Table 1 shows one common forward collision avoidance related problems of the 2013 Tesla Model S.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Automatic Emergency Braking problems |
November 20, 2025 to the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) office of defects investigation subject: safety defect complaint – Tesla Model S I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious and dangerous safety defect involving my Tesla Model S. Safety defect summary: • after the high-voltage battery failed, the vehicle would not enter neutral. • I had to use tow mode in the middle of a street on a hill to avoid blocking traffic. • once in tow mode, the car could not enter park and the emergency/parking brake would not engage. • the car became completely free-rolling, posing danger to myself, other drivers, and pedestrians. • when Tesla returned the car to my home, their technicians also could not get the vehicle into park or activate any emergency braking system. • the car is currently stuck in tow mode in my driveway with physical objects placed behind the wheels to prevent it from rolling. Why this is a safety hazard: a vehicle that cannot shift into park, cannot use its emergency brake, and remains free-moving after a failure represents a serious safety defect. This occurred without warning and left the vehicle unsafe to operate or even store. Request: I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this as a potential safety defect affecting the Tesla Model S when the high-voltage battery fails. A car should never lose all ability to secure itself.
The contact owns a 2013 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving 57 mph, the forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking inadvertently activated. The emergency brake fault and parking brake fault warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and inspected. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that unknown parts needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,143.
Sept 30, 2022. Driving east bound on interstate 10 ,east of tallahassee FL, car started flashing dash red. Car applied brakes while going 70 mph. Car made me pull off the road because of applied braking. It would not release the brakes. I called Tesla roadside assistance, "you have a flat tire". Attached are screenshots. I didn't have a flat tire. Had to get towed 300 miles home. Next day brakes released, drove car. I keep getting error codes everyday. Car has been in service, "nothing wrong". This a safety hazzard, imagine in heavy traffic on a bridge.