2023 Tesla Model S problems & reliability
113 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Tesla Model S, alongside 13 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown / Other | 58 | 51% |
| Steering → | 20 | 18% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance → | 16 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 9 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 5% |
| Visibility/wiper | 6 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 4% |
| Wheels | 5 | 4% |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 20 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Catastrophic structural failure of the rear driver-side (LH) brake caliper assembly on a 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid at approximately 18,036 miles. While driving normally on a public roadway, the factory-installed rear LH brake caliper bolts backed out completely due to improper assembly torque or a latent material…”
Service Brakes · filed Sep 9, 2026
“My 2023 Tesla Model S has a horn activated by a small button on the right side of the steering wheel rather than by pressing the center of the steering wheel. During a recent dangerous traffic situation, I needed to use the horn immediately to warn another driver, but I could not locate and activate the horn button…”
Steering · filed Aug 28, 2026
“My Tesla Model S has a touch-sensitive horn button on the right side of the steering wheel. In urgent situations, I've often had difficulty quickly locating it to get another driver's attention. Tesla quoted me $1800 to replace the steering wheel with a model that has the horn in the center, like most other cars. This…”
Unknown / Other · filed Aug 10, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
Engineering Analysis EA26002 · opened Mar 18, 2026 · open
- Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged
Preliminary Evaluation PE25012 · opened Oct 7, 2025 · open
- Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting Requirements
Audit Query AQ25002 · opened Aug 20, 2025 · open
- Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.
Preliminary Evaluation PE24033 · opened Jan 6, 2025 · closed Apr 3, 2026
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
Preliminary Evaluation PE24031 · opened Oct 17, 2024 · closed Mar 18, 2026
- Recall 23V838 Remedy Effectiveness
Recall Query RQ24009 · opened Apr 25, 2024 · open
- Sudden Unintended Acceleration
Defect Petition DP23002 · opened Jun 29, 2023 · open
- Defect Petition Interlock Request
Defect Petition DP23001 · opened Apr 7, 2023 · closed Mar 18, 2026
Technical service bulletins
73 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2023 Tesla Model S. The 10 most recent:
On some Model S and Model X vehicles, the compression gap of the HVAC drain funnel seal is wider than intended, which may cause water ingress. Inspect the sponge area of the HVAC drain funnel for water ingress. If water…
SB-26-18-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 4, 2026
On certain Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles, the interior camera requires replacement to mitigate reduced driver attentiveness detection performance in low-light conditions.
SB-24-17-005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 3, 2025
Some Model S and Model X vehicles with 1st Generation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antennas might suffer from lower-than-expected navigation signal strength under certain circumstances.
SB-24-21-002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 21, 2025
On certain Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles, the interior camera requires replacement to mitigate reduced driver attentiveness detection performance in low-light conditions.
SB-24-17-005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2025
Some Model S and Model X vehicles with 1st Generation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antennas might suffer from lower-than-expected navigation signal strength under certain circumstances.
SB-24-21-002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 11, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
fsd-12-5-4-1_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
fsd-12-5-4_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
fsd-12-5-3_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
2024.38_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
2024.26.9_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2023 Tesla Model S has 13 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2023 Tesla Model S?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.