Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2021
Tesla recalls imported Model 3 vehicles in China
Recall announced
Tesla announced a recall in China covering 311 imported Model 3 vehicles from one production period and 423 from another. The identified issues involved potentially insufficiently tightened seat-belt anchor or brake-caliper bolts, which could create safety risks. Tesla said it would inspect and, where necessary, repair affected vehicles free of charge.
Company response
Recall — 特斯拉汽车（北京）有限公司
日前，特斯拉汽车（北京）有限公司根据《缺陷汽车产品召回管理条例》和《缺陷汽车产品召回管理条例实施办法》的要求，向国家市场监督管理总局备案了召回计划，决定自即日起召回以下车辆。
Source excerpt
本次召回范围内的部分车辆在装配过程中，可能未将前排安全带顶部D形环固定在B柱上的螺钉紧固至标准扭矩。
特斯拉汽车（北京）有限公司将为召回范围内车辆进行紧固扭矩的免费检查
日前，特斯拉汽车（北京）有限公司根据《缺陷汽车产品召回管理条例》和《缺陷汽车产品召回管理条例实施办法》的要求，向国家市场监督管理总局备案了召回计划，决定自即日起召回以下车辆。
2021
Tesla expands government-relations team in China
Company response
Tesla was reported to be strengthening its engagement with Chinese regulators and expanding its government-relations team amid safety and customer-service complaints in China.
Stated objective. Support Tesla's business development in regional markets by building a harmonious external environment.
Source excerpt
特斯拉已經開始加強與中國大陸監管機構的接觸，壯大其負責政府關係的團隊。
建立一個和諧的外部環境，支援特斯拉在地區市場的業務發展。
因安全及客服投訴在中國面臨審查的美國電動汽車製造商特斯拉，正在加強與監管機構互動並擴編政府關係團隊。
2021
Norwegian judge awards Tesla owners compensation
Ruling
A judge in Norway ruled in favor of 30 Tesla owners who sued over reduced battery range and charging rates following a software update, awarding each owner $16,000 in compensation.
Source excerpt
The first was a reduction in range, and the second was reduced charging rates at Supercharger stations for Model S and Model X vehicles with 85kWh batteries.
In Norway, 30 owners banded together to sue Tesla and they have now won, with the judge awarding each owner $16,000 in compensation.
2021
Tesla agrees to recall about 135,000 U.S. vehicles over touchscreen issue
Recall announced
Tesla agreed to recall about 135,000 vehicles in the United States because the large console touchscreens can go dark, following an initial refusal of a request from U.S. safety regulators.
Source excerpt
Tesla voluntarily recalled 134,951 Model S and Model X vehicles with media control unit failures that led to the loss of several safety-related features.
However, in a letter to NHTSA made public Tuesday, Tesla vice president of legal Al Prescott denied the company's vehicles contained any defects.
After initially refusing a request from US safety regulators, Tesla has agreed to recall about 135,000 vehicles because the large touch screens on the console can go dark.
2020
Families sue technology companies over alleged cobalt supply-chain abuses
Lawsuit filed
International Rights Advocates filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., alleging that Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, Dell and Google parent Alphabet were complicit in a forced-labor system connected to the deaths or serious injuries of children mining cobalt. The allegations are claims in the lawsuit, not findings of liability.
Company response
Investigation — Dell
In response to a request for comment, Dell said in an email that it has “never knowingly sourced operations” using child labour and has launched an investigation into the allegations.
Source excerpt
Filed on Sunday by International Rights Advocates, the case marked the first time the tech industry jointly has faced legal action over the source of its cobalt.
Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, Dell and Google‘s parent company Alphabet have been identified in a lawsuit as part of a system of forced labour that 14 families claim led to the death or serious injury of their children.
In response to a request for comment, Dell said in an email that it has “never knowingly sourced operations” using child labour and has launched an investigation into the allegations.
2020
Tesla customers allege misleading sales and overpayment for imported Model 3s
Issue disclosure
Several customers who bought imported Model 3 cars in November and December 2019 told China Business Journal that frequent Tesla price changes and misleading sales staff caused them to pay 60,000 yuan more for imported cars with configurations identical to the locally made version. The report said more than 300 owners were similarly affected; these are customer allegations.
Source excerpt
多名在2019年11~12月间购买同款进口版Model 3的车主向《中国经营报》记者反映，由于特斯拉官方频繁调价及销售人员的误导，“多花6万元购买了一辆与国产配置完全相同的进口车，类似车主超过300名”。
They specifically address issues Tesla is facing with many consumers, such as the battery update that restricted range and supercharging speed, the Model 3 paint issues, and the MCUv1 eMMC memory failure.
The January 29, 2020 Warranty Terms put a mileage limit to the battery packs without changing their eight-year time limit.
2020
Tesla recalls Model X SUVs over power-steering issue
Recall announced
Tesla announced a recall of 15,000 Model X SUVs because corroding or broken bolts could reduce or eliminate power-steering assistance and increase crash risk. The recall covers vehicles from model year 2016 in the United States and Canada.
Stated objective. 消除安全隐患
Company response
Recall — Tesla
Tesla Inc is recalling 15,000 Model X SUVs because of a potential issue that can lead to a loss of power steering assist that could make steering harder and increase the risk of a crash.
Remediation — Tesla
Tesla said it will also apply a corrosion-preventative sealer in all affected Model X vehicles to account for the possibility that vehicles may later be used in cold climates.
Denial — Tesla
刹车没问题，可通过诉讼调阅后台数据。
Recall — 特斯拉汽车(北京)有限公司
决定自2020年6月7日起，召回2016年4月15日至2016年10月16日期间生产的部分进口Model X系列汽车，共计3183辆。
Source excerpt
Tesla has started recalling some older Model X SUVs to avoid a potential safety issue down the road, according to . In an email to Model X owners, the automaker says it recently noticed road salt can cause "excessive corrosion" to the car's power steering bolts.
That said, if you own a Model X, you probably don't have anything to worry about; the recall is limited to Model X SUVs the automaker manufactured before mid-October 2016.
The company is, however, telling owners of Model X cars included in the recall to schedule an appointment with a service center, so that its mechanics can replace any affected bolts and apply a sealant that will protect them against future corrosion. If a car has any broken bolts, Tesla will replace the steering gear for free.
2020
Report says discarded Tesla media units exposed user data
Issue disclosure
A report stated that a foreign hacker discovered personal data on discarded Tesla media control units that had been sold online. The data included contact details, call records and home addresses. According to the report, Tesla had not responded as of publication. The report did not specify the number of affected units or individuals, the location of the incident, or any response from Tesla beyond the absence of a reply at the time of publication.
A report said a foreign hacker found personal data, including contact details, call records and home addresses, on discarded Tesla media control units that had been sold online. The report said Tesla had not responded as of publication.
Source excerpt
日前，有一位国外黑客发现，尽管这些废弃的媒体控制单元已经被特斯拉技术人员手工销毁，但其上仍然留有用户大量隐私数据，包括手机通讯录、通话记录、日历项目、WiFi密码、家庭住址、导航去过的地点等。
截至目前，特斯拉并未对此事做出回应。
2020
Tesla China says it will not compensate existing owners over price changes
Company response
Tesla China addressed user questions about frequent price changes. Vice president Tao Lin stated that the company would not compensate existing owners. She explained that Tesla's pricing strategy did not provide discounts or subsidies to some owners at the expense of others. The statement was made in response to concerns raised by users regarding the company's pricing practices.
In response to user questions about frequent price changes, Tesla China vice president Tao Lin said the company would not compensate existing owners, explaining that its pricing strategy did not provide discounts or subsidies to some owners at the expense of others.
Company response
Clarification — Tesla China
陶琳说特斯拉不会给予赔偿。陶琳称对所有车主一视同仁，即使员工也不享受折扣。
Source excerpt
陶琳说特斯拉不会给予赔偿。陶琳称对所有车主一视同仁，即使员工也不享受折扣。
5月1日消息，据国内媒体报道，针对用户质疑的“频繁调价”以及“割用户韭菜”等问题。特斯拉中国对外事务副总裁陶琳在采访时给出了答案。
2020
NHTSA investigates Tesla Model S touchscreen failures
Investigation
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into complaints that touchscreen failures in 2012–2015 Tesla Model S vehicles caused rearview camera displays and other features to stop working. The agency said it was assessing the alleged defect's scope, frequency, and safety consequences.
Source excerpt
Wear-out of the eMMC NAND flash causes the MCU to fail prematurely, according to the NHTSA. MCU failure means several features of the touchscreen stop working, like web browsing, climate control and the rearview camera display. This results in "reduced rear visibility" when backing up.
美国国家公路交通安全管理局（NHTSA）在文件中称，其正在调查2012年至2015年，特斯拉Model S上出现的故障。
此次有关突然意外加速并没有足够的证据，所以NHTSA也不会对特斯拉进行召回处理。
2020
Tesla sues Rivian over alleged trade secret theft
Lawsuit filed
In 2020, Tesla filed a lawsuit against Rivian. According to the lawsuit, Rivian recruited Tesla employees with the goal of stealing Tesla trade secrets, and employees took confidential information with them when leaving Tesla for Rivian. These are allegations made in the lawsuit; the summary does not state any findings or outcomes.
Tesla sued Rivian, alleging that Rivian recruited Tesla employees with the goal of stealing Tesla trade secrets and that employees took confidential information when leaving for Rivian. These are allegations in the lawsuit.
Company response
Denial — Rivian
In a statement, a Rivian spokesperson called Tesla's claims "baseless."
Source excerpt
Tesla has sued EV startup Rivian, accusing it of poaching employees and asking them to bring confidential information with them, a charge the Amazon-backed automaker denies.
Rivian, in a statement, has denied the allegations.
Tesla (TSLA) has filed a lawsuit against its electric truck rival Rivian, claiming that the company poached its employees and stole trade secret information, Bloomberg was the first to report.
2020
Tesla customer support responds to questions about its crash statement
Company response
Following reports that a Tesla vehicle crashed into vehicles and pedestrians in Nanchong, Tesla customer support addressed questions about whether its statement on the incident had been removed. According to the company's customer support, the statement remained available beneath the original news post and had not been deleted. The response concerned the visibility of Tesla's published statement rather than additional details of the crash itself.
After a Tesla vehicle was reported to have crashed into vehicles and pedestrians in Nanchong, Tesla customer support said its statement remained available beneath the original news post and had not been deleted.
Company response
Clarification — Tesla
相关声明一直在首发新闻下方可以查看，从未删除。
Source excerpt
9月5日下午16时许，四川南充双福街一辆特斯拉失控，撞上多辆车和行人，造成 2 人死亡 6 人受伤。
相关声明一直在首发新闻下方可以查看，从未删除。
9月7日下午，特斯拉客户支持微博下午发文称：事故发生后特斯拉高度重视，在首发新
2020
Tesla reports thwarted cyberattack targeting its Nevada Gigafactory
Issue disclosure
Tesla reported an attempted cyberattack targeting its Nevada Gigafactory. According to the report, a Tesla employee reported the plan to the company, which then contacted the FBI. The FBI apprehended the person planning the attack, according to the report. Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed the attempted cyberattack. The report did not provide further details on the method of the attack, the identity of the person involved, or the outcome of any legal proceedings.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed an attempted cyberattack targeting Tesla’s Nevada Gigafactory. A Tesla employee reported the plan to the company, which contacted the FBI; the FBI apprehended the person planning the attack, according to the report.
Company response
Clarification — Tesla
In a tweet, Tesla CEO and newly minted World's Fourth Richest Man Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla had been the target of the attack, responding to a post by the Teslarati blog. Much appreciated. This was a serious attack.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 27, 2020
Source excerpt
Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada was a target of attempted and thwarted cyberattack, Elon Musk said, describing the attempt as “a serious attack.”
The FBI apprehended the plan planning the cyberattack last week.
After meeting with the Russian national who had offered the money, Tesla’s employee reported the planned cyberattack to Tesla.
2020
Tesla files counterclaims in Nikola design-patent dispute
Lawsuit filed
Tesla filed an answer and counterclaims in its existing dispute with Nikola. According to the report, Tesla alleged that Nikola's design patents were invalid or unenforceable, among other things, and sought declaratory judgments as well as dismissal of Nikola's claims. These are Tesla's allegations and requests, not court findings. The report does not state any ruling, outcome, or damages in the matter.
Tesla filed an answer and counterclaims in the existing dispute with Nikola. Tesla alleged, among other things, that Nikola’s design patents were invalid or unenforceable and sought declaratory judgments and dismissal of Nikola’s claims; these are Tesla’s allegations, not court findings.
Source excerpt
Tesla also alleged various counterclaims against Nikola.
Tesla claimed that Mudri’s concept was “a significant inventive contribution to the inventions claimed in the Design Patents,” but Mudri was not a named inventor of the asserted patents.
Tesla filed an answer on Wednesday in the Northern District of California to zero-emissions vehicle startup Nikola Corporation’s Third Amended Complaint and Counterclaims stemming from a December 2018 suit, alleging that the Tesla Semi infringed Nikola’s truck design;
2020
Nevada court rules on Tesla's case against former technician
Ruling
A Nevada district court ruled that former Tesla technician Martin Tripp had fallen afoul of the state's cybersecurity laws. The article says the case remained ongoing; the ruling also rejected Tesla's claimed link between Tripp's actions and Tesla's stock-price drop.
Source excerpt
Now, it appears the case has ended with Tesla claiming victory.
Instead, according to the docket, Tripp’s alleged “ hacking” of Tesla’s trade secrets fell on the wrong side of the Nevada Computer Crimes Law, or NCCL.
Reuters noted court documents show Tesla was victorious in their lawsuit which claimed Tripp had admitted to hacking the company's manufacturing operating system, transferring several gigabytes of Tesla data to third parties and making false statements to the media.
2020
Failed ransomware attack targeting Tesla
Issue disclosure
In August 2020, Tesla was the target of an attempted ransomware attack. According to the source, a Tesla employee notified the company, which then contacted the FBI. The plot was thwarted in an FBI sting operation. The source does not report that any Tesla data was accessed or taken. The event is recorded as a failed ransomware attack against Tesla; no further details on the perpetrators, the specific demands, or the outcome of any legal proceedings are provided in the source.
Tesla was targeted in an attempted ransomware attack in August. A Tesla employee notified the company, which contacted the FBI; the plot was thwarted in an FBI sting operation. The source does not report that Tesla data was accessed or taken.
Source excerpt
Tesla owner Elon Musk has confirmed that the company was the target of a "serious" ransomware attack that was thwarted in a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting investigation in August.
The employee instead notified Tesla, which contacted the FBI.
The Justice Department published a legal complaint Thursday detailing an alleged attempt by Russian national Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov, 27, who tried to bribe a Tesla employee to install malware in the company's network.
2020
Munich court rules against Tesla over Autopilot claims
Ruling
A Munich court ruled against Tesla over its Autopilot claims. The court found that Tesla had promised Level 5 fully autonomous driving by the end of 2019, although Autopilot remained a Level 2 system. The court also said that fully autonomous driving systems were not legal in Germany. The ruling addressed the gap between Tesla's stated promise of full autonomy and the actual capability of its Autopilot feature at the time.
A Munich court ruled that Tesla had promised Level 5 fully autonomous driving by the end of 2019, although Autopilot remained a Level 2 system. The court also said fully autonomous driving systems were not legal in Germany.
Source excerpt
The court also said it’s impossible for Tesla to make such promises since fully autonomous driving systems are not legal in Germany and there is no official framework for self-driving cars.
According to Competition Center, a German regulatory institution focused on fair competition, a Munich court declared Tesla’s statement promised Level 5 fully autonomous driving by the end of 2019.
Tesla was ordered to refund the cost of the car and pay damages of three times the purchase price – taking the total payout to more than 1.5 million yuan, according to the copy of the ruling Han posted.
2020
Tesla faces class-action lawsuit alleging suspension-safety cover-up
Lawsuit filed
Tesla was named in a class-action lawsuit filed in California federal court. According to the filing, drivers accused the automaker of covering up concerns about suspension safety. The lawsuit was reported on November 25, 2020. The complaint centers on allegations that Tesla concealed issues related to suspension safety rather than disclosing them to drivers. The filing was made in federal court in California, where the drivers brought their claims as a class action against the automaker.
Tesla was sued in a class-action filing in California federal court. Drivers accused the automaker of covering up concerns about suspension safety.
Source excerpt
Tesla is also being sued in class action filing in California federal court. Drivers accuse carmaker of covering up concerns over suspension safety
2020
Tesla files lawsuit against self-media outlets
Lawsuit filed
Tesla filed a lawsuit against self-media outlets in connection with criticism of its product quality and parts traceability management. The dispute concerned commentary published by self-media accounts questioning the company's product quality and its management of parts traceability. Tesla responded to that criticism through legal action rather than through a public statement alone. The available record identifies the filing and the subject of the criticism but does not specify the outlets named, the court involved, the relief sought, or the outcome of the proceedings. The event is noted as an instance of a company pursuing litigation over media criticism of its quality and traceability practices.
Company response
Denial — Tesla China
特斯拉严格按照相关法律法规要求进行生产制造和一致性管理，不存在所谓“为产量不惜降低质量”的现象。
Source excerpt
12月28日，特斯拉方面已经对相关自媒体发起诉讼。
据特斯拉相关部门正式回应，确有此事，并且于今日正式向法院提交诉讼。
至于起诉原因，据特斯拉透露应为测试数据作假
2020
Tesla directors agree to $60 million settlement in SolarCity shareholder suit
Settlement
Tesla’s directors agreed to pay $60 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit over the company’s acquisition of SolarCity. The article says a pension fund opposing the transaction might continue a March trial against Elon Musk over alleged nondisclosure of SolarCity’s financial difficulties.
Source excerpt
上月底，特斯拉所有董事均同意赔偿6000万美元，和解股东对公司收购SolarCity的诉讼。
Tesla has agreed to pay $1.5 million in a lawsuit over claims the company reduced the battery voltage in some vehicles via software.
According to , Tesla is paying $1.5 million over claims an over-the-air software update temporarily reduced battery voltage in 1,743 Model S vehicles.