Photo: Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors is being investigated by the NHTSA on two suspicious claims that reached the organization.
According to the claims, some Tesla Model S vehicles suffered from issues with their suspension ball joints. The ball joints are a set of components that are crucial to keeping the car in control by maintaining the wheel attached to the rest of the suspension arm.
Tesla is also accused of attempting to cover up the potential issue and asking owners to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) in exchange for out-of-warranty repairs. These NDAs were described as “Goodwill” repairs, and owners had to approve them for a replacement with a significantly reduced cost.
We must note that the related repairs took place on cars that had their warranty expired, so the first series of the Model S is suspected to suffer from the potential issue described above.
Owners were not only asked not to talk about their car problems, but to refuse any claims related to the possible faults of the suspension control arms of their Model S cars.
As Daily Kanban reports, asking a customer to sign an NDA in exchange for a reduced price on a repair is “unheard of” in the automotive industry. However, the real issue is not the potential problem with the suspension of the Model S - a concern in itself, but the attempted cover-up.
Furthermore, the company is also accused of issuing a “Technical Service Bulletin” instead of a recall for the front control arms (suspension components that contain ball joints), but the TSB is not appropriate for a matter that targets a potential safety problem with a vehicle.
Depending on the findings of the investigation, the NHTSA will decide if an expansion of the inquiry is required. If the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decides to do this, Tesla might have to be forced to do a recall on the suspension components described above.
Tesla is also accused of attempting to cover up the potential issue and asking owners to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) in exchange for out-of-warranty repairs. These NDAs were described as “Goodwill” repairs, and owners had to approve them for a replacement with a significantly reduced cost.
We must note that the related repairs took place on cars that had their warranty expired, so the first series of the Model S is suspected to suffer from the potential issue described above.
Owners were not only asked not to talk about their car problems, but to refuse any claims related to the possible faults of the suspension control arms of their Model S cars.
As Daily Kanban reports, asking a customer to sign an NDA in exchange for a reduced price on a repair is “unheard of” in the automotive industry. However, the real issue is not the potential problem with the suspension of the Model S - a concern in itself, but the attempted cover-up.
Furthermore, the company is also accused of issuing a “Technical Service Bulletin” instead of a recall for the front control arms (suspension components that contain ball joints), but the TSB is not appropriate for a matter that targets a potential safety problem with a vehicle.
Depending on the findings of the investigation, the NHTSA will decide if an expansion of the inquiry is required. If the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decides to do this, Tesla might have to be forced to do a recall on the suspension components described above.
.@NHTSAgov spokesman Bryan Thomas has issued the following release in response to @DailyKanban's recent Tesla report pic.twitter.com/WJ230YCZCI
— E.W. Niedermeyer (@Tweetermeyer) June 9, 2016
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