Photo: tff-forum.de
Ever since the first Roadster hit the road, we all knew in the back of our heads that Tesla will have a hard time with quality assurance and quality control. More than a decade later, the Palo Alto-based automaker still has teething issues.
You’re likely to have heard how many problems the Model Y has, the newest nameplate in the lineup. But on this occasion, we’ll talk about multiple wishbone failures for the Model S, the range-topping sedan in the automaker’s range.
“A horror experience on the German Autobahn,” is how SwissTeslaDriver begins his account. On his way from Stuttgart to Zurich, the car “suddenly pops very loudly while braking” from 200 km/h (124 mph). In addition to clouds of smoke in the rearview mirror, the owner also notices that the Model S “pulls to the right” before “the steering locks” because one of the wishbones gave up the ghost. Make no mistake about it, that’s the very definition of a scary situation, but there’s something even scarier that needs to be highlighted.
“When I asked Tesla over the phone whether this was normal,” the Zurich-based dealership told the 90D owner that “it could be normal wear and tear.” For a vehicle with 80,000 kilometers (49,710 miles) on the odometer – most of them covered on perfect German and Swiss roads – that’s a completely unacceptable answer.
Similarly unacceptable, Tesla refused to cover the damages under warranty because it had expired in April 2020. If you’re curious how much the Zurich dealer is asking for repairs, make that 7,569 francs or $8,225 at the current exchange rates.
SwissTeslaDriver isn’t alone, though. On the same thread of tff-forum.de, Model S 60D owner Amuthep reports that his wishbone “also broke this week” with 86,000 kilometers on the clock. “I hit the left in Worms on 16.09.2020 while reversing on a normal road and it sounded metallic as if something had cracked,” he reports.
A day later during a heavy braking test, “a nasty loud thump” sealed the deal and the car had to be towed to the nearest dealership for repairs. The thread includes one more account from Model S 70D owner Klaus Grambichler who explains that his American-made electric sedan had broken one of the lower control arms at low speed.
Do you know someone who had suspension problems with his or her Tesla?
“A horror experience on the German Autobahn,” is how SwissTeslaDriver begins his account. On his way from Stuttgart to Zurich, the car “suddenly pops very loudly while braking” from 200 km/h (124 mph). In addition to clouds of smoke in the rearview mirror, the owner also notices that the Model S “pulls to the right” before “the steering locks” because one of the wishbones gave up the ghost. Make no mistake about it, that’s the very definition of a scary situation, but there’s something even scarier that needs to be highlighted.
“When I asked Tesla over the phone whether this was normal,” the Zurich-based dealership told the 90D owner that “it could be normal wear and tear.” For a vehicle with 80,000 kilometers (49,710 miles) on the odometer – most of them covered on perfect German and Swiss roads – that’s a completely unacceptable answer.
Similarly unacceptable, Tesla refused to cover the damages under warranty because it had expired in April 2020. If you’re curious how much the Zurich dealer is asking for repairs, make that 7,569 francs or $8,225 at the current exchange rates.
SwissTeslaDriver isn’t alone, though. On the same thread of tff-forum.de, Model S 60D owner Amuthep reports that his wishbone “also broke this week” with 86,000 kilometers on the clock. “I hit the left in Worms on 16.09.2020 while reversing on a normal road and it sounded metallic as if something had cracked,” he reports.
A day later during a heavy braking test, “a nasty loud thump” sealed the deal and the car had to be towed to the nearest dealership for repairs. The thread includes one more account from Model S 70D owner Klaus Grambichler who explains that his American-made electric sedan had broken one of the lower control arms at low speed.
Do you know someone who had suspension problems with his or her Tesla?
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