2018 Tesla Model S steering problems
15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the steering on the 2018 Tesla Model S — 9% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Steering the vehicle is extremely difficult leading to major safety concerns. When making turns, right or left, where the steering wheel travels greater than 90 degrees, the steering wheel becomes hard to push past that 90 degree mark (I am 6' 200lb man). Once past 90 degrees, the wheel will stay…”
filed Feb 10, 2026
“My 2018 Tesla Model S has a recurring safety-critical defect involving the steering system and the Chassis CAN communication network. On October 20, 2025, the vehicle had to be towed to a Tesla Service Center because it would not power on and displayed multiple safety alerts (traction control…”
filed Dec 11, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as…Campaign 23V085000 · Feb 15, 2023
- Electronic power assist steering (EPAS) system may experience a loss of power steering…Campaign 22V818000 · Nov 1, 2022
- "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software…Campaign 22V037000 · Jan 27, 2022
Steering problems in other Model S years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Model S | 4 | 11% |
| 2023 Model S | 19 | 17% |
| 2022 Model S | 20 | 15% |
| 2021 Model S | 29 | 17% |
| 2020 Model S | 10 | 13% |
| 2019 Model S | 4 | 9% |
| 2017 Model S | 46 | 11% |
| 2016 Model S | 86 | 13% |
| 2015 Model S | 51 | 8% |
| 2014 Model S | 27 | 7% |
| 2013 Model S | 29 | 6% |
| 2012 Model S | 1 | 2% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Tesla Model S
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.