MODELYEARINDEX

Which Tesla Model S years to avoid

Across 9 scored model years, the 2016, 2017 and 2015 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

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 owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2016 F 496 reports · median 7,757 mi

  1. Suspension 125

    This is a report made in the public interest to address the continuing problem of snapping tesla model s suspension components. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 70

    The contact owns a 2016 tesla model s. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and the low 12-volt battery warning light illuminated. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Steering 60

    Here is a recent youtube video showing what appears to be a tesla employee demonstrating the use of autopilot and encouraging the driver to take his hands off the wheel. This is utterly irresponsible. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

124 crash · 22 fire · 90 injuries

2017 F 351 reports · median 24,500 mi

  1. Electrical 73

    Tesla model s 2017 sudden unintended acceleration- 1/18/2018, morning 9:05 AM. I was pulling in to my office parking spot where I parked for 6 years, I let the car slow to roll closer in front of the curb. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Suspension 68

    Here is a 2017 model s in the junkyard: https://www.iaai.com/vehicle?itemid=25563471&rownumber=49&loadrecent=true&isnext=true there is very little damage to the car except for the back wheel which has gone all whompy. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Driver Assist 33

    On 3 occasions, vehicle made sudden, spontaneous attempts to make a left lane change. On two occasions the vehicle was in self drive mode on a freeway; on the 1st occasion, the vehicle was in the left lane and hit a… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

60 crash · 2 fire · 37 injuries

The best year for the Model S

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2019 is the best-scoring Model S model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 68.2 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2019 0.27× 46 C
2020 0.64× 102 C
2014 0.81× 94 D

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
25V002000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE 2024 239,382
26V283000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE 2021–2023 218,868
24V035000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2023 199,575
21V035000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE 2013–2018 134,951

+ 26 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2016 were reported at a median of 7,757 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Tesla Model S years should you avoid?
2016, 2017, 2015 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Tesla Model S model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Tesla Model S?
2019 is the best-scoring Tesla Model S model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 68.2 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Tesla Model S have?
38 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Tesla Model S model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

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