The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a preliminary investigation on August 3, 2026 into roughly 1.2 million Tesla vehicles, covering Model 3 from model years 2018-2020 and Model Y from model years 2021-2023.
The probe was triggered by 156 owner complaints alleging that the front lower control arm (lower lateral link) can unexpectedly detach from the vehicle while driving.
NHTSA states such a failure severely impairs steering and directional stability, posing significant safety risks to vehicle occupants and other road users.