Tesla Model S (carscoops.com)
Senators Accuse Tesla of Concealing Safety Flaws and Blaming Customers for Inherent Vehicle Issues
In response to revelations that Tesla was aware of longstanding weaknesses in its suspension components, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Edward J. Markey have taken a firm stance, urging Tesla CEO Elon Musk to swiftly recall allegedly faulty parts. The senators express deep concern over what they call “apparent false and misleading representations” made by Tesla to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding the known weaknesses in its vehicles.
The senators’ letter, seen by Reuters, highlights their disturbance at Tesla’s alleged practice of blaming customers for weaknesses that internal documents reveal the company was fully aware of. The correspondence refers to an “alarming” investigation recently published, shedding light on the automaker’s knowledge of safety flaws and its attempts to conceal the causes of these flaws from the NHTSA.
Internal documents, as reported, expose that Tesla had knowledge for years about the proneness to early failure of components in its vehicles’ suspension, steering, and axles. To cut costs associated with warranty program repairs, Tesla allegedly instructed its mechanics to shift blame onto customers for these failures. Notably, the same blame-shifting strategy was reported to have been communicated to both service agents and the NHTSA, raising further concerns.
Despite Tesla’s disagreement with the forced recall of certain suspension components in China, subsequent discovery of internal documents and engineering analyses has reignited the issue. Senators Blumenthal and Markey condemn Tesla for attempting to shift responsibility for the substandard quality of its vehicles to the purchasers, deeming it unacceptable behavior. As regulatory investigations unfold, the NHTSA is actively probing fore links in Tesla Models S and X, while authorities in Sweden and Norway are also scrutinizing the quality of Tesla’s suspension parts, potentially leading to additional recalls.