672 of the
5,283 complaints filed about the Tesla Model S
are about the driver-assist systems —
13% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2017.
672
Complaints
13%
Share of all complaints
88
Crashes
0
Fires
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance complaints by model year
UPDATE to Complaint XXX. Reference VIN [XXX] Tesla Model S 2016. Incident XXX [XXX] XXX Report XXX. Tractor [XXX] Unit XXX + Trailer XXX. 11 sec forward camera video proves Tesla BEHIND trailer at Time 0, 30ft gap. Tesla travels 88ft (30ft gap + 53ft trailer + 5ft to diesel tank/step) in 3-4 sec to lateral impact at driver diesel tank/step. Calculation: 88ft/3sec=29ft/sec avg requires 50-60 mph peak. At 5 mph (7.33 ft/sec) would need 12 sec - impossible. Proves Sudden Unintended Acceleration. Lateral impact, video shake rightward, NOT CVC 21658(a) lane change. AEB failure + FCW failure, no braking/warning. Request EDR preservation. Contact [XXX] [XXX] [XXX]. OMB [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UPDATE to Complaint XXX. Reference VIN [XXX] Tesla Model S 2016. Incident XXX [XXX] XXX Report XXX. Tractor [XXX] Unit XXX + Trailer XXX. 11 sec forward camera video proves Tesla BEHIND trailer at Time 0, 30ft gap. Tesla travels 88ft (30ft gap + 53ft trailer + 5ft to diesel tank/step) in 3-4 sec to lateral impact at driver diesel tank/step. Calculation: 88ft/3sec=29ft/sec avg requires 50-60 mph peak. At 5 mph (7.33 ft/sec) would need 12 sec - impossible. Proves Sudden Unintended Acceleration. Lateral impact, video shake rightward, NOT CVC 21658(a) lane change. AEB failure + FCW failure, no braking/warning. Request EDR preservation. Contact [XXX] [XXX] [XXX]. OMB [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Backing out of driveway, the steering wheel was very hard to turn. The dash indicated the steering assist feature wasn't working. After restarting the software and the problem persisting, I investigated the assist motor/pump and found that the ground to the chassis was very corroded. I attempted to remove the nut to clean contacts and it sheared off. The grounding post had corroded through (white galvanic corrosion). I attached the assist motor ground to another point on the chassis and the power steering worked again.
NHTSA complaint #11757600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Supervised FSD does not have a remedy if it assigns an incorrect speed limit to the current roadway. The only action available is to disengage FSD. This incorrect speed limit happens quite often, especially in construction zones with temporary speed limit changes. Tesla used to have a ‘max speed’ setting that the driver could use to override an incorrect speed limit, but they removed that capability.
NHTSA complaint #11744863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Supervised FSD does not have a remedy if it assigns an incorrect speed limit to the current roadway. The only action available is to disengage FSD. This incorrect speed limit happens quite often, especially in construction zones with temporary speed limit changes. Tesla used to have a ‘max speed’ setting that the driver could use to override an incorrect speed limit, but they removed that capability.
NHTSA complaint #11744863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
This happens about 30%to 40% of the time when using Full Self Driving Supervised on HW3, FSD version 12.6.4, software version 2026.14.6. When changing marked lanes to the right, either initiated by FSD or the driver asking FSD to move to the right by engaging the right turn signals, it will do one of 2 things: 1. Change lanes properly about 70% of the time 2. Start and abort the lane. Hange swerving back and forth between the 2 lanes, ot 3. Does nothing and drives straight without changing lanes, all the while with the turn signals on. #2 is particularly dangerous.
NHTSA complaint #11744026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I noticed it happened before but I couldn't quite figure out what happened! I was driving down the local road and got ready to go under a overpass and next thing u know my EV just slammed on brakes like I was about to hit someone! Seatbelt choked me and made me gag! But when I came through this time It caught me off but after that I realized there's a problem,especially going under that overpass! This couldn't been very dangerous to anyone! This is a VERY DANGEROUS and IMPORTANT SAFETY CONCERN! I STRIVE SAFETY AND THIS COULD BE FATAL!! I NEED TO REACH SONEONE IN SAFETY! ASAP
NHTSA complaint #11737492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I was in full self driving mode and was travelling North bound 110 freeway transitioning to 405 freeway Northbound. In the right lane. Transition curved left. looked at my speed for a split second and as i looked up we were a split second from hitting freeway barrier head-on. We crashed through the barrier and ended on the embankment of the freeway. My car front end was totally demolished, front airbags went off. I was ok, but my wife suffered a L1 vertebrae fracture and was taken to Harbor UCLA Hospital for treatment. She was released 9 hours later with a back brace and pain meds. The accident occured at 8:34 am Sunday April 5th, Easter sunday while on our way to church. Its been over a month and my wife is still in a back brace, but healing slowly. USB Drive taken out of the glove box showed that all cameras cut off about 10 seconds before the crash. Not sure if the whole system turned off.
NHTSA complaint #11737104 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My car had a software update last night. This morning, there is now a forced "feedback" prompt that comes on the information screen whenever I disengage the autopilot. This prompt grays out the rest of the screen and does not disappear until I manually select a feedback option. This forced prompt is very distracting, requiring manual user input to get rid of, which makes driving distracting and dangerous.
NHTSA complaint #11734662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Using FSD. Stopped at a stop sign making a UPL into a 4-lane 35 MPH posted street. TWICE now there was a small opening which would require an aggressive accelerator - it started the turn stopping a full car length into the first lane and decides it's going to wait for closing traffic from the right. Obviously stopping in the middle of new oncoming traffic from the left is not very wise. This has happened 3 times with 2026.8.3 and I've never seen it before - twice i gunned it to force the short turn but missed it once. Definitely a pucker maneuver.
NHTSA complaint #11733796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This issue involves critical safety systems, including the rearview camera, front camera, and Autopilot/driver assistance features. The vehicle was taken to Tesla for a recall related to the MCU system. Tesla marked the recall as completed, but no effective repair was performed. The rearview camera remains unavailable, the front camera system is not functioning properly, and driver assistance features continue to be disabled. Tesla returned the vehicle without resolving the safety issue. This condition poses a serious safety risk, as essential visibility and safety systems are not operational despite a completed recall.
NHTSA complaint #11730301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
multitude of electrical problems: Fuel/Propulsion System, Lighting, and body controls along with all ADAS: Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance systems are impacted by random intermittent glitching as computer screen bubbling progressed with goo leaking out of the bottom of the main computer. Most recent symptom was disabling of ALL ADAS systems along with automatic high beam headlight switching. Long ago as screen began to bubble and express fluid the low windshield washer alert came on and remains even when the tank is full. Then the charge port responsiveness degraded and stopped automatically functioning requiring user to bypass by clicking the "open charge port", then waiting 3 seconds, then tapping "unlock charge port". User must perform this as remote manual operation from a NACS charging handle button push will FAIL. Long ago the computer controlled 'home link' module would have excessive time delays on the order of hours or days from when the user would program and or operate the function. I even had a "phanthom" car appear by the computer calculations with E-Braking before the ADAS system failed fully, a 1.0 Tesla system should not have that... Windows have randomly rolled down and the driver side rear door will unlock and open on its own as the door handles present themselves. The safety risk class is unknown unknown; if the root problem is the screen filling leaking on electronics any number of unknown, unplanned, unstudied risk failure modes exist that can not be predicted. Schematically the HOMELINK is on connector X429 sharing CANBUS connections impacting safety: Driver "Instrument Cluster", DAS systems connected to "Power Steering ECU", "iBooster ECU", "ABS / Stability ECU", "Passive Restraints Controller"... see CAN Network - Chassis drawing page 11 , "Energy System - Charger Logic Connections" "Instrument Cluster / LIN" pg35
NHTSA complaint #11721787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
multitude of electrical problems: Fuel/Propulsion System, Lighting, and body controls along with all ADAS: Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance systems are impacted by random intermittent glitching as computer screen bubbling progressed with goo leaking out of the bottom of the main computer. Most recent symptom was disabling of ALL ADAS systems along with automatic high beam headlight switching. Long ago as screen began to bubble and express fluid the low windshield washer alert came on and remains even when the tank is full. Then the charge port responsiveness degraded and stopped automatically functioning requiring user to bypass by clicking the "open charge port", then waiting 3 seconds, then tapping "unlock charge port". User must perform this as remote manual operation from a NACS charging handle button push will FAIL. Long ago the computer controlled 'home link' module would have excessive time delays on the order of hours or days from when the user would program and or operate the function. I even had a "phanthom" car appear by the computer calculations with E-Braking before the ADAS system failed fully, a 1.0 Tesla system should not have that... Windows have randomly rolled down and the driver side rear door will unlock and open on its own as the door handles present themselves. The safety risk class is unknown unknown; if the root problem is the screen filling leaking on electronics any number of unknown, unplanned, unstudied risk failure modes exist that can not be predicted. Schematically the HOMELINK is on connector X429 sharing CANBUS connections impacting safety: Driver "Instrument Cluster", DAS systems connected to "Power Steering ECU", "iBooster ECU", "ABS / Stability ECU", "Passive Restraints Controller"... see CAN Network - Chassis drawing page 11 , "Energy System - Charger Logic Connections" "Instrument Cluster / LIN" pg35
NHTSA complaint #11721787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
multitude of electrical problems: Fuel/Propulsion System, Lighting, and body controls along with all ADAS: Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance systems are impacted by random intermittent glitching as computer screen bubbling progressed with goo leaking out of the bottom of the main computer. Most recent symptom was disabling of ALL ADAS systems along with automatic high beam headlight switching. Long ago as screen began to bubble and express fluid the low windshield washer alert came on and remains even when the tank is full. Then the charge port responsiveness degraded and stopped automatically functioning requiring user to bypass by clicking the "open charge port", then waiting 3 seconds, then tapping "unlock charge port". User must perform this as remote manual operation from a NACS charging handle button push will FAIL. Long ago the computer controlled 'home link' module would have excessive time delays on the order of hours or days from when the user would program and or operate the function. I even had a "phanthom" car appear by the computer calculations with E-Braking before the ADAS system failed fully, a 1.0 Tesla system should not have that... Windows have randomly rolled down and the driver side rear door will unlock and open on its own as the door handles present themselves. The safety risk class is unknown unknown; if the root problem is the screen filling leaking on electronics any number of unknown, unplanned, unstudied risk failure modes exist that can not be predicted. Schematically the HOMELINK is on connector X429 sharing CANBUS connections impacting safety: Driver "Instrument Cluster", DAS systems connected to "Power Steering ECU", "iBooster ECU", "ABS / Stability ECU", "Passive Restraints Controller"... see CAN Network - Chassis drawing page 11 , "Energy System - Charger Logic Connections" "Instrument Cluster / LIN" pg35
NHTSA complaint #11721787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Tesla Model S has a notorious back hatch latching failure. It’s a flawed design that every replacement is a “when” and not “if for failure. As an owner its failed be about 4-5 times in 5+ years of ownership. The hatch back latching issue causes cruise control as well as their Autopilot steering navigation feature to be disabled when latch starts acting up or failing to fully close, which are helpful safety components to keep your car on the road going at proper speeds and staying in lane. Reporting this in hopes someone pushes Tesla to do something about this flaw that should be a manufacturers defect.
NHTSA complaint #11714890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tesla Model S has a notorious back hatch latching failure. It’s a flawed design that every replacement is a “when” and not “if for failure. As an owner its failed be about 4-5 times in 5+ years of ownership. The hatch back latching issue causes cruise control as well as their Autopilot steering navigation feature to be disabled when latch starts acting up or failing to fully close, which are helpful safety components to keep your car on the road going at proper speeds and staying in lane. Reporting this in hopes someone pushes Tesla to do something about this flaw that should be a manufacturers defect.
NHTSA complaint #11714890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2016 Tesla Model S (45,500 miles) is experiencing a complete failure of the Media Control Unit (MCU1), resulting in a total loss of the rearview camera display and defrost/defogging controls. This is a critical safety hazard. The unit was previously replaced by Tesla in 2021 under NHTSA Recall 21V-035. However, this replacement part has failed again after only a few years of low-mileage use. Tesla Service is refusing to provide a free repair or a goodwill discount for an MCU2 upgrade, claiming the 'recall repair' only had a 1-year warranty. It is unacceptable that a safety-critical component replaced under a federal recall fails twice in 45,000 miles. Tesla has failed to provide a permanent fix for the eMMC defect identified by NHTSA. By refusing to restore the camera functionality without charging full price, Tesla is knowingly allowing a safety defect to persist. I request an investigation into these premature failures of recall-replaced components
NHTSA complaint #11711765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.