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#BS-2016-TESMOD-49262016 Tesla Model S
Based on reports from 993 owners and 10 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 993 complaints, 154 crashes, 23 fires, and 10 recalls. Complaint rate is 15.6x the class average.
Top reported problems
touchscreen wont turn on
1 complaints • Severity 6/10
door handles will not open door
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
mcu 1 failure
1 complaints • Severity 8/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
206 owners reported suspension issues — failures commonly reported around 26K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (336 reports) • Median: 26K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Suspension (206 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2016 Tesla Model S: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Suspension Issues
Suspension complaints account for 21% of all reports filed for the 2016 Tesla Model S, with 206 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 25,944 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 26K-mile mark.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 14% of all reports filed for the 2016 Tesla Model S, with 140 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Steering Issues
Steering complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2016 Tesla Model S, with 83 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Speed Control Issues
Speed Control complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2016 Tesla Model S, with 75 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Tesla Model S. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (10 recalls)
PARKING BRAKE
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.
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
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."
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
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.
+ 5 more recalls in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Tesla Model S is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is electrical.
2016 Tesla Model S vs. Class Average (Large Cars)
This vehicle
993
Class avg
64
15.6x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical large cars vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 993 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 10 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Tesla Model S Model Years
View all Tesla Model S years →2016 Tesla Model S: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Tesla Model S?
Is the 2016 Tesla Model S reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2016 Tesla Model S problems?
Does the 2016 Tesla Model S have any recalls?
What mileage do Tesla Model S problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
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Get the Full 2016 Tesla Model S Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 993 owner reports. Know before you buy.