Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2013 Tesla Model S
NHTSA data on file today
The 2013 Tesla Model S has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 461 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #24V376000 Seat Belt Warning System Malfunction/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V153000 Muted Pedestrian Warning Sound/FMVSS 141 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V051000 Incorrect Font Size on Warning Lights/FMVSS 105 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V838000 Autopilot Controls Insufficient to Prevent Misuse NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V035000 Center Display Can Lose Rearview Camera Image NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V204000 Loss of Power Steering Assist Due to Corrosion NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V031000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V260000 Parking Brake may not Release or Fully Apply NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V780000 Front Seat Belts may be Incorrectly Secured NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V006000 Plug in vehicle charger/Possible fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V249000 Seat Back Mounting may Fail NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 195 complaints
- Unknown or Other 122 complaints
- Suspension 92 complaints
- Power Train 35 complaints
- Steering 29 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 25 complaints
Of the 461 complaints on file, 41 report a crash and 19 a fire; across all 461 complaints, owners report 24 injuries and 5 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2013 Tesla Model S has a moderate number of complaints (461) and 11 recall campaigns. Electrical system issues are most prevalent, followed by suspension and power train problems. Though not an extensive dataset, these issues suggest an average reliability. Recall data shows a range of mostly minor compliance issues rather than major part failures.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | Unknown | $400–$3,000 | common |
| Suspension | 60,000–90,000 miles | $500–$2,000 | occasional |
| Power train | Unknown | $1,000–$5,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Replace cabin air filter annually
- Rotate tires every 6,000 miles
- Brake fluid check annually
- Battery coolant service every 50,000 miles
- Inspect AC desiccant bag every 2 years
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unusual suspension noises
- Battery system warnings
- Loss of power steering assist
- Erratic speed control
- Instrument cluster malfunctions
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2013 Tesla Model S at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.