2020 Tesla MODEL S

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2020 Tesla MODEL S has 123 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is driver assist/cameras problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: when backing up, multiple systems failed at the same time including backup camera, backup sensor distance visuals, backup sensor audio alerts, writing data to flash drive, gps sensors. tesla was unable to diagnose the sysfiles to identify the hardware issue behind the simultaneous failures because .

23 crash reports 7 injuries

123

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

23 complaints

19%

• When backing up, multiple systems failed at the same time including backup camera, backup sensor distance visuals, backup sensor audio alerts, writing data to flash drive, GPS sensors. Tesla was unable to diagnose the sysfiles to identify the hardware issue behind the simultaneous failures because
• The latest tesla update has caused significant increased number of "phantom breaking" episodes when using just cruise control on state highways. I had at least 10 episodes on my last 100 mile drive (not using autopilot, just cruise control). Worst events caused rapid breaking from highway speed of
• The Tesla when driving at 35 mph on AIA at or near the speed limit frequently has quick sudden phantom braking and acceleration. I have analyzed and believe I know the reason. There are many driveways. When cars enter or exit, these phantom braking events occur. Most often when another vehicle ( in

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 6 crashes

“When backing up, multiple systems failed at the same time including backup camera, backup sensor distance visuals, backup sensor audio alerts, writing data to flash drive, GPS sensors. Tesla was unable to diagnose the sysfiles to identify the hardware issue behind the simultaneous failures because ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

22 complaints

18%

• AS I WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY MY SPEEDOMETER DECIDED TO STOP WORKING AND SHOWED 0MPH. IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. REBOOTING THE SYSTEM FIXED THE ISSUE. I SPOKE TO TESLA SERVICE CENTER AND THEY TOLD THEY FOUND A FIRMWARE PROBLEM (THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT IS THE 1ST TIME HE SAW T
• I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK MY TESLA MODEL S IN A CHARGING SLOT IN THE TESLA KETTLEMAN CITY SUPERCHARGE STATION. AFTER LOCATING A VACANT SLOT TO MY RIGHT, I MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO THE SLOT. THE CAR COASTED INTO THE SLOT IN A PERFECT HEAD-IN FASHION WITH NO PROBLEM. MY FOOT WAS ON OR HOVERING OVER THE B
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THEY WERE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 6 MPH, WHEN THEY TAPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL LIGHTLY TO MOVE FORWARD SLIGHTLY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD AT HIGH SPEEDS CRASHING INTO THE BUILDING IN FRON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“AS I WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY MY SPEEDOMETER DECIDED TO STOP WORKING AND SHOWED 0MPH. IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. REBOOTING THE SYSTEM FIXED THE ISSUE. I SPOKE TO TESLA SERVICE CENTER AND THEY TOLD THEY FOUND A FIRMWARE PROBLEM (THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT IS THE 1ST TIME HE SAW T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

15 complaints

12%

• ON AUGUST 18 AT 4:30 PM, I HAD POSITIONED MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AGAINST THE PARKING MAT RISER IN MY GARAGE. I REMOVED PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND 'HOLD' TO ENGAGED. I PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON AND THE CAR ACCELERATED 3' FORWARD OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER INTO THE WORKBENCH. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE
• I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ONE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR THEN STOPPED. NO INJURIES.
• WHY ISN'T THE NHTSA INVESTIGATING AND STOPPING TESLA FROM BETA TESTING THEIR "SELF DRIVING" ABILITY ON CONSUMERS THAT NEVER CONSENTED? IT'S FRIGHTENING THAT THIS ORGANIZATION WOULD ALLOW A TECHNOLOGY TO BE USED THAT HAS KILLED PEDESTRIANS, DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. PLEASE STOP THIS FEATURE THAT WILL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 7 crashes

“ON AUGUST 18 AT 4:30 PM, I HAD POSITIONED MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AGAINST THE PARKING MAT RISER IN MY GARAGE. I REMOVED PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND 'HOLD' TO ENGAGED. I PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON AND THE CAR ACCELERATED 3' FORWARD OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER INTO THE WORKBENCH. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

14 complaints

11%

• I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE MY OWN EYES! HERE IS A 2020 MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD AAAAAND...THE BACK WHEEL HAS FALLEN OFF. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/36693460?ROWNUMBER=11 NOT IN A COLLISION. THE BACK SUSPENSION HAS SIMPLY FALLEN TO BITS. OH WELL, AT LEAST THE TESLA SHARE-PRICE IS UNHARMED. I GUESS
• HERE IS A 2020 MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/36680476?ROWNUMBER=134 THE SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED ON ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE CAR. THE LOWER FORE-LINK HAS BROKEN ON THE RH FRONT WHEEL. THE LH BACK WHEEL HAS GONE WHOMPY. NO AIR-BAGS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED. THERE IS NO
• HERE IS A 2020 MODEL S TESLA IN THE JUNKYARD HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/37268222?ROWNUMBER=4 IT HAS DONE JUST 1000 MILES SINCE BEING FACTORY GATED. IT HAS NOT BEEN IN A CRASH ( BUT THAT IS ONLY BECAUSE THE OWNER GOT LUCKY). THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS COLLAPSED AND THE WHEEL IS JAMMED UP I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE MY OWN EYES! HERE IS A 2020 MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD AAAAAND...THE BACK WHEEL HAS FALLEN OFF. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/36693460?ROWNUMBER=11 NOT IN A COLLISION. THE BACK SUSPENSION HAS SIMPLY FALLEN TO BITS. OH WELL, AT LEAST THE TESLA SHARE-PRICE IS UNHARMED. I GUESS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

10 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ALL SCREENS FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN THE CAR REBOOTED AND SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON LINE. TESLA SAYS THE USB MIGHT BE CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE CPU TO HAVE A VERY HIGH USAGE.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE REVERSING FROM HIS GARAGE, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED STEERING ASSIST REDUCE, AUTOPILOT SAFETY CONVENIENCE FEATURE UNAVAILABLE AND PARK ASSIST UNAVAILABLE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE HE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS DRIVING ON 12/19 2020 ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOST POWER IN STEERING WHICH HE HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THEN HE CONTACTED THE TESLA DEALER FOR TOW SERVICE FOR HIS CAR .THE CONTACT STATED HIS CAR WAS NOW AT TESLA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ALL SCREENS FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN THE CAR REBOOTED AND SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON LINE. TESLA SAYS THE USB MIGHT BE CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE CPU TO HAVE A VERY HIGH USAGE. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 123 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: When backing up, multiple systems failed at the same time including backup camera, backup sensor distance visuals, backup sensor audio alerts, writing data to flash drive, GPS sensors. Tesla was unable to diagnose the sysfiles to identify the hardware issue behind the simultaneous failures because
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: AS I WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY MY SPEEDOMETER DECIDED TO STOP WORKING AND SHOWED 0MPH. IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. REBOOTING THE SYSTEM FIXED THE ISSUE. I SPOKE TO TESLA SERVICE CENTER AND THEY TOLD THEY FOUND A FIRMWARE PROBLEM (THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT IS THE 1ST TIME HE SAW T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ON AUGUST 18 AT 4:30 PM, I HAD POSITIONED MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AGAINST THE PARKING MAT RISER IN MY GARAGE. I REMOVED PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND 'HOLD' TO ENGAGED. I PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON AND THE CAR ACCELERATED 3' FORWARD OVER THE PARKING MAT RISER INTO THE WORKBENCH. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SUSPENSION: I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE MY OWN EYES! HERE IS A 2020 MODEL S IN THE JUNKYARD AAAAAND...THE BACK WHEEL HAS FALLEN OFF. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM/VEHICLEDETAILS/36693460?ROWNUMBER=11 NOT IN A COLLISION. THE BACK SUSPENSION HAS SIMPLY FALLEN TO BITS. OH WELL, AT LEAST THE TESLA SHARE-PRICE IS UNHARMED. I GUESS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)