2017 Tesla Model S Body & structure Problems

Trunk latch fails, trunk latch safety mechanism also failed so manual release does not work. This is a safety issue

NHTSA ID

11745960

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

on 1 occasion the front trunk opened on its own, on 2 occasions the rear trunk opened on its own. The last occasion was on August 3. all these events occurred with in 3 weeks. The car was brought to a service center where the problem was misdiagnosed since the incident on August 3 was after the service call.

NHTSA ID

11606371

Incident

Aug 3, 2024

While in autosteer, I pressed on the brakes which normally deactivates the autosteer while coming to a stop. In this particular case the car did not brake upon command and the car maintained acceleration thru a stop light and veered into a median causing a collision with a curb causing structural damage to the frame of the vehicle. I have put in a claim with both my insurance and Tesla and advise that the brakes did not activate in a timely fashion upon disengaging from Autosteer thus causing the collision and was advise by Tesla that I would be responsible to cover the damages when the accident was caused by the vehicle not disengaging. I was only advised after the fact of the recall for the very reason I complained to Tesla in the first place and have been waiting 5 months for a resolution.

NHTSA ID

11575851

Incident

Oct 15, 2023

The driver side door handle does not present itself. It is now stuck and doesn't open. I need to press the door handle a certain way in order to open the door. This is a safety issue because in the case of an accident somebody who is not aware how to open the door maybe confused. This has not been inspected by a dealer. There is no police case or report related to this.

NHTSA ID

11540405

Incident

Jan 1, 2023

Rear bumper assembly separated and blew off into traffic while driving the legal speed limit (85MPH) on Texas Interstate highway. Road conditions were dry and windy. The vehicle had had no known or observable damage prior to this incident and had been maintained and inspected annually by Tesla.

NHTSA ID

11526516

Incident

May 9, 2023

Driver side door will not open from the outside of the car. The latch is not releasing inside. However the door can be open from the inside. The handles present themselves but it seems to be an issue with the latch releasing so the door can open. This can lead to a really bad outcome if it was an emergency situation. There has already been one fatality because of this known defect and I don't want to become another statistic. Tesla needs to recall all vehicles that are having this issue and fix it.

NHTSA ID

11500941

Incident

Jan 9, 2023

I have a 2017 Tesla Model S whose warranty just expired. The Model S is known for door handle defects and my car is no exception. The door handles on the Model S extend and retract and the defective design causes wire failure. This is well documented on the teslamotorsclub.com forums. I paid Tesla to replace the front passenger handle which would present but not open the door when pulled. Since this was an inconvenience and a safety issue I paid to have it replaced even though Tesla should cover the defect repair. I just checked my remaining door handles and they do not extend to open the door when the car is unlocked. The only one that functions is the new one I paid to replace. This means that if I were unconscious in the drivers seat anyone responding to aid me wouldn’t be able to open my door from the outside. In fact unless they started breaking in only one door would work. My chances don’t sound that great! I contacted Tesla with my concerns and they have provided me with a quote for replacement. I think they should cover the repair and recall all Model S to replace known defective handles. My car has version 2.5 of the defective design. The replacement I paid for is the 3.0 design which allegedly finally fixes the defect. I’m a Tesla shareholder and I know it would be expensive but everyone should have working door handles.

NHTSA ID

11435992

Incident

Oct 8, 2021

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT PERHAPS 2 MILES/HOUR, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CLIMBED A BURM, HIT A TREE, AND STOPPED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BURM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.

NHTSA ID

11300180

Incident

Oct 31, 2019

Mileage

18,000 mi

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE CAR IN A PARKING SPACE THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN AND CRASHED OVER A SMALL CONCRETE RETAINING WALL AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY CAR AND THE CAR THAT WAS STRUCK WERE TOTALED.

NHTSA ID

11229124

Incident

Jun 22, 2019

Mileage

9,103 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GLASS ROOF OF THE VEHICLE WAS CRACKED ALL THE WAY TO THE POWER LIFTGATE. THERE WERE NO SENSORS WHERE THE GLASS MET THE GLASS ROOF, WHICH CAUSED A POSSIBLE HAZARD FOR THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA (115 KISCO AVE, MT KISCO, NY 10549, (914) 218-8900) AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER ADMITTED THAT THERE THERE WAS A SAFETY HAZARD REGARDING THE LIFTGATE AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING, WHICH COULD SEVER A HAND OR FINGER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,350.

NHTSA ID

11144857

Incident

Oct 19, 2018

Mileage

18,350 mi

I WAS MAKING A LEGAL U TURN ON A CITY STREET TO PARK. I PULLED BEHIND A PARKED CAR AND WAS GOING ABOUT 1MPH WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT THE PARKED CAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING SOUNDS UNTIL THE CAR HIT THE OTHER CAR AND THEN THE HORN AND LIGHTS ON MY CAR WENT OFF. THE CAR WAS NOT ON AUTO PARK AND NO AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED HOWEVER MY CAR AND THE CAR THAT WAS HIT HAD EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE. THERE WERE NOT INJURIES TO PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF STOPPING. I HAVE NEVER HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDDLE INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE AND I DOUBT IF I DID IT IN THIS CASE.

NHTSA ID

11121147

Incident

Jul 7, 2018

Mileage

4,900 mi

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT A BUSY SHOPPING CENTER, AND APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL (HAVING MOVED IT OVER FROM ACCELERATOR) TO STOP THE CAR AT ABOUT 5 MPH, THE MODEL S SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD AT FULL ACCELERATION HITTING NOT 1 BUT 2 PARKED CARS. NOTHING WOULD STOP THE CAR AS IT TOOK OVER AND WENT FORWARD WITH BOTH MY FEET PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD. FINALLY IT STOPPED AFTER HITTING A SECOND PARKED CAR. TESLA HAS NOT RESPONDED, DESPITE 2 DAYS OF EMAILS AND CALLS.

NHTSA ID

11089262

Incident

Apr 20, 2018

Mileage

24,473 mi

AT OUR DRIVEWAY ON SUN. 1/14/18, COMING BACK FROM SHOPPING A FEW MINUTES BEFORE FOUR PM, SUDDENLY THE CAR TOOK OFF BY ITSELF. IT ACCELERATED TREMENDOUSLY WITH THE SPEED WHICH WAS FELT AROUND 65-80 M/HR, HITTING OUR HEAVY GARAGE DOOR, WHICH WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME, WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE, HIT MY PARKED PORSCHE AND PUSHED IT TO THE LEFT TO THE WATER HEATER. IT THEN HIT AND BROKE THE WALL BETWEEN OUR GARAGE AND COURTYARD, BROKE AND PUSHED OUR CONCRETE PLANTER AND STOPPED HALFWAY BETWEEN THE GARAGE AND OUR FAMILY ROOM WINDOWS IN THE COURTYARD.I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THIS IS OUR NEW AND SECOND TESLA MY WIFE AND I OWNED AND DROVE.WHEN MY WIFE TALKED TO LOCAL TESLA REPRESENTATIVE, HE REFUSED TO GIVE US ANY COMPUTER GENERATED REPORT.THE CAR STILL ON THE WALL BETWEEN GARAGE AND COURTYARD. WE UNDERSTAND, TESLA HAS A BLACK BOX THAT WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE IT WILL END UP IF WE TAKE IT TO TESLA CERTIFIED BODY SHOP.WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH IF YOU ADVISE US WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ID

11065563

Incident

Jan 14, 2018

HERE IS A REPORT FROM AN OWNER OF A BRAND NEW MODEL X THAT HAS A CRACKED IN HALF A-PILLAR. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/HELP-A-PILLAR-DEFECT-FOUND.88657/ PHOTOGRAPHS ARE ATTACHED. SNIP "I PICKED UP MY S90D LAST FRIDAY AND WAS SUPER HAPPY ABOUT IT, THERE WAS SOME TRIM MIS-ALIGNMENT ON DELIVERY BUT NOTHING SERIOUS. TODAY, I WAS SHOWING OFF THE CAR TO MY BROTHER IN-LAW AND NOTICED SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH THE A-PILLAR. ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE IT TOUCHES THE FRONT OF THE WINDSHIELD, THE ALUMINIUM WAS ACTUALLY CRACKED AND THERE IS A GAPING HOLE TO THE INSIDE! THERE IS NO WAY THAT I WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY CAUSED THIS AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY PAINTED THE CRACK PART AS WELL. I HAVE EMAILED MY DELIVERY PERSON AND AM SUPER SAD ABOUT THIS AS I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY REPLACE THAT PART WITHOUT RIPPING APART THE CAR. THIS CRACKED PART IS OBVIOUSLY UNACCEPTABLE BUT I DON'T WANT THEM TO CAUSE MORE ISSUES RIPPING IT APART TO REPLACE IT. WHAT SHOULD I DO?" IT IS SCANDALOUS THAT SUCH A SERIOUS STRUCTURAL DEFECT COULD PASS QUALITY CONTROL. THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF TESLAS BEING RUSHED OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE IN ORDER TO MEET QUOTAS WHILE IGNORING THE PRODUCTION DEFECTS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE HOW THIS CAR WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM THE FACTORY. CONCERNED CITIZEN ETC.

NHTSA ID

10970820

Incident

Apr 3, 2017

Mileage

50 mi