TESLA: 2013-2014 MODEL S: INFORMATION REGARDING REPLACING REAR DRIVE UNIT PRODUCED WITH INADEQUATE GREASE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A "CLUNK" SOUND WHEN USING THE ACCELERATOR WHILE DRIVING.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Tesla Model S cruise control problems
severe 14 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
9crashes
6injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control 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.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe thirteen separate incidents of unwanted acceleration, with unintended low-speed surges being the dominant failure mode. When parking or entering garages at slow speed or while coasting, the vehicle suddenly accelerates without driver input. The car jumps curbs, crashes through buildings and garage walls, and continues accelerating even after drivers apply the brake pedal. One owner experienced the same failure twice—in December 2016 and again in January 2020—with the second incident totaling the vehicle. Tesla's telemetry logs attribute acceleration to high pedal input (50–100%), but drivers point out these logs only confirm the pedal position, not whether they deliberately pressed it.
One owner also flagged a design problem: the gas pedal is oversized and positioned too close to the brake, making it easy to depress both simultaneously during normal braking—a complaint not reported on their other vehicles (two Lexus, one Mercedes-Benz).
Separate from unintended acceleration, owners report adaptive cruise control initiating panic-level braking on flat, empty highways when an overpass appears ahead, as though the system misidentifies the structure as an obstacle. One owner documented this happening six or more times on the same vehicle.
A single report documents accelerator pedal structural failure during hard acceleration, leaving the driver without throttle control.
Same Tesla Model S cruise control reports on nearby years: 2013
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration during low-speed maneuvers
Vehicle accelerates suddenly while driver is at or near a stop in parking lots, driveways, garages, and housing compounds, often with minimal or no throttle input. Multiple complaints describe the car jumping curbs, crashing through structures (restaurants, buildings, garage walls), and continuing to accelerate even after braking was applied.
When: Low-speed parking and turning scenarios; some incidents repeated on same vehicle (one incident in December 2016 and again January 2020)
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden, rapid acceleration from near-stop or coasting; Vehicle does not respond to brake pedal initially or continues accelerating after brake engagement; Occurs during turns into parking spots, garage entry, and slow compound exit; No warning sensors activate (e.g., curb detection disabled); Vehicle accelerates 50+ feet or more before coming to rest
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple vehicles totaled as a result; no specific repair procedures cited by owners. One vehicle received repairs after December 2016 incident but experienced same failure four years later.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla log data provided in one case claims accelerator pedal input of 50-100%, contradicting driver account. Dealerships attributed incidents to driver error. No recalls, TSBs, or warranty programs mentioned by owners.
Pedal layout causing simultaneous brake and accelerator depression
Owner reports frequent unintended simultaneous depression of brake and accelerator pedals due to cramped pedal spacing and larger gas pedal size, distinguishing this car from four other vehicles owned by reporter (two Lexus, one Mercedes-Benz).
When: Recurring during normal braking attempts
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal and gas pedal depressed at same time when attempting to brake; Gas pedal larger in size than on other vehicles owned; Brake and gas pedals closer together than on comparable vehicles; Brake pedal positioned slightly higher than gas pedal; Car acceleration occurs while attempting to brake
Autopilot phantom braking on overpasses and flat straightaways
Adaptive cruise control initiates panic-stop level braking in two distinct scenarios: (1) when vehicle descends from a hill and encounters an overpass above, and (2) on completely flat, empty straightaways with no vehicle or obstruction ahead. System appears to misidentify overpasses as obstacles.
When: Recurrent; reported six or more times on same vehicle during normal highway use
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden, aggressive brake application during highway cruising; Occurs on descent from hill approaching overpass crossing; Occurs on flat straightaway with no vehicles or objects present; Violent braking hurls occupants forward; Creates hazard for following vehicles in close proximity
Repairs/costs cited: Occurred with both old and new MCS (main control system); suggests persistent software or sensor issue.
Accelerator pedal structural failure
Accelerator pedal broke off during aggressive pedal application during launch-mode testing, causing loss of throttle control. Vehicle came to rest via regenerative braking.
When: During intentional hard acceleration test on quiet back road
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal snapped off during stomp; Loss of ability to accelerate; pedal detached from mechanism
Repairs/costs cited: Pedal structural failure; no repair details provided.
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2014 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 cruise control problem on the 2014 Tesla Model S?
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Based on the 14 complaints filed, cruise control issues most often appear around 32,918 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control 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 cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control 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/2014/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.