Suspension Problem on Model S

[Drivin]

Do you see anyone who would think they couldn't contact a government agency if they thought there was a real problem? Neither do I.

How many people here reported to the NHTSA that they are driving their X while holding the door closed due to latches failing?

 

[ohmman]

How many people here reported to the NHTSA that they are driving their X while holding the door closed due to latches failing?

I agree with you. People report things to the NHTSA. Also, I agree that someone had to hold their X door open.

It's so nice to agree with you.

 

[bonnie]

How many people here reported to the NHTSA that they are driving their X while holding the door closed due to latches failing?

What does that have to do with whether they think they could or not? Obviously they are free to do what they want.

Update: Ohmann said it so much eloquently.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

I am patiently waiting for the OP, @Drivin, @Dr ValueSeeker and @X Yes? to express their relief that Model S's suspension has been declared safe by the NHTSA. After all, they were only out to seek the truth and protect Model S owners.

I am also patiently waiting for them to express their outrage that a fraudster filed 37 false complaints about suspension problems for the Model S. I am sure it is very upsetting to be duped like that.

I expect I'll be waiting a long time. But I am a patient man.

I almost called them out myself, kudos.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

Really? You think rough roads caused that ball to be corroded and pitted?

More like, it attributed to the failure...and was an example of other undisclosed abuses that my have contributed to the abnormal wear.

 

[neroden]

for those of you that haven't been to pa heres a tip in a lot of places the roads are crap
and durning the winter pa uses a mixture of salt cinders and mud which is basically like coating your car in gooie acidic cement
it is murder on even the toughest of steel

Yeah, I think people who haven't lived in the area may not know how bad the crap they put on the roads is. It's bad enough in upstate NY, but Pennsyvlania is worse. And with a long dirt road... it's like a torture test. It destroys cars really early. I wish the state wouldn't do that to the roads, but it is what it is; it's not avoidable and it cannot be considered 'abuse'.

This makes the OP's car a "canary in the coal mine". All cars exposed to the nasty stuff Pennsylvania puts on the road in winter will eventually corrode this way, but for most of them it will take a lot longer, probably well beyond the expected life of the car. It's perfectly normal and legal for carmakers to design cars to have parts which fail catastrophically sometime after the warranty period is over (remember GM's "planned obsolescence" principle?). Though with Tesla's stated intention to build a million-mile drivetrain, maybe they should consider doing the same for the suspension.

It's more worrisome that the Service Center failed to catch this during routine inspection. I think Tesla, run by Californians, still hasn't quite gotten used to dealing with Northeastern winters; there should be an enlarged inspection checklist specifically for the heavy-salt-exposure areas to watch for corrosion. The initial reaction of calling it a "normal wear item" was legal, but not appropriate because they should have been *checking* the wear items during service center inspections and they clearly hadn't been thinking of it as a wear item.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

It's more worrisome that the Service Center failed to catch this during routine inspection.

Issue being, you're assuming the annual inspections occurred.

 

[150 kWh]

Does this NHTSA ruling mean that OP was not saying truth about the accident or circumstances that lead to it?
Could someone who followed this thread from beginning please enlighten me?

 

[Legitsu]

Yeah, I think people who haven't lived in the area may not know how bad the crap they put on the roads is. It's bad enough in upstate NY, but Pennsyvlania is worse. And with a long dirt road... it's like a torture test. It destroys cars really early. I wish the state wouldn't do that to the roads, but it is what it is; it's not avoidable and it cannot be considered 'abuse'.

This makes the OP's car a "canary in the coal mine". All cars exposed to the nasty stuff Pennsylvania puts on the road in winter will eventually corrode this way, but for most of them it will take a lot longer, probably well beyond the expected life of the car. It's perfectly normal and legal for carmakers to design cars to have parts which fail catastrophically sometime after the warranty period is over (remember GM's "planned obsolescence" principle?). Though with Tesla's stated intention to build a million-mile drivetrain, maybe they should consider doing the same for the suspension.

It's more worrisome that the Service Center failed to catch this during routine inspection. I think Tesla, run by Californians, still hasn't quite gotten used to dealing with Northeastern winters; there should be an enlarged inspection checklist specifically for the heavy-salt-exposure areas to watch for corrosion. The initial reaction of calling it a "normal wear item" was legal, but not appropriate because they should have been *checking* the wear items during service center inspections and they clearly hadn't been thinking of it as a wear item.

I doubt he had his car in for regular service
it looks like the ball joint and boot never saw any grease after it left the factory

 

[Drivin]

Oh stop. You don't have a Roadster, so you are completely unaware of what Roadster owners did or did not know.

.

I'll go with what Elon said over an anonymous poster on the internet.

BTW, how many years did you own a Roadster? Still have it? If not, why did you sell it?

 

[JohnSnowNW]

Does this NHTSA ruling mean that OP was not saying truth about the accident or circumstances that lead to it?
Could someone who followed this thread from beginning please enlighten me?

Most likely the determination was that it wasn't a widespread problem, and that they are satisfied that Tesla was not trying to keep owners from disclosing failures to the NHTSA.

It also means the OP was either a patsy, or collude-r.

 

[Dr ValueSeeker]

Meet Keef Wifaneff. (sp?) Sun Cube Saga - Today Tonight Adelaide

Thanks for digging it up. Keef Wivaneff, aka Lucile, aka Loose Wheels, aka Ralph Vader did some good investigative work in that case while the Australian govt. and main media slept. I do not see anything wrong with him collecting pictures of wrecked Teslas, since owners often don't report these issues. In the early part of this thread (before the thread was taken over by the trolls from the investor thread), he showed a good bit of research on this subject.

It's just unfortunate that anyone who speaks against the rich and powerful and the popular sentiment have to be suppressed and banned. Obviously, everyone wants to feast while the party lasts.

 

[ohmman]

I'll go with what Elon said over an anonymous poster on the internet.

I agree with you. Anonymous posters on the Internet are often drivin away from the truth.

 

[techmaven]

Thanks for digging it up. Keef Wivaneff, aka Lucile, aka Loose Wheels, aka Ralph Vader did some good investigative work in that case while the Australian govt. and main media slept. I do not see anything wrong with him collecting pictures of wrecked Teslas, since owners often don't report these issues. It's is just unfortunate that anyone who speaks against the rich and powerful and the popular sentiment have to be suppressed and banned. Obviously, everyone wants to feast while the party lasts.

Clearly, truth is not what you seek.

 

[Drivin]

I am patiently waiting for the OP, @Drivin, @Dr ValueSeeker and @X Yes? to express their relief that Model S's suspension has been declared safe by the NHTSA. .

Where exactly did NHTSA declare this?
All I have seen is that they don't require any more info from Tesla and haven't found anything yet. That may mean the case is closed, may not if they are doing an independent investigation.

But it would certainly be great if NHTSA would make a definitive statement about the safety of the suspension.

 

[techmaven]

Yeah, I think people who haven't lived in the area may not know how bad the crap they put on the roads is. It's bad enough in upstate NY, but Pennsyvlania is worse. And with a long dirt road... it's like a torture test. It destroys cars really early. I wish the state wouldn't do that to the roads, but it is what it is; it's not avoidable and it cannot be considered 'abuse'.

This makes the OP's car a "canary in the coal mine". All cars exposed to the nasty stuff Pennsylvania puts on the road in winter will eventually corrode this way, but for most of them it will take a lot longer, probably well beyond the expected life of the car. It's perfectly normal and legal for carmakers to design cars to have parts which fail catastrophically sometime after the warranty period is over (remember GM's "planned obsolescence" principle?). Though with Tesla's stated intention to build a million-mile drivetrain, maybe they should consider doing the same for the suspension.

It's more worrisome that the Service Center failed to catch this during routine inspection. I think Tesla, run by Californians, still hasn't quite gotten used to dealing with Northeastern winters; there should be an enlarged inspection checklist specifically for the heavy-salt-exposure areas to watch for corrosion. The initial reaction of calling it a "normal wear item" was legal, but not appropriate because they should have been *checking* the wear items during service center inspections and they clearly hadn't been thinking of it as a wear item.

No Service Center in Pittsburgh. The OP has not answered us about his service record for the vehicle. I suspect this vehicle may have never seen an annual inspection.

Also, there is no additional grease added to the Tesla ball joints. The important thing is checking that the ball joint is working and that the rubber boot is intact. It should be done at annual service, and in the states that require it, the annual inspection.

 

[182RG]

I agree with you. Anonymous posters on the Internet are often drivin away from the truth.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

Thanks for digging it up. Keef Wivaneff, aka Lucile, aka Loose Wheels, aka Ralph Vader did some good investigative work in that case while the Australian govt. and main media slept. I do not see anything wrong with him collecting pictures of wrecked Teslas, since owners often don't report these issues. In the early part of this thread (before the thread was taken over by the trolls from the investor thread), he showed a good bit of research on this subject.

It's just unfortunate that anyone who speaks against the rich and powerful and the popular sentiment have to be suppressed and banned. Obviously, everyone wants to feast while the party lasts.

Oh, oh man...I'm going to assume you're having drinks with Keef later tonight.

 

[EinSV]

Where exactly did NHTSA declare this?
All I have seen is that they don't require any more info from Tesla and haven't found anything yet. That may mean the case is closed, may not if they are doing an independent investigation.

But it would certainly be great if NHTSA would make a definitive statement about the safety of the suspension.

Unless you think Elon is lying, that is what they told Tesla. Do you have any reason to doubt it?

And what about this character or characters who filed 37 false Model S suspension complaints, and all of the people who have been repeating those complaints. Despicable, no??

 

[geneclean55]

Most likely the determination was that it wasn't a widespread problem, and that they are satisfied that Tesla was not trying to keep owners from disclosing failures to the NHTSA.

It also means the OP was either swindled, or a swindler.

I genuinely hope he didn't have his head spun by powerful, nefarious types. Moving forward, I hope he realizes that Musk has his own significant resources.