Tesla is offering the Model S at a reduced price of $58,500 after incentives. When the nation’s top safety regulator questioned about the problem, Tesla in return said that the system has no problem.
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That’s according to a statement issued Friday evening from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, after reports of a possible NHTSA investigation and a lengthy rebuttal to such reports by the California electric carmaker. The New York Times reports that since October, NHTSA has received 33 complaints of suspension parts breaking.
The road was rough so my air ride was at it max lift.
Tesla said Thursday the auto with over 70,000 miles had abnormal rust and that the Pennsylvania owner lived down such a long dirt road that it required two tow trucks to retrieve the vehicle. To which, the safety regulator has said that the changes were satisfactory.
Tesla has denied any suspension problems, saying extensive durability testing and review of customer issues “gives us high confidence in our suspensions”. But then the company agreed to pay for half of the $3,100 bill, in exchange for a “goodwill agreement” that, in part, asked for confidentiality.
The customer thereafter posted the agreement online which according to him came from the company and basically included the prerequisite if the customer remained quiet about the issue related to the vehicle, the company will give him $1500.
Tesla counters in its statement that the agreement does not represent an attempt to keep customers from reporting safety problems.
The government agency later found that there was no issue concerning the Model S suspension.
Earlier this week, Tesla was accused of routinely asking its customers to sign fix non-disclosure agreements, allegedly preventing them from speaking publicly about repairs made to their cars. Tesla says, “The basic point is to ensure that Tesla doesn’t do a good deed, only to have that used against us in court for further gain”.
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The NHTSA says it is examining a potential suspension issue with the Tesla Model S after certain vehicle owners have noticed the vehicle acting strangely. Therefore, Tesla’s use as per them in such agreements is “troublesome”. Tesla representatives told NHTSA that it was not their intention to dissuade consumers from contacting the agency. Tesla said that it takes safety issues very seriously.
