Tesla has always been associated with innovations in the automotive market. However, an investigation conducted by Reuters collected a wide range of feedback about bugs and glitches chronic suspension, and front wheels falling out even on new cars. The investigation revealed inflated costs for warranty repairs, which were initially paid to customers only on the most expensive models until the company adopted a differentiated policy between the US and China, charged customers for repairs and was guilty of improper driving. However, Tesla’s internal audit records tell a different truth.
TESLA FAULT INVESTIGATION
The investigation by the British press agency analyzed several cases where Tesla customers with new and often low mileage cars, were denied warranty repairs for defects in suspension and wheels. It is important to bracket the value of the Tesla warranty as perceived by customers who are happy not to have to undergo routine maintenance without losing the benefits. From a Reuters investigation, which collected customer statements, interviewed former employees and engineers, and analyzed official records Teslait seems that society despite fully aware of faulty front suspension downplayed the scale of the problem to the US agency that monitors transportation safety (NHTSA) and put the blame on customers, but only in the US. In the following paragraphs, we will understand why customers in China have received different treatment.
TESLA: BIKE GOES OFF WHILE DRIVING
Reuters reports that internal Tesla documents from between 2016 and 2022revealed the car company’s awareness of the frequency and extent of suspension failures. The problems complained about by customers go far beyond dissatisfaction with assembly defects, which the company has partially solved over the years. “I lost complete confidence in the car”is a statement from a customer Reiters spoke with: his Tesla Model 3 2023 New lost the bike the day after picking it up at the dealership.
This has resulted in front suspension swingarm failure for many customers repair price from 1000,- (for shoulder repair) for 14 thousand dollars (when loss of control caused severe body damage). However, the company denied a correlation between the events and the chronic glitch and continued to blame users for using them.
Image credit: Reuters
TESLA SPENT $4 MILLION FOR FRONT SUSPENSION DEFECTS
Front suspension is a Problem with Tesla bikes they were there the main cost item of the warranty. This is reported by Reuters, referring to an analysis conducted by a Tesla analyst in official documents in 2019. Warranty suspension repairs were expensive 4 million dollars in 1 year only for Tesla Model S and X sold worldwide. The interventions were related to 11 thousand members replaced, of which 67% were on cars under warranty.
Image Credit: Reuters
TESLA RIGHTS AND WARRANTY: TWO DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE US
Same as for US customers even some of Tesla’s early Chinese customers had suspension problems and breakdowns. Despite the recalls in China, Tesla has maintained its defensive line in the United States. “Tesla has been looking to ramp up production at its newly built Shanghai Gigafactory, which would become the world’s most productive and profitable electric vehicle factory” Reuters reports.
In contrast, Tesla has taken a firm stance on American regulators. “The components in question have no defect and no associated safety risk,” he wrote Tesla’s attorney at NHTSA again blames the owners: “The root cause of the problem is driver abuse”. Due to a Model 3 suspension problem, only 433 cars were recalled in 2023, according to the NHTSA bulletin.
Image source: Reuters
The Reuters investigation, which can be found in more detail at this link, raises important questions about transparency and Tesla’s approach to defect management. The long list of testimonies documented by the British news agency and the exorbitant warranty costs of Model X and S suspensions deserve more attention from the company and regulators. Musk – Reuters points out – has always publicly boasted about Tesla’s safety, which was certainly confirmed by Euro NCAP crash tests. But it has also appointed a complaints handling task force to silence uncomfortable customers. We will leave the necessary considerations to the readers.