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#BS-2023-TESMOD-49262023 Tesla Model S
Based on reports from 149 owners and 12 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Think Twice
Based on 149 complaints, 11 crashes, 0 fires, and 12 recalls. Complaint rate is 3.3x the class average.
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
18 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 16K miles.
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Steering (18 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
2023 Tesla Model S: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Steering Issues
Steering complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2023 Tesla Model S, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 16,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 16K-mile mark.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control Issues
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2023 Tesla Model S, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking Issues
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2023 Tesla Model S, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Speed Control Issues
Speed Control complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 2023 Tesla Model S, with 6 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 2023 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 (12 recalls)
STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING
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.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Model S and Model X vehicles. The front-row seat belts may not be connected properly to the pretensioner anchors, which can cause the seat belts to detach.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The forward-facing camera may be misaligned, causing some of the active safety features such as emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane assist to become unavailable without alerting the driver.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model S and Model X vehicles. An incorrect air bag may have been installed when the steering yoke or round steering wheel was replaced with a different style of yoke or steering wheel.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:DRIVER MONITORING:SOFTWARE
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.
+ 7 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.
2023 Tesla Model S vs. Class Average (Large Cars)
This vehicle
149
Class avg
45
3.3x 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. 149 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 12 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 →2023 Tesla Model S: Frequently Asked Questions
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What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
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Get the Full 2023 Tesla Model S Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 149 owner reports. Know before you buy.