Tesla Model S 90d
Problems & Worst Years

The Tesla Model S 90D's complaint record splits clearly by model year, with 2016 standing out as the worst on both volume and severity. That year logged 402 complaint occurrences and four safety-severity problem categories, led by 149 reports of electrical-system glitches — the single largest cluster in the car's file — plus 64 reports of media control unit failure and 52 describing a steering-system failure serious enough to cause a loss of control. Suspension collapse and suspension failure during low-speed maneuvers round out that year's top five, at 40 and 37 reports respectively.

2017 carries the same general profile at roughly two-thirds the volume: 266 occurrences and three safety-severity categories. Suspension failure again tops the list at 28 reports, while the remaining top-five slots are almost entirely electrical — loss of audio and other functions when the touchscreen malfunctions, touchscreen freezing or blacking out during driving, and recurring display issues described as causing a loss of vehicle controls, each drawing 20-21 reports, alongside another 20 for media control unit failure specifically.

By 2018, the picture looks meaningfully cleaner: 79 total occurrences, no safety-severity problems at all, and a top five led by 28 reports of unintended acceleration (rated high rather than safety severity in this dataset) along with smaller clusters covering forward collision avoidance malfunctions, door handle problems, reduced steering assist, and powertrain issues.

No recall campaigns appear against any year of the 90D in the data reviewed, so every figure above is an owner-reported complaint rather than a confirmed manufacturer action. A 2016 or 2017 car warrants close attention to the touchscreen and center computer, plus a look underneath for suspension wear, while a 2018 car presents a comparatively quieter file — though it's worth remembering that complaint counts reflect what owners chose to report to NHTSA, not a measured failure rate, and newer years simply have less time on the road to accumulate reports. A pre-purchase inspection and full service history still matter more than the model year by itself.