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NHTSA opens probe into suspension failures in about 1.2M Tesla vehicles
The agency says it has received 156 complaints and is not aware of crashes, injuries, or fatalities linked to the reported steering control risk.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a preliminary investigation into about 1.2 million Tesla vehicles after reports of suspension failures that could reduce or remove steering control, according to Insurance Journal. The probe covers specific Model 3 and Model Y years, citing concerns involving the front lower lateral link detaching.
NHTSA said its Office of Defects Investigation has received 156 complaints alleging the failure occurred in certain 2018 to 2020 Model 3 vehicles and 2021 to 2023 Model Y vehicles. The agency added that the suspension failure could leave a vehicle undriveable and require towing, and that most complaints described no advance warning, though some owners reported noises beforehand.
The regulator said it is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or fatalities connected to the defect reports. NHTSA is conducting the first stage of its defect investigation process, and the preliminary evaluation could lead to a recall if a safety-related defect is found.
Insurance Journal also noted that Tesla has previously recalled vehicles over lower lateral link detachments, including a 2021 recall covering about 2,800 Model 3 vehicles and a 2023 recall involving 422 Model 3 vehicles. NHTSA said the new reported failures extend beyond the earlier recall scope and do not appear tied to the production issue that prompted those prior actions.