NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Tesla Roadster Recalls & Complaints

The 2008 Tesla Roadster has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 1 owner complaint on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Tesla dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Tesla Roadster. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2008 Tesla Roadster owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2008 Tesla Roadster, describing incidents dated July 15, 2009.

Most-cited components

Traction Control System 1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Control 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10277260 · Filed July 18, 2009
THE VEHICLE IS PRONE TO 'SUDDEN ACCELERATION' PROBLEMS WHERE THE DRIVER LOSES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGES AND FORCES THE REGENERATIVE ENGINE BREAKING SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE. THE TESLA ROADSTER USES VERY AGGRESSIVE ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING SO, WHEN IT IS…

Read the full complaint

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008 Tesla Roadster in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP22-005: Pedestrian alert sounds
Closed August 7, 2023
- Recall 22V-063

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

UNDER-TORQUED REAR HUB FLANGE BOLTS

NHTSA #09V178000 · Wheels — Hub · NHTSA notice

Reported May 26, 2009 · TESLA MOTORS

Potentially affected: 345 vehicles

Owners notified May 28, 2009 · Vehicles built March 1, 2008 – April 22, 2009 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED PROMPTLY, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

TESLA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TESLA TOLL-FREE AT 1-877-888-3752.

Notes

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2008 Tesla Roadster. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

1 owner complaint has been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Tesla Roadster.

Vehicle Speed Control; Traction Control System

ODI #10277260

Incident: July 15, 2009 · Filed: July 18, 2009

THE VEHICLE IS PRONE TO 'SUDDEN ACCELERATION' PROBLEMS WHERE THE DRIVER LOSES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGES AND FORCES THE REGENERATIVE ENGINE BREAKING SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE. THE TESLA ROADSTER USES VERY AGGRESSIVE ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING SO, WHEN IT IS DISENGAGED, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY AND FASTER THAN THE DRIVER CAN REACT BY ENGAGING THE BREAKS. THIS MOST COMMONLY HAPPENS WHEN I DRIVE DOWN A HILL OR AROUND A CORNER AT 20 MPH USING ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THAT ENGAGES THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY DOUBLE SPEED (40 MPH) FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE SECONDS AS THE ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING ON THIS VEHICLE DISENGAGES... FASTER THAN I CAN COMPENSATE BY BREAKING. IN EFFECT, THE CAR SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LURCHES FORWARD WHEN THE TCS KICKS IN. I PROBABLY SEE THIS BEHAVIOR AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK ON ONE PARTICULAR STRETCH OF NEARLY EMPTY ROAD, BUT HAVE HAD TWO NEAR COLLISIONS RECENTLY, ONE ON THAT STRETCH OF ROAD FOLLOWING A TRUCK AT A DISTANCE AND ONE ON A DIFFERENT STRETCH OF ROAD MAKING A CORNER WHERE THE CAR NEARLY ACCELERATED INTO AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. GIVEN HOW FEW OF THESE CARS ARE ON THE ROAD, HOW AGGRESSIVE THE ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING IS, AND HOW LITTLE MOST OTHER OWNERS DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES RELATIVE TO MY DAILY COMMUTES, I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL LEAD TO MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO TESLA MOTORS, BUT THEY'VE INDICATED THAT THIS IS STANDARD BEHAVIOR FOR ALL VEHICLES USING ENGINE REGENERATIVE BREAKING AND SHOULD BE EXPECTED. I DON'T COMPLETELY BELIEVE THAT -- OR NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT OTHER CARS ARE AS AGGRESSIVE WITH THEIR REGEN BREAKING AS THE TESLA IS -- BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS CREATIVES A VERY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION THAT CONCERNS ME AND SHOULD CONCERN ALL OTHER TESLA ROADSTER DRIVERS. *TR

Check your 2008 Tesla Roadster VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Tesla Roadster at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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