Tesla Model S: which model years to avoid
Complaint and recall totals for every Tesla Model S model year we track, ranked by severity.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crashes | Fires | Severity | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 59 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 186.4 High | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
| 2013 | 459 | 11 | 41 | 19 | 146.0 High | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
| 2014 | 365 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 255.9 High | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
| 2021 | 175 | 24 | 13 | 2 | 77.7 Medium | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE |
| 2022 | 136 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 8.8 Low | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
Across 5 model years, the 2014 Tesla Model S carries the highest severity index (255.9, driven by electrical system), while the 2022 is the cleanest at 8.8.
Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold; a high-volume seller will attract more filings than a rare trim.