E
World Of EVEditorial

2023 Tesla Model S problems & recalls

NHTSA has issued 13 recalls covering the 2023 Tesla Model S and owners have filed 113 complaints. The most-reported area is steering (20 complaints). 8 complaints describe a crash.

Recalls
13
Complaints
113
Crash reports
8
Fire reports
0
Injuries
0

Recalls (13)

May 5, 2026#26V283000

Back over prevention › Software

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017, 2021-2023 Model 3, 2020-2023 Model Y, 2021-2023 Model S, and Model X vehicles operating software version 2026.8.6. The rearview camera image may be delayed when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-00-001.

Mar 19, 2025#25V172000

Air bags

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model S and 2021-2025 Model X vehicles. An air bag with the incorrect horn pad may have been installed, preventing the horn from sounding.

Risk: An inoperative horn may prevent the driver from alerting other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla service will inspect and install an air bag with the correct horn pad as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-20-001.

Dec 24, 2024#24V967000

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Cushion

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Model S and Model X vehicles. The driver's air bag could tear during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 212, "Windshield Mounting."

Risk: A torn air bag may not adequately protect an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Tesla service will replace the air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 21, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-20-001.

Jul 24, 2024#24V554000Over-the-air fix

Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.

Risk: An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.

May 28, 2024#24V376000Over-the-air fix

Seat belts › Front › Warning light/devices

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.

Jan 30, 2024#24V051000Over-the-air fix

Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.

Jan 22, 2024#24V035000Over-the-air fix

Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model S, X, and Y vehicles equipped with full self-driving computer 4.0 and running a software release version 2023.44.30 through 2023.44.30.6 or 2023.44.100. Software instability may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying.

Risk: A rearview image that does not display while in reverse decreases the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-002.

Dec 19, 2023#23V862000Over-the-air fix

Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Model S and X vehicles. The cabin doors can be unlocked during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214, "Side Impact Protection."

Risk: An unlocked door may unlatch and open during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-009.

Dec 12, 2023#23V838000Over-the-air fix

Electrical system › Adas › Autonomous/self driving › Software

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.

Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.

Nov 3, 2023#23V743000

Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model S and Model X vehicles. An incorrect air bag may have been installed when the steering yoke or round steering wheel was replaced with a different style of yoke or steering wheel.

Risk: An air bag that is not designed to function with the replacement steering yoke or wheel may deploy incorrectly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and replace the driver air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-20-005.

Jul 14, 2023#23V489000

Forward collision avoidance › Sensing system › Camera

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The forward-facing camera may be misaligned, causing some of the active safety features such as emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane assist to become unavailable without alerting the driver.

Risk: Safety features that are unavailable without any warning to the driver may increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and adjust the pitch angle, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-17-006.

Jul 14, 2023#23V488000

Seat belts › Front

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Model S and Model X vehicles. The front-row seat belts may not be connected properly to the pretensioner anchors, which can cause the seat belts to detach.

Risk: A detached seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Tesla Service will inspect the front-row seat belts and connect the seat belts to pretensioner anchors, or replace the seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-20-004.

Feb 15, 2023#23V085000Over-the-air fix

Steering › Automated/adaptive steering

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation.  The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.

Risk: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge.  Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023.  Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.  Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.

Owner complaints (113)

What owners reported to NHTSA, by component. One complaint can name several components.

  • Unknown or other58
  • Steering20
  • Forward collision avoidance16
  • Electrical system9
  • Vehicle speed control6
  • Visibility/wiper6
  • Wheels5
  • Service brakes5
  • Exterior lighting5
  • Suspension4
  • Lane departure4
  • Seats3

Complaints over time

Jan 2023: 1 complaintFeb 2023: 0 complaintsMar 2023: 0 complaintsApr 2023: 1 complaintMay 2023: 1 complaintJun 2023: 1 complaintJul 2023: 2 complaintsAug 2023: 1 complaintSep 2023: 3 complaintsOct 2023: 4 complaintsNov 2023: 1 complaintDec 2023: 6 complaintsJan 2024: 13 complaintsFeb 2024: 7 complaintsMar 2024: 3 complaintsApr 2024: 6 complaintsMay 2024: 3 complaintsJun 2024: 9 complaintsJul 2024: 8 complaintsAug 2024: 2 complaintsSep 2024: 5 complaintsOct 2024: 2 complaintsNov 2024: 1 complaintDec 2024: 5 complaintsJan 2025: 0 complaintsFeb 2025: 1 complaintMar 2025: 1 complaintApr 2025: 2 complaintsMay 2025: 3 complaintsJun 2025: 2 complaintsJul 2025: 0 complaintsAug 2025: 1 complaintSep 2025: 2 complaintsOct 2025: 1 complaintNov 2025: 0 complaintsDec 2025: 3 complaintsJan 2026: 1 complaintFeb 2026: 0 complaintsMar 2026: 0 complaintsApr 2026: 1 complaintMay 2026: 2 complaintsJun 2026: 3 complaintsJul 2026: 1 complaintAug 2026: 3 complaintsSep 2026: 1 complaint202420252026
Complaints filed per month. Peak: 13 in Jan 2024. Hover a bar for its count.
Complaints filed per month
MonthComplaints
Jan 20231
Feb 20230
Mar 20230
Apr 20231
May 20231
Jun 20231
Jul 20232
Aug 20231
Sep 20233
Oct 20234
Nov 20231
Dec 20236
Jan 202413
Feb 20247
Mar 20243
Apr 20246
May 20243
Jun 20249
Jul 20248
Aug 20242
Sep 20245
Oct 20242
Nov 20241
Dec 20245
Jan 20250
Feb 20251
Mar 20251
Apr 20252
May 20253
Jun 20252
Jul 20250
Aug 20251
Sep 20252
Oct 20251
Nov 20250
Dec 20253
Jan 20261
Feb 20260
Mar 20260
Apr 20261
May 20262
Jun 20263
Jul 20261
Aug 20263
Sep 20261

Recent owner reports

Sep 9, 2026Suspension, Wheels, Service brakes

Catastrophic structural failure of the rear driver-side (LH) brake caliper assembly on a 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid at approximately 18,036 miles. While driving normally on a public roadway, the factory-installed rear LH brake caliper bolts backed out completely due to improper assembly torque or a latent material defect. The unbolted caliper detached entirely from its mounting bracket and collapsed into the spinning wheel barrel. The caliper became violently wedged between the wheel rim and the rotor, instantly puncturing the wheel, flattening the driver-side rear tire, damaging the passenger…

Aug 28, 2026Steering

My 2023 Tesla Model S has a horn activated by a small button on the right side of the steering wheel rather than by pressing the center of the steering wheel. During a recent dangerous traffic situation, I needed to use the horn immediately to warn another driver, but I could not locate and activate the horn button quickly enough while concentrating on avoiding the hazard. No collision occurred. The incident occurred approximately on August 23–24, 2026; I do not recall the exact date. I reported this to Tesla as a safety concern. Tesla confirmed that my vehicle can be converted to the newer…

Aug 10, 2026Unknown or other

My Tesla Model S has a touch-sensitive horn button on the right side of the steering wheel. In urgent situations, I've often had difficulty quickly locating it to get another driver's attention. Tesla quoted me $1800 to replace the steering wheel with a model that has the horn in the center, like most other cars. This is a safety concern because owners shouldn't have to pay to move the horn for safety reasons. Tesla should be required to retrofit any model with a touch button for the horn to one with the horn in the center of the steering wheel.

Aug 5, 2026Electrical system⚠ Crash

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while exiting a supercharging station with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature engaged, the message "Take Over Immediately" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle abruptly accelerated into an intersection and crashed head-on with another vehicle. The air bags deployed as needed. The contact stated that a Police report was filed; however, the report number was not provided. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it remained undiagnosed and unrepaired. The manufacturer wa…

Jul 28, 2026Seats

​The driver's seat assembly on the vehicle suffers from a critical mechanical and software tracking defect that causes the seat to permanently jam into a mechanical lock, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard. ​The electronic calibration soft-stops for the driver's seat allow the mechanism to travel past the safe limits of the track when indexed or operated. When the seat reaches the absolute mechanical limit of the rear rail, the lead screw/worm gear mechanism binds tightly, resulting in a total mechanical lock where the motor lacks the breakaway torque to reverse direction. This ca…

Jun 13, 2026Seat belts

Repeated warning of failure of Front left safety restraint system. Now also a seatbelt warning light. Have already bright car to service three times. Tesla acknowledges inability to resolve recurrent issue. I think this was a recall issue for previous years of this model, Model S. Most recent yesterday, Friday, June 12, 2026.

Jun 12, 2026Unknown or other

I feel Tesla has introduced two safety issues with a recent version of software relating to the "Full Self Driving (Supervised)" feature. Issue #1. When disengaging the Full Self Driving ("FSD") software, Tesla positions a dialog box over the main center display screen. The box takes up a fairly large portion of space. The purpose of the box is to provide feedback on the reason for disengaging FSD. This dialog box does not dismiss by itself. The only way for the user to dismiss it is to tap one of the 4 options presented or leave a voice message. This is an unnecessary distraction that in no…

Jun 4, 2026Electrical system

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the horn button on the right side of the steering wheel was not easily accessible. The contact was concerned that the issue could prevent the driver from beeping the horn during emergencies, increasing the risk of a crash. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to purchase the improved steering wheel designed with a center horn. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unavailable.

Tesla Model S news

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall and complaint records, updated Oct 1, 2026. Complaints are owner reports and are not verified by NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.