Did Consumer Reports Have Problems With Tesla's Model S P85D?

Consumer Reports recently tested the Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) Model S P85D and, according to the report, the brand new $127,000 model suffered a debilitating failure after just 27 days and 2,300 miles of driving.

The Model S sports retractable door handles which sit flush against the surface of the vehicle when not in use. The handles are activated and extend for use when a driver approaches the vehicle with the key fob in a pocket.

For Consumer Reports, the handle failed to extend, rendering the Model S virtually useless.

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The report explains the car wouldn’t drive; however, the testers “were able to move the car a short distance, thanks to the smartphone app that allows us to unlock the car and authorize two minutes of keyless driving, requiring a spry staffer to crawl behind the steering wheel from the passenger seat,” it said.

According to Consumer Reports, their testers were “far from the first Tesla owners to experience this problem,” and their “car reliability survey shows that doors, locks, and latches are the biggest trouble areas with Teslas and that the Model S has far higher than average rates of such problems.”

Of particular note, Tesla was able to diagnose the problem remotely and the company sent a technician to replace the door-handle control module.

The report noted that such “house calls are part of the Tesla ownership experience, available to all customers.”

Tesla Motors Inc recently traded at $248.42, down 0.17 percent.