2016 Tesla Model S problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Suspension (197) · Vehicle Speed Control (81) · Electrical System (63)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Tesla Model S model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
383 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (10)
Seat Belts:front:warning Light/Devices 2024-05-28 · campaign 24V376000 · 125,233 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel 2024-01-30 · campaign 24V051000 · 2,193,869 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
Electrical System:adas:driver Monitoring:software 2023-12-12 · campaign 23V838000 · 2,031,220 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
Steering:automated/Adaptive Steering 2023-02-15 · campaign 23V085000 · 362,758 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traf
Risk: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Steering:automated/Adaptive Steering 2022-01-27 · campaign 22V037000 · 53,822 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.
Risk: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
Latches/Locks/Linkages:hood:latch 2021-12-21 · campaign 21V00B000 · 130,441 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2014-2021 Model S vehicles. The front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned, preventing the secondary hood latch from engaging. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 113, "Hood Latch System."
Risk: If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and reposition the latch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 18, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-11-003.
Visibility:defroster/Defogger/Hvac System 2021-01-29 · campaign 21V035000 · 134,951 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center display functions.
Risk: The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-21-001.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2019-01-07 · campaign 19V002000 · 68,673 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2014-2016 Model S vehicles equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began May 29, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-19-20-001.
Steering:electric Power Assist System 2018-03-29 · campaign 18V204000 · 70,421 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with Bosch steering racks. The aluminum bolts that attach the power steering gear assist motor to the gear housing may corrode and fracture causing a reduction or complete loss of power steering assist.
Risk: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the steering gear mounting bolts and add a corrosion-preventative sealer, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-18-32-002.
Parking Brake 2017-04-19 · campaign 17V260000 · 31,709 vehicles
Defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electric parking brake calipers have an internal gear that may be improperly manufactured, possibly resulting in the gear fracturing during parking brake application or release.
Risk: If the gear breaks during parking brake release, the vehicle will not be able to be moved. If the gear breaks during parking brake application, the parking brake may not adequately hold the vehicle, potentially resulting in the vehicle rolling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will replace both the left and right electric parking brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2018. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-17-33-002.
Service bulletins (99)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Electrical System 2025-06-03 · SB-25-16-003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
on certain model s and model x vehicles, the battery powered pyrotechnic high voltage (hv) battery disconnect will reach the end of its battery lifespan in the near future, which will trigger alerts and may limit the vehicle’s performance.
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · fsd-12-5-4-1_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · fsd-12-5-4_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · fsd-12-5-3_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · 2024.38_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-30 · 2024.26.9_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air
tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. this file c
Showing the 6 most recent of 99 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-23 · Parking Brake · 11,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 tesla model s. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the parking brake independently activated, causing the driver’s side rear tire to become flat. the parking brake warning light was illuminated. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000.…”
2026-10-21 · Suspension“in october 2026, my 2016 tesla model s experienced a sudden structural failure of the left front suspension fore link while driving on highway 101. the fore link fractured at its connection to the steering knuckle, allowing the front wheel to shift rearward and become lodged against the wheel-well liner. this made it difficult to turn the steering …”
2026-10-08 · Suspension“rear left control arm failed while driving causing loss of steering and suspension …”
2026-09-29 · Power Train“i am requesting help with a very common issue on tesla model s and x vehicles that they refuse to extend warranty to repair. the rear drive motor on all performance models made from 2012-2020 have a very common issue of a faulty internal factory seal that should prevent liquid coolant from entering the electric rear drive motor and destroying it. …”
2026-09-14 · Structure:body“the doors are not opening/closing properly. i have had intermittent issues that are now more constant. when the doors unlock they do not unlatch when i pull the exterior handle. yesterday on 9/13/26 my front drivers side door was not closing. each time i closed it the latch released and it would pop back open slightly on its own. i had to hold it c…”
2026-08-28 · Visibility/Wiper“i had a new windshield installed by a official tesla service center that has a large distorted area in the center of the windshield. i complained about the large distortion and i was told that all the of stocked parts for my car are affected by the issue and they don't have any estimates or information that the items in stock will be replaced or up…”
2026-08-19 · Vehicle Speed Control · 💥 crash“update to complaint xxx. reference vin [xxx] tesla model s 2016. incident xxx [xxx] xxx report xxx. tractor [xxx] unit xxx + trailer xxx. 11 sec forward camera video proves tesla behind trailer at time 0, 30ft gap. tesla travels 88ft (30ft gap + 53ft trailer + 5ft to diesel tank/step) in 3-4 sec to lateral impact at driver diesel tank/step. calcu…”
2026-08-15 · Vehicle Speed Control“this complaint covers a 13-month continuous chain of severe electrical system failures stemming from a deficient federal safety recall remedy on my vehicle's media control unit (mcu) architecture. tesla's corporate policy has been to replace only the isolated center screen explicitly tracked by the recall while leaving connected legacy components i…”
2026-08-10 · Latches/Locks/Linkages · 131,700 mi“the contact owns a 2016 tesla model s. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the hood inadvertently opened and blocked the windshield. the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road while the windshield was blocked. the hood was securely closed after several attempts. upon inspection, the contact became aware that the hoo…”
2026-07-22 · Steering“while driving my vehicle straight approaching an intersection, i lost complete steering capability and feedback from the steering wheel. the lower intermediate shaft on the steering column complete separated from the splines on the rack and pinion. if i wasn't already preparing to stop at the stop sign this could have happened while driving on a cu…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.