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2026 Tesla Model S problems

The most common problem on the 2026 Tesla Model S is acceleration and speed control. It has fewer complaints than a typical Model S model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Owner complaints
8
Recalls
0
Service bulletins
1
Worst area
Acceleration

The worst 2026 Tesla Model S problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Acceleration
    2
  • Driver assistance
    2
  • Brakes
    1
  • Suspension
    1
  • Transmission
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Acceleration
    2
  • Driver assistance
    2
  • Brakes
    1
  • Suspension
    1
  • Transmission
    1
  • Visibility
    1
  • Wheels
    1

Recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Defect investigations

FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsOpened March 18, 2026, still open

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening this Engineering Analysis to evaluate Tesla’s Full Self Driving Beta and Full Self Driving (Supervised) (collectively, FSD) degradation detection system. The focus of this investigation will be to assess the system’s ability, when encountering reduced roadway visibility conditions, to detect degradation and alert the driver with sufficient time to respond. ODI will evaluate the performance of FSD in degraded roadway conditions and the updates or modifications by Tesla to the degradation detection system, including the timing, purpose, and capabilities of the updates, and Tesla’s assessment of their safety impact. Tesla’s FSD is an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that relies exclusively on vision-based cameras and the related FSD software to detect and respond to the roadway ahead, projecting a path forward based on traffic control devices, vehicles, pedestrians, and the roadway itself. When Tesla began transitioning away from using both cameras and radars to an exclusively camera-based approach, known as Tesla Vision, in mid-2021, it developed and implemented a degradation detection system that it deployed by a software update to existing and new Tesla vehicles. On June 28, 2024, the day after Tesla submitted the SGO report of the November 28, 2023 fatal crash listed in this document, Tesla began developing an update to the degradation detection system. At this time, ODI does not have information on when the update was deployed and which vehicles have the updated system. ODI discussed individual incidents and its initial findings during the PE phase of its investigation with Tesla. As part of those discussions, Tesla’s post-incident analysis indicated that the update to the degradation detection system, had it been installed on the vehicles at the time, may have affected 3 of the 9 incidents identified by ODI. Tesla also described internal data and labeling limitations that prevented a uniform identification and analysis of crash events with the subject system engaged. ODI believes this limitation could have led to under-reporting of subject crashes over portions of the defined time-period. Available incident data raise concerns that Tesla’s degradation detection system, both as originally deployed and later updated, fails to detect and/or warn the driver appropriately under degraded visibility conditions such as glare and airborne obscurants. In the crashes that ODI has reviewed, the system did not detect common roadway conditions that impaired camera visibility and/or provide alerts when camera performance had deteriorated until immediately before the crash occurred. Review of Tesla’s responses revealed additional crashes that occurred in similar environments and where the system either did not detect a degraded state, and/or it did not present the driver with an alert with adequate time for the driver to react. In each of these crashes, FSD also lost track of or never detected a lead vehicle in its path. In upgrading PE24031 to an Engineering Analysis (EA), ODI will gather further information on the updated degradation detection system, including the status of updating vehicles and scope of compatible vehicles, the system’s visibility degradation detection capability, and alerts or warnings to the driver. Lastly, ODI will conduct analysis on six recent potentially related incidents. These incidents can be found at under the following SGO report identification numbers: 13781-11937, 13781-13211, 13781-13569, 13781-13633, 13781-13693, 13781-13788. The crashes included in the failure report summary can be found at under the following SGO report identification numbers: 13781-8004, 13781-7181, 13781-7381, 13781-7767, 13781-7964, 13781-8977, 13781-9267.

EA26002

Technical service bulletins for the 2026 Tesla Model S 1

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

2026 Tesla Model S fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
Electric motor Electric 410 mi rangeAWD97-13289-11693-124 MPGe

What 2026 Tesla Model S owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Oct 29, 2026 · Transmission · DC

Please see attachment

Filed Oct 12, 2026 · CA · crash · fire · 1 injury

I purchase my Tesla Model S in February 2026. Shortly after the purchase, My Tesla car drove through red light twice with its Full Self Drive (FSD) engaged. Recently my car crashed into a planter wall with its FSD system engaged while I was trying to take over. The car immediately caught fire following the collision. There are significant concerns that I would like to raise here: 1. After the crash, fire started immediately followed by two explosions, the exterior door handles did not deploy, creating a potential emergency rescue hazard. If I had not been able to use the manual release, I could have lost my life in the fire/explosions. I am a physician. After this accident, I tried to educate all my patients, coworkers and friends. I found out that more than half of the Tesla drivers in my patient population, coworkers and friends did not know where the manual releases were. 2. Tesla heavily promotes FSD, creating consumer expectations about its capabilities and safety. I believe that I was misled about how safe the system was. The sales representatives did not adequately inform me about potential risks that I now believe were important to my purchasing decision. My experience raises concerns about whether consumers are receiving clear, prominent, accurate, and understandable information about FSD's actual capabilities, operational limitations, and safety risks before purchasing or relying on the system. Consumers could be led to overestimate the system's capabilities and rely on it in ways that increase the risk of a crash.

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Visibility · CT

COMPONENT: The rear window glass has optical distortion in the zone viewed through the interior rearview mirror. Vehicles behind me visibly warp and change apparent size as they move across the affected area of the glass. The vehicle and component are available for inspection upon request. SAFETY RISK: The distortion impairs my ability to accurately judge the position, size, distance, and closing speed of following vehicles. A smaller vehicle, such as a motorcycle, could be misjudged or lost in the distorted zone during a lane change, creating a collision risk. The condition is present at all times while driving. REPRODUCED/CONFIRMED: Yes. Tesla Service (365 Caldwell Dr, Springfield, MA) confirmed during my service visit that the same distortion exists on multiple other newer Model S vehicles, characterizing it as a normal aesthetic of the rear glass. Tesla stated in writing on [XXX] that "mild distortion is still to be expected with curved glass." Tesla replaced the rear glass; the replacement exhibits the same distortion, slightly worse. At vehicle pickup on [XXX], the Tesla Service Manager verbally acknowledged the issue was not resolved and stated all such glasses are similar. Tesla later closed the case stating in writing that technicians confirmed no distortion exists, contradicting its prior statements. INSPECTED BY: The manufacturer (Tesla Service) inspected the vehicle twice, including a stated inspection and test drive after the glass replacement. No police or insurance involvement. I have date-stamped photo and video documentation of both the original and replacement glass. WARNING SIGNS: No warning lamps or messages; this is an optical defect in the glass itself. First observed shortly after delivery on [XXX]. Because Tesla states the distortion is consistent across newer Model S production, I believe this is a fleet-wide defect affecting rear visibility, not an isolated unit. No crash or injury has occurred. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(

Filed Oct 2, 2026 · Suspension, Wheels · FL

Subject: Safety Concern—Model S Plaid Rear Tire Wear I am submitting a formal complaint regarding severe premature wear on the inside edges of both rear tires on my Model S Plaid\. I have owned the vehicle since XXX, and it has only 11,980 miles\. Both tires appear to have exposed cords along the inside edges, while tread remains elsewhere\. I have attached a photo\. Approximately 99% of my driving is with FSD engaged\. This uneven wear raises serious safety concerns and may indicate an alignment or suspension issue\. I was advised not to use Low suspension mode or “Mad Max” mode\. Please clarify which settings this refers to, explain the technical basis, and identify where this restriction appears in Tesla’s operating instructions\. I expect to use the vehicle’s factory features as instructed without severe tire damage or increased risk of failure\. I was also told that some owners have installed aftermarket adjustable camber arms to address similar wear\. The attached photo shows N2itive SX\-P2 arms advertised at $995, excluding installation and alignment\. I am concerned about having to purchase aftermarket parts to correct this condition\. Please: - Inspect both rear tires, alignment, suspension components, and ride\-height calibration\. - Provide alignment measurements and confirm whether they meet factory specifications\. - Identify the cause and a Tesla\-approved solution to prevent recurrence\. - Explain whether this wear is considered normal at 11,980 miles\. - Evaluate warranty coverage or goodwill assistance for replacement tires and necessary repairs\. My goal is to correct the underlying cause, not simply replace the tires\. Please advise on safe transport or mobile tire service given their condition\. Thank you for your prompt written response\. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 29, 2026 · Acceleration · KS

Speed profiles don't adhere to actual speed limits. Speed can be higher or lower than posted. I can be driving in a 55mph speed zone and it will drop to 35 then accelerate to 65. On roads that have no speed limit posted car tends to want to go 55 rather than a more sensible speed of under 30, especially at night on a dirt road with wildlife about. Car will also see access road speed signs and slow down in the middle of traffic. To me i don't feel safe and have to disengage the system which adds stress to the drive. Being able to set my own speed is the solution, not having the car set it.

Filed Jun 17, 2026 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · CO

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.

Filed Oct 31, 2025 · Brakes, Driver assistance · KS

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.

Filed Oct 13, 2025 · PA

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.

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Questions about the 2026 Tesla Model S

Is the 2026 Tesla Model S reliable?

Owners have filed 8 complaints about the 2026 Tesla Model S, fewer than a typical Model S model year.

What is the most common problem with the 2026 Tesla Model S?

Acceleration and speed control, with 2 complaints. Next is driver assistance (2).

How many recalls does the 2026 Tesla Model S have?

No recalls on record.

What year does the Tesla Model S have the most acceleration problems?

The Tesla Model S model years with the most acceleration complaints are 2016 (82 complaints), 2015 (40 complaints) and 2017 (36 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2026 Tesla Model S get?

The 2026 Tesla Model S is rated at 93-124 MPGe combined, with up to 410 miles of range.

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