Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2021 Tesla Model S
NHTSA data on file today
The 2021 Tesla Model S has 24 NHTSA recall campaigns and 179 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Newest 20 recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #26V283000 Rearview Camera Image May Not Display/FMVSS 111 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V172000 Incorrect Horn Pad May Prevent Horn From Sounding NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V967000 Air Bag May Tear During Deployment/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V554000 Software May Fail to Detect Unlatched Hood NHTSA notice
- 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 #23V743000 Incorrect Front Driver Air Bag NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V488000 Seat Belt May Detach from Pretensioner Anchor NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V085000 Full Self-Driving Software May Cause Crash NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V818000 Loss of Power Steering Assist NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22E092000 Incorrect Side View Mirrors Installed/FMVSS 111 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V702000 Power Windows May Pinch/FMVSS 118 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V296000 Overheating May Cause Center Display Malfunction NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V235000 Pedestrian Warning Sound May Be Obscured/FMVSS 141 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V104000 Side Curtain Air Bay May Improperly Deploy NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V063000 Pedestrian Warning Sound May Be Obscured/FMVSS 141 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V050000 Windshield May Not Defrost Properly/FMVSS 103 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V045000 Seat Belt Chime May Not Activate/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Forward Collision Avoidance 48 complaints
- Unknown or Other 45 complaints
- Steering 29 complaints
- Electrical System 25 complaints
- Service Brakes 16 complaints
- Suspension 16 complaints
Of the 179 complaints on file, 13 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 179 complaints, owners report 5 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $7,000–$15,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2021 Tesla Model S has 179 owner complaints and 24 recall campaigns, indicating potential concerns with reliability. The high number of complaints and recalls for significant systems such as steering, electrical, and forward collision avoidance suggest typical reliability issues for this model. Limited data on specific failures constrains precise predictions.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| forward collision system | Unknown | $300–$2,000 | common |
| steering system | Unknown | $500–$2,500 | occasional |
| electrical system | Unknown | $600–$3,000 | 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.
- Annual tire rotation
- Brake fluid replacement every 2 years
- Cabin air filter replacement every year
- Battery coolant replacement every 4 years
- Suspension check every 2 years
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive steering
- Error messages on dash
- Forward collision alerts
- Battery charge issue
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2021 Tesla Model S at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.