Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 Tesla Roadster, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Traction control system1
- Vehicle speed control1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Recalls
09V178000 · Wheels26 May 2009 · 345 vehicles
TESLA MOTORS, INC. IS RECALLING 345 MY 2008 TESLA ROADSTER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 2008 AND APRIL 22, 2009. THE REAR HUB FLANGE BOLTS ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE UNDER-TORQUED AND MAY BECOME LOOSE. A LOOSE HUB COULD LEAD TO DEGRADATION IN VEHICLE HANDLING, AND A RUBBING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Tesla told its dealers about the 2008 Tesla Roadster: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10052460 | TESLA: DUE TO ISOLATION OF MODEL S HIGH VOLTAGE, A MONITOR IS INSTALLED IN BATTERY TO ENSURE NO ELECTRICAL CURRENT, BETWEEN VEHICLE AND HIGH VOLTAGE CONDUCTOR, IS BEING CARRIED AND IS MEASURED, PERIODICALLY, FOR RESISTANCE BETWEEN HIGH VOLTAGE CONDUCTORS AND CHASSIS. NO MODEL OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10052449 | TESLA: THE HIGH VOLTAGE INTERLOCK LOOP (HVIL) DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE. THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL BULLETIN. NO MODEL TYPES OR MODEL YEARS WERE PROVIDED. *JS UPDATED 10/21/14. *PE |
| 10052422 | TESLA: WHEN REMOVING THE BATTERY PACK THESE PROCEDURES NEED TO BE FOLLOWED IN ORDER TO ENSURE PROPER SEALING OF THE HV RAPID MATE. NO MODEL OR MODEL YEARS GIVEN. *JS |
| 10043318 | TESLA MOTORS: DURING THE SHIPMENT OF BATTERY PACK SHEETS, RESIDUAL COOLANT MAY LEAK EFFECTING SHIPPING CONTAINER INTEGRITY. *PE |
| 10042770 | TESLA: INFORMATION PROVIDED IN REGARDS TO ASSEMBLING A NEW SEALED BEARING DUAL PEM/MOTOR FAN THAT IS RETROFIT DUAL DESIGN TO REPLACE TWO SEPARATE FANS WITH A SINGLE ASSEMBLY TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY AND FUNCTION IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. *PE |
| 10042769 | TESLA: INFORMATION REGARDING THE MOTOR AND PEM FANS WHERE CERTAIN TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS, SUCH AS SNOW, MAY ACCUMULATE TOO CLOSE AND CAUSE ADVERSE AFFECT ON THE AIRFLOW AND COOLING EFFICIENCY. THIS MAY SHORTENED THE USEFUL LIFE OF EITHER FANS OR MOTOR. *PE |
| 10042765 | TESLA: DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE, APS CABLE GROMMET CAN BECOME DISLODGED. TO IMPROVE SECURITY AGAINST WATER INGRESS A NEW DESIGN HAS BEEN PROVIDED. *PE |
| 10041204 | TESLA MOTORS: ROADSTER 2010-2011. THERE IS WATER ENTRY THROUGH THE HOOD RELEASE CABLE GROMMET. *RM |
| 10037822 | TESLA: FLOOR MATS WERE NOT ANCHORED TO THE FLOOR. THEY HAVE NOT INTERFERED WITH THE OPERATION, BUT ARE A NUISANCE. *RM |
| 10037053 | TESLA: THERE ARE REVISED TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE BOLTS ON THE BATTERY PACK COVER. *RM |
| 10032913 | TESLA: INSPECTION, PREVENTION AND REPAIR OF BATTERY PACK WATER INGRESS FROM THE APS GROMMET. APS CABLE GROMMET ON BATTERY PACK MAY BECOME DISLODGED. THE WEIGHT OF THE APS CABLE STRAINS THE J3 APS HARNESS SUCH THAT THE PASS THROUGH GROMMET ON THE BATTERY ENCLOSURE WALL IS DISLODGED FROM ITS SEALING SURFACE. *PE |
| 10030985 | TESLA MOTORS: TRANSMISSION VENT RETROFIT. EARLY TRANSMISSION VENTS EQUIPPED WITH SNORKEL TYPE VENTS MAY LEAK TRANSMISSION OIL. SNORKEL TYPE VENTS WERE INSTALLED ON THE FIRST 200 TRANSMISSIONS IN PRODUCTION. AN IMPROVED VENT HAS BEEN DESIGNED THAT INSTALLS IN THE OLD TOP FILL PLUG LOCATION. *PE |
| 10030934 | TESLA: DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION FILL PROCEDURE FOR TRANSMISSIONS WITH LOW FILL PLUG LEVELS. EARLY G1BW TRANSMISSIONS COME WITH A FILL PLUG THAT IS CAST LOWER THAN THE FILL LEVEL. THIS REQUIRES A DIFFERENT PROCEDURE WHEN FILLING TRANSMISSIONS. THERE ARE 56 KNOWN TRANSMISSIONS WITH THIS STYLE FILL PLUG/TRANSMISSION CASTING. TRANSMISSIONS CASTINGS ARE DESIGNATED BY METAL TAG ATTACHED NEAR THE FILL PLUG. *PE |
| 10030430 | TESLA: POTENTIAL NO START CONDITION OR FAILED HEATER OPERATION DUE TO FAULTY COMPONENTS IN PTC HEATER BOARD. SOME HVAC 400V CONTROLLERS MAY HAVE INCORRECT COMPONENTS INSTALLED ON THE PTC CONTROLLER BOARD. THE BOARD CONTROLS THE HEATER OPERATION. FAILURES OF THIS BOARD ALSO MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO NOT START OR CHARGE. *PE |
| 10030429 | TESLA: FRONT/REAR HUB UPRIGHT ASSEMBLY. INSPECT BOTH THE FRONT/REAR-LEFT AND RIGHT HUB-UPRIGHT ASSEMBLIES FOR TORQUE MARK ALIGNMENT. *PE |
| 10030364 | TESLA: UPGRADE FOR ALL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.5 POWER TRAINS. *PE |
| 10030363 | TESLA: SOME VEHICLES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WHERE THE REAR HUB FLANGE BOLTS HAVE BEEN UNDERTORQUED. THIS ISSUE APPLIES ONLY TO THE REAR HUB ASSEMBLY. THE REAR HUB FLANGE BOLTS ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES ARE UNDER TORQUED AND MAY BECOME LOOSE. *PE |
| 10028824 | TESLA: LEAK POINT AROUND DOOR HINGE. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR WATER TO INGRESS INTO THE FORWARD SILL CAVITY OF THE BODY SIDE PANEL. *PE |
| 10028325 | TESLA: BENT PINS ON THE COMPRESSOR CONTROLLER CONNECTOR OF HVAC 400V CONTROLLER. THE MISALIGNED PINS BENT DURING INSTALLATION OF CONNECTOR ON ASSEMBLY LINE. *PE |
| 10028248 | TESLA: WATER INGRESS INSPECTION. THERE MAY BE POTENTIAL WATER INGRESS POINTS ALONG BODY AND CHASSIS STRUCTURES. INSPECT AND REPAIR AS REQUIRED. *PE |
| 10027744 | TESLA VEHICLE: ISOLATION FAILURES INSIDE HVAC HEATER MODULE. THE PTC HEATER INSIDE THE HVAC HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP AN ISOLATION FAULT. THIS FAILURE ARISES WHEN OPERATING THE A/C IN HUMID CONDITIONS. *PE |
| 10026610 | TESLA VEHICLE: TOLERANCES TO 14 PIN CONNECTOR ON THE TCM COULD CAUSE A FAULTY CONNECTION AND WATER INGRESS. *PE |
| 10026609 | TESLA VEHICLE: INCORRECT BONDING PROCESS MAY CAUSE SOME PAINTED CHARGE DOORS TO SEPARATE FROM MOUNTING PLATE. *PE |
| 10026608 | TESLA VEHICLE: BULKHEAD GROMMET DISLODGED. THIS GROMMET IS DESIGNED TO STOP THE WIRING HARNESS FROM CHAFING AGAINST THE IMPACT STRUCTURE. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
DP22005 · Electrical system:propulsion systemopened 27 Jan 2023 · closed 7 Aug 2023
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation