2016 Tesla Model S
Counts come from unverified consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and cannot be compared between models — how to read them.
Common problems reported on the 2016 Tesla Model S
| Component group | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 202 | 33.4% |
| Unknown or Other | 142 | 23.5% |
| Electrical System | 134 | 22.2% |
| Steering | 80 | 13.2% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 74 | 12.3% |
| Service Brakes | 53 | 8.8% |
| Exterior Lighting | 49 | 8.1% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 35 | 5.8% |
| Structure | 28 | 4.6% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 24 | 4.0% |
| Back Over Prevention | 20 | 3.3% |
| Lane Departure | 14 | 2.3% |
604 complaints filed between April 12, 2016 and December 15, 2024.
At what mileage the Tesla Model S failed
| Component group | Median | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 10,000 | 147 |
| Electrical System | 50,361 | 91 |
| Steering | 5,000 | 63 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5,000 | 56 |
| Service Brakes | 7,757 | 31 |
| Exterior Lighting | 49,500 | 30 |
| Structure | 26,000 | 13 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 42,000 | 17 |
| Back Over Prevention | 41,500 | 12 |
Across all components, half the reported failures happened before 26,000 miles, with the middle half falling between 5,000 and 53,000. Based on the 378 complaints (63%) that record a mileage.
A low figure does not mean the car stops working at that mileage. It means the reported failures clustered early, which most often points to a fault built into a production batch — usually the kind of thing a warranty repair or a recall campaign addresses.
How this mix compares with other model years
| Component group | Here | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 0.7% | 16.6% |
| Electrical System | 22.2% | 13.4% |
| Power Train | 1.8% | 10.2% |
| Unknown or Other | 23.5% | 10.2% |
| Service Brakes | 8.8% | 6.4% |
| Steering | 13.2% | 6.2% |
| Air Bags | 2.0% | 5.8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2.2% | 4.5% |
This compares the subjects of the complaints, not how many there are. A share needs no denominator, so unlike a count it can honestly be held against a norm — but a group sitting above the typical share means people complained about that part more often relative to everything else on this car, not that the car is worse than another.
Parts named by name
| Part | Complaints | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|
| Structure: Body | 26 | 34,100 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 21 | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 14 | — |
| Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection | 7 | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 6 | — |
| Lane Departure: Assist | 5 | — |
| Lane Departure: Warning | 5 | — |
Most filers pick a category and stop there; only 16% of this model year’s complaints name a specific part. This table is that minority, so treat it as detail on top of the distribution above rather than as the whole picture. A dash means too few of those complaints record a mileage to publish a median.
How serious the complaints were
- 14.7% Crash reported 89 of 604
- 1.8% Fire reported 11 of 604
- 5.1% Injury reported 31 of 604
- 1.0% Death reported 6 of 604
Reported across all complaints on file: 64 injuries and 8 deaths. These shares sit within this model’s own complaints — they say nothing about how it compares to another model.
Recall campaigns
10 campaigns. A recall repair is free at a dealer regardless of how many owners the car has had. Check the car’s own VIN — a campaign listed here may already have been carried out on it.
24V376000 Seat Belts: Front: Warning Light/Devices May 28, 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
Campaign covered 125,233 vehicles across model years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
24V051000 Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel January 30, 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Consequence: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
Campaign covered 2,193,869 vehicles across model years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
23V838000 Electrical System: Adas: Driver Monitoring: Software December 12, 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Consequence: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
Campaign covered 2,031,220 vehicles across model years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
23V085000 Steering: Automated/Adaptive Steering February 15, 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.
Consequence: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Campaign covered 362,758 vehicles across model year 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
22V037000 Steering: Automated/Adaptive Steering January 27, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.
Consequence: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
Campaign covered 53,822 vehicles across model year 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
21V00B000 Latches/Locks/Linkages: Hood: Latch December 21, 2021
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2014-2021 Model S vehicles. The front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned, preventing the secondary hood latch from engaging. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 113, "Hood Latch System."
Consequence: If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and reposition the latch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 18, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-11-003.
Campaign covered 130,441 vehicles across model years 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
21V035000 Back Over Prevention: Software · Exterior Lighting: Turn Signal · Visibility: Defroster/Defogger/HVAC System January 29, 2021
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center display functions.
Consequence: The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-21-001.
Campaign covered 134,951 vehicles across model years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
19V002000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 7, 2019
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2014-2016 Model S vehicles equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began May 29, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-19-20-001.
Campaign covered 68,673 vehicles across model years 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
18V204000 Steering: Electric Power Assist System March 29, 2018
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with Bosch steering racks. The aluminum bolts that attach the power steering gear assist motor to the gear housing may corrode and fracture causing a reduction or complete loss of power steering assist.
Consequence: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the steering gear mounting bolts and add a corrosion-preventative sealer, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-18-32-002.
Campaign covered 70,421 vehicles across model years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
17V260000 Parking Brake April 19, 2017
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electric parking brake calipers have an internal gear that may be improperly manufactured, possibly resulting in the gear fracturing during parking brake application or release.
Consequence: If the gear breaks during parking brake release, the vehicle will not be able to be moved. If the gear breaks during parking brake application, the parking brake may not adequately hold the vehicle, potentially resulting in the vehicle rolling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will replace both the left and right electric parking brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2018. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-17-33-002.
Campaign covered 31,709 vehicles across model years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
NCAP crash-test ratings
No NCAP result is published under this model name for this year. That is not a poor score — it means the lookup returned nothing, which also happens when NHTSA files the rating under a different body or trim name.
Pre-purchase inspection checklist
Written and checked by someone who does this work; it is not derived from the data. The complaint counts decide only the order: the assemblies this model’s owners complain about most come first. Sections covering the combustion engine and the automatic transmission are not shown — this car has neither.
Suspension, control arms, steering
Related complaint groups: Suspension (202), Steering (80)
With the car parked
- Rock the steering wheel briskly left and right. Knocking and free play point to ball joints, tie rod ends or the rack. This is the most productive check of this assembly without a lift.
- Rock each wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock (ball joint, wheel bearing) and at 3 and 9 o’clock (steering linkage).
- Inspect the bushings for cracks and separation, and the ball joint boots for damage.
On the road
- Dull knocking from the front over small bumps. The cause cannot be determined without a lift: sway bar links are inexpensive, control arms cost several times more, and by ear the two are indistinguishable. A knock is grounds to require an inspection on a lift before purchase — not grounds to walk away from the car.
- Whether it pulls to one side on a level road, and whether the wheel returns to center after a turn.
Red flags
- Uneven tread wear — almost always alignment
- A recent alignment in the paperwork with no explanation of why
- One control arm noticeably newer than the rest
Cost if it needs work: Low to moderate. Depends on what turns out to be the source. Plus an alignment after the replacement.
Electrical system
Related complaint groups: Electrical System (134), Exterior Lighting (49)
With the car parked
- With the ignition on, before starting, every warning light should come on and then go out once the engine runs. None coming on at all is worse than one staying lit: the bulb may have been removed or disabled in software.
- Click through everything: windows from every switch, mirrors, heated elements, climate control on all settings, the radio, the camera, the parking sensors, cruise control.
- Every exterior light, including running lights, brake lights, side repeaters and the license plate lamp.
- Battery terminals for corrosion, and the date on the battery.
- Cabin and trunk for signs of water: damp carpet under the mats, condensation in the headlights, rust on the seat mounts. Water in the electrics causes faults that are extremely hard to trace.
On the road
- Whether anything dims when several high-draw consumers are switched on at once.
- A second hot start after the drive.
Red flags
- A dashboard with no warning lights at all when the ignition is on
- Signs of water ingress
- Homemade wiring, twisted joints, tape under the dash
- Several small non-working functions at once — usually one common root cause
Brakes
Related complaint groups: Service Brakes (53)
With the car parked
- Brake fluid level and color. Clear yellow is fresh; dark brown has not been changed in a long time.
- Fluid at the lower mark with no leaks usually means worn pads: the pistons have extended and the fluid has moved into the calipers.
- Pad thickness through the spokes of the wheel. Check the disc for a lip at the outer edge and for deep scoring.
- Inside face of the wheels: an even dark dust film is normal; one wheel noticeably dirtier than the others may indicate a sticking caliper.
- Hoses for cracks and bulges, lines for corrosion.
On the road
- First stop at low speed: the pedal should be firm, with no sinking.
- Accelerate to 40–45 mph and brake moderately. Pulsing through the pedal or the steering wheel usually means warped discs.
- Braking on flat dry pavement: pulling to one side requires further inspection.
- The ABS light should come on with the ignition and go out after the engine starts.
- A feeling that the car is driving "as if towing a trailer" may indicate binding brakes.
- The car squatting at the rear when pulling away may indicate parking-brake cables or stuck rear shoes.
After the drive
- Hold your palm near each wheel without touching the disc or the caliper — after braking they will burn you. Compare only left against right on the same axle: the front is always hotter than the rear, and that is normal. A noticeable difference between the two wheels of one axle requires further inspection.
Red flags
- The pedal slowly sinks to the floor when held down
- An illuminated ABS or brake system warning light
- Fresh fluid together with completely worn pads
Cost if it needs work: Moderate. Confirm actual cost against local prices at the time of purchase.
Airbags and the VIN recall check
Related complaint groups: Air Bags (12), Seat Belts (1)
The most reliable procedure in this library — it does not depend on hearing, experience or inspection conditions.
Required procedure
- Take the VIN from the car itself — the windshield on the driver’s side, the door pillar, the paperwork — not from the listing.
- Check that VIN in NHTSA’s official recall lookup.
- A recall repair at a dealer is free regardless of how many owners the car has had. An open recall is a reason to visit a dealer, not a reason to haggle.
- An open airbag recall is grounds not to buy the car until it has been fixed.
Inspection
- The SRS light should come on with the ignition and then go out. Not coming on at all probably means it has been disabled deliberately.
- Airbag covers on the wheel and dash: uneven gaps, mismatched texture, marks from removal.
- Seat belts: pull each one out to full length and check for chafing, tears and water marks. The inertia reel should lock when pulled sharply.
Axles and CV joints
Related complaint groups: Power Train (11)
With the car parked
- Turn the steering to full lock and inspect the outer CV boots on both sides for cracks, splits and thrown grease on the inner face of the wheel and in the wheel arch. A split boot on a joint that is still sound is a cheap repair today and an expensive one in six months.
On the road
- Empty parking lot, steering at full lock, slow circles in both directions. A rhythmic clicking points to an outer CV joint; the side is identified by the direction of the turn.
- Vibration under acceleration in a straight line that disappears when you lift off may indicate an inner CV joint.
Cost if it needs work: Relatively low. A good indicator of how the car has been treated overall.
The Tesla Model S year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Median mileage | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 439 | 69,000 | 11 |
| 2014 | 342 | 52,000 | 9 |
| 2015 | 640 | 49,000 | 9 |
| 2016 (this page) | 604 | 26,000 | 10 |
Read the mileage column down this table with care. A newer year has simply been driven less, so its median sits lower for that reason alone — the figure is censored from above by how long the cars have been on the road, not only by how they were built. The same applies to the complaint counts: an older year has had more years in which to collect them.
Where the mileage figure does compare cleanly is between different models of the same year, which have had the same time to accumulate miles.