https://www.thedrive.com/news/38579/these-repair-bulletins-for-teslas-quality-problems-are-downright-embarrassing-and-serious * The War Zone * Reviews * Car Warranties * Deals * + The War Zone + Reviews + Car Warranties + Deals + Newsletter Signup * Newsletter Signup * * + + + + + These Repair Bulletins for Tesla's Quality Problems Are Downright Embarrassing--and Serious Directly from the NHTSA. By Peter Holderith January 6, 2021 * News tesla qc really bad lead image NHTSA SHARE * * * * Peter Holderith View Peter Holderith's Articles _baldtires It's no secret that Tesla tends to ship cars to customers with questionable fit and finish. Sometimes components don't fit the way they should, so fake wood from Home Depot is used to ensure they do. Other times, glass roofs simply detach while driving down the highway . This time, however, it's not a random Facebook rant or one-off tweet telling us Tesla is selling vehicles of questionable quality, it's the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), via recalls and service bulletins. Thanks to Bozi Tatarevic on Twitter, we know about errors numerous enough to warrant a response from the NHTSA, and some of them are pretty bad. They include low-grade rust repair, fixes to bodywork using a dead-blow hammer, and missing fasteners. We're not talking about a couple of loose lug nuts, either. We're talking parts missing from the car's power system that may affect battery charge and discharge, and even nuts missing in the front suspension. [message-ed] NHTSA [message-ed] NHTSA [message-ed] NHTSA [message-ed] NHTSA [message-ed] NHTSA [message-ed] NHTSA The service bulletins are sort of humorous in their official language of very basic fixes to really obvious issues with these cars. If the "DC link busbar" bolts are missing in the Model 3, replace them! If the charging door isn't sitting flush--this defect is present on the 3 and Y--hit the non-flush panel with a hammer until it sits right. But if you start roleplaying as the village blacksmith and take it just a tad too far, replace the entire panel. Also, if you mess up the paint when you do this, make sure you touch it up. It looks like there's a little bit of rust forming in that area anyway, so it's probably a good idea to do that in any case. The most alarming one of these issues is the self-locking nylon nut that's straight-up missing from the front suspension. Apparently, this issue is widespread enough on the Model Y to warrant a service bulletin. If this bolt fell out during driving--which it would if there was no nut holding it on--one side of the front suspension would just collapse. Obviously, that's something you don't want to happen while you're driving, and could lead to a serious accident and bodily injury. Possibly even worse. Reading through other complaints on the NHTSA's page for the Model 3, it seems like suspension issues are very common. Problems with ball joints snapping seem to be by far the most common issue. It's safe to read clearly inflammatory messages with a little bit of skepticism, but looking through wrecked Model 3s on Copart, it seems like that is at least a somewhat common issue. [message-ed] Copart [message-ed] Copart [message-ed] Copart [message-ed] Copart Unfortunately, this just sort of seems like business as usual for Tesla. Its vehicles are known to have these sorts of issues, and they aren't doing a ton to attempt to shed this image. There is certainly something to be said for the strides the company has made with battery technology and drivetrain design, but quality control has to catch up with those innovations. Making advanced cars is one thing, making safe and reliable cars is entirely another. Got a tip? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com MORE TO READ * RELATED Tesla Model Y Owners Find Cooling System Cobbled Together With Home Depot-Grade Fake Wood The world's most valuable automaker, ladies and gentlemen. READ NOW * RELATED Brand New Tesla Model Y's Roof Flies Off On the Highway That's a new one. READ NOW * RELATED At $631B, Tesla Is Now Worth More Than the Next Top 6 Car Companies Combined Just don't call it a bubble. READ NOW Sign up for our newsletter Technology, performance and design delivered to your inbox. SIGN UP the drive site logo * * * * * * The Drive Team * RV Rentals * Do Not Sell My Personal Information * Privacy Policy * Your California Privacy Rights * Terms of Service * Contact Us (c) Brookline Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.