By year
Owner complaints about Tesla vehicles peaked at 2,941 in 2022
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, 2009 to 2026. 2026 runs through October.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints and recalls files. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Make
Tesla
The complete NHTSA record for Tesla vehicles: owner complaints, recall campaigns, defect investigations and manufacturer communications, for every model and model year on file.
Most Tesla recalls are filed by Tesla.
Owner complaints in the last five years10,65513,725 on file in all, across 8 models
Recall campaigns9674 in five years
Severity index13.3Crash, fire, injury or death per 100 complaints
Investigations29686 service bulletins
Components
Driver assistance draws the most owner complaints about Tesla vehicles, 24% of them
Share of all owner complaints on file, by component.
Source: NHTSA ODI.
Models
The Model 3 has the most complaints of any Tesla model
Every Tesla model with complaints or recalls on file, by complaints. Counts are not rates: NHTSA publishes no sales volumes.
| Model | Model years | Complaints | Severity index | Recalls | Investigations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model 3 | 2017 to 2026 | 4,337 | 11.8 | 139 | 109 |
| Model Y | 2019 to 2026 | 4,201 | 14.6 | 103 | 74 |
| Model S | 2012 to 2026 | 3,396 | 13.2 | 153 | 174 |
| Model X | 2015 to 2026 | 1,546 | 13.9 | 125 | 125 |
| Cybertruck | 2023 to 2026 | 206 | 15.0 | 16 | 11 |
| Semi | 2022 to 2025 | 3 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Roadster | 2008 to 2011 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 4 |
| ROADSTER2 | 2010 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI. Recall counts add campaigns across model years, so a campaign covering three years counts three times.
Latest recalls
Recent campaigns listing a Tesla product
- 26V-558 Aug 31, 2026
One or more front suspension lateral link fasteners may not have been properly tightened, allowing the lateral link to loosen or separate from the…
Suspension · 19 vehicles - 26V-507 Aug 4, 2026
Headlight low beams may be too bright and exceed the maximum light output
Lighting · 20k vehicles - 26V-445 Jul 7, 2026
Vehicles were originally built for a foreign market and do not have knee air bags, may not be equipped with certain interior safety…
Airbags · 15 vehicles - 26V-315 May 18, 2026
Certification label may not have been installed
Equipment · 15k vehicles - 26V-283 May 4, 2026
Rearview camera image may be delayed when the vehicle is placed in reverse
Back-over prevention · 219k vehicles - 26V-255 Apr 21, 2026
Brake rotor stud holes may crack and allow the stud to separate from the wheel hub
Brakes · 173 vehicles - 25V-735 Oct 27, 2025
Incorrect surface primer may have been used to attach the lightbar to the windshield, causing the light bar to loosen and detach
Lighting · 6,197 vehicles - 25V-699 Oct 14, 2025
Vehicle controller software may cause the front parking lights to be too bright and exceed the maximum light output, adversely affecting the…
Electrical system · 64k vehicles - 25V-690 Oct 10, 2025
Battery pack contactors may fail, causing a loss of drive power
Electrical system · 13k vehicles - 25V-658 Oct 1, 2025
Reverse lights may fail to illuminate while the vehicle is in reverse, due to a defect in the wiring
Electrical system · 260 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.