Tesla Model S Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Tesla Model S options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Tesla Model S has 579 owner complaints and 106 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is UNKNOWN OR OTHER. 2021 drew the most complaints; 2022 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Tesla
- Model
- Model S
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 579
- Safety recall campaigns
- 106
- Crash-related complaints
- 60
- Fire-related complaints
- 2
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2021 (176 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2022 (0 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Tesla Model S: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe TESLA MODEL S has 579 NHTSA complaints and 106 recalls on record. 60 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 579 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 106 federal recall campaigns
- 60 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
106 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
AIR BAGS
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:CUSHION
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 579 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
579 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Supervised FSD does not have a remedy if it assigns an incorrect speed limit to the current roadway. The only action available is to disengage FSD. This incorrect speed limit happens quite often, especially in construction zones with temporary speed limit changes. Tesla used to have a ‘max speed’ setting that the driver could use to override an incorrect speed limit, but they removed that capability.
Car will just brake on the highway with out warning. Cruise control will just randomly change speeds. I was traveling on an overpass and speed dropped to 35 then jumped to 60mph.
I was using Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised capability. We were turning left and the car took us into an oncoming turn lane. I had to take over to get us out of the lane.
The power train of my 2025 Tesla Model S failed. As a result, the car had several systems alert on my console that they were "unavailable" or "degraded", and in addition to the alerts I experienced their loss or degradation in real time. This included braking, steering, stability control, and traction control. Normally you don't have to hold the brake pedal down at a stop light on this electric vehicle, but when the failure occurred my car was rolling backwards at the stop light and so I had to hold down the brake. Also, steering was noticeably degraded and not stable. The car was also exhibiting behavior similar to a stuck accelerator whereby even with my foot off the accelerator the car would not slow up. Tesla had to tow my car to their nearest Tesla service center, and they replaced the front body controller and the battery controller which took three days. There were no warnings whatsoever or anything relating to the power train that were peculiar prior to this incident. It occurred all of a sudden after getting into my car and putting it in reverse to back out of a parking spot. I was then bombarded with several alert messages as mentioned above and drove only about half a mile until I pulled into a parking lot and called Tesla for roadside assistance as the car was obviously not safe to drive.
The power train of my 2025 Model S failed similar to failure of 7-6-25 which I previously reported to NHTSA (complaint #11718413) and Tesla. Upon getting into my car on 2-7-26 and putting it in reverse, several alert messages displayed including "stability control disabled, traction control disabled, and emergency braking unavailable". I drove 1/4 mile to a safe area to call Tesla roadside assist, since my steering was noticeably degraded in real time and the car was not safe to drive. The car was towed to the nearest Tesla service center. Tesla made statements on their service report attached here, that this is a "known characteristic of the vehicle" and that if it happens again I should, "exit the car, let the car go to sleep and then once the vehicle is awakened the alert will not be present and it will operate normally". That is not a valid solution, and even though they told me they found nothing wrong when they looked at the car two days later on 2-9-26, I had walked away from the car for more than an hour on 2-7-26 when this happened and the alerts were still there. The tow truck driver who arrived three hours later also saw them and noticed the degraded steering when he drove it. Tesla's solution stated on their service report is not valid or safe. This issue has happened twice in seven months on this car of mine and it needs serious engineering attention.
The turning signal button on the steering wheel doesn't respond intermittently. It's a safety hazard to not engage a turning signal when making a turn.
Read 14 more owner reports
I experienced excessive rear tire wear on both rear tires inner side The tire ended up blowing out on the rear passenger tire
TIRES WEAR EXCESSIVLY DUE TO INCORECT FACTORY AND NON-ADJUSTABLE CAMBER SETTINGS CAUSING EXTREME SAFTEY CONCERNS/BLOWOUTS, WHICH ARE NOT VISIBLE WITHOUT REMOVAL OF TIRE OR LIFTING OF VEHICLE BY AVERAGE MOTORIST. MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THIS WITHIN FIRST 10,000 MILES ON NEW CAR WITH NEW TIRES. FOURTUNEATLY A FLAT LED TO FURTHER INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT BEFORE INCCURING TRAGIC OR ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES.
Tesla’s automatic wipers are unreliable. This vehicle lacks a dedicated rain sensor and instead uses the forward-facing camera and neural net to detect moisture. In light rain, the system often fails to activate. More critically, it frequently triggers false wipes during dry conditions—sometimes multiple times per day. Each dry swipe smears debris (e.g., bugs, sap), reducing visibility and risking permanent windshield scratches. This directly compromises driver safety and optics for the FSD/autopilot system. Tesla has acknowledged the issue but suggests turning off automatic wipers. However, this isn’t possible when FSD or Autopilot is active—they re-enable automatically. Proposed solution: If a wipe is triggered, the system should first activate the windshield washer. This would prevent dry swipes and maintain camera and driver visibility. The current logic is overly aggressive and lacks basic safeguards. Tesla must revise this behavior—both for user safety and hardware longevity.
2024 Tesla Model S. Repeated rear tire and rear wheel failures with abnormal wear and possible rear alignment or suspension-related defect. Tesla service history shows repeated rear tire replacements beginning at about 5,165 miles, a later four-wheel alignment, a right rear tire replacement for uneven tire wear under the basic vehicle warranty at about 21,594 miles, a documented bent left rear wheel at about 27,047 miles, a left rear wheel replacement due to crack after a low-pressure/PULL OVER SAFELY alert at about 30,489 miles, and then a right rear tire blowout at about 38,358 miles. In the same March 12, 2026 service record, Tesla also noted inner sidewall damage on the opposite rear tire. Concern is an unresolved recurring rear tire, wheel, alignment, or suspension defect creating blowout risk and unsafe operation. Tesla has replaced tires and wheels but has not identified or corrected the root cause.
The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that after an update was performed over the air (OTA), the scroll option changed, and the contact was unable to control the speed of the vehicle. There was no longer a maximum speed limit. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.
The design of the emergency opening (No power to normal opening system) of the rear passenger doors is flawed, unsafe and should never have been approved for production. This rear door emergency opening requires an occupant to reach below the seat, remove carpet and pull a manual release cable. During a fire with smoke in the passenger compartment, an occupant may not be able to visually locate the release cable, and has a much higher chance of becoming incapacitated and dying from smoke inhalation, as demonstrated in a Tesla Cybertruck accident with multiple smoke inhalation deaths in California Thanksgiving 2024. Another potential scenario is a frontal impact causing a front seat to move rearward, reducing the floorboard space between the front seat and access to the carpet and release cable. This system needs to be redesigned for this vehicle. If I had known about this system prior to purchase, it would have negatively impacted my buying decision.
Sometimes while making ordinary and safe traffic maneuvers the Lane Departure Warning system sometimes emits a very loud, distracting, and startling emergency chime. In particular it does this while turning into parking garages or driveways, which are already high-workload moments with high likelihood of nearby pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
My car is displaying a message that the "Front left safety restraint issue". Airbags are off. brought the car in for service, they said they fixed some low voltage pin. Less than a week later the message appeared again. Tesla did not take this issue seriously -- I'm driving around with no airbags? The next available appointment is a month out for Tesla. I've uploaded my Tesla invoice where they fixed it and a photo from today when the message is back again.
Today while driving the screen behind the driver steering wheel suddenly shut off and went black. I was unable to see if I am in Drive or reverse or what my speed is.
While FSD was engaged. It made a sudden aggressive, swerving maneuver with no warning towards the cars next to us, sounded alarms, and then forcefully disengaged nearly causing an accident
When parked behind another parallel parked car with no one behind me, it Auto shifted into drive instead of reverse which caused me to collide into the parked car infront of me.
Speed offset is set to 10% but it keeps setting the max speed 40% higher, and then furthermore exceeds this max speed
When driving it randomly displayed a message that it’s turning AC on automatically to “prevent fogging” which created fogging and reduced visibility to zero.
When turning right from [XXX] onto [XXX] using my blinker, it sounded three beeps and jerked the wheel left towards the pedestrians in the crosswalk and the turning cars coming from [XXX] onto [XXX]. I was allegedly driving manually, but the car decided to override my input autonomously. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Showing 20 of 579 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Tesla Model S
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Tesla Model S, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Tesla Model S has 579 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Tesla Model S has 106 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 60 of the Tesla Model S's 579 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Tesla Model S vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Tesla Model S vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Tesla Model S has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Tesla Model S reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Tesla Model S reliable?
Poor. The Tesla Model S has 579 NHTSA owner complaints and 106 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is UNKNOWN OR OTHER. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Tesla Model S years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2021 (176 complaints), 2019 (160 complaints), 2023 (116 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Tesla Model S problems?
Top reported issues: UNKNOWN OR OTHER (160 complaints); FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (115 complaints); STEERING (85 complaints).
Does the Tesla Model S have recalls?
Yes — 106 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Tesla Model S. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.