Staff Reports
In a recent, attention-grabbing development, two senators have directly addressed Elon Musk, the innovative mind driving Tesla, urging immediate action regarding potentially hazardous steering and suspension components. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Edward J. Markey have united forces to spotlight what they perceive as Tesla's failure to address known flaws in its vehicles, emphasizing the imperative need for recalls.
Senators demand Tesla recalls over defective parts, slam Elon Musk for blaming customers https://t.co/Wvao1LtWRd pic.twitter.com/xPZM1ujpwQ
— New York Post (@nypost) December 27, 2023
This call to action was sparked by a compelling Reuters investigation unveiling alleged negligence by Tesla. The report shed light on a pattern where Tesla purportedly attributed frequent part failures to driver error, despite longstanding awareness of inherent defects. The company's purported lack of transparency with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding these issues has understandably incited significant concern.
According to Reuters, Tesla has consistently pointed fingers at drivers, attributing issues with parts to driver "abuse" like minor collisions. However, internal documents contradict this stance, exposing Tesla's awareness of persistent failures in critical components such as suspension, steering, and axles, even in newer vehicles. Adding fuel to the fire, allegations surfaced suggesting Tesla instructed service managers to refute part defects, potentially driven by rising warranty expenses.
Senators Blumenthal and Markey, both Democratic representatives, expressed profound disappointment at Tesla's apparent endeavor to shift accountability for subpar vehicle quality onto its customer base. They condemned the company's actions as "unacceptable" and rebuked its allegedly misleading arguments presented to the NHTSA. Furthermore, they highlighted the absence of any response from Musk or Tesla to their pointed letter or the detailed inquiries posed by Reuters during the investigation.
In an additional surprising turn, Sweden's Transport Agency initiated its investigation into Tesla's suspension failures, mirroring Norway's scrutiny of consumer complaints regarding lower rear control arm issues in Model S and X vehicles.
This isn't the senators' first confrontation with Tesla. Previously, they raised concerns about the company's marketing practices and the safety of its autonomous driving technology following previous investigative reports by Reuters.
Will Elon Musk and Tesla acknowledge the urgent need for action and take accountability for the alleged safety concerns in their vehicles? Time will reveal their course of action. However, if the senators have their way, this issue won't fade into obscurity without a vigorous challenge.
