Drive Wire: Tesla Feels The Sting Of False Accusations

It seems Tesla has been hit with a slew of claims that the front suspension on their Model S is faulty or flawed. The “uproar” started when an owner made a claim, evidently legitimate, that a front ball-joint was experiencing unusual wear. Tesla balked at first, as the car was out of warranty, but eventually relented and offered to pay half the bill, if the owner would sign a goodwill agreement. So far, more or less car business as usual. Now, Tesla claims it’s been hit with 37 false complaints of front suspension problems, some even including false vehicle identification numbers. Stranger still, they claim to have come from a person named Keef Leech, who is not a Tesla owner. For the record, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it’s found no issue with the suspension and considers the matter resolved. Meanwhile Tesla’s stock dipped, their reputation took a small and perhaps undeserved hit, and we learned that even the almighty Elon Musk can’t escape the rumor mill.