Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
critical 29 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Of the 4 model years of Tesla Model S we track for steering problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 29.
A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
On certain Model S and Model X vehicles built from February 2021 to January 3, 2024, the material of the steering yoke cover might be susceptible to peeling (Figures 1 and 2).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗On some Model S and Model X vehicles, the LH and RH frame rail bolts might not have been tightened to specification, which could result in a creak or rattle noise coming from the front of the vehicle while turning the steering wheel at low speeds. This condition does not affect the structural integrity of the vehicle.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some model year 2021-2023 Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid vehicles running a vehicle software version earlier than 2023.44 may require a vehicle software update to address a mild vibration felt from the accelerator pedal and steering yoke/wheel that may occur during acceleration. This behavior does not affect the operation or safety of the vehicle. The software update adjusts certain motor controls during acceleration that may reduce the vehicle's rated range by up to 2 miles (3.2 km).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some model year 2021-2023 Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid vehicles running a vehicle software version earlier than 2023.44 may require a vehicle software update to address a mild vibration felt from the accelerator pedal and steering yoke/wheel that may occur during acceleration. This behavior does not affect the operation or safety of the vehicle. The software update adjusts certain motor controls during acceleration that may reduce the vehicle's rated range by up to 2 miles (3.2 km).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The 2021 Tesla Model S steering system generates two broad categories of complaints: ergonomic hazards tied to the yoke design and input controls, and mechanical failures in the steering mechanism itself.
Yoke ergonomics and controls dominate the narratives. Owners report the horn button placement on the yoke—typically on the right side near the wipers—creates a critical safety gap. In emergency situations requiring immediate horn activation, drivers instinctively press the wheel center (standard practice in all other vehicles), leading to delayed response, missed horn activation, or accidental wiper engagement. Several owners describe near-miss collisions where they couldn't locate the horn button in time. Turn signals are capacitive touch buttons on the yoke with no tactile feedback; owners report accidental activation, difficulty finding them during turns (especially roundabouts where the yoke is nearly inverted), and unreliable function. The trapezoidal yoke shape makes full rotations for U-turns or tight parking difficult; drivers report hand slipping, awkward arm positioning requiring crossed arms, and in at least one case, knee contact with the lower corners. One owner noted the wiper and volume controls sit millimeters from touch-activated turn signals, promoting accidental activation.
Mechanical issues include suspension creaking and popping on turns, a steering rack grinding noise with visible wheel skipping in hard turns, power steering assist loss, and complete steering lockup after parking (unlocking upon restart). One owner reported a bent lower control arm at 19k miles with no accident history. Yoke wrap material peels repeatedly even after warranty replacement. One complaint references difficulty aligning the vehicle due to suspension damage unrelated to any owner accident.
Same Tesla Model S steering reports on nearby years: 2022
Horn button located on the right side of the yoke steering wheel, not at the center. Drivers cannot find or activate it quickly in emergency situations, often accidentally triggering wipers instead. Multiple owners report near-miss collisions due to inability to sound horn.
When: Ongoing since delivery; incidents occur during emergency maneuvers and turns
Symptoms owners cite: Horn button not found in emergency situations; Windshield wipers activated instead of horn; Driver must take eyes off road to locate button; Difficult to activate horn during turns or roundabouts; Instinctive center-of-wheel pressing does not activate horn
Repairs/costs cited: Tesla has released retrofit yoke with center-mounted horn; owners report paying $1,000 for retrofit installation. Some owners denied warranty coverage for this safety defect.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla released updated yoke with horn relocated to center, available as retrofit. No formal recall issued as of complaint dates; Tesla service personnel reportedly unaware of or dismissive of complaints.
Turn signal buttons are capacitive touch controls on the yoke with no tactile feedback. Owners report random failures (signal stops working mid-drive), accidental activation when hands cross their location, and inability to reliably activate signals during turns or roundabouts. Buttons sit millimeters from volume control.
When: Ongoing since delivery; failures occur 2-3 times per week per one owner
Symptoms owners cite: Left turn signal randomly stops working; requires double-tap to restore; Turn signals activated accidentally during normal steering; Difficult to activate turn signals during roundabouts or tight turns; No tactile feedback to confirm signal activation; Confusion over whether signal is actually engaged
Repairs/costs cited: No repair noted in complaints; owners report inability to correct the issue.
Trapezoidal yoke design creates control and safety problems. Wheel only designed to be gripped while straight; full rotations for U-turns or hard turns require awkward arm positioning, crossed arms, or hand slipping. Lower corners of trapezoid protrude and contact driver knees at high seat positions. At least one 6-foot tall male reported knee contact even with wheel at highest position. Wheel rips through hands during controlled straightening after turns.
When: Ongoing since delivery; occurs during low-speed maneuvering, tight turns, and U-turns
Symptoms owners cite: Hands slip off wheel during turns requiring rotation; Must cross arms awkwardly to execute sharp turns; Wheel rips through hands during controlled straightening; Knee contact with lower corners of wheel; Difficult grip surface for hand positions at 9 and 3; Reduced control surface for low-speed maneuvering
Protective wrap material on yoke steering wheel peels off, exposing underlying surface. One owner had yoke replaced under warranty but replacement exhibit same peeling within 18 months. Potential grip safety issue as peeled sections become more slippery.
When: At 12,000 miles and recurring after warranty replacement at 18 months
Symptoms owners cite: Visible peeling of yoke wrap material; Peeled areas become slippery; Recurring defect on replacement parts
Repairs/costs cited: One replacement performed under warranty; Tesla refused second replacement, citing non-coverage as safety item.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla denied warranty coverage for second peeling yoke, refusing replacement.
Owners report audible popping and creaking sounds from front suspension when driving and turning the steering wheel. Tesla service claims this is normal body flexing. At least one owner notes this is concerning because panels rattling would be worse. No corrective action taken.
When: Ongoing; reported at 40k miles on one vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Popping and creaking sounds from front suspension during turns; Sound suggests loose component; Tesla attributes to body flexing rather than mechanical failure
Repairs/costs cited: Tesla refuses to address; claims no issue present.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla service claims this is normal body flexing and declines to repair.
Audible grinding sound from steering rack plus visible wheel skipping when turning hard left or right. Owner reported this issue four times; Tesla technicians claim they do not experience it or that it is normal. Recently developed additional loud whirring sound from right front wheel. Owner expresses concern the condition could deteriorate quickly, resulting in loss of steering control.
When: Ongoing condition reported multiple times; whirring sound recently developed
Symptoms owners cite: Audible grinding sound from steering rack during hard turns; Visible wheel skipping during hard turns; Loud whirring sound from right front wheel (recent development); Tesla test drives do not replicate issue
Repairs/costs cited: Tesla refuses to investigate beyond test drives despite four separate reports.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla technicians claim issue is not reproducible or normal for this model.
Power steering malfunction in brand-new vehicle (11 days old, 1,656 miles). Warning displayed: 'GTW_w074 - Steering assist reduced - Steering may require increased effort.' Owner reports this as a safety issue requiring NHTSA investigation.
When: January 26, 2022; vehicle 11 days old with 1,656 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Warning message: 'GTW_w074 - Steering assist reduced'; Steering may require increased effort
Codes mentioned: GTW_w074
Steering wheel locked up after backing out of parking space and turning. Owner could drive forward and reverse but had no steering control. Condition resolved after powering vehicle off and restarting. Happened twice in one day.
When: Occurred twice in single day; vehicle age/mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locked after parking and turn; No steering control; only forward/reverse possible; Condition resolved after vehicle restart
Right and left front end suspension failures requiring costly repairs. One owner reported bent or broken front lower control arm at 19,000 miles with no accident history; Tesla blamed customer. Another owner incurred $2,700 repair bill at 42,774 miles (4 months after warranty expiration) for front suspension issues. Service manager stated he sees this 'every day.' No trauma reported; only normal wear and tear.
When: At 19,000 miles and 42,774 miles; out of warranty in second case
Symptoms owners cite: Front end noise; Bent or broken lower control arm; Right and left front end suspension issues
Repairs/costs cited: Repair costs approximately $2,700 for front suspension correction; some covered under warranty, some out of warranty.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service manager admitted seeing these failures daily but did not indicate design issue or warranty coverage.
Vehicle accelerated unexpectedly during low-speed parking lot entry, overrode brake inputs, and crashed through parking barrier and fence. Vehicle logs recorded 100% acceleration at 16:55:59 and brakes applied at 16:56:02 (3-second delay). Tesla service report states '100% acceleration is cause of unwanted collision' but provides no explanation for the acceleration cause.
When: February 7, 2022; vehicle ~3 months old
Symptoms owners cite: Unintended acceleration during low-speed parking maneuver; Vehicle did not respond to brake input initially; Vehicle logs show 100% acceleration recorded, brakes applied 3 seconds later
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to service; $175 diagnostic fee charged. No repairs or explanation of cause provided.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla service confirmed 100% acceleration event but did not explain cause or provide remedy.
Vehicle in Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode failed to stop at two red lights within a three-hour period. In both cases, the vehicle attempted to drive through solid red signals. Driver had to manually intervene and apply brakes to prevent collision. No prior warnings or alerts. Vehicle unmodified.
When: October 17, 2025 (note: date appears to be future; may be data entry error)
Symptoms owners cite: FSD mode did not obey red lights; Vehicle attempted to proceed through solid red signal; No warning or alert prior to failure; Manual driver intervention required
Beta Autopilot misjudged road curve during left turn at low speed (<35 mph), veered slightly off road, and vehicle went over rock incline. Only side airbags deployed (both sides); front airbags did not. Vehicle traveled ~500 yards and shut off. Driver unable to sound horn or put vehicle in neutral. Owner reported to Tesla; initially told engineering would review in 5 weeks but later told Tesla would provide no information on analysis. Repair estimate $28,000-$30,000. Owner later learned of October 2021 recall for Forward Collision Warning issues but was unaware.
When: Date not specified; vehicle previously had Forward Collision Warning issues
Symptoms owners cite: Autopilot misjudged road curve; Vehicle veered off road onto rock incline; Only side airbags deployed; front airbags did not; Vehicle traveled ~500 yards then shut off; Horn inoperable after incident; Unable to shift into neutral after incident
Repairs/costs cited: Damage estimate $28,000-$30,000; vehicle at repair facility.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tesla initially offered 5-week engineering review; later declined to provide any analysis information.
Synthesized from 29 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Went to a Tesla dealership to get my car aligned. 4 days later they told me that my car couldn’t be aligned because my fron lower control arm was bent or broken. I purchased the car from Tesla with 5700 miles. The cad had about 19k miles when it went in for alignment. Seen owning the vehicle I never had an accident or damage to vehicle that would cause such damage. Like always they like to blame…
I’ve reported a continually present rack and pinion issue.. FOUR times. Tesla techs claim they don’t experience it or that it is ‘normal’ for this car. The car emits an audible grinding sound plus a visible wheel skipping when turned hard left or right. Today, the right front wheel began to emit a loud whirring sound in addition to the steering issue. Tesla refuses to investigate the issue…
Dear Sir/Madam, I am highly concerned about the safety of the newest versions of Tesla Model S, Model X (without stalks), CyberTruck and Model 3 with the code name Highland. These models pose a significant danger when operated without intuitive direction signals, especially in the following situations: 1) Roundabouts: It is nearly impossible to correctly activate the signal lights. Please refer…
The horn button on the yoke steering wheel is a safety hazard. In a situation that requires quick responsiveness immediate reaction is to press the center of the steering wheel. Tesla has come out with a retro fit and the new yoke has it in the center. I am paying $1,000 for the retro fit for my safety and the safety of others. I expect the NHS to also look at this concern and address to assist…
I have the yoke steering wheel. To activate the horn, you press on the right side of the steering wheel. I was driving at freeway speeds and a car did not see me and started to move into my lane. Due to the placement of the horn on the side next to windshield wipers, the wipers went on but not the horn. You have to take your eyes off the road to look down for the horn. Tesla is aware of the…
It's a serious issue. 29 complaints have been filed, including 2 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover steering issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.