NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
This page covers 28 recalls and 174 owner complaints for the 2021 Tesla Model S.
For the 2021 Tesla Model S, the dominant complaint pattern centers on the automatic emergency braking and forward collision avoidance system. Owners frequently report unexpected, hard braking events triggered by the system in situations where no actual obstacle is present, overpasses and highway transitions come up repeatedly as locations where the system appears to misread the environment and applies the brakes without warning. The steering system draws the second-highest complaint volume, with owners describing loss of control or unexpected steering behavior, particularly in situations involving the vehicle's driver-assist features. Electrical system complaints round out the top three, including reports of airbag and restraint warning alerts that owners say appeared without a clear triggering event. Several owners also report difficulty getting service appointments or being told their vehicle doesn't qualify for repairs related to issues they believe affect the same model year broadly.
174
Total Complaints
13
Crash-Related
2
Fire-Related
2
With Injuries
By System
The 2021 Tesla Model S has 28 recalls, the most serious involving the hood latch system, which can fail to detect or engage properly and allow the hood to fly open while driving, blocking the driver's view entirely.
Several recalls concern the airbag and restraint systems. The driver's airbag can tear during deployment because it catches on the steering wheel cover or because the airbag cushion itself is prone to tearing, leaving the driver underprotected in a crash. On vehicles where the steering yoke or wheel was replaced, the wrong airbag may have been installed, meaning it can deploy incorrectly. Side curtain airbag inflators may have been assembled incorrectly, causing delayed or improper deployment. Front seatbelts on certain vehicles may not be properly secured to their pretensioner anchors and can detach in a crash. A software issue can also cause doors to fail to stay latched during a side impact.
On the driver assistance and automation side, the Full Self-Driving Beta software can allow the car to roll through all-way stop intersections without stopping or to exceed posted speed limits. Autosteer may not adequately prompt drivers to remain attentive when the system reaches its limits. The automatic emergency braking system can activate unexpectedly due to a false forward-collision warning, stopping the car without warning. The electric power steering can lose assist after hitting a pothole or rough pavement.
During fast-charging, the infotainment processor can overheat and cause the center screen to go blank or lag, hiding the rearview camera image, warning lights, gear selection,
We may earn a commission for purchases made through these links.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may be delayed when you shift into reverse, affecting your ability to see behind the vehicle.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update to your vehicle over-the-air to fix the camera display delay.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
An air bag with an incorrect horn pad may have been installed, which prevents the horn from working properly.
What the fix does
Tesla service will inspect the air bag and install the correct one with the proper horn pad at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's air bag may tear when it deploys during a crash, reducing its ability to protect the driver.
What the fix does
Tesla service will replace the driver's air bag assembly at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The hood latch assembly may fail to sense when the hood is unlatched after being opened, potentially allowing the hood to open while driving.
What the fix does
Tesla released a free over-the-air software update to fix the latch detection system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat belt warning light and chime may not activate when the driver is unbelted, failing to alert the driver to fasten their seat belt.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a software update over the air to fix the warning system so it activates properly for unbelted drivers.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A factory reset can silence the Pedestrian Warning System sounds, which alert pedestrians to the vehicle's presence. The vehicle then fails to meet federal sound requirements for electric vehicles.
What the fix does
Tesla releases a free software update (2023.44.30.14) over-the-air to restore the Pedestrian Warning System sounds.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System warning lights on the instrument panel display in an incorrect font size, which does not meet federal brake system safety standards.
What the fix does
Tesla is releasing a free over-the-air software update to correct the warning light font size display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue may prevent doors from staying latched during a crash, which could cause the vehicle to not meet Canadian side impact safety requirements.
What the fix does
Tesla released an over-the-air software update to fix the problem. No action needed if your vehicle has software 2023.44.30 or later. Tesla will email affected owners.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Autosteer controls may not be prominent or clear enough to prevent drivers from misusing this advanced driver-assistance feature when it's engaged.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over the air to improve how Autosteer controls are displayed and managed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
An incorrect driver air bag may have been installed during steering wheel or yoke replacement, potentially making the air bag incompatible with the vehicle.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will inspect and replace the driver air bag if needed at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Front seat belts may have been incorrectly reconnected to their anchors during a repair, risking detachment during a crash.
What the fix does
Tesla will inspect your front seat belts and reconnect them to their anchors if needed, or replace the assembly if reconnection is not possible.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front-row seat belts may not be properly connected to the pretensioner anchors, which could cause the seat belts to detach during use.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will inspect the front-row seat belts and secure them to the pretensioner anchors, or replace the seat belt assemblies as needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The FSD Beta software may drive unsafely at intersections—going straight in turn-only lanes, not stopping at stop signs, or proceeding through yellow lights without caution. It may also not properly adjust for posted speed limits or account for driver speed changes above limits.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over the air to fix the FSD Beta system's intersection and speed-limit handling.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Driver side mirrors have curved glass that may affect visibility. Passenger side mirrors lack the warning label about object distance. These mirrors don't meet federal rear visibility safety standards.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will replace both mirrors at no cost. Contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 (recall SB-22-12-002).
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The power steering assist system may stop working when driving on rough roads or hitting a pothole, leaving you with manual steering only.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over-the-air to recalibrate the power steering system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The automatic window reversal system may fail to stop the window when it detects an obstruction, potentially trapping or injuring occupants.
What the fix does
Tesla will update the automatic window reversal system software over-the-air at no cost to fix the detection and reversal response.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
During fast-charging, the infotainment processor may overheat, causing the center screen to lag or go blank. This can disable the rearview camera, windshield wipers, defroster, drive modes, and warning lights.
What the fix does
Tesla will send an over-the-air software update to fix the processor overheating issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The infotainment computer may overheat when the vehicle prepares for or performs fast-charging, causing the system to lag or restart.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over-the-air that improves how the computer manages heat.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Boombox function can play sounds through an external speaker while driving, which may mask the Pedestrian Warning System sounds that alert nearby pedestrians.
What the fix does
A free software update will disable Boombox when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral, or Reverse modes, including Summon and Smart Summon features.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The right or left side curtain air bag inflators may have been assembled incorrectly and could fail to deploy properly in a crash.
What the fix does
Tesla Service Centers will replace the side curtain air bags at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Boombox function plays audio through an external speaker while driving, which can mask the Pedestrian Warning System sounds that alert pedestrians to the vehicle's movement.
What the fix does
A free software update will disable Boombox when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral, or Reverse, restoring pedestrian warning sounds.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software error may cause a heat pump valve to open unintentionally, trapping refrigerant in the evaporator and reducing defrosting performance.
What the fix does
Tesla will install a free over-the-air software update to fix the valve control error.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The audible chime that alerts the driver to an unbuckled seat belt may not sound when the vehicle starts.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over the air to restore the chime function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Full Self-Driving (Beta) software's rolling stop feature may allow the vehicle to pass through all-way stop intersections without fully stopping.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free over-the-air software update that disables the rolling stop functionality.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned, which can prevent the secondary hood latch from engaging properly.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will inspect the latch assembly and reposition it as needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver-front airbag may catch on the steering wheel cover when it inflates, potentially tearing the airbag and preventing it from inflating properly.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will replace the driver-front airbag. Schedule an appointment through the notification email you'll receive.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's air bag cushion may tear when it deploys during a crash.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will replace the driver's air bag at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software communication error may cause the forward-collision warning to activate falsely or trigger the automatic emergency brake system unexpectedly.
What the fix does
Tesla released a free over-the-air software update to fix the communication error.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
