Partner
By: Sepehr Daghighian, Esq.
Tesla is a famous American electric vehicle brand primarily based in California. While the brand is now widely recognized as a top producer of electric vehicles, Tesla has also managed to attract many lawsuits and complaints about its vehicles. According to a legal advocacy website, PlainSite.com, Tesla had about 620 lawsuits filed against it in 2019. Also, a recently proposed class-action suit filed in May 2020 alleges that Tesla’s 2014-2016 Model S and 2015-2016 Model X are fitted with defective touch screen media units that tend to fail after a few years of regular usage.
If your Tesla Model has suffered any issues or presents signs of any media unit defects, CCA is here to help. We invite you to call our experts today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.
What is the Media Unit Defect in the Tesla Model S and Model X?
Over the years, Tesla has received multiple complaints regarding the touchscreen defect in the Media Control Unit (MCU) of some of their models. Most of these complaints address problems such as screen blackouts, crashing, and freezing, and all of these issues tend to arise after only a few years of normal usage. This can be a severe safety hazard as it affects numerous essential functions.
The MCU is an instrumental part of all Tesla cars, as it controls several functions such as safety, navigation, communication and entertainment. “Failure of the touchscreen results in loss of rear camera image display when reverse gear is selected, resulting in reduced rear visibility when backing.” – Stated in the NHTSA problem description.
A Tesla user tweeted about the troubles, “In the past month I’ve done repairs/replacements on over a dozen @Tesla MCUv1 units for customers suffering from eMMC flash failure.” To which Elon Musk replied, “Should be much better at this point.” However, the issues are still very much present.
What are the Legal Actions taken against Tesla regarding the MCU Defects?
After multiple user complaints and a NHTSA investigation, Tesla is now facing a class-action lawsuit. The 36-page complaint addresses the issues with the MCU in Tesla’s 2014-2016 Model S and 2015-2016 Model X and states that despite such positive marketing, the MCU is not up to mark. It’s been reported to go completely blank and block access to critical vehicular functions. The lawsuit states some of the basic functionalities affected by the defected MCU: GPS, sound system, regenerative braking, rear-view camera, self-driving mode, exterior lights, steering modes, and acceleration settings, climate controls, and charging. The lawsuit also states that when access to these functionalities is inhibited, it becomes a dangerous distraction to the driver.
What can I Do if My Vehicle is Exhibiting any of the Signs Listed Above?
If your vehicle has been experiencing any of the issues discussed in this article and you have not been offered any service or replacement assurance from Tesla, CCA lawyers are here to help. CCA’s experienced attorneys obtain exceptional results for Tesla owners throughout the state of California at no charge to our clients. If your vehicle has been exhibiting any malfunctions with the Media Control Unit in your Tesla Model, feel free to contact our experts for a free consultation at: (833) LEMON-FIRM.