How many recalls does the 2008 Tesla Roadster have?

The 2008 Tesla Roadster has 1 NHTSA safety recall campaign on record.

How do I check if my 2008 Tesla Roadster has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2008 Tesla Roadster?

Of 2 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is traction control system.

2008 Tesla Roadster Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2008 Tesla Roadster has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 345 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the traction control system. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

WHEELS 09V178000 2009-05-26 345 affected

Defect

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…

Consequence

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

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.

Complaints by component

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Total complaints2

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“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…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2009-07-15

“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…”

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM · reported 2009-07-15

Defect investigations

Investigation DP22005 Opened 2023-01-27 · closed 2023-08-07

Pedestrian alert sounds

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2008 Tesla Roadster as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.