2018 Tesla MODEL S problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
168 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
16,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 68 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 36 of 168 complaints (21.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 45 | 26.8% |
| Steering behavior | 27 | 16.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 13 | 7.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 1.2% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 36 |
| Electrical System | 31 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 30 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 27 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 |
| Service Brakes | 25 |
| Suspension | 20 |
| Steering | 15 |
Unknown Or Other: 36; Electrical System: 31; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 30; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 27; Vehicle Speed Control: 27; Service Brakes: 25; Suspension: 20; Steering: 15
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 52 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 52; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (52). 100 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 15 |
| 2020 | 28 |
| 2021 | 19 |
| 2022 | 34 |
| 2023 | 28 |
| 2024 | 17 |
| 2025 | 14 |
| 2026 | 7 |
2018: 6; 2019: 15; 2020: 28; 2021: 19; 2022: 34; 2023: 28; 2024: 17; 2025: 14; 2026: 7
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 45 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 13 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11102347 · 2018-06-18 (June 18, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, THE SPEED INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE DROVE THROUGH THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE THAT WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG AND KNEE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS HAD NOT DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SHOULDER AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A COLLISION REPAIR FA…
Owner-reported narrative. 49 miles reported. Look up ODI 11102347 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11300152 · 2020-01-17 (January 17, 2020)
IT WAS ON FRIDAY MORNING ON JANUARY 11TH 2020 AT 8.30AM. I WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN FRONT OF MY MEDICAL OFFICE WHERE I HAVE PRACTICED FOR 21 YEARS. I WAS IN AN OUTDOOR PARKING DECK. I TOUCHED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARDS AND HIT A CONCRETE WALL IN FRONT OF IT. I KNOW THAT I DID NOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR. I WAS SLAMMED INTO MY STEERING WHEEL. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 30 YEARS AND HAVE DRIVEN A TESLA FOR 5 YEARS. I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11300152 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11228597 · 2019-07-01 (July 1, 2019)
I DROVE TO WORK ON MAY 2, 2019, AND WAS TRYING TO PARK IN MY ALLOTTED PARKING STALL ON THE 3RD LEVEL OF MY OFFICE PARKING GARAGE. MY PARKING STALL WAS ALONG THE OUTER EDGE OF THE GARAGE AND THE ONLY BARRIER TO THE OUTSIDE WAS A SET OF THREE (ABOUT " DIAMETER) CABLES STRUNG BETWEEN OUTSIDE COLUMNS OF THE GARAGE, BESIDES A THIN PERFORATED CORRUGATED METAL SHEET OUTSIDE THE CABLES, ACTING AS A RAIN STOP. I WAS TRYING TO SLOWLY TURN RIGHT FROM THE PARKING AISLE TO PARK BETWEEN TWO PICKUP TRUCKS ON EITHER SIDE OF MY STALL. WHEN I HAD TURNED PARTWAY…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,946 miles reported. Look up ODI 11228597 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11282952 · 2019-11-30 (November 30, 2019)
TWICE RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, THE CAR COMPUTER STARTED FAILING. LIGHTS WENT OUT, TURN SIGNALS DIDN'T WORK, EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE SCREEN AND DASHBOARD THAT LET YOU DRIVE TURNED BLANK. I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO QUICKLY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESET THE CAR BY PRESSING AND HOLDING THE TWO BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION.
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11282952 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11270166 · 2019-10-22 (October 22, 2019)
ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. ONE TIME, THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN AT A STOP SIGN NEARBY MY OFFICE; THE SECOND TIME, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN BUT ALL OF THE OTHER ELECTRONS: SPEEDOMETER, TURN SIGNALS, RADIO STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I PULLED OVER, THE ENTIRE CAR SHUT DOWN. BOTH INSTANCES REQUIRED A "HARD STOP" TO RE-START THE CAR. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE SOFTWARE HAS NOT BEEN RECENTLY UPDATED. HOWEVER, YOU NEED WI-FI TO UPDATE THE SOFTWAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11270166 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11311755 · 2020-02-26 (February 26, 2020)
AS I WAS PARKING THE CAR, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, WENT OVER THE CURB AND HIT A TREE AT HIGH SPEED. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DURING THE CRASH AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS BADLY DAMAGED. I SMELT SMOKE IN THE CAR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. WE GOT OFF THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AFRAID OF THE BATTERY GOING INTO FLAMES. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY. THIS WAS SUCH AN UNUSUAL EVENT AND A FREAKY ACCIDENT AS THE CAR ACCELERATED AS I WAS PARKING IT. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP BEFORE IT ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. IT MUST BE …
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11311755 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11300887 · 2020-01-21 (January 21, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD AND IMPACTED INTO THE WALL OF A BUILDING. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AS WELL AS THE BUILDING CAUSING ITS ELECTRIC TO SHUT OFF. NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ASKED ABOUT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND CONFIRMED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES OR SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE AFTER THE I…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11300887 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11385287 · 2020-12-28 (December 28, 2020)
THE VEHICLE DOWNLOADED TESLA UPDATE ON 12/27/20202. THE FIRMWARE VERSION IS 2020.48.26. AFTER THE UPDATE WAS INSTALLED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL HAD VERY SMALL ILLEGIBLE FONT. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INDICATOR LETTERS (P, D, R) WERE TOO SMALL TO READ WHICH IS CRITICAL. MPH, AND PERCENTAGE OF POWER REMAINING WERE ALSO NEAR ILLEGIBLE AS WELL.
Owner-reported narrative. 20,394 miles reported. Look up ODI 11385287 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11388101 · 2021-01-14 (January 14, 2021)
THE LATEST MODEL S SOFTWARE UPDATE SHRANK THE SIZE OF THE FONT OF SEVERAL CRITICAL PIECES OF INFORMATION ON THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD. THESE INCLUDE THE GEAR SELECTION (PARK, DRIVE, ETC), THE REMAINING BATTERY CHARGE (FUEL TANK EQUIVALENT), EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE AND TIME. I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO RAPIDLY IDENTIFY THIS KEY INFORMATION WITHOUT EXTRA EFFORT OR PUTTING ON READING GLASSES. LAST WEEK, WHILE AT AN ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING GARAGE AT WORK, I ADVANCED BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY ACCESS BADGE HAD OPENED THE GATE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT (THE GATE) CAME DOWN …
Owner-reported narrative. 17,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11388101 at NHTSA ↗