Table 1 shows one common suspension related problems of the 2023 Tesla Model S.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Suspension problems |
Catastrophic structural failure of the rear driver-side (lh) brake caliper assembly on a 2023 Tesla Model S plaid at approximately 18,036 miles. While driving normally on a public roadway, the factory-installed rear lh brake caliper bolts backed out completely due to improper assembly torque or a latent material defect. The unbolted caliper detached entirely from its mounting bracket and collapsed into the spinning wheel barrel. The caliper became violently wedged between the wheel rim and the rotor, instantly puncturing the wheel, flattening the driver-side rear tire, damaging the passenger-side (rh) rear tire, and causing an immediate loss of vehicle control. The loose caliper acted as an unconstrained projectile inside the wheel assembly, severing the hydraulic brake line, shredding the electronic parking brake harness, destroying the suspension links (rear lower fore/aft links), and destroying the abs sensor/module. This failure created an extreme, life-threatening hazard of a sudden high-speed wheel lockup and total brake system failure. An independent pre-purchase inspection (ppi) was completed just 263 miles prior to this incident. The certified inspector completed an 85-mile test drive and verified the braking and suspension systems were operating in normal factory condition with zero abnormal vibrations or loose hardware. This establishes the failure as a sudden, latent assembly torque failure of factory hardware during normal operational stress. The manufacturer's authorized service center confirmed via technician notes that the caliper came entirely loose and lodged into the wheel. Despite this being a severe assembly workmanship failure within the active factory warranty window, the manufacturer is refusing to cover the repair, alleging third-party tampering without physical or forensic proof. The failed hardware is being retained for forensic inspection.
Inner tire wear, had alignment performed central but issue still persist.
Driving on freeway when the rear tire tread peeled off the inside tire tread wheel/blow out almost causing an accident. The vehicle pulled hard while driving and almost lost control. The problem has been inspected and confirmed by the Tesla dealer. The tire warning did alert after the tire blew out. This is a very frequently reported incident with the Model S plaid. A defect in the factory camber causing the blowout. Extensive wear is seen on the very inside wall of the tire. You couldn’t see or measure the tire wear from the outside of the vehicle. This is a scary and dangerous problem that needs to be fixed. I bought this vehicle brand new from Tesla factory and the vehicle had less than 13,000 miles. The alignment was also measured when getting repaired and had bad results.
Took my Tesla s plaid in for a tire rotation and found out that my Tesla Model S plaid cannot be rotated because the tires are worn deeply on the rear left side, the vehicle only has 12,928 miles on it. The costco representative say it’s unsafe to drive and the tires need to be replaced. The inner side wall was shredded so contacted Tesla and they stated you need an alignment and new tires. I informed them that it’s a new car and I have not done anything wrong with them, such as going off a curb or hit something to cause such a defect, the alignment specs are defective from the manufacturer, with a little more research from online sources, everyone with a Tesla model x and s are having the same issues at 10,000 miles. They state that the rear camber is not within spec and requires a camber kit to fix the issue. I strongly agree that it’s defective from the manufacturer if many others are having the same issue. If I did not get an alignment at 12k miles the tires could have blown on the freeway, thank god I got it checked. I have attached a photo of the left rear tire and a photo of the right rear tire to compare, this is at 12, 928 miles on the vehicle.