Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2022
Fire outside Tesla's Fremont factory
Safety incident
A fire involving pallets of cardboard debris broke out outside Tesla's Fremont factory. No injuries were reported, and the cause was under investigation by the Fremont Fire Department.
Source excerpt
A fire ignited outside the Tesla plant in Fremont where pallets of cardboard debris went up in flames, according to the Fremont Fire Department.
There were no reports of injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
2022
Tesla plans recall of more than 50,000 vehicles over rolling-stop feature
Recall announced
Tesla planned to recall more than 50,000 vehicles amid concerns that its driver-assistance software could allow users to roll through stop signs without coming to a full stop. The planned recall concerned the rolling-stop feature in the driver-assistance software, which raised concerns that vehicles might pass stop signs without a complete stop. The event was reported on February 2, 2022.
Source excerpt
Testers in South Korea first spotted the problem on January 6. Tesla looked into it and decided to go through the recall process on January 25.
Tesla is recalling over 817,000 vehicles over a flaw that causes the seatbelt chimes to malfunction.
Tesla plans to recall more than 50,000 vehicles amid concerns that its driver-assistance software can allow users to roll through stop signs without coming to a full stop, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advisory.
2022
Tesla recalls Full Self-Driving rolling-stop feature
Recall announced
Tesla issued an over-the-air recall of a Full Self-Driving beta feature that allowed vehicles to roll through stop signs. The recall affects nearly 54,000 vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that failure to stop at a stop sign can increase crash risk. Tesla said it knew of no injuries or crashes caused by the feature.
Source excerpt
The No. 1 electric vehicle maker will remove these features through a free over-the-air software update, meaning customers don't have to take the cars to a store or service center to address the problem.
The NHTSA says the feature "can increase the risk of a crash."
Tesla will recall software from 53,822 of its Model S, X, 3 and Y vehicles in the U.S. to eliminate a feature that let cars automatically roll past stop signs, according to records published Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
2022
Tesla contract worker files discrimination lawsuit
Lawsuit filed
A former Tesla contract worker, Kaylen Barker, filed a lawsuit alleging racism, homophobia, physical violence and retaliation at a Tesla factory in Lathrop, California. The claims were reported in coverage of the filing. These are allegations made in the lawsuit and have not been established as findings by the evidence provided.
Former Tesla contract worker Kaylen Barker filed a lawsuit alleging racism, homophobia, physical violence and retaliation at a Tesla factory in Lathrop, California. These are allegations reported in the article, not findings established by the supplied evidence.
Source excerpt
Kaylen Barker was a contract worker at a Tesla Inc factory in Lathrop, California, inspecting brake parts, according to , and her complaint filed Tuesday (1 February) alleges that she was also subject to physical violence.
A Black gay woman has filed a lawsuit against Tesla, claiming that “festering” racism and homophobia went “unchecked” in its factory.
Black workers at Tesla's Fremont factory were regularly subjected to deeply offensive racial slurs and jokes by co-workers and managers, according to the complaint, which was filed in a California court late on Wednesday.
2022
Tesla faces objections to planned Austin plant opening party
Public backlash
Some locals and environmental-justice advocates objected to Tesla's planned Austin plant opening party, citing noise pollution, blocked roads, construction dust, and water pollution concerns.
Source excerpt
Those opposed to the event, including Paul DiFiore, a representative of the Colorado River Conservancy and the Austin-based environmental-justice group PODER, object to the noise pollution, the blocked roads, dust from construction, and water pollution from the event.
2022
Tesla faces employee lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and retaliation
Lawsuit filed
Marcellous Cage filed a lawsuit against Tesla alleging race-based abuse and claiming he was fired for racist reasons and for reporting safety violations. The article reports allegations in the lawsuit, not a court determination.
Source excerpt
The Mercury News reported that Marcellous Cage in his lawsuit says he was fired for racist reasons and for reporting life-threatening safety violations.
Another Black worker is suing the tech giant Tesla, claiming white workers tormented him with ringtones set to sound like incoming-rocket warnings, among other race-based abuses.
2022
Tesla recalls 947 vehicles over delayed rearview image display
Recall announced
Tesla is recalling 947 vehicles in the United States because the rearview image may not display immediately when reversing. The vehicles did not comply with a federal rear-visibility safety standard; Tesla said the recall was made out of caution after tests did not find noncompliance.
Company response
Remediation — Tesla
Tesla will perform an over-the-air software update to address the issue.
Source excerpt
The vehicles do not comply with a federal safety standard on rear visibility.
recall notice dated March 18 but made public on Friday.
WASHINGTON—Tesla Inc is recalling 947 vehicles in the United States because the rearview image may not immediately display when they begin to reverse, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.
2022
Tesla sued over access to vehicle data
Lawsuit filed
A customer filed a personal information protection lawsuit against Tesla, seeking complete original vehicle-driving data. The customer alleges Tesla did not provide complete data; the article does not report a court determination.
Source excerpt
“请求判令被告特斯拉（上海）有限公司向原告本人提供完整真实的原始行车数据”
去年张女士就特斯拉行车数据纠纷向法院递交资料，今年3月12日获得受理，随后立案，案由为个人信息保护纠纷。
2022
Class action complaint filed against Tesla over driver-monitoring system
Lawsuit filed
A class action complaint was filed against Tesla in an Illinois Circuit Court. The plaintiff claims Tesla’s in-cabin driver-monitoring system violates Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act; this is an allegation, not a reported court determination.
Source excerpt
The complaint was filed in an Illinois Circuit Court on March 11, 2022.
While a camera-based DMS has evident advantages, a class action complaint has been proposed against Tesla in Illinois, with the Plaintiff claiming that the company’s in-cabin driver monitoring system violates the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).
2022
Tesla shareholder sues over Musk compensation plan
Lawsuit filed
Tesla shareholder Richard J. Tornetta sued Elon Musk and Tesla’s board, alleging that Musk’s compensation plan was excessive and that its authorization breached the board’s fiduciary duty. Tornetta seeks to invalidate the options grant.
Stated objective. Investigate whether Tesla and Musk violated their SEC agreement and whether the board failed its fiduciary duties.
Source excerpt
The shareholder is seeking to invalidate the options grant from Musk’s plan
According to Tornetta, Musk’s pay package was not only excessive, its authorization by the Tesla board also amounted to a breach of the group’s fiduciary duty.
Tesla shareholder Richard J. Tornetta filed his lawsuit against Musk and the Tesla board after the CEO’s compensation plan was cleared.
2022
Tesla agrees to pay $275,000 over vehicle-coating violations
Fine or penalty
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Tesla failed to measure certain coating-operation emissions and keep legally required records, and that Tesla agreed to pay a $275,000 penalty for vehicle-coating violations at the factory.
Source excerpt
美国环保署在声明中称，特斯拉自称是一家“可持续发展”的公司，但该公司甚至忽视了测量其涂层作业的排放，也没有收集和保存与有害空气污染物排放率相关的法律要求的记录。2016年10月到2019年9月，特斯拉未能“制定或执行一项工作实践计划，将汽车涂装作业中材料的储存和混合所产生的有害空气污染物排放降至最低”。因此，特斯拉同意为该工厂的车辆涂层违规行为支付27.5万美元的罚款。
2022
Tesla settles with EPA over Clean Air Act violations
Settlement
The US Environmental Protection Agency reached a settlement with Tesla after determining that the automaker violated federal hazardous-air-pollutant standards at its Fremont, California factory. Tesla agreed to pay $275,000 to settle the violations.
Source excerpt
The US Environmental Protection Agency has reached a settlement with Tesla after the agency found that the automaker violated the Clean Air Act at its factory in Fremont, California.
Tesla will only have to $275,000 to settle its violations
2022
Tesla recalls 26,047 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in China
Recall announced
Tesla (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. initiated a recall in China covering 12,003 Model 3 and 14,044 Model Y vehicles. A heat-pump defect might cause heating failure and defroster malfunctions in cold weather, affecting drivers’ vision and posing potential safety hazards. Tesla said it would provide free software updates and advised owners to drive carefully until repairs.
Company response
Remediation — Tesla
The company has promised to conduct software updates on the recalled vehicles free of charge while advising users to drive carefully before their cars are fixed.
Source excerpt
Heat pump defects might cause heating function failure and defroster malfunctions in cold weather in such vehicles, thereby affecting the drivers' vision and posing potential safety hazards, said the statement.
Electric car maker Tesla launched a recall of 26,047 vehicles in China due to safety risks, China's top quality watchdog said on Friday.
The company has promised to conduct software updates on the recalled vehicles free of charge while advising users to drive carefully before their cars are fixed.
2022
NHTSA to investigate Tesla phantom-braking complaints
Investigation
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would investigate Tesla after receiving 354 complaints about phantom braking; the investigation would cover approximately 416,000 Tesla vehicles.
Source excerpt
在接到354起有关“幽灵刹车”（phantom braking）的投诉后，美国国家公路交通安全管理局（NHTSA）将启动对特斯拉的调查，调查将涵盖约416000辆特斯拉汽车。
2022
Tesla sued over alleged suspension failure in fatal Florida crash
Lawsuit filed
The family of a driver killed in a 2021 Florida crash sued Tesla, alleging that the vehicle had a defective and unreasonably dangerous suspension. The lawsuit seeks damages from Tesla and a service manager; the allegations are not presented as a court determination.
Source excerpt
Tesla Inc has been sued over an alleged suspension failure in a crash that killed the driver and a passenger in Florida last year and sparked a federal probe.
The 2021 Model 3 vehicle had a "defective and unreasonably dangerous suspension that may cause loss of control during ordinary and foreseeable driving conditions," according to the lawsuit filed by the driver's family in a Florida state court last week.
2022
Tesla recalls nine Model S vehicles over airbag issue
Recall announced
After supplier Joyson Safety Systems notified Tesla of a potential anomaly affecting nine side curtain airbags, Tesla reviewed the findings and decided to recall the vehicles. Tesla will replace the faulty curtain airbag assemblies; no warranty claims or injuries had been reported at the time of the article.
Company response
Remediation — Tesla
The Texas-based automaker will replace the faulty curtain airbag assemblies with all-new units that meet specifications.
Source excerpt
The Texas-based automaker will replace the faulty curtain airbag assemblies with all-new units that meet specifications.
The recalled vehicles, namely nine Model S electric sedans, were produced between July 2021 and February 2022.
One day later, Tesla reviewed the supplier’s findings, including the condition’s impact on airbag performance. Somewhat unexpected of the EV specialist, which is known for dragging its feet when it comes to safety-related issues, Tesla decided on a recall that very same day.
2022
Tesla recalls vehicles over seat-belt warning sound
Recall announced
Tesla announced a recall expected to cover 817,143 U.S. electric vehicles because the seat-belt warning sound may fail to activate in a stated situation. Tesla said an over-the-air software update would address the issue.
Company response
Remediation — 特斯拉
特斯拉将在本月初，通过无线软件更新，来解决这个问题，车主无需前往实体店。
Source excerpt
特斯拉（Tesla）在短短一周内发出第2次召回通知，这次是因为车辆启动，且驾驶人没有系好安全带时，安全带警示声可能不会响起。预计全美共817,143辆电动车将被召回。
特斯拉将在本月初，通过无线软件更新，来解决这个问题，车主无需前往实体店。
美国国家公路交通安全管理局（NHTSA）表示，这次召回的车辆，包括2021年至2022年出厂的Model S和Model X 、2017年至2022年出厂的Model 3，以及2020年至2022年出厂的Model Y 。
2022
Tesla recalls about 54,000 vehicles over stop-sign behavior
Recall announced
Tesla is recalling about 54,000 electric cars and SUVs because its Full Self-Driving feature did not fully stop at stop signs.
Company response
Recall — 特斯拉
特斯拉将召回大约5.4万辆电动车及SUV
Source excerpt
由于“全自动驾驶”（Full Self-Driving）不尊重停车标识（stop sign），遇到这种标识不能全停，导致特斯拉将召回大约5.4万辆电动车及SUV。
特斯拉将通过网路软件更新，禁用“FSD自动驾驶系统”的“滚动停车”功能。
应美国国家公路交通安全管理局(NHTSA)要求，特斯拉于当地时间2022年2月1日在美国召回53822辆汽车。
2022
Tesla sues influencer over alleged fabricated test data
Lawsuit filed
Tesla said it formally sued influencer Chen Zhengang (account name “Xiao Gang Xuezhang”) on January 26, accusing him of faking a vehicle test video. The report said the influencer insisted he had not faked anything.
Source excerpt
不少车评人也纷纷指责他不道德，但“小刚学长”仍然坚称没有作假，视频是真实有效的。
对此，特斯拉方面向媒体回应称，确有此事，已于26日正式起诉某平台千万粉丝网红陈振罡（账号名称“小刚学长”）。
对于起诉原因，特斯拉方面表示该博主在测试视频中进行了数据作假。
2021
Workplace discrimination and harassment allegations
Tesla faced lawsuits and regulatory allegations concerning racial harassment, discrimination, retaliation and workplace conditions. The company disputed or defended various claims.