Tesla Model S years to avoid
More than twice the Model S's typical complaint count for a model year.
Best Tesla Model S years
Fewest owner complaints among the last 20 model years, counting only those with at least four years on the road.
Tesla Model S complaints by model year
Owner complaints by model year. Newer years have had less time on the road, so expect them to grow.
Most common Tesla Model S problems
All model years combined.
- Electrical1,003
- Suspension737
- Driver assistance519
- Steering349
- Acceleration279
- Brakes210
- Lights197
- Visibility175
- Body160
- Transmission149
- Fuel system112
- Wheels89
Most reported problems on the Tesla Model S
Tesla Model S problems year by year
Tap a year to see its problems, recalls and what owners say.
| Year | Score | Complaints | Top problem | Typical mileage | Recalls | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | - | 8 | Acceleration | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2025 | - | 6 | Suspension | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | - | 38 | Driver assistance | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2023 | - | 115 | Driver assistance | 13 | 8 | ||
| 2022 | 74 | 141 | Driver assistance | 10,000 | 20 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 69 | 179 | Driver assistance | 6,000 | 23 | 13 | |
| 2020 | 80 | 80 | Driver assistance | 2,500 | 11 | 16 | Fewest complaints |
| 2019 | 85 | 45 | Driver assistance | 5,200 | 10 | 4 | Fewest complaints |
| 2018 | 67 | 170 | Driver assistance | 16,000 | 11 | 36 | |
| 2017 | 37 | 432 | Electrical | 24,473 | 9 | 55 | Avoid |
| 2016 | 21 | 652 | Suspension | 26,500 | 10 | 93 | Avoid |
| 2015 | 21 | 671 | Electrical | 49,240 | 9 | 70 | Avoid |
| 2014 | 41 | 367 | Electrical | 52,850 | 9 | 52 | Avoid |
| 2013 | 35 | 461 | Electrical | 70,000 | 11 | 41 | Avoid |
| 2012 | 83 | 61 | Electrical | 68,481 | 8 | 4 | Fewest complaints |
Recalls 38
Questions about the Tesla Model S
What years of the Tesla Model S should you avoid?
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Each has more than twice the Tesla Model S's typical number of owner complaints for a model year; 2015 alone has 671, mostly about electrical and suspension.
What is the best year for a used Tesla Model S?
2019, 2012 and 2020 have the fewest owner complaints among model years that have been on the road for at least four years (45, 61 and 80).
What is the most common problem with the Tesla Model S?
Electrical, with 1,003 complaints across all years, followed by suspension (737) and driver assistance (519).
How many recalls does the Tesla Model S have?
38 recalls between 2012 and 2026. The 2021 model year has the most, with 23.
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