar) and spring/damper assembly was $5809.71;

NHTSA ID

11691703

Incident

Sep 1, 2025

I was backing out of a parking space and the front driver side fore link broke. Internet search reveals this is a known issue associated with Tesla Model S during the period mine was manufactured (February 2016), caused an investigation & service bulletin from the NHTSA, and a recall in China, hence I wanted to report this occurence.

NHTSA ID

11676368

Incident

Jun 23, 2025

on 5/20/25, I had my Tesla repaired as I had suspension issues. They repaired my car to rectify my suspension for both my front and rear tires. Then on 6/12/25, I was driving on the highway and going about 70-75 mph when I heard a huge pop. No warning indicators came on and something did not feel right. I figured nothing else came of it. I was about 30 miles away from home and when I got home, my tire was pushed inward. I was concerned on whether this was related to a bad repair since it was so soon to my previous repair and they indicated that they did not touch that area. After they saw my video, they indicated that the lower control arm of my rear tire broke and they indicated that this was just a damaged component. My biggest concern is that if this issue was not related to the repair work done a month ago, this could be bigger issue as I could have been very concerning that this part broke when I was driving at high speeds and I think it's warranted to check on the quality of the component. In my 40 plus years of driving, I have never experienced this happened to me. If you need documentation or video of how the tire and the axle looks, I can forward it to you. The vehicle has only been inspected by the Tesla Dealership service center and as stated earlier, there weren't any warning signs or messages that showed as I specifically was looking for it when I heard the loud pop.

NHTSA ID

11666935

Incident

Jun 12, 2025

In December of 2023, my RIGHT rear axle broke when I accidently hit a curb. The car was repaired at the Tesla collision center. On last Tuesday, November 12, 2024, I heard a noise while braking. I continued to drive, but next time I needed to use brakes, I had a sensation that the brakes were failing, and I wouldn't be able to stop. The brakes eventually engaged, and I was able to stop the vehicle. I went on an expressway and drove as slowly as possible, maintaining a long distance from the vehicles in front of me and using regenerative braking as much as possible, being aware of a possibility of brakes failure. I got home safely on that day, however, the next day, when I was backing out of the garage, I heard a screeching noise. When I inspected the vehicle, I discovered that the LEFT rear wheel was misaligned, looking exactly like the right rear wheel after the right rear axle broke. Although this defect hasn't been inspected by a technician yet, I am virtually certain that it's the same problem that I had before, now occurring on the opposite side. This means that I was likely driving with a broken axle, which could've resulted in a serious accident. As I mentioned, this is the second instance of the same defect affecting my vehicle, which, in my opinion, is indicative of a serious manufacturing defect that needs to be addressed. The vehicle hasn't been repaired yet and is available for inspection. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure.

NHTSA ID

11625206

Incident

Nov 12, 2024

I was slowly backing up to charge my car and heard a thump then my wheel was rubbing against the wheel well. When I looked under the wheel to see what was happening, I discover the metal suspension had snapped off. This was the front passenger side.

NHTSA ID

11613653

Incident

Sep 9, 2024

2016 Model S started making clunking sounds when turning and braking. Tesla service center inspected the vehicle and observed visible defects on the front left and right fore and aft links. Tesla recommended replacement of and quoted almost $2000 for parts and labor, including inspection fee. Vehicle only has 89000 miles and never had high impact incidents over obstacles.

NHTSA ID

11612959

Incident

Aug 2, 2024

while parking the vehicle, a loud shot gun like noise eminated from the front of the car. The car was being driven at less than 5 mph. After this there was loud noises from the front of the cars suspension. The car seemed unsafe to drive farther. I took it to the tesla service center the next day driving at a very low speed. they replaced the right and left front contol arms and charged me $1204.98 on October 26, 2023. The vehicle had 77,626 miles at that point. I queried them as to why this would ocurr at such low mileage and vehicle age? I got not response other than these things happen and the car is out of the normal warranty and the extended warranty. I paid the invoice since i agreed to the repair estimate earlier.

NHTSA ID

11609149

Incident

Oct 26, 2023

The lower control arm on my left rear tire broke. Specifically, the aluminum of the knuckle joint snapped. This occured in my driveway while backing up. This caused extensive damage to the rest of the rear left suspension.

NHTSA ID

11597203

Incident

Jun 9, 2024

When I was driving in the parking lot and turned to park at a parking spot I heard a sound from the passenger side front wheel. After I heard the sound the wheel felt stuck and was not moving freely. There were two other passengers in the car along with the driver. This is the second time that this happened. It happened first on Oct 2021 when the car's mileage was 51k and the second time when the mileage was 77k. The Model S was purchased in 2016. Tesla service center fixed it the first time and the repair listed the following 1>Fore Link Assembly LH(1041570-00-B) 2>Washer Nordlock(1033093-00-A) 3>Nut HF M14x1.50 ZnNi NL Insert(1004358-00-C) Tesla charged me $495 for it. The second time this happened the damage was a lot more extensive and Tesla recommended I take the car to a Tesla-approved body shop. I took the car to Brooks Automotive in Fremont and they charged me $10,000 for the repairs. My insurance refused to pay for the damages after I filed a claim with the insurance. Tesla refused to pay for it claiming it was not a manufacturing defect and the car was not under warranty. This car is driven by me and my wife and neither of us are rash drivers. We did not hit any debris on the road or remember an incident that could have led to this happening not once but twice. The car has been driven normally and used for normal family activities on public paved roads.

NHTSA ID

11582786

Incident

Feb 18, 2024

While backing out of a parking spot, I turned my wheels and went over a small depression in the drive for drainage. As my front tires went through the dip I heard a loud clank like something had broken. Then every bump I went over there was a knocking near the driver's side front tire. I took it in to Tesla and the service agent knew exactly right away what had happened because he said he has seen the same exact thing several times before. They explained that it was unsafe to drive and needed to be fix it immediately. When given the estimate they said only the driver's side Fore Link assembly broke but would need to replace both sides. I got a bill for $2150.61.

NHTSA ID

11582744

Incident

Aug 13, 2020

Left front lower link suspension component broke at low speed. Wheel moved aft and contacted sharp metal in the wheel well causing tire damage.

NHTSA ID

11577124

Incident

Mar 5, 2024

The fore link assembly on the drivers side of the car failed while pulling backwards out of a parking space at low speed. There was a loud snap and then the front suspension collapsed and the tire contacted the inside of the wheel well. I will attach a picture of the aluminum piece that I found on the ground and I also have the piece in the case you would like it. Tesla did not cover the cost of repair although they replaced both the right and the left fore link (sound like this is a very well documented failure Tesla TSB-17-31-001)

NHTSA ID

11567892

Incident

Jan 24, 2024

Was merging onto the the highway when all of a sudden, my passenger rear suspension gave out nearly causing me to crash into highway traffic. The wheel almost came off completely causing $14K of damage that I was responsible for paying for.

NHTSA ID

11562487

Incident

Aug 18, 2023

Right front lower suspension arm bushing pulled out leaving wheel loose. Recognized right away but could have caused loss of control. No provoking reason. Taken to dealer who replaced part.

NHTSA ID

11562452

Incident

Dec 21, 2023

Halfshaft and Control arm broke while backing up from a Walmart store. Tesla dealer diagnosed it but the repair was not covered. I had to pay out of pocket but this could have been prevented it the car was recalled.

NHTSA ID

11562439

Incident

Dec 23, 2023

Front air suspension failed while driving on the highway at 70 MPH while traveling from El P Paso, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico in July on 2023. front end of the car hit the ground and could not steer without tire grinding into the wheel well. Upon getting the car inspected for the problem, it was found that the front left air suspension had malfunctioned and because of the way the air suspension works, neither right or left side of the suspension would hold air and keep front of the car off the road. Cost of repairs was $1258.95 which Tesla refused to admit there was a design flaw that would render the car undrivable.

NHTSA ID

11561254

Incident

Jan 7, 2023

I was backing into a spot and felt the fromt.left tire pull.I then took it too tesla and they told me that the front left fore link was broken. This is a manufacturer issue why are they not responsible.

NHTSA ID

11548750

Incident

Oct 2, 2023

This is the third lower control arm to fail in this vehicle. Left front, left rear and now front right. All failures are the same, cracked castings at the ball joint or bushing. This vehicle has had to be towed in all three times as the wheel is no longer property connected to the frame and is undrivable without vehicle damage. Seriously, NHTSA needs to stop worrying about FSD and go investigate these suspension failures. At 50K miles, this is unacceptable and extremely dangerous. Luckily my failures have happened at slow speeds. If these failures happen at high speed, total loss if steering is possible. Please go after Tesla for these defects. These parts must be redesigned and replaced on Model S vehicles on the road today.

NHTSA ID

11541963

Incident

Aug 31, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID

11528738

Incident

Jun 19, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID

11528030

Incident

Jun 19, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID

11527538

Incident

Jun 6, 2023