On certain Model S vehicles, either lower rear control arm might crack, causing excessive negative camber of the rear suspension.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Tesla Model S suspension problems
severe 79 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $900 · see suspension across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
79
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$900
9crashes
5fires
7injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 79 suspension complaints filed for the 2013 Tesla Model S, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 79 suspension complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 5 model years of Tesla Model S in our records for suspension problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering suspension on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TESLA MOTORS, INC 2012-2013 MODEL S: INFORMATION REGARDING FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS DEVELOPING GREATER FREE PLAY THAN EXPECTED. INSTALLING (4)WEDGE- LOCK WASHERS ON THE LOWER ARM BALL JOINT WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 7/14/15.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
2013 Model S owners describe suspension failures that strike during routine driving and parking. Lower rear control arms crack at the cast aluminum bushing attachment, causing wheels to tilt outward 30 degrees or more and jam in wheel wells. Multiple owners report brake failure coinciding with suspension collapse. Upper control arm ball joints separate from steering knuckles, again triggering immediate brake loss and loss of steering control. One owner, a professional mechanical engineer, documented excessive ball joint wear requiring replacement on both sides by 120,000 miles, with clunking returning at 150,000 miles.
Air suspension systems collapse without impact or accident, dropping the entire front or rear end to the ground and trapping wheels. Owners note the vehicle lacks limit stops to prevent over-compression if the air system leaks. One collapse happened after a three-inch backward maneuver during parking.
A critical manufacturing defect was discovered in one suspension: a shock bolt installed backward, with its sharp tip facing the suspension arm rather than away from it, causing the bolt to cut through the upper control arm like a lathe over months of suspension cycles.
Tesla Service Bulletin SB 19-31-001 addresses known lower rear control arm cracks but calls them "non-safety-related"—a claim owners find incomprehensible. Service centers quote repairs for one control arm (~$4,000) while the bulletin specifies bilateral replacement. MCU (screen) failures prevent drivers from adjusting suspension height electronically, and some owners have waited weeks for replacement parts.
Same Tesla Model S suspension reports on nearby years: 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Lower Rear Control Arm Cracking and Collapse
Cast aluminum lower rear control arm cracks and fails, causing excessive negative camber (wheel tilting outward 30+ degrees) and wheel collapse into wheel well. One crack shows corrosion evidence, suggesting months-long stress before final failure. Suspension collapses suddenly during low-speed maneuvers or parking, trapping wheel and damaging brake lines and air spring module.
When: Occurs at various mileages; one reported at backup maneuver, another after normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: Wheel cambered outward at extreme angle (30+ degrees); Wheel trapped in wheel well, unable to rotate; Suspension collapses to ground; Brake line damaged; Air spring module damaged
Repairs/costs cited: Tesla quoted ~$4,000 for repair of single side; Service Bulletin SB 19-31-001 calls for replacement of both LH and RH lower rear control arm assemblies with updated parts, but service centers reportedly quote only single-side repair and ignore the bulletin
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla Service Bulletin SB 19-31-001 (Jan 3, 2019) addresses known issue but labels as 'non-safety-related condition' despite potential for catastrophic failure at speed; owners report Tesla service ignoring bulletin requirement for bilateral replacement
Upper Control Arm Ball Joint Separation
Ball joint on upper control arm separates from steering knuckle, causing wheel to tilt inward against strut assembly and loss of steering control. First failure occurs around 80,000 miles; right side ball joint fails approximately 40,000 miles later with extreme looseness and clunking. At 150,000 miles, left front corner exhibits clunking again, suggesting recurring premature wear.
When: First failure at ~80,000 miles; second at ~120,000 miles; symptoms reappearing at ~150,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud bang during turning at low speed; Brake failure immediately after bang; Wheel tips inward against strut; Loss of steering control; Extreme ball joint looseness and clunking sounds
Repairs/costs cited: Upper control arm with integral ball joint replaced twice; vehicle owner is professional mechanical engineer with 27 years experience confirming non-abusive use and stating wear rates are excessive and excessive for normal driving conditions
Front Suspension Collapse and Wheel Failure
Multiple reports of complete front suspension collapse with wheels jamming into wheel wells, wheels cambering outward at extreme angles, and steering knuckles snapping. Cast aluminum steering knuckle fails suddenly, with tip snapping off or ball joint popping apart from socket. Earlier model knuckles are hollow die-cast aluminum; later redesigns (2014+) are stronger but still fail.
When: Occurs during normal driving, parking maneuvers, and low-speed turns at 0-45 mph; one incident at 80,000 miles reported
Symptoms owners cite: Loud bang during turning or low-speed maneuver; Complete loss of brakes immediately after failure; Wheel jammed in wheel well; Steering knuckle snapped in half or cracked; Ball joint popped from socket; Wheel cambered outward at extreme angle
Repairs/costs cited: One owner quoted $4,000+ for comprehensive front suspension replacement including broken control arm on front left; repairs noted as extensive due to cascading damage
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla initially refuses to cover repair; multiple owners report Tesla claiming wear-and-tear or non-coverage under warranty despite non-accident origin of failures
Air Suspension Collapse Due to Software or Leak
Air suspension collapses on one or more wheels without impact or accident, causing wheels to jam into wheel wells and damaging fenders, hood, and body panels. Collapse occurs after low-speed parking maneuver or with minimal load change. Vehicle lacks limit stops to prevent over-compression if air system leaks or malfunctions. One reported incident occurred immediately after backing up slowly after picking up light cargo (1 lb of food).
When: Occurs during low-speed maneuvering and light-load scenarios; one incident reported on 2/20/19 after picking up Chinese food
Symptoms owners cite: Entire front or rear end suddenly drops to ground; Loud noise at moment of collapse; Front/rear end lying on ground unable to articulate; Damage to fenders, hood, front end; Multiple wheels jammed in wheel wells simultaneously
Repairs/costs cited: Owner estimates $4,000+ in damage to fender, hood, and front end from single collapse incident; Tesla offers no acknowledgment of design defect
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla denies safety problem and states owners should not drive forward to tire stop (shifting blame to driver behavior); does not acknowledge software or design issue with lack of limit stops
Rear Lower Control Arm Bolt Fracture
Lower shock absorber attachment bolt mounted backwards at factory or service center, with sharp tip facing forward instead of rearward. Bolt tip acts as lathe, cutting into upper control arm with each suspension compression cycle over months. Upper control arm nearly severed with 1/2 of lower cross-section and 1/3 to 1/4 of upper cross-section cut through by bolt, leaving arm near point of fracture.
When: Not specified in narrative, but evidence of two cracks suggests months-long cutting process before owner discovery
Symptoms owners cite: Odd 'notch' in aluminum upper control arm; Upper control arm partially severed by bolt; Two cracks visible: one with corrosion evidence, one bare metal; Massive loss of cross-sectional material in control arm
Repairs/costs cited: Repair not yet performed; owner requesting immediate inspection of fleet for similar backward bolt installation, especially on vehicles with replaced powertrains
Front Suspension Noise and Progressive Control Arm Failure
Vehicle exhibits squeaking and creaking noise when turning and going over bumps at any speed or while parked. Service center identifies left control arm starting to fail and recommends replacement along with fore link assembly for rattling. Owner reports multiple instances of control arm failure at relatively low mileage (vehicle is 2013 model). Tesla issued recall in China for this problem and is investigating in US.
When: Reported at unspecified mileage on 2013 model; service recommendation made on Oct 19, 2019 and May 8, 2020
Symptoms owners cite: Loud squeaking/creaking noise when turning; Noise over bumps at any speed; Noise while parked; Rattling noise from fore link; Left control arm identified as starting to fail
Repairs/costs cited: Left upper control arm replaced on Oct 19, 2019; right upper control arm replaced on May 8, 2020; both at owner's expense; play present in both aft links
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla issued recall in China for this problem; currently investigating in US per owner knowledge at time of report
MCU Failure Causing Loss of Suspension Control and Other Functions
Media Control Unit (MCU) screen blacks out and will not reboot, disabling most vehicle functions including suspension height adjustment, air conditioning, rear view camera, sunroof, radio, navigation, Bluetooth, Tesla app connectivity, and walk-away lock feature. MCU failure occurs immediately after charging at supercharger. Screen failure is unrelated to suspension mechanically but renders suspension height adjustment unavailable and prevents driver from raising suspension in tight clearance situations.
When: MCU failure occurred after supercharging session; no specific mileage provided
Symptoms owners cite: Screen blacks out and will not reboot (MCU failure); Inability to raise suspension via screen controls; Inability to control A/C; No rear view camera; No sunroof control; No audio (radio or music); No GPS/navigation; No Bluetooth or Tesla app connectivity; Walk-away lock feature inoperative; Odometer reading invisible
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported waiting over one month for MCU replacement part with no firm timeline; another owner attempted self-repair by mailing EMMC chip out for replacement, expecting ~$700 cost
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla service stated vehicle is safe to drive despite loss of most functions; no mobile tech available for on-site replacement; service center appointment required but with long wait times (reported as 3 weeks away in one case)
Synthesized from 79 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Here is a Tesla in the junkyard. Https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=0&itemid=23837634&rowid=31&pagesource=vehicleresults the back rh wheel assembly has torn off and exited through the rear of the car tearing off the back bumper. The car has then had a major collision. It is most unlikely that it is a mere coincidence the back wheel has fallen off. The alloy suspension components…
Here is a Tesla in the salvage yard. Https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=0&itemid=23880040&rowid=38&pagesource=vehicleresults the front wheel is leaning outwards at an extreme angle. The tip of the steering knuckle has snapped off. The wheel and tire are undamaged and it is unlikely that the front of the car has had a hard enough impact that would account for the snapped knuckle.…
Here is a Tesla in the junkyard. Https://www.copart.com/lot/44749556/photos?resultindex=12&totalrecords=21&backto=%2flotsearchresults%2f%3ffree%3dtrue&query=Tesla&query=Tesla&displaystr=search%20results&viewedlot=44749556 the suspension has collapsed on all 4 wheels and the wheels are jammed up in the wheel wells which has caused damage to the bodywork and presumably a very rapid deceleration…
Here is another Tesla in the junkyard https://m.iaai.com/vehicledetenc.aspx?auctionid=0&itemid=23837634&rowid=30&pagesource=vehicleresults it has been in a major front end collision. Almost certainly cause by the back wheel falling off! Please investigate this. Every Tesla on the road is in danger of having a wheel snap-off at any instant. Please note that injury report is just an estimate…
Here is a terdsla in the junkyard:https://www.iaai.com/vehicledetails/38372462?rownumber=30 look closely and you will notice that the back wheel has gone whompy. If you would be so kind as to take these contraptions off the roads then I can shut up and let you get back to sleep. Thanks a lot. Keef
Here is another Tesla in the junkyard: https://erepairables.com/salvage-cars-auction/Tesla/model+s/vid-44567577 the air suspension has collapsed whilst the car was in motion causing the wheels to jam up in the wells and damage the liner and bodywork. Failure of the air suspension is a common defect in teslas and many of these cases have been discussed in the Tesla forums and have been reported…
Had suspension trouble with your 2013 Tesla Model S?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the suspension problem on the 2013 Tesla Model S?
It's a meaningful issue. 79 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $900.
At what mileage does the suspension typically fail?
Across the 71 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most suspension failures cluster between 20,000 and 63,100 miles, with the median around 45,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 20,000; a quarter make it past 63,100. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $900 for suspension repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to suspension?
No active recalls currently cover suspension issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Tesla/Model S.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.