Tesla Inc has been sued over an alleged suspension failure in a crash that killed the driver and a passenger in Florida last year and sparked a federal probe.
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The 2021 Model 3 vehicle had a "defective and unreasonably dangerous suspension that may cause loss of control during ordinary and foreseeable driving conditions," according to the lawsuit filed by the driver's family in a Florida state court last week. The case was first reported by legal information site Plainsite.
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The lawsuit said that four days before the accident in September, the driver, Nicholas G. Garcia, brought the vehicle to a Tesla Store due to problems with "controllability/steering, suspension, battery and electronic system, and an ability to open the doors."
The lawsuit accused a Tesla service manager of "negligently" inspecting the affected model.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is probing the accident, said in a preliminary report in November that the car was speeding before crashing into two trees and catching fire.
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Garcia, 20, and front-seat passenger Jazmin Alcala, 19, sustained injuries and "traumatic life ending burns," according to a Coral Gables Police Department report.
The lawsuit seeks damages of over $30,000 each from Tesla and the service manager.
Tesla was not immediately available for comment.
The vehicle's under-body struck the roadway after going over a "hump" in the centre of an intersection, according to the police report seen by Reuters. The driver lost control and drove off the roadway before the collision.
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In October, Tesla recalled nearly 3,000 2020-2021 Model Y and 2019-2021 Model 3 vehicles in the United States over a suspension issue. Tesla recalled 21,599 China-made Model Ys in December, saying a suspension link may fall out of the steering knuckle under extreme stress conditions.
In 2020, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into around 115,000 Model S and Model X vehicles over a front suspension safety issue.
Published - February 17, 2022 09:59 am IST
