MODELYEARINDEX

Tesla Model S

2,245 complaints across 9 scored model years and 38 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Tesla Model S Full report
F
Grade 2013–2021
2016 vs model median 3.2×
Model median3× median
Suspension 125
Electrical 70
Steering 60
Avoid

2016 · 2017

Best

2019 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2013
1.00× 125 D
2014
0.81× 94 D
2015
1.45× 180 F
2016
3.21× 496 F
2017
2.03× 351 F
2018
0.96× 149 D
2019
0.27× 46 C
2020
0.64× 102 C
2021
1.31× 254 D
2022 P
0.80× 198 C
2023 P
0.74× 161 C
2024 P
0.32× 78 C

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

Combined MPG122
City / Highway127 / 116
Engine—
DriveAll-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost$600

Recalls

38 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
24V051000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2013–2023 2,193,869
23V838000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE 2013–2023 2,031,220
24V554000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH 2021–2024 1,849,638
22V702000 VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS 2021, 2022 1,096,762
22V045000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2021, 2022 817,143
22V235000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2020–2022 594,894
22V063000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2020–2022 578,607
23V085000 STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING 2016–2023 362,758

+ 30 further campaigns

Others in Full-Size Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Model Years to avoid Grade
Acura RLX
none flagged
C
Audi A6
2019
C
Audi A7
2019
C
Audi A8
none flagged
C
BMW 5 Series
20112012
B
BMW 7 Series
2012
B
Buick Lacrosse
20112012
C
Cadillac XTS
2013
C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2016 Model S
Complaints in window
496
Severity-weighted
907
Model median (weighted)
283
vs model median
3.21×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
10
Open investigations
6
Score 0 F