Tesla Model S Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2014 draws 8.02 complaints per run and the 2012 2.07, a 3.9-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age, so 66.6% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 383 complaints, typically at 6.5 years.

Tesla Model S years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Tesla Model S — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2022	6.14	135	22	too new
2021	5.26	179	34	too new
2014	8.02	345	43	yes
2013	5.08	422	83	yes
2012	2.07	58	28	yes

ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2014 Model S asks a median $12,995, against $15,019 for a 2015, the next model year: about 13% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 3 Tesla Model S years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2014, 2013, 2012; the three worth hunting are 2012, 2013, 2014.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Tesla Model S — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	92	8.1%	covered
1 year	111	17.9%	covered
2 years	85	25.4%	covered
3 years	90	33.4%	covered
4 years	68	39.4%	you pay
5 years	78	46.3%	you pay
6 years	167	61%	you pay
7 years	175	76.5%	you pay
8 years	96	85%	you pay
9 years	86	92.6%	you pay
10 years	35	95.7%	you pay
11 years	21	97.5%	you pay
12 years	19	99.2%	you pay
13 years	9	100%	you pay

ROWS 14·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 33.4% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 66.6% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (8 years / 100,000–150,000 miles (battery & drive unit)) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 6% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Tesla Model S, the early trouble is Forward Collision Avoidance — reported at around 2.1 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 6.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Tesla Model S — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	383	6.5 yrs	6	8
Unknown Or Other	285	5.5 yrs	15	1
Suspension	203	4.8 yrs	40	7
Steering	100	4.1 yrs	9	1
Forward Collision Avoidance	93	2.1 yrs	9	—
Vehicle Speed Control	68	4.4 yrs	24	1
Power Train	67	7.1 yrs	1	—
Structure	60	5.4 yrs	6	1

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Model S's vehicle class. Per production run, the Dodge Charger draws 4.56, the Chrysler 300 4.11 and the Kia K5 3.08, against 5.53 for the Model S. That is the most complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Tesla Model S — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Model S	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Dodge Charger	5,784	133	1983–2026
Chrysler 300	6,171	86	1999–2026
Kia K5	486	21	2021–2026
Hyundai Sonata	16,220	152	1989–2026
Chevrolet Impala	10,373	98	1981–2026
Lincoln Continental	2,687	80	1981–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Tesla Model S

Recalls164 campaigns Fuel economy124 mpg best Common problems1,064 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space26 cu ft Used prices947 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2012–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Tesla Model S reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 5.53 against 3.73 for the average car, and more than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Model S years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2014, 2013, 2012. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2012, 2013, 2014. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Model S problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 6.5 years, followed by Unknown Or Other.

Will the warranty cover Model S problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 33.4% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 6% of the complaints here.

Is the Model S more reliable than the Dodge Charger?

No: 5.53 complaints per production run for the Model S against 4.56 for the Dodge Charger.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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