Equipment Problems of Tesla Model S - part 1

My car had a software update last night. This morning, there is now a forced "feedback" prompt that comes on the information screen whenever I disengage the autopilot. This prompt grays out the rest of the screen and does not disappear until I manually select a feedback option. This forced prompt is very distracting, requiring manual user input to get rid of, which makes driving distracting and dangerous.

See all problems of the 2023 Tesla Model S 🔎.

Emmc memory recall, took into Tesla today April 2 2026 for them to address the issue and they have refused to accept their issue on memory failure and replacement of the emmc 8gb module for a 64gb micron emmc module. Instead they insisted a $1,500 upgrade package instead of the free recall that is required for change. The current car screen in does not work due to this module failing.

See all problems of the 2016 Tesla Model S 🔎.

Car was in summon mode and crashed into a fence . Caused damage to frond end of the car.

See all problems of the 2018 Tesla Model S 🔎.

2024 Tesla Model S. Repeated rear tire and rear wheel failures with abnormal wear and possible rear alignment or suspension-related defect. Tesla service history shows repeated rear tire replacements beginning at about 5,165 miles, a later four-wheel alignment, a right rear tire replacement for uneven tire wear under the basic vehicle warranty at about 21,594 miles, a documented bent left rear wheel at about 27,047 miles, a left rear wheel replacement due to crack after a low-pressure/pull over safely alert at about 30,489 miles, and then a right rear tire blowout at about 38,358 miles. In the same March 12, 2026 service record, Tesla also noted inner sidewall damage on the opposite rear tire. Concern is an unresolved recurring rear tire, wheel, alignment, or suspension defect creating blowout risk and unsafe operation. Tesla has replaced tires and wheels but has not identified or corrected the root cause.

See all problems of the 2024 Tesla Model S 🔎.

The rear door handle has failed and now the door pops open when parked.

See all problems of the 2014 Tesla Model S 🔎.

I have a 2013 Tesla model-s, I have so far spent thousands on this car for door handle related problems over its lifetime. And Tesla still keeps charging for any door repairs. As of now, the driver side door doesn't open from outside and this is a serious safety hazard in case of an accident.

See all problems of the 2013 Tesla Model S 🔎.

On February 11, 2026, at approximately 11:00 a. M. , I picked up my Tesla vehicle from the Tesla service center located at 16955 chesterfield airport road, chesterfield, missouri following battery repair. After paying for the service and being told the vehicle was ready, I discovered in the parking lot that the hood was not latched and was misaligned. The hood had been opened during service. Prior to drop-off, the hood latched properly and securely. Releasing the vehicle in this condition created a significant highway safety hazard. At highway speeds, an unlatched hood can deploy and completely obstruct forward visibility, potentially resulting in a catastrophic collision. When I immediately reported the issue to service management, responsibility was dismissed and attributed to a prior front collision history, despite the hood functioning normally before service. The service center did not promptly correct the unsafe condition. I was forced to leave the premises, purchase mechanical tools across the street, and physically resecure/realign hinge hardware myself in order to safely operate the vehicle. I have preserved video documentation of the hood condition at the time of release, along with service records and receipts. This represents unsafe post-repair vehicle release and failure of final safety verification. I have video evidence of my vehicle after I paid $1170 service fee and inspected the hood not latching. It was too big to attach but I am more than willing to put on a flash drive and send. Please call me and instruct where to send it. Thank you. [xxx] , concerned missouri resident [xxx] cell information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Tesla Model S has a notorious back hatch latching failure. It’s a flawed design that every replacement is a “when” and not “if for failure. As an owner its failed be about 4-5 times in 5+ years of ownership. The hatch back latching issue causes cruise control as well as their autopilot steering navigation feature to be disabled when latch starts acting up or failing to fully close, which are helpful safety components to keep your car on the road going at proper speeds and staying in lane. Reporting this in hopes someone pushes Tesla to do something about this flaw that should be a manufacturers defect.

See all problems of the 2015 Tesla Model S 🔎.

The horn is a little button on the steering wheel. Tesla has since switched to a center horn. I assume this is due to safety concern that accessing the horn during a panicked situation is difficult. I have almost been in a few accidents as it is impossible to find the horn while evading a potential accident. Tesla will not modify my vehicle as a safety related issue and instead wants to charge almost 2,000. This should be a recall. Tesla switched back to a center horn, a clear admission that there is a design flaw. How they can't modify a vehicle under a recall is ludicrous.

My 2015 Tesla Model S has a serious safety issue where the vehicle suddenly reverts to park while driving and will not stay in drive. I had the car serviced at Tesla’s austin ridgepoint location, and they documented that the issue was “resolved” and “validated,” but the problem continues exactly the same. Tesla replaced the rear motor speed sensor, performed tests, and charged me $522 for the repair. However, the vehicle still cannot stay in drive and remains unsafe to operate. After I reported that the repair did not fix the issue, Tesla deleted the entire service appointment and technician notes from my account, removing documentation of the failed repair. This is a critical safety defect involving unexpected shifting behavior and high-voltage component concerns. Tesla has not resolved the issue and has removed evidence of the repair attempt from my service history. I am requesting NHTSA assistance so Tesla properly addresses this safety hazard.

Critical safety failure: loss of driver override and extreme hmi/signaling latency. 1. Loss of override & unintended acceleration: while operating fsd (supervised), the vehicle ignored a 65 mph set-point and accelerated to 80 mph. I attempted to reduce speed by pulling down on the steering stalk 4-5 times, but the vehicle ignored all manual inputs, requiring a hard disengagement. 2. Lane departure / path failure: the vehicle failed to maintain lane centering, specifically crossing over the centerline into opposing traffic. This occured without warning or system-initiated steering alerts 3. False signaling / path failure: I’ve seen at least two occurrences where system exhibits dangerous signaling conflicts, such as activating a right-turn signal while simultaneously executing a left-turn maneuver. One time it was on a 45–55 mph rural corridor where trailing drivers frequently overtake slower vehicles. A false right-turn signal acts as a dangerous "all-clear" for a trailing driver to pass on the left, creating a high- probability broadside collision scenario when the Tesla physically executes its left turn. I have no idea if this has occurred more than these two times as I don’t check this. The other time I caught on video, by chance, as I was trying to capture the surging behavior to show the Tesla service center 4. Audio & visual hmi latency: audible instructions arrive 100+ feet after turns, and the map ui auto-zooms away from the driver’s focus, requiring constant manual screen contact to view street names. This forces significant visual-manual distraction. 5. Confirmed inadequacy: Tesla service invoice #[xxx] (Jan 27, 2025) documents: 'the current computer is a little too slow for full self driving function. . . ' confirming the hardware is unfit for safety-critical processing. This incident is directly relevant to NHTSA investigation pe25012. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2017 Tesla Model S 🔎.

I am reporting a serious safety defect regarding the front control arms on my 2017 Tesla Model S (VIN: [xxx] ). The front control arm bushings are failing, with visible cracking and tearing, as documented by a certified mechanic. These failures directly compromise vehicle steering, handling, and safety, creating a high risk of loss of control or accident. Tesla has issued a known service bulletin related to this issue, yet refused to perform repairs free of charge, despite acknowledging the bulletin exists. Timeline of communications and attempts to resolve: Dec 2015 – first reported issue to Tesla service center. Inspection was refused without a payment of $270. Tesla claimed the vehicle was out of warranty and refused free inspection or repair. Independent mechanic inspection – confirmed front control arm bushings are cracked/ripped; photos were taken. Dec 27, 2025 – email sent to [xxx] . Received a call from a local Tesla center stating nothing could be done because the car was out of warranty. I explained it is a safety issue, but it was disregarded. Jan 10 and Jan 18, 2026 – follow-up emails sent to [xxx] , but no response was received. Jan 23, 2026 – email sent to [xxx] , documenting safety concerns and service bulletin reference; no acknowledgment or response was received. I and Tesla have all the emails amd photos but unfortunately I was nit able to attach. If requested I can email or fi d out ways to shareholders. Please let me know. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving on the freeway in the fast lane at 75 mph i80w, the car began a loud humming sound that came from the rear. My passenger and I noted that it was significant sound that we took a video to record the sound. I was the driver and I noticed that the sound increased as I accelerated. Then without any warning the car began to decelerate and no longer accelerated. The car slowed considerably to 35 mph and it became a major safety issue because I had to cross all lanes of traffic at this slow speed. It was only after the car had completely shut down that the warning messages began to display. I reached the side of the road and we waited for the tow truck driver for about an hour. Subsequently, the car was towed to a Tesla dealer near my home. I was informed that the drive unit needed to be replaced with an explanation of internal failure, costing over $7000. However, the root cause of the internal failure was never explained or investigated even at my request stating that they do not take apart the drive unit. This incident occurred after driving 7hrs of heavy rainfall for 2 days. A quick google search of "2016 Tesla Model S drive unit failure" reveals plenty of Tesla owners that had similar issues.

I am reporting multiple safety-related defects on my 2017 Tesla Model S (VIN [xxx] ) that were present at the time of purchase but not disclosed by the selling dealer (starling Ford, titusville, FL). A certified independent ev repair facility (the electrified garage) inspected the vehicle on 11/17/2025 and documented the following safety defects: • failing/worn suspension components (control arms, thrust arms, cracked bushings) • torn sway-bar link boots • inoperative right-rear window regulator • driver window contacting internal wiring harness • moisture in the rear inner tail lamp • previous a/c drain blockage causing interior water intrusion these issues pose risks related to steering stability, electrical safety, visibility, and structural integrity. All of these conditions existed prior to the sale and were not disclosed. I am requesting NHTSA to log this complaint for federal safety review as these defects involve suspension, electrical moisture intrusion, and visibility issues that may impact the safe operation of the vehicle. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

After a high-voltage junction box repair performed by Tesla, the vehicle shut down 15 miles after leaving the service center. Tesla replaced the high-voltage harness at no cost but provided no explanation. After the hv harness replacement, new proximity/sensor alerts began triggering that were not present before their hv work. Multiple reasonable diagnostic procedures were refused, including bench-testing the sensors. Tesla is pressuring me to take possession of the vehicle without providing written confirmation that it is safe to operate following the hv system failure and subsequent replacement of hv components. I am concerned the vehicle may have unresolved high-voltage or wiring issues that could pose a safety hazard.

Rear emergency release cable does not open the trunk. The latch mechanism failed with a trunk full of groceries, I pushed down the rear setts to access the trunk compartment and crawled back and popped open the emergency release cable and it did not function. I have a service for the car scheduled for Dec 2nd to repair/replace the latch mechanism.

See all problems of the 2020 Tesla Model S 🔎.

The main touchscreen (mcu1) and instrument cluster on my 2014 Tesla Model S frequently freeze, reboot, or go blank while driving. When this happens, I lose access to defrost, turn signals, backup camera, and speed display. I contacted Tesla service, but they refused to repair or replace the unit under recall ea20-003 or the extended warranty, even though the symptoms match the known emmc 8gb memory failure. The black screen and frozen instrument cluster create a clear safety risk. Tesla should cover this issue under the recall or provide an equivalent mcu2 replacement if mcu1 parts are unavailable.

Needed to honk the horn to alert another driver of impending collision but the small button, now located to the right of the center of the steering wheels, is too hard to locate in a quick emergency situation. You look away , miss the button and set off wipers instead. ,. . . Shd be put back as pushable center.

I was using full self-driving (fsd) supervised capability. We were turning left and the car took us into an oncoming turn lane. I had to take over to get us out of the lane.

Tesla Model S 2021 long range: upon closing the rear trunk close button from the app or close button on the hatch, the hatch goes down but won’t lock. It gives 3 beeps. Upon pressing open, it won’t go up and gives 3 beeps.

See all problems of the 2021 Tesla Model S 🔎.

November 20, 2025 to the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) office of defects investigation subject: safety defect complaint – Tesla Model S I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious and dangerous safety defect involving my Tesla Model S. Safety defect summary:    •   after the high-voltage battery failed, the vehicle would not enter neutral.    •   I had to use tow mode in the middle of a street on a hill to avoid blocking traffic.    •   once in tow mode, the car could not enter park and the emergency/parking brake would not engage.    •   the car became completely free-rolling, posing danger to myself, other drivers, and pedestrians.    •   when Tesla returned the car to my home, their technicians also could not get the vehicle into park or activate any emergency braking system.    •   the car is currently stuck in tow mode in my driveway with physical objects placed behind the wheels to prevent it from rolling. Why this is a safety hazard: a vehicle that cannot shift into park, cannot use its emergency brake, and remains free-moving after a failure represents a serious safety defect. This occurred without warning and left the vehicle unsafe to operate or even store. Request: I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this as a potential safety defect affecting the Tesla Model S when the high-voltage battery fails. A car should never lose all ability to secure itself.

Car vents emit moldy smell when started , reported this to Tesla , they changed the filters but the smell still comes back, it seems other models besides s are facing it too, the technician from Tesla tells me to run high heat to kill any mold that might accumulate as condensation water from air conditioning is getting accumulated somewhere and not draining properly. This seems to me like a recall that should be done to fix it .

See all problems of the 2022 Tesla Model S 🔎.

On 09/18 , I was using the Smart summon feature of my Tesla Model S in the parking lot of costco, greenwood (indianapolis, in). The intent was to have the vehicle autonomously navigate from its parked spot toward my location, as designed and advertised by Tesla. During the summon operation: 1. The vehicle failed to correctly detect and avoid a fixed obstacle (the cart return stand where shopping carts are housed). 2. Instead of stopping or rerouting safely, the car collided with the structure, causing visible damage to the front of the vehicle. 3. While there was no damage to public property or injury to people, the incident demonstrated a serious safety risk, since pedestrians or nearby vehicles could have been struck had they been present. 4. The Smart summon system did not provide sufficient warning or correction during this event, despite being marketed as capable of safely maneuvering in such environments. This failure shows that the Smart summon feature did not perform as intended and behaved in an unsafe manner in a real-world public parking environment.

On [xxx], I was driving my recently purchased 2018 Tesla Model S (VIN: [xxx], mileage approx. [30,536]). The vehicle was purchased directly through Tesla’s app in late August 2025 and delivered to me the same day of the incident. Approximately 4. 5 hours after delivery, while driving with my son, white smoke began to come out of the cabin air vents. Within minutes, the smoke turned black and rapidly filled the interior of the car. I immediately pulled over and evacuated the vehicle with my son. Shortly after, the car caught fire and was completely destroyed. No modifications had been made to the vehicle, and it was sold to me as inspected and certified by Tesla. The sudden appearance of smoke from the vents and rapid escalation to a full vehicle fire posed a severe danger to me, my child, and others on the road. I am reporting this to NHTSA to document the incident and to request that the agency investigate whether Tesla Model S vehicles have underlying defects that may cause dangerous cabin fires shortly after use. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

An investigation has been conducted into a persistent and widespread defect affecting the 2015 Tesla Model S and other early models equipped with the first-generation media control unit (mcu1). This defect manifests as the physical degradation and spontaneous leakage of a sticky adhesive substance from the edges of the vehicle's central infotainment screen and instrument cluster. The leaking substance is not merely a cosmetic issue but presents a credible safety risk to vehicle occupants and the vehicle itself. The substance is a source of volatile organic compounds (vocs), a class of chemicals with a low boiling point that are known to off-gas into the ambient air, a problem exacerbated by high temperatures. Exposure to these compounds can lead to both acute and long-term health consequences, including respiratory irritation, headaches, and in some cases, serious chronic illnesses. Furthermore, the presence of flammable solvents and components within the adhesive, combined with the heat generated by the electronic components of the mcu1, creates a potential fire risk. This report is submitted to the NHTSA to provide a detailed, technical analysis of the adhesive degradation and leakage in the 2015 Tesla Model S. The purpose is to formally document this specific defect as a safety issue that warrants regulatory action, separate from but related to the manufacturer's previous recall for the mcu1's emmc memory wear. It is essential to demonstrate that the adhesive failure is not a cosmetic inconvenience but a distinct material failure with serious implications for occupant health and vehicle safety. This report aims to provide the necessary evidence and analysis to support a formal investigation and a comprehensive recall that fully addresses this physical defect.

The center touchscreen in my Tesla Model S developed a yellow discoloration and later began leaking a sticky fluid from the edges of the display. This fluid appears to be seeping from inside the screen and emits a noticeable odor. The touchscreen is the primary interface for controlling most of the vehicle’s safety-critical systems, including the backup camera, gear selection, climate control, lights, and driver assistance settings. The leak causes visible streaking and distortion on the display. This directly impacts the rearview camera feed — making it harder to see obstacles or pedestrians when reversing — which is a federally mandated safety feature under fmvss 111. The problem worsens in hot weather and may result in fluid dripping onto electronics below, creating an electrical hazard or sudden display failure while driving. This appears to be a known design flaw in which the adhesive or seal inside the display fails over time. The issue can impair visibility of safety alerts, rearview camera images, and vehicle status, posing a significant safety risk to occupants and others.

7/30/2025 the vehicle experienced a confirmed total loss of function to include steering, restraint, and braking functionality at approximately 60 to 65 miles per hour. This catastrophic failure placed myself and and others at severe risk. Although Tesla’s service notes confirm the event occurred, no corrective repair was performed. The vehicle was completely inoperative with a matter of seconds with no prior warning. At this point in time the car has continued to not operate the same steering and noises has been in the shop 5 times still no answer or repairs in regard to it shutting down or any other issues that continue to return. The last visit I was asked to purchase new tires because maybe that’s why, I did. I continue to be told nothing is wrong with the vehicle making me feel extremely defeated when I know the vehicle is not the same as it was.

While the car is parked and locked the rear driver side door opens in its own. The door handle does not present itself and is scheduled for repair. This is new and started happening today. Despite how many times I close it. It opens on it own. The door is locked when this happens. Door sitting still. Plugged in to charge and locked. The door opens on its own. It unlatches, does not fully open.

Hi, my trunk won't open when I press the button. This is the second occurrence that jas happend. When inside the trunk compartment the emergency cable to open the trunk is also not responsive and can not open the trunk. I think this is a big safety concern as the safety cord is there for a reason and in both cases id did not worked.

My driver's side of the vehicle looks like it's melting. I was informed by the service advisor at Tesla that this is a common issue, and the computer needs to be replaced at my expense.

On 5/20/25, I had my Tesla repaired as I had suspension issues. They repaired my car to rectify my suspension for both my front and rear tires. Then on 6/12/25, I was driving on the highway and going about 70-75 mph when I heard a huge pop. No warning indicators came on and something did not feel right. I figured nothing else came of it. I was about 30 miles away from home and when I got home, my tire was pushed inward. I was concerned on whether this was related to a bad repair since it was so soon to my previous repair and they indicated that they did not touch that area. After they saw my video, they indicated that the lower control arm of my rear tire broke and they indicated that this was just a damaged component. My biggest concern is that if this issue was not related to the repair work done a month ago, this could be bigger issue as I could have been very concerning that this part broke when I was driving at high speeds and I think it's warranted to check on the quality of the component. In my 40 plus years of driving, I have never experienced this happened to me. If you need documentation or video of how the tire and the axle looks, I can forward it to you. The vehicle has only been inspected by the Tesla dealership service center and as stated earlier, there weren't any warning signs or messages that showed as I specifically was looking for it when I heard the loud pop.

The recirculation button takes 3 presses to engage/disengage or 1. Sometimes 2. It's supposed to be an "intelligent" design. I'm sure there's software programming that determines when 2 presses are required vs 3 or 1 but to a driver it can be dangerous while focusing on the road. It should just be 1 press engages or disengages recirculation period just like other vehicles. Also, those buttons should be on the main page of the ipad screen. It shouldn't take opening 2-3 different pages on the screen to get to the recirculation button. Buttons that should be on the main page that you don't need to open several pages to get 1. Recirculation button 2. Ac button (it is a serious safety issue when trying to defrost on a humid day but it takes pressing several different buttons to get to the ac button that should just be out in the open like any other car. 3. Suspension height (sometimes you need to quickly change for clearance and if distracted by opening several pages to get to the suspension button, it is a safety issue) all those buttons should be lined up on the far left edge of the screen closest to the driver and preferably towards the top. It's a serious safety issue to be distracted by fidgeting around on the screen to get to those buttons that are supposed to be "right there".

For 2023, Tesla has put the horn on the steering wheel. It's a tiny button on the right side. When you are in a very precarious situation and you have to honk without thought, it is impossible to find it quickly. I have been almost hit several times because I couldn't honk. I am scared and it is dangerous. In 2024, they moved it back to where it belongs because they knew it was an issue. I have asked to have my steering wheel replaced to have the correct and safe horn and they said that they wouldn't unless it was a recall. I think this should be recalled. It is unsafe.

The center touchscreen is leaking a sticky glue-like substance and has visible bubbles forming inside the screen. This affects visibility and operation of essential vehicle functions like hvac, navigation, and defrost controls. This issue is worsen with heat exposure. The screen also freezes randomly.

On may 3, 2025, at approximately 2:00 pm edt, while driving a 2023 Tesla Model S on a busy highway in a high-density retail area, a vehicle suddenly pulled out from a driveway into the vehicle’s path, requiring an immediate honk to alert the driver. Due to muscle memory, the center airbag cover of the standard steering wheel was pressed, expecting the horn to sound, as is typical in most vehicles. However, the Model S uses a small capacitive horn button on the right side of the steering wheel, which could not be located quickly. The failure to honk in this critical moment necessitated a swerve to the left to avoid a collision, nearly causing an accident with another vehicle in the adjacent lane, which was fortunately a few feet behind. The capacitive horn button’s design is counterintuitive and hazardous, requiring precise pressing that often distracts from driving. This incident nearly resulted in a serious collision due to the delayed response caused by the horn’s placement. Previous experiences include accidentally activating windshield wipers when attempting to honk, increasing distraction. A prior complaint was filed with NHTSA about this issue, noting Tesla’s 2022 statement that vehicles built after November 2021 would receive a software update to enable a center horn. This vehicle, built in December 2022, lacks the necessary hardware, and Tesla has offered only a costly retrofit as a solution. This design flaw poses a significant safety risk by violating intuitive driving habits. Nhtsa is urged to investigate the Tesla Model S steering wheel’s horn design and mandate a recall or free retrofit to install a mechanical center horn, aligning with standard vehicle safety expectations.