NHTSA opened a preliminary Tesla investigation over suspension failure complaints involving nearly 1.2 million vehicles.
Why it matters: The probe raises immediate safety, legal and reputational risk for Tesla. It could also lead to a recall or deeper scrutiny of the company's vehicle quality and service issues.
- The investigation covers nearly 1.2 million U.S. Tesla vehicles, according to reporting cited by The Verge and Reuters.
- It involves Model 3 vehicles from model years 2018-2020 and Model Y vehicles from model years 2021-2023.
- The complaint summary says a suspension failure could cause "a loss of vehicle directional control."
- NHTSA says a preliminary evaluation is the first stage of a defect inquiry and can lead to a deeper engineering analysis or recall.
NHTSA has opened a preliminary evaluation into Tesla suspension-failure complaints, according to reporting cited by The Verge and Reuters. The probe is the first step in the agency's defect process and is meant to determine whether a safety-related defect trend exists that may warrant a recall. NHTSA's investigation framework says preliminary evaluations are normally completed within eight months and can be followed by a deeper engineering analysis.
The current review centers on Tesla Model 3 vehicles from model years 2018-2020 and Model Y vehicles from model years 2021-2023. The safety concern is that a suspension failure could lead to "a loss of vehicle directional control."
The new probe comes after Tesla previously faced a separate NHTSA preliminary evaluation over front suspension fore-link failures in 2015-2017 Model S and 2016-2017 Model X vehicles, a case NHTSA later closed in 2024. Tesla also published a service bulletin on May 8, 2026 for certain 2025-and-later Model Y vehicles that addressed rattling or knocking noises by replacing front dampers and related parts, and Tesla described that campaign as something that "addresses a non-safety-related condition." Tesla's service bulletin provides the repair details.
The investigation was reported July 31, 2026. A key question now is whether NHTSA expands the matter into a deeper engineering review or moves toward a recall.
By the numbers
- nearly 1.2 million - Tesla vehicles covered by the new NHTSA preliminary evaluation
- up to 8 months - NHTSA's typical target for completing a preliminary evaluation
- 74,918 - vehicles in Tesla's earlier front-suspension probe that NHTSA later closed in 2024
Yes, but: NHTSA has only opened a preliminary evaluation, not a recall. The agency says that stage is used to determine whether a safety-related defect trend exists.
What's next: NHTSA's preliminary evaluation is normally completed within eight months and could be followed by a deeper engineering analysis.