The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a formal investigation into an estimated 1,198,300 Tesla vehicles after receiving complaints that a front suspension part can break loose while the car is being driven. The probe, opened July 29, 2026, covers 2018-2020 Model 3 sedans and 2021-2023 Model Y SUVs.
According to NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, the agency has received 156 complaints alleging that the front lower lateral link, a suspension arm that holds the front wheel in place, detaches from the vehicle. When that happens, the car can lose directional control and may not be drivable, requiring a tow. Most owners who filed complaints reported no advance warning, though some described unusual noises beforehand. The vehicle does not display a dashboard warning before the failure occurs.
This is a preliminary evaluation, the first step in NHTSA’s defect investigation process, as Electrek reported. It does not mean a defect has been confirmed, and there is no recall tied to it yet. If investigators find a safety-related problem, the case can move to a deeper engineering analysis and eventually a formal recall. NHTSA says it is not aware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities connected to the complaints reviewed so far.
Tesla has recalled vehicles for similar lateral link failures twice before: a 2021 recall covering about 2,800 Model 3 cars tied to a production defect, and a 2023 recall covering 422 Model 3 cars with related failures. NHTSA says the complaints in this new investigation go beyond those earlier recalls and do not appear to stem from the same manufacturing issue. Tesla had not issued a public statement on the new investigation as of the time Insurance Journal and other outlets reported the story, and did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, according to a Reuters report.
For owners, this is worth knowing about but is not yet a reason to take the car in. An open investigation is not a recall, and no repair or action is required at this stage. Owners of an affected Model 3 or Model Y should pay attention to any new clunking, knocking or popping noises from the front of the car, or changes in how the steering feels, especially over bumps or during turns. Anyone noticing those symptoms should contact a Tesla service center. Owners can also file their own complaint with NHTSA if they experience an issue, and can check for any future recall tied to their vehicle identification number through NHTSA’s recall lookup tool. This is a preliminary evaluation, so it may take months before NHTSA reaches a conclusion; GetTesla.com will follow the investigation and report if it results in a formal recall.
Photo by I’m Zion.