Tesla bulletin SB2139001R3
What it saysSome versions of Model S and X front drive unit halfshafts might cause excessive vibrations during hard acceleration at higher ride height settings. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Tesla filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jan 18, 2024, received Mar 4, 2024, about the power train. It names 10 model years (2016–2020). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome versions of Model S and X front drive unit halfshafts might cause excessive vibrations during hard acceleration at higher ride height settings. This is exclusively an NVH issue and does not otherwise affect steering functionality, braking, or acceleration.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB2139001R3 | Service bulletin | Jan 18, 2024 | 10251045 | not found |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 10 model years this bulletin names have filed 2,520 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the power train
Source: same model, same component group2 other manufacturer communications filed against these Tesla models under the same component group (power train), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB23-31-004 | Service bulletin | Oct 27, 2023 | On some Semi vehicles, the Efficiency Drive Axle (EDA) and Torque Drive Axle (TDA) air spring to trailing arm interfaces may have gaps. The… |
| SB23-31-003 | Service bulletin | Oct 6, 2023 | On certain Semi, the LH and RH trailing arm fasteners on the Torque Drive Axle (TDA) and Efficiency Drive Axle (EDA) may have loosened over… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Tesla, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Tesla SB2139001R3 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the SB2139001R3 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way.
Which vehicles does SB2139001R3 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 10 model years: 2020 Tesla Model S, 2019 Tesla Model S, 2018 Tesla Model S, 2017 Tesla Model S, 2016 Tesla Model S, 2020 Tesla Model X and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.