NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
This page covers 21 recalls, 131 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2022 Tesla Model S.
120 MPGe combined
Large Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted.
For the 2022 Tesla Model S, the heaviest complaint volume centers on the forward collision avoidance system, with owners frequently reporting phantom braking, the car applying brakes suddenly and without an obvious obstacle present. Steering draws the second-largest cluster of complaints, with owners describing unexpected inputs, stiffness, or loss of feel that required attention. Suspension and tire wear round out the pattern, with several owners reporting accelerated or uneven tire wear, particularly on the inner edges of rear tires, and at least a few noting cracked wheels on the 21-inch Arachnid fitment despite what they describe as normal driving conditions. A smaller number of reports describe an AC condensate drain leak sitting above the restraint system control module, which owners say caused multiple electrical systems, including turn signals and horn, to go offline.
131
Total Complaints
3
Crash-Related
By System
The 2022 Tesla Model S has 21 recalls, the most serious being a hood latch that can fail to detect an unlatched hood, allowing it to fly open while driving and blocking the driver's view entirely.
Several recalls involve the Full Self-Driving software: the system can allow the car to roll through an all-way stop without fully stopping, and in a broader set of driving scenarios it can exceed speed limits or behave unpredictably at intersections. A separate Autosteer recall addresses situations where the driver disengages from monitoring the road while the system is active and fails to take back control in time.
Airbag reliability is a recurring concern across multiple components. The driver's front airbag can tear during deployment or may not inflate properly due to assembly damage, the side curtain inflators may be assembled incorrectly causing delayed or partial deployment, and the front passenger airbag can deploy incorrectly in low-speed crashes due to a structural issue with the front bumper carrier. On some vehicles, a steering wheel or yoke replacement may have left behind an incompatible airbag that deploys incorrectly. There is also a recall for an airbag installed with the wrong horn pad, which disables the horn entirely.
Front seatbelts on certain vehicles may not be properly attached to their pretensioner anchors and can detach in a crash, and a software error can unlock cabin doors during a crash, risking a door opening under impact. The power windows may not reverse properly when they contact an obstruction, applying excessive pinching force.
On the visibility and screen side, the r
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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 driver-front airbag may have been damaged during manufacturing and might not inflate correctly in a crash.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will inspect your airbag and replace it if needed.
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
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
The cabin doors can unlock during a crash, failing to meet federal side impact protection standards.
What the fix does
Tesla released a free over-the-air software update to fix the door unlock issue.
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
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
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
The front bumper carrier structure may interfere with crash detection, causing the front passenger air bag to deploy incorrectly during low-speed crashes.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will replace the front bumper carrier structure at no cost.
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.
