US investigating possible suspension failures on 115,000 Tesla vehicles
The United States’ national road safety agency will investigate complaints that nearly 115,000 Tesla electric vehicles may have problems with their suspension.
According to an announcement on Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) said a probe was launched into two Tesla models after 43 complaints were received.
The NHSTA will now start investigations into the 2015 - 2017 Model S Sedan and 2017 Model X SUVs, which were reported to have unsafe suspension systems.
Some 32 owners complained that the suspension, allowing contact between the tyre and wheel liner, had failed on roads at low speeds.
At the same time, 11 Tesla owners reported suspension problems on roads while travelling above 10 mph, and four at highway speeds.
According to the agency, complaints had increased as the vehicles aged, with 32 complaints in the past two years alone.
Three complaints related to problems incurred on highways had come in the last three months.
In a service bulletin issued to drivers in February 2017, Tesla admitted that the models had issues, attributed to manufacturing conditions, and that they could result in front suspension failures, NHTSA said.
Tesla told drivers at the time they could still control the vehicles "but the tyre may contact the wheel arch liner."
The bulletin added that vehicles with the problems were built between 19 January 2016 and 25 May 2016.
But NHTSA said on Friday that recent complaints included 41 vehicles built before or after the range cited in Tesla’s 2017 bulletin. Twenty-nine were built after the range ended.
The agency also received eight complaints that may involve suspension failures that haven't been confirmed by photos or service records.
There were no reports of crashes or injuries related to the issues, NHTSA said.
Tesla has been contacted for comment by The Independent.
The NHSTA will now start investigations into the 2015 - 2017 Model S Sedan and 2017 Model X SUVs, which were reported to have unsafe suspension systems.
Some 32 owners complained that the suspension, allowing contact between the tyre and wheel liner, had failed on roads at low speeds.
At the same time, 11 Tesla owners reported suspension problems on roads while travelling above 10 mph, and four at highway speeds.
According to the agency, complaints had increased as the vehicles aged, with 32 complaints in the past two years alone.
Three complaints related to problems incurred on highways had come in the last three months.
In a service bulletin issued to drivers in February 2017, Tesla admitted that the models had issues, attributed to manufacturing conditions, and that they could result in front suspension failures, NHTSA said.
Tesla told drivers at the time they could still control the vehicles "but the tyre may contact the wheel arch liner."
The bulletin added that vehicles with the problems were built between 19 January 2016 and 25 May 2016.
But NHTSA said on Friday that recent complaints included 41 vehicles built before or after the range cited in Tesla’s 2017 bulletin. Twenty-nine were built after the range ended.
The agency also received eight complaints that may involve suspension failures that haven't been confirmed by photos or service records.
There were no reports of crashes or injuries related to the issues, NHTSA said.
Tesla has been contacted for comment by The Independent.
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