Tesla Model S years to avoid— and the best years
8 Model S model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
Every Model S model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 #1 | D | 9 | 9 · 1/yr | 424 · 47/yr | not rated | |
| 2018 #2 | D | 8 | 11 · 1.4/yr | 169 · 21/yr | not rated | |
| 2019 #3 | D | 7 | 10 · 1.4/yr | 44 · 6/yr | not rated | |
| 2020 #4 | D | 6 | 11 · 1.8/yr | 80 · 13/yr | not rated | |
| 2023 #5 | F | 3 | 13 · 4.3/yr | 113 · 38/yr | not rated | |
| 2021 #6 | F | 5 | 23 · 4.6/yr | 179 · 36/yr | not rated | |
| 2022 #7 | F | 4 | 20 · 5/yr | 138 · 34/yr | not rated | |
| 2016 #8 | F | 10 | 10 · 1/yr | 647 · 65/yr | ★★★★★ | 1 critical |
The Model S years to check hardest
last 2 of 8 ranked years2016 Tesla Model S
The 2016 Model S: 10 recalls in 10 years on the road (1 a year, 1 critical: air bags) — also steering ×3, electrical system ×2, seat belts; 647 owner complaints to NHTSA, 65 a year (most often suspension (209) and electrical (150)); owners reported 92 crashes, 12 fires, 64 injured; NHTSA investigation EA26002 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE25012 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation AQ25002 (open, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2022 Tesla Model S
The 2022 Model S: 20 recalls in 4 years on the road (5 a year) — electrical system ×6, air bags ×4, back over prevention ×2; 138 owner complaints to NHTSA, 34 a year (most often automatic emergency braking (46) and steering (21)); owners reported 3 crashes; NHTSA investigation EA26002 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE25012 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation AQ25002 (open, electrical system).
The Model S years the record favours
first 2 of 82017 Tesla Model S
The 2017 Model S: 9 recalls in 9 years on the road (1 a year) — steering ×3, electrical system ×2, seat belts; 424 owner complaints to NHTSA, 47 a year (most often electrical (114) and suspension (107)); owners reported 55 crashes, 4 fires, 23 injured; NHTSA investigation EA26002 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE25012 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation AQ25002 (open, electrical system).
2018 Tesla Model S
The 2018 Model S: 11 recalls in 8 years on the road (1.4 a year) — electrical system ×3, steering ×3, back over prevention ×2; 169 owner complaints to NHTSA, 21 a year (most often automatic emergency braking (70) and electrical (34)); owners reported 36 crashes, 3 fires, 21 injured; NHTSA investigation EA26002 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE25012 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation AQ25002 (open, electrical system).
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about Model S years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Tesla Model S years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2016, 2022 rank lowest of the 8 Model S model years WhichTrim can rank (2016–2023): the 2016 — 10 recalls in 10 years (1 a year), 1 critical, 647 complaints (65 a year); the 2022 — 20 recalls in 4 years (5 a year), 138 complaints (34 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Tesla Model S year to buy used?
The 2017 Tesla Model S has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal D, 1 recall a year on the road and 47 complaints a year. The 2017 Model S: 9 recalls in 9 years on the road (1 a year) — steering ×3, electrical system ×2, seat belts; 424 owner complaints to NHTSA, 47 a year (most often electrical (114) and suspension (107)); owners reported 55 crashes, 4 fires, 23 injured; NHTSA investigation EA26002 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE25012 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation AQ25002 (open, electrical system). That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2016 Tesla Model S reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2016 Model S: 10 recalls in 10 years on the road (1 a year, 1 critical: air bags) — also steering ×3, electrical system ×2, seat belts; 647 owner complaints to NHTSA, 65 a year (most often suspension (209) and electrical (150)); owners reported 92 crashes, 12 fires, 64 injured; NHTSA investigation EA26002 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE25012 (open, electrical system); NHTSA investigation AQ25002 (open, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Tesla Model S have?
Across the 8 ranked model years (2016–2023) NHTSA has posted 107 recall campaigns against the Tesla Model S, and owners filed 1,794 complaints. Across every model year on file (2016–2026) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.