2018 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

    adas collision warning

    33 unsafe

    33
    incidents

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

    • "I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY. ON MY RIGHT WAS AN EXIT RAMP AND IN THE LEFT LANE THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER VEHICLE. SUDDENLY THE WARNING BUZZER WENT OFF AND THE CAR PULLED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. I QUICKLY CORRECTED TO THE RIGHT. IT SCARED ME. IN ADDITION I CAME…"~17,000 mi, complaint #1478646
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the Self-Driving feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or deal…"~36,000 mi, complaint #1816341
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the forward collision avoidance feature was inoperable. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle crashed into the guard rail. The contact stat…"~80,000 mi, complaint #1952195
  2. #2

    unintended acceleration

    18 unsafe

    18
    incidents
    Typical range: 2,000–13,000 mi

    Median 7,000 mi, based on 25 reports (24% had no usable mileage)

    • "IT WAS ON FRIDAY MORNING ON JANUARY 11TH 2020 AT 8.30AM. I WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN FRONT OF MY MEDICAL OFFICE WHERE I HAVE PRACTICED FOR 21 YEARS. I WAS IN AN OUTDOOR PARKING DECK. I TOUCHED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR AND THE CAR SUDDENLY AC…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1638358
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN FROM A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS IN A TIGHT CIRCLE. THE VEHICLE STRUCK SOME TREES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS PARALLEL PA…"~4,757 mi, complaint #1544411
    • "I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PLACE I PARK ON MANY OCCASIONS, HAD MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, TO PUT ON THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, WENT UP OVER THE CURB, AND ALMOST DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE THAT HAPPENE…"~7,657 mi, complaint #1644707
    • "AS I WAS PARKING THE CAR, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, WENT OVER THE CURB AND HIT A TREE AT HIGH SPEED. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DURING THE CRASH AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS BADLY DAMAGED. I SMELT SMOKE IN THE CAR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. WE GOT OFF…"~16,000 mi, complaint #1649893
    • "I AM THE OWNER OF A 2018 TESLA MODEL P100D. ON DEC 17 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:40 AM I AND A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE WERE DRIVING TO MY HOME AT [REDACTED ADDRESS], ALEXANDRIA, VA. MY ASSOCIATE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1-2 MILES/HOUR AND STARTING TO PARK. THE PARKING…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1641657
  3. #3

    infotainment head unit

    8 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    11
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 20,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TOUCHSCREEN BECAME INOPERATIVE WHILE DRIVING WHICH IMPACTS DRIVING WHILE IN AUTO PILOT. I CONTACTED TESLA SERVICE AND GOT THE RUN AROUND."~3,500 mi, complaint #1719758
    • "THE TOUCH SCREEN HAS BECOME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE/WENT DARK. I FIRST DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, INFREQUENTLY USED. THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR THE LAST 4 WEEKS, ALSO RENDERING THE MOBILE APP UNRESPONSIVE/UNABLE TO CONNECT T…"~17,500 mi, complaint #1671586
    • "I DROPPED MY PERSONAL TESLA AT TESLA SERVICE TO GET AN MCU/CENTER SCREEN FAILURE REPAIRED. AS I LEFT THE LOT, THE SCREEN IN THE LOANER CAR REBOOTED ITSELF. APPARENTLY THAT IS THE PRECURSOR TO FAILURE. IT FEELS WEIRD KNOWING THIS CAR IS PROBABLY ABOUT TO FAIL…"~20,270 mi, complaint #1674594
    • "THE MAIN CONSOLE CENTER SCREEN IN MY WOULD STOP RESPONDING AND WILL BASICALLY FREEZE UP. THE INDICATOR CLICKER SOUND WOULD STOP WORKING. THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WOULD REMAIN STUCK. THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD STOP WORKING. ALL THESE ARE HAPPENING WHILE THE DRIVING…"~36,000 mi, complaint #1721802
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that he noticed that the display screen was distorted and that the adhesive around the display touchscreen was leaking. The contact stated that the adhesive also leaked onto the console. Additionally, t…"~93,000 mi, complaint #1877415
  4. #4

    adas autonomous driving system

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=8)

    • "MY CAR WAS FULLY ENGAGED IN AUTO PARK AND IT HIT A CAR. I QUICKLY BRAKED TO STOP A WORSE COLLISION. I PATIENTLY WAITED FOR TESLA TO REVIEW THEIR LOGS. THEY INSIST THE AUTO PARK WAS WORKING WITHOUT FAULT."THE ENGINEERS HAVE INDEED SAID THE AUTOPARK FEATURE WA…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1540265
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at a complete stop, he activated the Auto Park feature to park the vehicle. The vehicle unexpectedly rolled forward and crashed into another vehicle next to his front passenge…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1865087
    • "I WAS USING THE AUTOSUMMON ON MY TESLA. I HAD USED THE CAR TO PARK ITSELF SO FIGURED THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO TRY. CAR WAS CLOSE TO A WALL. CAR IMMEDIATELY MOVED FORWARD AND HIT THE WALL. THERE WAS NO TIME TO STOP IT AS IT TURNED IMMEDIATELY."~16,000 mi, complaint #1644136
    • "I WAS DRIVING MY TESLA MODEL S IN LOS ANGELES FREEWAY USING AUTOPILOT AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MILE/HOUR. SUDDENLY CAR STOP TRACKING THE ROAD AND TURN LEFT. EVEN THOUGH I TRIED TO CONTROL THE CAR I WAS TOO LATE AND CAR HIT THE MIDDLE DIVIDER. I HAVE REPORTED THIS I…"~19,514 mi, complaint #1658842
    • "The contact had rented a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while his wife was making a U-turn at a low rate of speed, the vehicle accelerated with her foot on the brake pedal and crashed into a tree. The contact stated that his wife heard two warning…"~44,000 mi, complaint #1848485
  5. #5

    other

    1 stranded, 5 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    8
    incidents

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

    • "IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO LOAD THE CURVEDATA FROM YOUR DATABASE."complaint #1514933
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V035000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION, VISIBILITY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFA…"complaint #1739361
    • "As I was driving alone on July 13th 2022 on the Capital Beltway 495 and was nearing exit 44 the rear passenger window exploded spontaneously. This occurred at 9:08am ET. I have footage of this (I was not able to upload the file as it is not in one of the acc…"complaint #1826111
    • "Door handle not working and not popping out as expected and driver can’t go inside the car. A few complaints already from the internet and a lawsuit already filed by other owner and this seems to be recall already but nothing was mentioned yet Camera get blin…"complaint #1881992
    • "The car does not come with a spare. I got a flat tire and Tesla will not provide a spare or a tow for free, they charge a fee for both. This has created a safety issue that can be life threatening due to their lack of a spare tire and not towing the car. "complaint #1922540
  6. #6

    software or update

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

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

    • "ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. ONE TIME, THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN AT A STOP SIGN NEARBY MY OFFICE; THE SECOND TIME, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN BUT ALL OF THE OTHER ELECTRONS: SPE…"~6,800 mi, complaint #1614218
    • "THE CAR SOFTWARE HAS BEEN MODIFIED AND APPEARS TO BE COMPROMISED. SETTINGS RELATED TO SAFETY AND AUTOPILOT HAVE BEEN UNSTABLE. DRIVER PROFILE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. FACTORY RESET PERFORMED BY TESLA PARAMUS AND BY SWITCHING EMAIL ACCOUNT DOESN'T NOT REMOVE THE…"~9,385 mi, complaint #1660221
    • "THE LATEST MODEL S SOFTWARE UPDATE SHRANK THE SIZE OF THE FONT OF SEVERAL CRITICAL PIECES OF INFORMATION ON THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD. THESE INCLUDE THE GEAR SELECTION (PARK, DRIVE, ETC), THE REMAINING BATTERY CHARGE (FUEL TANK EQUIVALENT), EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE AN…"~17,500 mi, complaint #1719706
  7. #7

    suspension arms and bushings

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

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

    • "HERE IS A TESLA MODEL S IN THE AUCTION SALE YARD HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/27340709 THE BACK LH SUSPENSION HAS SNAPPED OFF COMPLETELY. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY IMPACT DAMAGE, IT HAS SIMPLY SNAPPED OFF. CLOSE UP PICTURE SHOWS THAT THE…"~9,000 mi, complaint #1556674
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 10-15 MPH, the rear subframe assembly failed inadvertently. The contact stated that the rear driver’s side wheel appeared to be caved inward. The vehicle was towed to…"~14,000 mi, complaint #1885865
    • "HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/37354819?ROWNUMBER=42 IT IS NOT BADLY DAMAGED, JUST THAT THE BACK WHEEL AND SUSPENSION HAS FALLEN OFF. YOU CAN SEE PERFECTLY CLEARLY IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT THIS IS A SELF-INFLICTED INJU…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1693260
    • "HERE IS A TESLA MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD. THERE IS HARDLY ANY IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE BODYWORK. NO AIR-BAGS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED. THE CAST ALLOY STEERING KNUCKLE HAS CRACKED IN HALF. THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN IS IF THERE IS A CASTING FLAW DURING MA…"~16,000 mi, complaint #1629743
    • "DESIGN FLAW ON THE REAR SUSPENSION SET UP CAUSES EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES. VERY LIKELY GOES WITHOUT BEING DETECTED EVEN BY THE SERVICE CENTERS AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS DUE TO TIRE BLOW OUTS SPECIALLY ON FREEWAY DRIVES."~34,000 mi, complaint #1648105
  8. #8

    suspension struts shocks

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

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

    • "THIS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE TESLA SUSPENSION FORELINKS WHICH ARE STILL SNAPPING OFF AND CAUSING DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. AT LEAST THREE NEW CASES OF FAILURE HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. DESPITE FORUM POSTERS URGING THE OWNERS TO REPORT THEIR F…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1606088
    • "THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT TESLA BROKEN SUSPENSIONS. HERE IS THE LATEST EXAMPLE... [XXX] PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE USED THE VIN OF ANOTHER TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD WHICH "QUELLE SURPRISE" ALSO HAS A WHOMPY WHEEL. IT SEEMS STRANGE THAT TESLA WOULD PREFER TO…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1611667
    • "HERE IS ANOTHER MODEL X IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/53749689 THE FRONT WHEEL AND COMPLETE SUSPENSION HAS SIMPLY FALLEN OFF. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF CRASH DAMAGE. IT IS SELF INFLICTED INJURY CAUSED BY THE WHEEL WHOMPING AROUND AFTER THE FR…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1616594
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON AUTOPILOT, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK THE FREEWAY CENTER DIVIDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED…"~19,514 mi, complaint #1659616
    • "HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/37354819?ROWNUMBER=22 THE BACK WHEEL AND SUSPENSION HAS FALLEN TO BITS. NO CRASH DAMAGE. JUST THE SUSPENSION PARTS CRACKED AND SNAPPED. DESPITE TESLAS CLAIM THAT ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF TE…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1701967
  9. #9

    door latch and hinge

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

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

    • "MULTIPLE DOORHANDLES ARE FAILING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE WHEN THE DOOR IS UNLOCKED I HAVE A 2018 MODEL S TESLA AND TWO OF THE DOORHANDLES HAVE FAILED ALREADY ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS UNLOCKED WHEN I PULL ON THE DOOR HANDLE IT'S BEARS TO OPE…"~51,700 mi, complaint #1733929
  10. #10

    hv system fault reduced power

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH the message, "Acceleration and Top Speed Reduced," suddenly displayed on the instrument panel. The contact had not noticed any changes in the functionality of the vehicle and c…"~54,460 mi, complaint #1996693
  11. #11

    steering rack mechanical

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

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

    • "TESLA IN SALVAGE YARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS?ITEMID=34608873&ROWNUMBER=43&SIMILARVEHICLEITEMID=&ISNEXT=&LOADRECENT=TRUE ALLOY STEERING KNUCKLE HAS SIMPLY SNAPPED IN HALF. WHERE DO THEY MAKE THESE PARTS? WILLY WONKA'S CHOCOLATE FACTORY? CAN…"~16,000 mi, complaint #1631314
    • "HERE IS A TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/36845198?ROWNUMBER=5 THE ONLY DAMAGE IS TO THE FRONT LH SIDE. THE STEEL BUMPER ATTACHMENT BAR IS UNDAMAGED WHICH SUGGESTS THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT THE RESULT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT. REGARDLESS OF…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1677974
    • "HERE IS A 2018 TERDSLA MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/39010278?ROWNUMBER=13 THE FRONT WHEEL HAS NOT JUST GONE WHOMPY IT HAS SNAPPED OFF ENTIRELY. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF CRASH DAMAGE. THERE IS HARDLY A MARK ON THE CAR AND NO…"~31,000 mi, complaint #1726438
  12. #12

    control module

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

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

    • "TWICE RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, THE CAR COMPUTER STARTED FAILING. LIGHTS WENT OUT, TURN SIGNALS DIDN'T WORK, EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE SCREEN AND DASHBOARD THAT LET YOU DRIVE TURNED BLANK. I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO QUICKLY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE RO…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1624636
  13. #13

    instrument cluster

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "MY SEPTEMBER 2018 BUILD TESLA MODEL S EXPERIENCES THE SAME SCREEN FAILURES (BOTH THE DASH + MEDIA CONTROL UNIT) AS THE RECALLED VERSIONS, BUT MINE FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL PERIOD. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A DESOLATE HIGHWAY TRAVEL…"~14,000 mi, complaint #1731319
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the instrument cluster and home screen was intermittently inoperable. The contact called a service center on several occasions and was informed that the failure was link…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1752489
    • "THE VEHICLE DOWNLOADED TESLA UPDATE ON 12/27/20202. THE FIRMWARE VERSION IS 2020.48.26. AFTER THE UPDATE WAS INSTALLED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL HAD VERY SMALL ILLEGIBLE FONT. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INDICATOR LETTERS (P, D, R)…"~20,394 mi, complaint #1715939
    • "ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BOTH OF MY DASHBOARD SCREENS (DRIVER CLUSTER AND CENTER CONSOLE) WENT BLANK WHILE DRIVING AT A VARIETY OF SPEEDS. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE MY SPEEDOMETER, BACK-UP CAMERA, CONTROL HVAC, OR ANY AUDIO. I ALSO WAS UNABLE TO USE COLLISION ASSISTAN…"~45,000 mi, complaint #1736664
  14. #14

    steering electric assist

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

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

    • " I drove my car out of garage in reverse gear & put it to drive straight down my driveway ,instead Vehicle spun around going backward in front of the garage hitting a trash can, bushes ,flower pots &hit the patio wall ,then turned around in front of tre…"complaint #1974975
    • "My vehicle suddenly displayed an alert saying, “steering assist reduced” and the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn. I became very concerned about my safety and the safety of other drivers, so I took the car to Tesla for service. It is currently…"complaint #1979527
    • "My vehicle did an update and after update I have received an error message “steering assist reduced”. I am unable to drive my vehicle and the wheel feels locked. I have reached out to Tesla and their soonest appt is over a week from now to even look at it. "complaint #1983321
    • "On 9/27/2025 while driving my Tesla Model S, I received the error EPAS_w001 – “Steering assist reduced”. Immediately afterward, the steering became extremely heavy and nearly impossible to control, even at low speeds. "complaint #2134615
  15. #15

    trunk or liftgate

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the emergency trunk latch had failed, and the trunk was unable to be opened. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the emergency trunk latch warning light remained illuminated, and the doors c…"~131,000 mi, complaint #1949280
  16. #16

    adas lane keeping

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

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

    • "I HAD A 2018 TESLA S. I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON US [REDACTED ADDRESS] [REDACTED ADDRESS] DIVIDED HIGHWAY AT 0030 ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH OF LONE PINE, CA. IT WAS PITCH BLACK OUT. I WAS THE DRIVER OF A TESLA S IN SEMIAUTONOMOUS DRIVER-ASSIST MODE. THE ROAD WAS GO…"~27,899 mi, complaint #1650469
  17. #17

    lighting exterior

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

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

    • "The daytime running lights on both front headlights have stopped working with 45k on the odometer. Tesla service center has refused to cover the safety issue because the car warranty is 5k over warranty mileage. The vehicle no longer has working day time runn…"complaint #1837973
    • "Tesla designs a single piece headlight with no serviceable parts. This includes headlights, high beams, and namely daytime running lights. All of these components are on an LED strip that overheats and un-solders due to this high heat, which causes premature f…"complaint #1850741
    • "Component that failed is daylight running lights and is available for inspection. Daylight running lights are important to be seen easier by other vehicles and pedestrians, since they don’t work my vehicles is more difficult to be seen during the day. Confir…"complaint #1862405
  18. #18

    wiring harness

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

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

    • "Steering wheel buttons INCLUDING HORN have stopped functioning. Not able to use the horn seems to be a serious safety issue to prevent accidents. Not repairable due to parts shortage. Epidemic failure according to Tesla Service."complaint #1887085
    • "The cable harness (slip ring) connecting the steering wheel controls including the vehicle horn, steering wheel buttons, scroll wheels, and potentially the airbag (according to the service technician) failed on this vehicle in January 2025. The vehicle was ins…"complaint #2067987
    • "Our doors completely locked inside our garage. We could not get in the car at all, even after a technician came to replace the low voltage battery. Only after replacing the low voltage battery was someone able to get into the car. However, that low voltage ba…"complaint #2130924
  19. #19

    adas adaptive cruise

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "Driving west on Interstate 295 at the Scudders Falls bridge from NJ to PA, adaptive cruise control suddenly slows from a set speed of 65 to a set speed of 30, then restores to 65 after a second or so. This predictably and repeatedly happens just before and jus…"complaint #1782084
    • "While driving on the highway using cruise control, the car unexpectedly and rapidly slowed down. This has happened several (5-10) times, day and night, generally in low traffic areas (mostly with no traffic anywhere nearby). I have experienced this issue thr…"complaint #1901702
  20. #20

    brake hydraulics

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "I was travelling on the highway at high speeds when the traffic suddenly comes to a halt. My tires were screeching without any signs of ABS kicking in whatsoever. My car slid 20-30 feet since i braked."complaint #1859885
    • "On [XXX], my 2018 Tesla Model S (VIN [XXX] ) experienced a complete brake system failure while in motion. The brake pedal was pressed multiple times, but the vehicle did not stop, resulting in a collision. The emergency brake also failed to engage. 1. Compone…"complaint #2125555
  21. #21

    ev drive unit or inverter

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "CAR WAS STOPPED PRIOR TO ENTERING CAR GARAGE. CAR SUDDENLY REVERSED THEN SPED UP AUTONOMOUSLY AND CRASHED INTO THE HOME. SUSPECT CAR ELECTRONICS COMPROMISED AND ENDANGERED DRIVER. REQUESTING INVESTIGATION IF CAR DEFECT VS USER ERROR. THANK YOU !"complaint #1520401
    • "•I’m not sure what component was responsble for either the braking issue or the fire. It is available for inspection. •When driving the brake pedal had a frightening delay that almost caused 2 accidents and unfortunately my car was charging on the 24th of Oct…"complaint #2051199
  22. #22

    wiper and washer

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "I ENTERED THE STATIONARY CAR AND TURNED IT ON. THE WINDSHIELD AND ALL INTERIOR GLASS IMMEDIATELY FOGGED MAKING VISIBILITY NEARLY ZERO. THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD BECAME EXTREMELY WET. WIPING THE MOISTURE ONLY RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE FOGGING OF THE WINDSHIELD.…"~3,100 mi, complaint #1554644
  23. #23

    adas blind spot

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "Recently right side blind spot monitor camera stopped working. As result, majority of safety features in vehicle has been disabled to include forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and many other safety features of the vehicle."complaint #2166160
  24. #24

    airbag system

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "I HIT A DEER ON INTERSTATE. AIRBAGS AND PRETENSIONER DEPLOYED. AFTER VEHICLE SHUT DOWN NO DOORS CAN BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. NO INJURIES BUT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTER IF SOMEONE WAS TRAPPED INSIDE. "complaint #1806541
  25. #25

    alignment and pull

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "PLEASE NOTE...I HAVE USED THE VIN OF ANOTHER RANDOM JUNKYARD TESLA SINCE I DO NOT KNOW THE VIN OF THE CAR WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS COMPLAINT. POSTED TODAY ON THE TMC. AN OWNER'S WHEEL HAS GONE WHOMPY AND IS SCRAPING ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL ARCH AND MA…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1618861
  26. #26

    backup camera

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "BACKUP LIGHTS ARE INADEQUATELY BRIGHT AT NIGHT, IN DARK SITUATIONS ALLOWING NO ABILITY TO MAKE OUT GROUND FEATURES WHEN BACKING UP. TESLA HAS UPDATED FIRMWARE AND REPLACED CAMERA WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. SAFETY DEFECT OF BEING UNABLE TO SEE BEHIND CAR WHEN B…"complaint #1623921
  27. #27

    battery and charging

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "On [XXX], I was driving my recently purchased 2018 Tesla Model S (VIN: [XXX], mileage approx. [30,536]). The vehicle was purchased directly through Tesla’s app in late August 2025 and delivered to me the same day of the incident. Approximately 4.5 hours after…"complaint #2128534
  28. #28

    corrosion and rust

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while washing the vehicle, there was orange rust coming out of the bumper. The vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer and confirmed that there was a failure with the bumper. The vehicle was being repa…"~19,374 mi, complaint #1919997
  29. #29

    cruise control conventional

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED AT 65-70 MPH FOR 3-5 MINUTES, UNTIL SUDDENLY, THE CAR SLOWED DOWN ALL BY ITSELF TO AROUND 50MPH WITH VIBRATION AND JERKING. THE BRAKE WAS NOT DEPRESSED AT ALL. NO OTHER CARS WERE IN FRONT OF ME OR ARO…"~19,700 mi, complaint #1710456
  30. #30

    glass and windshield

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "ON APRIL 17, 2020 AROUND NOON WHILE DRIVING ON THE FAR LEFT LANE OF INTERSTATE 495 AT ABOUT 55 MPH, MY RIGHT REAR WINDOW SHATTERED UNEXPECTEDLY. THERE WERE NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING HITTING MY CAR AS NO CARS WERE BESIDE, IN FRONT, OR BEHIND ME AT THE TIME OF I…"~19,000 mi, complaint #1661170
  31. #31

    hv battery and range

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "On Sunday, October 10th. I arrived at a friends home in Charleston S.C. with about 35 Miles left on the Odometer. In the AM I awoke to find only 5 miles left. As I knew that I was 21 miles away from a Tesla Supercharger I called for a tow truck, and paid $265…"complaint #1781504
  32. #32

    power windows and locks

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that whenever the rear door was opened, the window on the door rolls down approximately a half inch, and whenever the door was closed, the window automatically rolled back up. The contact stated that af…"~110,000 mi, complaint #2137484
  33. #33

    seat mechanism

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "Tried to get in Tesla evening of 12-11-23. Drive car seat pulled all the way forward and to the steering wheel where the driver could not breath easily. After opening the door was able to pull the seat back and pushed to go to pre-set driver profile. The drive…"complaint #1950219
  34. #34

    steering column

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "Steering the vehicle is extremely difficult leading to major safety concerns. When making turns, right or left, where the steering wheel travels greater than 90 degrees, the steering wheel becomes hard to push past that 90 degree mark (I am 6' 200lb man). Once…"complaint #2175593
  35. #35

    throttle and pedal

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "I WAS AT A PARKING LOT AND I WAS MAKING MY WAY INTO A SLOT WHEN I FIRST HAD TO REVERSE THEM WHEN I CHANGED THE GEAR THE DRIVE AND RELEASED THE BREAKS TO MOVE FORWARD INTO THE SLOT I SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HAD TO PRESS ON THE BREAKS HARDER THAN EVER BECAUSE I…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1644033
  36. #36

    wheel or rim

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "HERE'S A 2018 IN THE JUNKYARD : HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/38405473?ROWNUMBER=9 BACK WHEEL HAS GONE ALL WHOMPY. AS USUAL. YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO. GET THESE LETHAL WEAPONS OFF THE ROADS. THANK YOU. KEEF"~32,000 mi, complaint #1713576

NHTSA investigations

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