RoadVitals

2008 Tesla Roadster

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Jul 18, 2009
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest May 26, 2009
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2008 Tesla Roadster, most frequently naming the driver assistance and other / unspecified categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 24 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance150.0%
  • Other / unspecified150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
09V178000

WHEELS:HUB

May 26, 2009
345 units potentially affected
The defect: TESLA MOTORS, INC. IS RECALLING 345 MY 2008 TESLA ROADSTER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 2008 AND APRIL 22, 2009. THE REAR HUB FLANGE BOLTS ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE UNDER-TORQUED AND MAY BECOME LOOSE. A LOOSE HUB COULD LEAD TO DEGRADATION IN VEHICLE HANDLING, AND A RUBBING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.
The risk: IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED PROMPTLY, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
The remedy: TESLA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TESLA TOLL-FREE AT 1-877-888-3752.
TESLA MOTORSView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

DP22005ClosedDefect Petition

Pedestrian alert sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023
Closed Aug 7, 2023

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEMLed to recall 22V063000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Driver assistanceOther / unspecified
Filed Jul 18, 2009

THE VEHICLE IS PRONE TO 'SUDDEN ACCELERATION' PROBLEMS WHERE THE DRIVER LOSES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGES AND FORCES THE REGENERATIVE ENGINE BREAKING SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE. THE TESLA ROADSTER USES VERY AGGRESSIVE ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING SO, WHEN IT IS DISENGAGED, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY AND FASTER THAN THE DRIVER CAN REACT BY ENGAGING THE BREAKS. THIS MOST COMMONLY HAPPENS WHEN I DRIVE DOWN A HILL OR AROUND A CORNER AT 20 MPH USING ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THAT ENGAGES THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY DOUBLE SPEED (40 MPH) FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE SECONDS AS THE ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING ON THIS VEHICLE DISENGAGES... FASTER THAN I CAN COMPENSATE BY BREAKING. IN EFFECT, THE CAR SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LURCHES FORWARD WHEN THE TCS KICKS IN. I PROBABLY SEE THIS BEHAVIOR AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK ON ONE PARTICULAR STRETCH OF NEARLY EMPTY ROAD, BUT HAVE HAD TWO NEAR COLLISIONS RECENTLY, ONE ON THAT STRETCH OF ROAD FOLLOWING A TRUCK AT A DISTANCE AND ONE ON A DIFFERENT STRETCH OF ROAD MAKING A CORNER WHERE THE CAR NEARLY ACCELERATED INTO AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. GIVEN HOW FEW OF THESE CARS ARE ON THE ROAD, HOW AGGRESSIVE THE ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING IS, AND HOW LITTLE MOST OTHER OWNERS DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES RELATIVE TO MY DAILY COMMUTES, I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL LEAD TO MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO TESLA MOTORS, BUT THEY'VE INDICATED THAT THIS IS STANDARD BEHAVIOR FOR ALL VEHICLES USING ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING AND SHOULD BE EXPECTED. I DON'T COMPLETELY BELIEVE THAT -- OR NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT OTHER CARS ARE AS AGGRESSIVE WITH THEIR REGEN BREAKING AS THE TESLA IS -- BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS CREATIVES A VERY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION THAT CONCERNS ME AND SHOULD CONCERN ALL OTHER TESLA ROADSTER DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10277260
Incident
Jul 15, 2009
Mileage
1,800 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TN-13-44-003

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

TESLA: THE HIGH VOLTAGE INTERLOCK LOOP (HVIL) DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE. THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL BULLETIN. NO MODEL TYPES OR MODEL YEARS WERE PROVIDED. *JS UPDATED 10/21/14. *PE

TN-13-44-001

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

TESLA: DUE TO ISOLATION OF MODEL S HIGH VOLTAGE, A MONITOR IS INSTALLED IN BATTERY TO ENSURE NO ELECTRICAL CURRENT, BETWEEN VEHICLE AND HIGH VOLTAGE CONDUCTOR, IS BEING CARRIED AND IS MEASURED, PERIODICALLY, FOR RESISTANCE BETWEEN HIGH VOLTAGE CONDUCTORS AND CHASSIS. NO MODEL OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

TN-13-16-002

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

TESLA: WHEN REMOVING THE BATTERY PACK THESE PROCEDURES NEED TO BE FOLLOWED IN ORDER TO ENSURE PROPER SEALING OF THE HV RAPID MATE. NO MODEL OR MODEL YEARS GIVEN. *JS

SB-12-46-001

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

TESLA MOTORS: DURING THE SHIPMENT OF BATTERY PACK SHEETS, RESIDUAL COOLANT MAY LEAK EFFECTING SHIPPING CONTAINER INTEGRITY. *PE

SVC-11-40-015

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TESLA: INFORMATION REGARDING THE MOTOR AND PEM FANS WHERE CERTAIN TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS, SUCH AS SNOW, MAY ACCUMULATE TOO CLOSE AND CAUSE ADVERSE AFFECT ON THE AIRFLOW AND COOLING EFFICIENCY. THIS MAY SHORTENED THE USEFUL LIFE OF EITHER FANS OR MOTOR. *PE

SVC-11-16-013

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

TESLA: DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE, APS CABLE GROMMET CAN BECOME DISLODGED. TO IMPROVE SECURITY AGAINST WATER INGRESS A NEW DESIGN HAS BEEN PROVIDED. *PE

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Tesla Roadster by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2011101—
2010001—
2009001—
2008Viewing111—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.