Tesla suspension investigation covers 1.2 million Model 3 and Model Y vehicles
NHTSA says 156 complaints allege front suspension link detachment in certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, with no crashes recorded.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
The Tesla suspension investigation opened by federal auto safety regulators covers nearly 1.2 million vehicles, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing. The agency is examining complaints that a front suspension part may detach, a condition NHTSA says could lead to “a loss of vehicle directional control.”
Reuters reported earlier that NHTSA had begun the probe. The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation identifies the matter as a preliminary investigation involving certain Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
Which Tesla models are under investigation?
According to the NHTSA filing, the investigation covers 2018-2020 Tesla Model 3 vehicles and 2021-2023 Tesla Model Y vehicles. The filing says the affected population is nearly 1.2 million vehicles.
NHTSA says it has received 156 complaints tied to the issue. The agency describes the alleged problem as detachment of the front lower lateral link, a suspension component involved in the vehicle’s front-end assembly.
In the cases NHTSA reviewed, the agency says most failures happened without any advance warning. Some complaints, however, reported noises before the failure occurred, according to the filing.
Has NHTSA reported crashes or injuries?
NHTSA says it has not recorded any crashes, injuries or deaths linked to the potential defect. The filing describes the safety concern as the possibility that a suspension failure could affect the driver’s ability to control the vehicle’s direction.
The investigation is not described in the filing as a recall. NHTSA’s current step is a preliminary probe into complaints and the possible safety consequences of the alleged component failure.
How does this compare with earlier Tesla suspension recalls?
Tesla has faced other suspension-related actions in the past, according to records cited by NHTSA and prior reports. In 2021, Tesla recalled 2,791 Model Y and Model 3 vehicles over a possible suspension defect.
Tesla later recalled another group of Model 3 vehicles after NHTSA found that a loose fastener could allow the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame. NHTSA says the complaints in the newly opened investigation do not appear to be connected to those earlier issues.
The filing does not state that Tesla has confirmed a defect in the vehicles covered by the current investigation. It also does not say NHTSA has reached a final finding about the cause of the complaints.
The next major development would come from NHTSA’s review of the complaints and vehicle data. For now, the agency’s filing establishes the models under review, the number of complaints it has received and the safety risk it is examining.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.