Tesla Model S reliability by year
153 recalls and 1,194 owner complaints across 14 model years. Best year to buy: 2012. Year to avoid: 2021.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 4 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2012 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 14 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Model S aggregated across 14 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Tesla Model S?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2012 Tesla Model S scores 6.0/10 — the strongest in the 2012–2025 range. 59 complaints on file, 8 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Tesla Model S year should I avoid?
The 2021 Tesla Model S scores 2.8/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 175 owner complaints with NHTSA, 24 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2021 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Tesla Model S should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2021 (avoid — the steering — 1 fatality report and 2 crash-related complaints on the steering); 2014 (avoid — the electrical system — 2 fatality reports and 5 fire-related complaints on the electrical system); 2013 (avoid — the electrical system — 2 fatality reports and 12 fire-related complaints on the electrical system); 2022 (high-risk ownership — reliability score 3.6/10 — below the segment average). The cleaner years on the data are 2012. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Tesla Model S are tracked?
14 model years (2012 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 153 recalls and 1,194 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Tesla Model S?
electrical is the most-reported category — 353 complaints across 5 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.