Tesla Model S All Variants
Problems & Worst Years
Every reported problem for the Tesla Model S All Variants, model year by model year — ranked from 110 federal NHTSA complaints across 2020–2023.
Two isolated model years make up the data for the newer Model S lineup, and they tell almost entirely different stories. In 2020, the 67 logged complaint occurrences center on driver-assist and ride-quality concerns: 26 reports of forward collision avoidance system malfunctions lead the list, followed by 18 describing suspension issues that owners characterized as leading to unstable driving, plus smaller clusters around the service brake system, unintended acceleration, and trunk latch malfunctions.
By 2023, with a similar total of 66 occurrences, the complaint profile shifts almost entirely to the steering wheel itself. Forty reports — by far the largest single cluster for that year — describe the placement of the horn button on the steering wheel, rated at safety severity, alongside ten more calling out a broader steering wheel design flaw and eight describing horn activation issues generally. A handful of complaints about software updates and turn-signal button placement fill out the remainder. Two of six problem categories in 2023 carry a safety rating, versus one of five in 2020, even though the two years have nearly identical total volume.
No recall campaigns are listed against either model year in the data reviewed, so none of this reflects a confirmed manufacturer safety action — these are owner complaints only. The 2023 pattern in particular is worth testing for directly during a pre-purchase inspection: locate the horn and turn-signal controls and make sure you can operate them without hesitation, since several owners specifically flagged difficulty finding or using them in an emergency.
As with any complaint data, these counts reflect what owners chose to file with NHTSA rather than a precise failure rate, and the gap between 2020 and 2023 with no years in between means there's no way to see how the car's issues evolved. A pre-purchase inspection and service history remain the more reliable guide for any specific car.
Tesla Model S All Variants problems by year
Complaint volume by model year (bar = relative to the worst year). Theworst yearsare the most-complained-about, weighted by safety-risk problems.
| Year | Complaint volume | Problems | Safety / High | Most common problem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020worst | 54 | 5 | 1/2 | Forward Collision Avoidance System Malfunctions Electrical · 26 complaints |
| 2023worst | 56 | 6 | 2/3 | Steering Wheel Horn Button Placement Steering · 40 complaints |
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls, 2020–2023. Problem clustering and year rankings are derived from the complaint record; complaint volume reflects reports filed, not total incidence or fault rate. Vehicle image is illustrative.