Mena Massoud, the star of Disney’s live-action film Aladdin, has filed a lawsuit against Tesla. He alleges that a faulty suspension caused his wheel to come off, sending his Model 3 out of control the day after he bought it and causing a serious car accident.
Business Insider reports that Massoud was changing lanes on Hollywood Boulevard when the car lost control and collided with a tree. The lawsuit states that his insurance company, Geico, determined the issue was with the Tesla Model 3, not Mena. Massoud is suing Tesla, alleging negligence and breach of warranty, among other topics.
Suspension issues are not new to Tesla vehicles. On the Internet, an incident like Mena’s is known as the “whompy wheel,” and it has become part of Tesla lore. The site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has several anonymous complaints about broken Tesla suspensions, and sites are dedicated to this issue.
History of Suspension Problems
Tesla has issued multiple technical service bulletins warning mechanics about suspension issues with its Model S and Model X cars. However, the automaker has never issued a recall for this problem, which it knew has existed for several years now. A bulletin cautioned that Tesla may have manufactured some Model S and X vehicles with front suspension forelinks that do not meet its strength specifications.
Director of the Center for Auto Safety Jason Levine tells Business Insider that Tesla is not issuing recalls when it should. Under the law, an automaker is supposed to issue a recall when a vehicle violates federal motor safety standards or has a significant defect. However, in this case, Tesla is not doing that. Levine says Tesla is not the only automaker trying to avoid a recall. He says, “There is a long, sad tradition of car companies doing this.”
Dodging Recalls?
Business Insider also looked at internal documents showing that Tesla engineers have been tracking suspension issues in the Model S since at least 2013 and later tracked similar problems in the Model X. But instead of issuing a recall on potentially defective suspensions, Tesla has been releasing technical service bulletins. A former Tesla employee also told Business Insider that in 2016, Tesla asked customers who experienced suspension failures to sign nondisclosure agreements in exchange for new cars.
Tesla has stood by its vehicles and maintained no problem with the suspensions. As auto defect attorneys, we are deeply concerned about Tesla and automakers circumventing recalls when they are required to issue them. In Massoud’s case, Tesla blamed the driver saying he caused the crash. We hope this lawsuit exposes the truth about Tesla’s transmission issues. These serious auto defects could result in major injuries or even fatalities.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/aladdin-stars-problem-with-tesla-known-as-whompy-wheels-2019-6
