Tesla Model S P90d
Problems & Worst Years
Every reported problem for the Tesla Model S P90d, model year by model year — ranked from 536 federal NHTSA complaints across 2016–2018.
Across three model years and 771 combined complaint occurrences, the P90D's file reads as a case study in a car whose problems were widespread in variety even when no single issue dominated. 2016 alone logged 48 distinct problem categories — easily the most fragmented year in this car's record — yet its top five complaints still trace a familiar pattern: 38 reports of media control unit failure, 36 of general electrical-system glitches, 21 describing suspension failure that led to wheel collapse, 20 covering the center screen freezing and rebooting on its own, and 19 rated safety-severity for unintended acceleration.
2017 continues at lower volume (261 occurrences) but keeps the same electrical-and-suspension mix: suspension failure leads at 24 reports, with touchscreen freezing or blacking out, loss of audio and other functions during touchscreen malfunctions, and random main-screen blackouts each drawing around 20-21 reports, plus another 20 for media control unit failure specifically.
2018 drops sharply to 80 occurrences with zero safety-severity problems in the top five, though unintended acceleration still leads at 27 reports — rated high rather than safety severity that year. Reduced steering assist, visibility issues, door handle failures, and forward collision avoidance malfunctions fill out a comparatively quiet remainder.
There are no recall campaigns tied to any year of the P90D in this dataset, so the entire record above is owner-reported rather than a confirmed manufacturer safety action. The consistency of touchscreen and suspension complaints across 2016 and 2017 makes those two systems the priority for a hands-on inspection regardless of which year you're looking at. Keep in mind, too, that these are counts of what owners filed with NHTSA, not a lab-verified failure rate — 2018's lower numbers may partly reflect less time on the road rather than a fixed defect — so a full service history and independent inspection should carry more weight than the model year alone.
Tesla Model S P90d 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016worst | 314 | 48 | 4/18 | Media Control Unit (MCU) Failure Electrical · 38 complaints |
| 2017worst | 159 | 33 | 2/13 | Suspension Failure Suspension · 24 complaints |
| 2018worst | 63 | 12 | 0/3 | Unintended Acceleration Electrical · 27 complaints |
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls, 2016–2018. 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.