Tesla reportedly knew about the defect, but never reported it.
Emme Hall / Roadshow
According to reports, officials within Tesla knew about problems early on Model S. However, batteries and their cooling systems have not reported the defect to the responsible regulatory authorities, according to leaked emails.
Business Insider reported last Thursday about the leaked emails, according to which faulty cooling tubes for the battery found their way to Tesla Model S vehicles between 2012 and 2016. According to the emails, Tesla ended its relationship with the Chinese supplier and started building the pipes itself. But while it worked with the supplier, it installed the faulty components and still sold the electric vehicles.
The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that the U.S. government has now initiated a safety investigation into the faulty cooling pipes. Documents are not available on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website and the agency did not immediately return Roadshow’s request to comment on the investigation. It is not clear whether this problem is part of the same investigation Tesla battery defects that the agency opened last year. The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that it is in the middle of its own investigation.
However, NHTSA told the newspaper that reports of the allegedly poor cooling pipes were “well known”. The owners report that the cooling pipes are leaking and increase the risk of fire. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Apart from battery problems, the Model S is subjected to a separate examination faulty touch screens. If the screen fails, the vehicle’s rear-view camera is removed.