2015 TESLA MODEL S

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    control module

    4 stranded, 126 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    131
    incidents
    Typical range: 44,500–80,500 mi

    Median 59,500 mi, based on 205 reports (13% had no usable mileage)

    • "THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MCU VERSION 1 IN MODELS BEFORE 2018 THAT CAN CAUSE TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE, MY CAR LOST ITS ABILITY TO USE TURN SIGNAL AND CONTROL OF ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.. THEY NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISS…"~549 mi, complaint #1684711
    • "PRIMARY TOUCHSCREEN FAILURE (MCU). THE CAR WAS STATIONARY PARKED IN GARAGE. THE PRIMARY TOUCHSCREEN FAILED AND WOULD NOT START. AIR CONDITIONING, TURN SIGNALS, AND BACKUP CAMERA STOPPED WORKING, ALONG WITH ALL OTHER SETTINGS BECAUSE NON-FUNCTIONAL. CAR IS 5 YE…"~44,437 mi, complaint #1671567
    • "MCU FAILURE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT SCREEN INTERMITTENTLY GOES DARK, APP NO LONGER COMMUNICATES, CONTROLS GLITCHY"~60,000 mi, complaint #1683082
    • "CAR WAS CHARGING AT THE KNOXVILLE SUPERCHARGER. I COULDN'T CONNECT FROM RESTAURANT WITH MY APP TO SEE IF IT WAS COMPLETELY CHARGED. WHEN I GOT TO CAR TOUCHSCREEN WAS BLACK, WOULDN'T COME BACK WITH SOFT OR HARD RESETS, APP WAS LOCKED UP, NO NAVIGATION, NO MUSIC…"~79,500 mi, complaint #1685548
    • "MY CENTER SCREEN THAT CONTROLS THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONS SUCH AS AIR CONDITIONING, ALL VEHICLE SETTINGS, MAP, CRUISE CONTROL, VEHICLE COLLISION SENSORS, LDER, ETC ARE NOT FUNCTIONING BECAUSE THE MCU UNIT FAILED. THE EMMC CHIP INSIDE MCU FAILED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS…"~131,191 mi, complaint #1697705
  2. #2

    infotainment head unit

    1 stranded, 73 unsafe, 3 broken, 25 annoyance

    102
    incidents
    Typical range: 50,000–81,000 mi

    Median 62,500 mi, based on 132 reports (22% had no usable mileage)

    • "TOUCHSCREEN FAILED. TESLA HAS ORDERED A REPLACE PART. I AM NOT USING TESLA UNTIL REPAIRED. FROM DOWN DATE TO REPAIR TIME-ABOUT ONE MONTH0 "~21,000 mi, complaint #1699107
    • "CENTER TOUCH SCREEN AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BOTH WENT BLANK ON THREE OCCASIONS. CAR WOULD STILL DRIVE BUT ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS WERE DISABLED FOR VARYING DEGREES OF TIME. MOST RECENTLY IT TOOK OVERNIGHT FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO FULLY RETURN. I AM AWARE TH…"~49,000 mi, complaint #1707022
    • "WHILE STATIONARY, MIDDLE TOUCH PANEL (MCU) ON MY 2015 TESLA MODEL S 85 (~60,000 MILES) STARTED FREEZING UP BETWEEN VEHICLE CONTROLS (LOWER LEFT 'CAR' ICON) AND GARBLING SCREEN WHEN TRYING TO SWITCH BETWEEN THEM, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. I NOTICED FIRST SYMPTOMS A…"~60,003 mi, complaint #1683735
    • "THE SCREEN ROUTINELY FAILS AND GOES BLACK. THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE CLIMATE CAN'T BE CHANGED AND THERE IS NO BACKUP CAMERA."~79,000 mi, complaint #1719601
    • "I HAVE TESLA MODEL S 2015. MCU OR DISPLAY FAILED AS DESCRIBED DUE TO FLASH MEMORY NO TURN SIGNAL. NO REAR CAMERA. KNOWN PROBLEM ELON MUSK KNEW ABOUT AND DID NOTHING TO FIX SHOULD BE RECALLED"~153,000 mi, complaint #1677360
  3. #3

    suspension arms and bushings

    2 stranded, 62 unsafe

    64
    incidents
    Typical range: 10,000–55,000 mi

    Median 20,000 mi, based on 46 reports (42% had no usable mileage)

    • "PLEASE NOTE I HAVE USED A FICTITIOUS ADDRESS TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE WEBSITE. I AM NOT A US RESIDENT, JUST A CONCERNED CITIZEN I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TESLA REAR SUSPENSION AND I AM FINDING SEVERAL CASE WHERE THE…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1230628
    • "HERE IS A BURNED OUT TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.SALVAGERESELLER.COM/CARS-FOR-SALE/22669817-2015-TESLA-MODEL-S-85-VALLEJO-CA I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INCIDENT BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW A BROK…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1368636
    • "PLEASE NOTE, VIN OF A RANDOM TESLA USED TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT. THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE BROKEN FORE-LINKS WHICH AFFECTS ALL TESLA CARS. THE TESLA FORUMS HAVE DOZENS OF REPORTS OF FORELINKS BREAKING. GO TO HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/FIND-NEW/10309…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1636639
    • "ON SATURDAY MAY 30, 2020, I WAS BACKING UP OUR 2015 TESLA MODEL S IN A PARKING AREA IN ANN ARBOR, MI, AT A VERY LOW SPEED, WHEN I HEARD A SUDDEN 'JOLTING' NOISE. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT A MILE FURTHER, WHEN TURNING TO PARK ELSEWHERE, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BEGAN RUB…"~52,400 mi, complaint #1709740
    • "LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM BROKE AT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY. WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO INSIDE WHEEL WELL AND WORE THROUGH CAUSING BATTERY TO LOSE ALL COOLANT. CAR IS 3 1/2 YEARS OLD WITH 113,000 MILES."~113,569 mi, complaint #1593566
  4. #4

    suspension struts shocks

    4 stranded, 47 unsafe

    51
    incidents
    Typical range: 5,000–27,000 mi

    Median 10,000 mi, based on 46 reports (16% had no usable mileage)

    • "THIS CAR IS UP FOR SALE AS A SALVAGE WRECK. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=20015788&ROWID=2&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED AND THE FRONT WHEEL HS BEEN SLICED IN HALF BY A SUSPENSION COMPONENT WHILST THE…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1234067
    • "HERE IS A REPORT OF A FATAL CRASH IN HAWAII. HTTP://WWW.STARADVERTISER.COM/BREAKING-NEWS/MAUI-WOMAN-DIES-IN-HEAD-ON-CRASH-IN-PAIA/ HERE IS THE WRECKED TESLA FOR SALE AS A SALVAGE WRECK. HTTP://WWW.COPART.COM/US/LOT/26810486?SEARCHID=935758582 THE FRONT…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1307865
    • "ANOTHER MODEL S IN THE SALVAGE YARD WITH A COLLAPSED FRONT SUSPENSION. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=22996029&ROWID=6&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS# AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYED. NO SIGN OF COLLISION DAMAGE BUT BOTH FRONT WHEELS ARE JAMMED…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1318211
    • "HERE IS A TESLA IN THE SALVAGE YARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLE?ITEMID=24331835&ROWNUMBER=24&LOADRECENT=TRUE IT HAS NOT BEEN IN A CRASH. THE FRONT RH SUSPENSION HAS FALLEN TO BITS AND THE WHEEL HAS GONE EXTREMELY WHOMPY. THIS IS BECOMING RIDICULOUS. P…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1356990
    • "BACKING UP IN MY DRIVEWAY AT 2 MILE PER HOUR, RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSED. CAR TRANSPORTED BY FLATBED TO TESLA CLEVELAND. EXTENSIVE REPAIRS INCLUDING TO RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION. I NOTE 42 OTHER COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR TO NHTSA ON TESLA MODEL S 2015-7 YEAR M…"~121,000 mi, complaint #1711364
  5. #5

    door latch and hinge

    26 unsafe, 1 broken, 1 annoyance

    28
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=17, median 55,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "DOOR HANDLE BECAME INOPERATIVE WHILE CAR WAS STATIONARY, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ENTER CAR VIA DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. HANDLE IS NORMALLY FLUSH WITH BODY. WHEN CAR DETECTS FOB PRESENCE, OR FOB BUTTON IS PRESSED, DOOR HANDLE IS SUPPOSED TO EXTEND TO PERMIT OPENIN…"~30,932 mi, complaint #1435731
    • "DOOR HANDLES THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES WHEN YOU APPROACH VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY BREAK AND PREVENT THE ABILITY TO OPEN THE VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS ALSO RESULTS IN INABILITY TO OPEN THE DOOR COMPLETELY WHEN CHILD LOCK IS IN PLACE. ALTHOUGH BROKEN DOOR HANDLES…"~55,000 mi, complaint #1736705
    • "TWO OF THE FOUR DOOR HANDLES FAILED WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER. IN BOTH CASES THE DOOR HANDLES FAILED TO EMERGE FROM THE DOOR BODY. THERE WAS NO WAY TO OPEN EITHER DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. ONE WAS THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WHICH COULD POSE A SAFETY CONCERN. ADDITIONA…"~77,000 mi, complaint #1496380
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN OR OPERATED WHEN NEEDED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF…"~120,000 mi, complaint #1624612
    • "TWO DAYS PRIOR DOOR HANDLES ON FRONT PASSENGER DOOR ,OPENING AND CLOSING BY ITSELF. NOT EVEN ALLOW ENTRY TO CAR. ON 11/8/[REDACTED ADDRESS] DOOR COMPLETELY OPENED. NOT HANDLE BUT DOOR COMPLETELY OPENED. I'M AFRAID OF SEVERE CONSEQUENCES. TESLA NOT ADMIT ANT I…"~220,000 mi, complaint #1705238
  6. #6

    ev drive unit or inverter

    2 stranded, 24 unsafe, 1 broken

    27
    incidents
    Typical range: 47,000–62,500 mi

    Median 53,000 mi, based on 30 reports (43% had no usable mileage)

    • "ON JANUARY 2, 2019 BETWEEN 1:45 AND 2 PM I DROVE FROM MY HOUSE INTO A CLINIC PARKING LOT. AS I DROVE MY 2015 TESLA MODEL S FORWARD AND STEERED TO THE RIGHT INTO A PARKING SPOT, I CONSCIOUSLY EASED MY RIGHT FOOT OFF FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THUS LOWERING MY…"~26,360 mi, complaint #1635362
    • "TESLA MODEL 2015 MODEL S MCU KEEPS FAILING. THE MCU FAILED TWICE IN 1 YEAR. TESLA SERVICE CENTER SCHEDULES AN APPOINTMENT, SIMPLY RESETS THE SYSTEM AND SENDS YOU BACK HOME. BEFORE FAILING , THE SYSTEM SHOWS SIGNS OF SLOWNESS LIKE DELAYED START ( NOTE* CAR CAN…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1675936
    • "I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND THE SCREEN WAS BLACK. ALL THE CONTROLS WERE STUCK...FAN/AC...BACK UP CAMERA DID NOT WORK. MY TURNING SIGNALS DID NOT WORK. TESLA SERVICE CENTER WAS CLOSED SO ALL THE AC DID NOT TURN OFF AND DRAINED THE BATTERY ALL THE WAY TO 0 RANG…"~52,889 mi, complaint #1683143
    • "MCU FAILURE ON A SALVAGE TITLED VEHICLE, TESLA WILL NOT REPLACE THE MCU UNDER WARRANTY OR WARRANTY EXTENSION DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING SALVAGE. A RECALL IS THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT ALL TESLA OWNERS FROM THIS SAFETY ISSUE. "~60,000 mi, complaint #1707255
    • "MIDDLE SCREEN WENT OUT PUTTING THE CAR IN 'LIMP MODE' HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WE DIDN'T HAVE HEADLIGHTS OR TURN SIGNALS! HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT TWO HOURS FROM HOME WHEN WE TRIED PUTTING A ROUTE IN THE TOUCH SCREEN AFTER SETTING THE AUTOMA…"~101,750 mi, complaint #1679830
  7. #7

    ev charging system

    2 stranded, 18 unsafe, 6 annoyance

    26
    incidents
    Typical range: 38,000–71,000 mi

    Median 60,000 mi, based on 34 reports (29% had no usable mileage)

    • "TESLA HAS REDUCED THE CHARGING CAPACITY AND CHARGE RATE PER: RE: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: DP19005 - INVESTIGATION SUBJECT : BATTERY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE UPDATES PRIOR TO THIS SOFTWARE UPDATE, THE CHARGE RATE WAS DOUBLE THE SHOWN RATE."~14,000 mi, complaint #1725425
    • "A SOFTWARE UPDATE FROM THE MANUFACTURER HAS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF RANGE AND APPARENT RATE REDUCTION WHILE USING HIGH VOLTAGE CHARGING (I.E., "SUPERCHARGING"). THIS HAS RESULTED IN LONGER CHARGE TIMES AND RANGE LOSS. THE CHANGE OCCURRED WITHOUT NOTICE OR EXPL…"~39,000 mi, complaint #1665933
    • "MY CAR'S CHARGING SPEED WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED FOLLOWING A SOFTWARE UPDATE. I USED TO CHARGE AT 116KW UNTIL ABOUT 25% STATE OF CHARGE BUT NOW I BARELY GET 90KW AT THAT STATE OF CHARGE."~60,000 mi, complaint #1618289
    • "OWN A 2015 TESLA MODEL S 70D. LAST SUMMER, JULY OR AUGUST, I NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE RATE OF CHARGING AT SUPERCHARGERS. PREVIOUSLY, I RECEIVED 100KW OR MORE AND NOW AT THE SAME BATTERY PERCENTAGE, IT IS CHARGING MUCH SLOWER. I CHECKED THE TESL…"~70,000 mi, complaint #1665760
    • "RE: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: DP19005 - INVESTIGATION SUBJECT : BATTERY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE UPDATES STARTING WITH A SOFTWARE UPDATE IN MAY 2019, TESLA CAPPED THE MAX VOLTAGE THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY WOULD CHARGE TO. THEY CLAIM THEY DID THIS "OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE…"~105,000 mi, complaint #1610902
  8. #8

    adas collision warning

    19 unsafe

    19
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=15, median 12,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "THIS IS ANOTHER COMPLAINT ABOUT THE TESLA AUTOPILOT. OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ON THE FORUMS THAT THE NEW UPGRADE VERSION 8.0 HAS MADE THINGS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/WITH-8-0-I-HAVE-TO-TAKE-OVER-FOR-AUTO-PILOT-MORE.78049/P…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1329183
    • "THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE TESLA AEB. HERE IS A CRASH REPORT HTTPS://FORUMS.TESLA.COM/FORUM/FORUMS/MAJOR-AUTO-PILOT-SAFETY-ISSUE#COMMENT-1183233 MAJOR AUTO PILOT SAFETY ISSUE SUBMITTED BY MELISCU ON JUNE 29, 2017 I HAVE (HAD) A 2015 P90 D. IT IS NO…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1388570
    • "WHILE PULLING INTO A PERPENDICULAR PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING GARAGE, AT ~4-5 FEET FROM A WALL, THE CAR EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, SLAMMING INTO THE WALL, RESULTING IN MODERATE BODY DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND DEPLOYING THE DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAGS. TH…"~26,000 mi, complaint #1453597
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE DRIVING 65-70 MPH FOR THIRTY MINUTES WITH THE AUTO PILOT ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WER…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1618484
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, and approaching a red traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the braking system became inoperable. The vehicle eventually regained braking functi…"~170,000 mi, complaint #2213281
  9. #9

    other

    1 stranded, 6 unsafe, 11 annoyance

    18
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 41,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. "~500 mi, complaint #1224717
    • "MODEL S FLOOR MATS ARE SECURED VIA 4 VELCRO PADS, SCREWED INTO THE FLOOR ON ONE SIDE, "GLUED" ONTO THE MATS ON THE OTHER. AFTER 3.5 YEARS OF NORMAL USE, DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR MAT CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING. PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND REMOVED MAT UNTIL I GOT H…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1597086
    • "WAS USING THE AUTO-SUMMON FEATURE TO GET THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND IT CRASHED ON THE GARAGE WALLS."~41,364 mi, complaint #1498353
    • "ON AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 23, 2020, 2015 TESLA MODEL S 85D WAS IN MOTION WITH SINGLE OCCUPANT, TURNING RIGHT TURN INTO RESIDENTIAL AREA OFF CITY STREET. DRIVER HEARD LOUD AND DEEP METALLIC SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY SLOWED. WARNING MESSAGE SIMILAR TO 'UNSAFE TO DRIV…"~42,900 mi, complaint #1722316
    • "TESLA ARE DRAGGING THEIR FEET MANUFACTURER RECALL # SB2121001 (NHTSA RECALL # 21V035). TESLA HAS STATED THAT THE RECALL WILL NOT APPLY TO VEHICLES WITH OVER 100,000 MILES. CURRENTLY, MY VEHICLE IS AT 96,164 MILES. TESLA APPARENTLY WANTS TO "OUT-WAIT" ME ON…"~96,164 mi, complaint #1733753
  10. #10

    software or update

    15 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    17
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=21, median 48,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "OWNERS SAY YOU WOULD NOT DARE TO BAN ELON'S AUTOPILOT! HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/RED-HANDS-OF-SHAME.77954/PAGE-2 S4WRXTTCS, GREEN1 SAID: ↑ YOU KEEP CLAIMING THAT THE NHTSA HAS SECRETLY ORDERED TESLA TO DISABLE THINGS ON PEOPLES CARS.…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1321581
    • "TESLA MODEL S 2015 90D. I HAVE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT COME NOVEMBER 30TH 2020 FOR THIS BUT I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES OF THE MAIN PANEL AND SIDE PANEL DISPLAY GO COMPLETELY CRASH AND BLACK SCREEN ON ME. DISABLING BOTH THE "AUTOPILOT" V1 FEATURE IN MID USE…"~28,000 mi, complaint #1707919
    • "AFTER WE RETURNED FROM OUR SUMMER HOME, I TRIED TO DRIVE THE TESLA. THE MAIN SCREEN DID NOT LIGHT UP BUT I FIGURED THAT A NORMAL RESET WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. AS I DROVE, I ATTEMPTED A RESET BUT THE SCREEN REMAINED BLACK. I ALSO LEARNED THAT THE TURN SIGNA…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1681475
    • "ON JUNE 9 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30PM, THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS OFF, AS SUCH, SO WAS THE DRIVER ASSIST MODE. IN ADDITION, WITHOUT PROMPTING, THE SUNROOF OPENED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNED ON. THE ONLY WAY…"~73,150 mi, complaint #1668563
    • "CENTER TOUCHSCREEN WENT BLACK. ALL CONTROLS WEREN'T USABLE OR FUNCTIONING LIKE AC, HEATING, RADIO, GUIDANCE MAPS AND NAVIGATION, CHARGING DOOR PORT WOUND OPEN, CHARGING SLOWS TO TAKE DAYS AND DAYS TO CHARGE THE CAR; LITERALLY MOST FEATURES ON THE CAR. REPAIR…"~87,150 mi, complaint #1679159
  11. #11

    steering rack mechanical

    16 unsafe

    16
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=23, median 20,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "THIS VEHICLE IS UP FOR SALE AS A SALVAGE WRECK. THE TIP OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE HAS SNAPPED OFF AGAIN IN THE SAME WAY AS MANY OTHER INCIDENTS. THIS BROKEN PART APPEARS TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH AND NOT THE RESULT OF IT. THIS PART IS WEAK AND IS FAILING R…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1266911
    • "IN 2018 TESLA NOTIFIED ME OF NEEDING TO INSPECT AND REPLACE 5 BOLTS SECURING MY STEERING BOX AND POWER STEERING UNITS. THEY DID THAT AND LEFT. I HAD SERIOUS MEDICAL ISSUES, SO MY TESLA MODEL S HAD ONLY 7,590 MILES. IN 2020 WITHIN JUST A FEW MILES BUT NEARL…"~7,590 mi, complaint #1674127
    • "HERE IS A DISCUSSION THREAD IN WHICH MULTIPLE OWNERS COMPLAIN AND POST PHOTOGRAPHS OF TESLA POWER STEERING RACKS THAT HAVE COMPLETELY FALLEN TO PIECES: HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/POWER-STEERING-FALLING-APART.100951/ THE FIRST POST WAS OVER A M…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1429861
    • "EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON STEERING U-JOINT CAUSING LOCKUP AND EXCESSIVE FORCE TO TURN WHEEL, REQUIRING REPAIR. EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON CONTROL SUSPENSION ARMS, REQUIRING REPAIR."~70,000 mi, complaint #1598467
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel stiffened while turning. There was a loud clanking sound while turning the steering wheel. The eMMC center display screen inadvertently tur…"~115,480 mi, complaint #1760044
  12. #12

    unintended acceleration

    13 unsafe

    13
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=22, median 28,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "ON THE AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 25, 2015, I WAS DRIVING INTO A STRIP MALL PARKING LOT. I WAS GOING TO PULL INTO ONE OF THOSE SPACES WHERE YOU CAN PARK PERPENDICULAR TO A SIDEWALK CURB AND THE SIDEWALK LEADS UP TO THE STORE FRONTS. WHEN APPROACHING THE PARKING…"~2,458 mi, complaint #1245438
    • "I DROVE THE CAR INTO A PARKING SPACE AT THE SCHOOL (DESERT CHRISTIAN ELEMENTARY) IN TUCSON ARIZONA ON SEPT 16TH ABOUT 11:05 AM, WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN (UNINTENDED ACCELERATION) AND CRASHED INTO 2 PARKED VEHICLES AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND I SUSTAINE…"~11,000 mi, complaint #1321145
    • "AS I PARKED MY CAR IN MY GARAGE ON 1/19/2019, I HAD PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND WAS PREPARING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT THE FRONT OF MY GARAGE WALL. THE CAR WAS IN PARK AND NOT MOVING. I HAD MY HAND ON THE DOOR HANDLE TO EXIT. I I…"~24,386 mi, complaint #1532641
    • "THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT A STOP LIGHT. AS THE LIGHT CHANGED, I BELIEVE THAT I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE AND THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING. I TRIED TO PUT THE FOOT BACK ON THE BRAKE BUT I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED. I CANNOT BE…"~52,087 mi, complaint #1643596
    • "2015 MODEL S 85D WAS REVERSED ONTO DRIVEWAY THEN PLACED IN PARK AND DOORS WERE CLOSED AND LOCKED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER THE VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING FORWARD TOWARDS THE STREET AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED CAR. FRONT WHEELS WERE RECEIVING POWER WHILE REAR WHEELS…"~86,722 mi, complaint #1632000
  13. #13

    instrument cluster

    12 unsafe

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "TESLA SCREEN WENT COMPLETELY BLACK AND WILL NOT COME ON. NO BACK UP CAMERA, NO TURN SIGNAL, NO RADIO, NO A/C. THIS HAPPENED ONE MORNING WHEN I WENT TO TURN THE CAR ON. HAVE TRIED RESET. MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH TESLA TO REPAIR BUT IN THE PROCESS OF RESEARCHIN…"~40,000 mi, complaint #1672475
    • "WHEN TURNING ON MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED BUBBLES HAD FORMED AT THE TOP RIGHT EDGE OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SCREEN. AFTER A BIT OF ONLINE RESEARCH, IT TURNED OUT THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS IN TESLA MODEL S'S AND X'S. IF I HAD LE…"~42,000 mi, complaint #1682430
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SCREEN WAS ILLEGIBLE BECAUSE IT WAS FILLED WITH A LIQUID THAT STARTED TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA ([REDACTED ADDRESS], KANSAS CITY, MO 64129) WHERE IT WAS DETER…"~47,000 mi, complaint #1596051
    • "HEAD AND TAIL LIGHTS TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON. NEITHER HIGH NOR LOW BEAMS WOULD ENGAGE! A DRIVER BEHIND ME SAW WHAT HAPPENED AND TURNED ON HIS HIGH BEAMS TO GUIDE ME APPROX 1 MILE TO A SAFE STOPPING PLACE. ONCE STOPPED,…"~85,000 mi, complaint #1701570
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the liquid crystal display was leaking from the instrument panel causing a glare while driving. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the instrument panel needed to be replaced at…"~92,000 mi, complaint #1822812
  14. #14

    trunk or liftgate

    11 unsafe

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "THE CINCH MOTOR THAT HOLD THE REAR TRUNK CLOSED HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE TRUNK WILL NO LONGER CLOSE FULLY. IT RATTLES CONSTANTLY AND WARNING SOUNDS GO OFF FOR THE FIRST MINUTE OF DRIVING. THE TRUNK COULD FLY OPEN WHEN I GO OVER BUMPS. IT IS GOING TO TAKE TESLA O…"~29,000 mi, complaint #1636650
    • "THE TRUNK SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED RESULTING IN THE TRUNK REGISTERING AS OPEN BUT BEING CLOSED. AS THERE ARE 3RD ROW SEATS IN THE TRUNK THIS MAKES IT PASSENGER SPACE AND THE EMERGENCY TRUNCK OPEN DID NOT WORK, MANUAL OPEN DID NOT WORK, KEY FOB OPEN DID NOT WORK RE…"~33,400 mi, complaint #1624693
    • "THE TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN. I CRAWLED IN THE BACK AND TRIED TO USE THE SAFETY RELEASE. THE HANDLE OF THE SAFETY RELEASE BROKE, BUT THE TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN. HAD SOMEONE BEEN TRAPPED IN THE TRUNK, THEY WOULD HAVE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ESCAPE."~52,000 mi, complaint #1703580
    • "THE CAR THINKS THE TRUNK IS OPEN BUT IT IS NOT. AS A RESULT, THE CAR DOESN'T STOP BEEPING AS A WARNING TO A TRUNK THAT IS FULLY CLOSED. IN ADDITION, I CAN'T OPEN THE TRUNK AT ALL. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR I CAN NO LONGER USE AUTOPILOT AND OTHER SAFETY FEATURES OF…"~106,000 mi, complaint #1743767
  15. #15

    airbag system

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 13,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "HERE IS A TESLA MODEL S IN THE WRECKING YARD. THE FRONT TIRE IS WRENCHED OFF THE RIM AND THIS APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL ROLLING FORWARD. EVEN THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A MAJOR COLLISION THE AIR-BAGS HAVE NOT DEPLOYED. I HAVE PUT TOGETHE…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1305755
    • "HERE IS A REPORT OF A TESLA INVOLVED IN A CRASH. HTTP://BGR.COM/2017/05/23/TESLA-CRASH-PHOTOS-WALK-AWAY/ I AM FILING THIS REPORT AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN BECAUSE I THINK THE OWNER WILL NOT MAKE A COMPLAINT HIMSELF SINCE TESLA OWNERS ARE OFTEN TSLA SHAREHOLDERS…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1380318
    • "ON AUG 13, 2018 I WENT TO THE TESLA SERVICE CENTER IN SEATTLE AND REQUESTED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE SEVERAL RECALLS DONE, INCLUDING SEATBELTS, TAKATA AIRBAGS, AND ALUMINUM STEERING BOLTS. I WAS TOLD IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS BY SERVICE MANAGER KASI SMITH, THAT MY…"~16,550 mi, complaint #1491079
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Tesla Service Center where it was diagnosed that the front passenger’s side knee air bag was faulty and needed…"~102,057 mi, complaint #1814240
  16. #16

    hv battery and range

    2 stranded, 8 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/46203307/PHOTOS IT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A FIRE. THE ALUMINIUM BODYWORK HAS BEEN MELTED AND BURNED AWAY. THE BATTERY PACK APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. THE AIR-BAGS HAVE NOT BEEN DE…"~23,000 mi, complaint #1425199
    • "MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES OF BATTERY RANGE OVERNIGHT AFTER AN OVER THE AIR UPDATE BY TESLA. THE CAR ALSO BEGAN CHARGING SLOWER AFTER THE UPDATE. I BELIEVE THE UPDATE HAS DECREASED THE BATTERY LIFE OF MY CAR AND CAPPED IT TO PREVENT THE CHANCE…"~47,000 mi, complaint #1647444
    • "SOMETIME IN MAY OF THIS YEAR TESLA BY UPDATES REDUCED MY BATTERY RANGE BY 25 TO 30 MILES. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY GARAGE. MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH TESLA AND 3 DAYS BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT TESLA NOTIFIED ME THEY DID A REMOTE TEST ON MY BATTERY AND SAID…"~53,000 mi, complaint #1610972
    • "TESLA REMOVED MILES FROM MY BATTERY CAPACITY BY OVER 25 MILES BY REMOTE DOWNLOADS THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY GARAGE I CONTACTED THEM AND THEY DID A REMOTE TEST AND SAID THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND THE DOWNLOAD WAS THE CAUSE AND THEY WOULD RETURN THE MILES…"~56,000 mi, complaint #1610004
  17. #17

    wheel or rim

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 20,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "HERE IS A TESLA MODEL S IN THE WRECKERS YARD WITH HEAVY FRONT END DAMAGE. HTTP://WWW.COPART.COM/US/LOT/17976436?SEARCHID=1110743839 THE REAR OF THE CAR APPEARS TO BE COMPLETELY UNDAMAGED EXCEPT THAT BOTH REAR WHEELS ARE SPLAYED OUTWARDS AT AN EXTREME ANGLE.…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1276138
    • "HERE IS A TESLA THAT HAS BEEN IN A MAJOR COLLISION. HTTPS://M.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETENC.ASPX?AUCTIONID=0&ITEMID=22773780&ROWID=7&PAGESOURCE=VEHICLERESULTS THE RH TIRE IS PARTIALLY PEELED OFF THE RIM. I WOULD BE UNUSUAL FOR A TIRE TO BE PEELED OFF THE RIM AS A…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1309302
    • "HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/18211677/PHOTOS BOTH WHEELS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE HAVE FALLEN OFF. THE TOP BALL JOINT ON FRONT LH WHEEL HAS POPPED APART. THE RIGHT HAND BACK WHEEL HAS GONE ALL WHOMPY. THAT WOULD MAKE THE CAR RA…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1361732
    • "I HAVE "SWOLLEN" LUG NUTS. THE TESLA LUG NUTS FOR THE WHEELS HAVE A CHROME METAL COVER. THIS COVER DEFORMS AND THE CORRECT SIZE SOCKET WILL NO LONGER FIT SO THE NEXT LARGER SIZE SOCKET HAS TO BE USED TO LOOSEN AND TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS. THERE IS A LOT OF 'PL…"~36,000 mi, complaint #1346303
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER POTHOLE AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR TIRES SUSTAINED BLOWOUTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT RIM WAS FRACTURED,…"~89,000 mi, complaint #1709926
  18. #18

    adas autonomous driving system

    8 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    9
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=12, median 5,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE TESLA MODEL S AUTOPILOT SYSTEM WHICH HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED. DESPITE THE DISCLAIMER BY TESLA MOTORS THAT THIS SHOULD BE USED SAFELY WITH HANDS ON THE WHEEL IT IS CLEAR THAT OWNERS ARE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE. THERE ARE MANY VIDEO…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1229448
    • "ANOTHER YOUTUBE VIDEO JUST UPLOADED. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=DBPQIHWSHOS&LIST=PLGHIWFEZNJ69DIFSUAGINJCL2GGYRRXBC THIS OWNER HAS ASTONISHING OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE AUTOPILOT AND IS USING IT ON UNDIVIDED ROADS WITH PARKED CARS AND MANY OTHER HAZARDS HAN…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1318484
    • "I DID NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR TESLA OWNERS TO DRIVE AT ME IN THEIR 3 TON HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR WHILE THE BUG RIDDEN AUTOPILOT IS IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/DANGLY-WEIGHT-TIED-TO-STEERING-WHEEL-TO-FOOL-AUTOPILOT-THAT-YO…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1331141
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the vehicle went into autopilot and crashed into the median divider. No medical attention was received on the scene but the contact later went to the hospital for injuries…"~51,720 mi, complaint #1763438
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the camera behind the rearview mirror overheated after driving for approximately 6 hours. Additionally, the other cameras became inoperable. The auto pilot lost vision of the line and drove over th…"~100,000 mi, complaint #1808490
  19. #19

    steering electric assist

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "STEERING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WAS SOMEWHAT UNFAMILIAR TO ME, IT STAYED IN ONE LANE BUT WOULD WANDER MORE THAN I RECALLED. I ASSUMED IT WAS THE STUDDED SNOWTIRES (HAKKEPELLITA) AND PULLED OVER TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURES. I CAREFULLY DROVE ON TO THE SUPERCHA…"~7,695 mi, complaint #1683342
    • "HERE IS A FORUM POST FROM TODAY WHERE AN OWNER REPORTS THAT HIS ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR HAS FALLEN OFF: HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/POWER-STEERING-FALLING-APART.100951/PAGE-15 **CVRCV, TODAY AT 1:58 AM MY POWER STEERING MOTOR FELL OFF WHILE A…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1462650
  20. #20

    backup camera

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=14, median 56,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "RE INVESTIGATION PE 20-010, MCU HAS FAILED AND LOSS OF REAR VIEW CAMERA DISPLAY IS A RESULT. REACHED OUT TO TESLA APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO AS THE MCU WAS BEGINNING TO FAIL. KNEW IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH TO GET AN APPOINTMENT/PARTS. TESLA REF…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1691112
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the main center display failed not allowing the contact to use the rearview camera, the turn signals, and all the electrical functions. There was no warning light illumi…"~49,274 mi, complaint #1758808
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE MASTER CONTROL UNIT WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BACK OVER PREVENTION CAMERA DISPLAY AND TURN SIGNALS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE W…"~50,000 mi, complaint #1702790
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the backup camera functioned intermittently and on other occasions, the image would remain frozen on the screen. The contact also stated that the MCU Unit failed and went blank on several occasions…"~80,000 mi, complaint #1816462
  21. #21

    adas lane keeping

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "WE WERE DRIVING ON A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY AT NIGHT WITH THE AUTO STEER FUNCTIONALITY ACTIVATED. AT A MILD LEFTWARD CURVE IN THE ROAD, THE CAR BEGAN STEERING INTO THE LANE TO OUR RIGHT, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A CAR NEXT TO US IN THAT LANE. THE VISUAL DISPLAY…"~2,500 mi, complaint #1296126
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE AUTO PILOT ENGAGED, THE AUTO PILOT STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A METAL DIVIDER. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE…"~13,000 mi, complaint #1313463
    • "WHILE CRESTING A HILL ON AUTOPILOT, THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY ATTEMPTED TO STEER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS APPARENTLY IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. SEE THIS INTERNET THREAD: HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/AUTOPILOT-ISSUES-WITH-HILLS-AP1.141429/ "~33,000 mi, complaint #1599124
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH with the autonomous self-driving feature activated, the contact attempted to use the turn signal while changing lanes and almost struck another vehicle. The contact was able to cont…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1873995
  22. #22

    battery and charging

    1 stranded, 3 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "HERE IS A TESLA MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/43880137/PHOTOS IT HAS BEEN TOTALLY DESTROYED BY FIRE. ELON MUSK HAS CLAIMED THAT TESLAS ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO CATCH FIRE THAN A GASOLINE POWERED CAR AND THAT THEY ARE NOW EVEN SAFER THAN…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1426898
  23. #23

    driveshaft axle cv

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "YET ANOTHER TESLA MODEL S WITH THE SUSPENSION BROKEN AND THE WHEEL COMPLETELY FALLEN OFF. CAR HAS ONLY TRAVELLED 500 MILES AND HAS NOT BEEN IN A CRASH. NO IMPACT DAMAGE THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE SUSPENSION BREAKING LOOSE. HTTP://WWW.COPART.COM/US/LOT/35327…"~500 mi, complaint #1275395
    • "I WAS DRIVING THE 2015 TESLA MODEL S , WEST BOUND ON I-80 APPROACHING THE BAY BRIDGE IN SAN FRANCISCO FROM OAKLAND , I HEARD S TRANCE SQUEAKY NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR & I PULLED OVER THAT SAW THE LEFT REAR TIRE & WHEEL LOOKED TILTED , IT APPEARED…"~28,000 mi, complaint #1293355
    • "ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 AS I WAS BACKING INTO MY GARAGE I HAD THE WHEEL TURNED TO THE LEFT AND THERE WAS SUDDENLY A LOUD NOISE AND THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL APPEARED TO HAVE DISCONNECTED FROM THE AXLE."~48,731 mi, complaint #1701909
  24. #24

    lighting exterior

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "MY VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY TESLA'S SUNNYVALE SERVICE CENTER AND WHEN RETURNED, THEY OBVIOUSLY NEVER DID A SAFETY TEST. AFTER DRIVING DOWN THE STREET I FOUND THEY DIDN'T RECONNECT SEVERAL CABLES, INCLUDING THE FOG LIGHTS AND THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS. THEY ALSO…"~50,000 mi, complaint #1652452
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH at night, one of the headlights became inoperable. The contact stated that both headlights had become intermittently inoperable, causing the contact to hesitate to drive the vehicle…"~100,000 mi, complaint #2165857
  25. #25

    tire failure

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "HERE IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE TESLA THAT RECENTLY CRASHED IN GERMANY. HTTP://WWW.DIGITALTRENDS.COM/CARS/TESLA-S-ACCIDENT-SURVIVORS-GERMANY/ TESLA CLAIMS THAT THIS CRASH DEMONSTRATES THE REMARKABLE SAFETY OF THE CAR BECAUSE THE TEENAGE OCCUPANTS ESCAPED WITH TH…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1292924
    • "HERE IS ONE OF MANY THREADS IN WHICH TESLA OWNERS COMPLAIN OF RAPID AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/OK-TIRE-WEAR-IS-PAST-RIDICULOUS-PHOTO-ATTACHED.71844/ THERE IS A PHOTO (ATTACHED) SHOWING TIRES WORN DOWN TO THE CORDS ON THE…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1290331
  26. #26

    brake hydraulics

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "WHILE DRIVING TO PICK UP MY NIECE FROM SCHOOL, THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKES COMPLETELY LOCKED. I LMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT, IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME DRIVING OFF THE ROAD AND FINALLY COMING TO A STOP BECAUSE OF THE SAND. SCARY SCARY SCARY!!!! AFTER IT CAME TO A S…"~89,000 mi, complaint #1677695
  27. #27

    hv system fault reduced power

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "SINCE MAY SOFTWARE UPDATES, I DON'T KNOW THE REAL REASON WHY TESLA LIMIT MY CAR'S BATTERY: MAYBE TO SHUT OFF A SINGLE BATTERY MODULE LIKE THE ONE THAT CAUSED A CAR TO CATCH FIRE IN SHANGHAI (SAME YEAR MODEL AS MY CAR)... OR DECREASE THE BATTERY VOLTAGE TO REDU…"~42,000 mi, complaint #1609549
  28. #28

    parking brake

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Parking brake has locked on and cannot be released"complaint #2176723
    • "Parking brake on my TESLA MODEL S will not release. My understanding is that this is from a defective parking brake caliper that was under a recall by TESLA. However, TESLA refuses to acknowledge or repair this issue which is a huge safety problem especially i…"complaint #2214270
  29. #29

    power windows and locks

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that three door handles had been replaced over the years. The contact stated that the door handles were not responding, and the contact was unable to enter the vehicle. The contact stated that several a…"~280,000 mi, complaint #2073977
  30. #30

    throttle and pedal

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT . WHILE BACKING THE CAR, IT SPIN FAST OUT OF CONTROL EVEN THOUGH BACKING WAS STARTED AT A VERY SLOW SPEED . CAR STOPPED AFTER HITTING FOUR VEHICLES DIRECTLY, AND ONE OF THE VEHICLE HIT OTHER TWO VEHICLES. MAJOR DAMAGE ON THE…"~2,140 mi, complaint #1220099
    • "WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY ~5MPH IN A WAL MART PARKING LOT, MY WIFE WENT TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT, SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE CAR ACCELERATED "FULLY" ALMOST HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT. MY WIFE HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO PREVENT AN ACCIDE…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1281903
  31. #31

    wheel bearing

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "HERE IS ANOTHER TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD: HTTPS://WWW.SALVAGERESELLER.COM/CARS-FOR-SALE/24795207-2015-TESLA-MODEL-S-85-SUN-VALLEY-CA ALL FOUR WHEELS HAVE GONE TOTALLY WHOMPY. THIS IS NOT JUST A JOKE. LIVES ARE AT RISK. PLEASE TAKE ACTION. THANK YOU. CONCER…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1368633
  32. #32

    wiring harness

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "TURN SIGNALS ALL FAILED, REAR CAMERA FAILED, TOUCHSCREEN INTERFACE FAILED"complaint #1683030
    • "While driving on the freeway, I thought I heard a rattling from the sunroof, and so I cracked the sunroof to 12% open, and then closed it again. The moment the sunroof closed, smoke with an electrical burn smell began billowing in through the air vents in the…"complaint #1943306
  33. #33

    abs module

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Wheel speed sensor kept getting disconnected. When it does, systems like ABS, traction control, and other anti-collisions systems are disabled immediately. This resulted in lost of vehicle control on wet pavement. The service center replaced the sensor twice b…"complaint #1795163
  34. #34

    adas adaptive cruise

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "System Failure: Adaptive speed control Safety Risk: My 2015 Tesla Model S, at highway speeds, smashed into the rear of a jacked up Ford F250 Pickup. A Head on collision at highway speeds put my wife (and dog) and I at great risk. Has the problem been reprodu…"complaint #1793381
  35. #35

    climate control module

    1 broken

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I brought the car in with working air, which included heating and a feature called Climate Keeper. I brought the car in with working Supercharging. I got the car back with broken Climate Keeper and soon after broken air, completely broken, and broken Superchar…"complaint #1865550
  36. #36

    engine oil consumption

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "MY 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX RAN OUT OF OIL IN BETWEEN REGULAR OIL CHANGES DUE TO THE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE WITH THE INCORRECT SIZED PISTON RINGS. THIS ESCALATED QUICKLY AND DESTROYED MY TIMING CHAIN WHICH DESTROYED MY ENGINE."~98,870 mi, complaint #1677781
  37. #37

    engine stall or no start

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT (65) NEEDED TO REMOVE WALLET FROM BACK POCKET. UNBUCKLED SEAT BELT WHY STILL MOVING AT MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT. UPON UNBUCKLING SEAT BELT ENGINE IMMEDIATE SHUT OFF AND VEHICLE CAME TO INVOLUNTARY STOP WITHIN APPRO…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1324133
  38. #38

    interior trim

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "ISSUE 1). EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I NOTICED THE DRIVERS SEAT FELT COOKED CAUSING LOW BACK PAIN. EVENTUALLY THE SEATS POWER ADJUSTMENT WOULD ONLY RETRACT ONE SIDE SO IT COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED EVENLY AND I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE A WHOLE NEW SEAT REPLACED ISSU…"~92,000 mi, complaint #1743491
  39. #39

    key fob and immobilizer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Tesla is seemingly not producing replacement key fobs for early models. I have been attempting to order one for over two years and to my knowledge new stock has never once become available over that time. I have also checked with multiple dealerships in person…"complaint #1923763
  40. #40

    noise or vibration unspecified

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE FRONT OF THE CAR WILL EMIT A LOUD BUZZING NOISE"~60,000 mi, complaint #1726108
  41. #41

    seat mechanism

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Driver seat and passenger seat rocks when accelerating or braking. The seats can become loose in the event of impact from being loose in the housing. The problem has been inspected and acknowledged by Tesla service center and have unsuccessfully tried to repai…"complaint #1780888
  42. #42

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "FRONT SEAT-BELTS FIXED TO WALL OF CAR (NOT 3 POSITION FOR DRIVER HEIGHT). FOR ANYONE 5'5'' OR LESS THIS PUTS THE BELT AGAINST THE SIDE OF THROAT, MEANING INSTANT DEATH IN BAD COLLISION. HAVE TO MANUALLY MOVE IT OVER TO SHOULDER BLADE EVERY 5 MINUTES WHILE D…"~1,200 mi, complaint #1320281
  43. #43

    steering column

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "This appears to be a common problem as seen in the forums. But suddenly my steering locks at intervals when turning. Feels like the power steering went out and is very jerky. Requires a lot of force to turn the wheel. Sticks and then is loose. Apparently cause…"complaint #1814379
  44. #44

    transmission automatic

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH A CURB. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FEATURE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE O…"~6,000 mi, complaint #1450781

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for TESLA MODEL S directly.