NHTSA has received 38 owner complaints about the 2024 Tesla Model S, or 14.2 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.34, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 89 model-year 2024 vehicles we track, it ranks #26 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Tesla models its rate is 79% lower; against other Electric vehicles it is 75% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2024-05-07 and 2026-04-20. Median delay from incident to filing: 1 days.
38Complaints
14.2Complaints per year on the road
0.34Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
6Recalls
5.3%Share involving a crash or fire
4Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2023) drew 30.5 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2025) drew 3.6 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2024 model collected 36 complaints, 49% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Driver-assist systems (42.1% of complaints), followed by Electrical (18.4%) and Interior & equipment (13.2%). Driver-assist systems complaints are 7.3 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Driver-assist systems reports, owners most often mention “warnings detriment”, “proper blinker”, “manually proper”, “affects entire” and “blinker safety”. 2 reports (5.3%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 1 injury and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 10 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the first year (60% of incidents). In the last 12 months 4 new complaints were filed, versus 28 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls for this model year. 40% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses. 6 NHTSA defect investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions” (opened 2026-03-18, still open).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.34
vs. other Tesla models0.21
vs. other 2024 models0.37
vs. other Electric vehicles0.25
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (36)0.51
When parked behind another parallel parked car with no one behind me, it Auto shifted into drive instead of reverse which caused me to collide into the parked car infront of me.
Interior & equipment · 2025-03-03 · ODI 11646100 · Crash
I was using summon to pull my car forward out of the parking spot and when I let go of the button the car continue driving forward indefinitely until I chased it down and touch the door handle
Electrical · 2025-02-12 · ODI 11642295
2024 Tesla Model S. Repeated rear tire and rear wheel failures with abnormal wear and possible rear alignment or suspension-related defect.
Wheels, tires & suspension · 2026-04-20 · ODI 11732580
The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that after an update was performed over the air (OTA), the scroll option changed, and the contact was unable to control the speed of the vehicle. There was no longer a maximum speed limit.
Electrical · 2026-01-07 · ODI 11709357
The design of the emergency opening (No power to normal opening system) of the rear passenger doors is flawed, unsafe and should never have been approved for production.
Body & structure · 2025-10-03 · ODI 11691293
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model S and 2021-2025 Model X vehicles. An air bag with the incorrect horn pad may have been installed, preventing the horn from sounding.
Risk: An inoperative horn may prevent the driver from alerting other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla service will inspect and install an air bag with the correct horn pad as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-20-001.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE Campaign 25V002000 · 2025-01-07
Summary: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Model 3, Model S, 2023-2025 Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The computer circuit board may short, resulting in the loss of the rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Tesla will also identify any vehicles that experienced a circuit board failure, or stress that may lead to a circuit board failure, and replace the affected computers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-00-001.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:CUSHION Campaign 24V967000 · 2024-12-24
Summary: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Model S and Model X vehicles. The driver's air bag could tear during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 212, "Windshield Mounting."
Risk: A torn air bag may not adequately protect an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla service will replace the air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 21, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-20-001.
Summary: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.
Risk: An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.
Summary: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR Campaign 23V743000 · 2023-11-03
Summary: 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.
Risk: An air bag that is not designed to function with the replacement steering yoke or wheel may deploy incorrectly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and replace the driver air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-20-005.
FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsOpen
EA26002 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS · Opened 2026-03-18 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening this Engineering Analysis to evaluate Teslaâs Full Self Driving Beta and Full Self Driving (Supervised) (collectively, FSD) degradation detection system. The focus of this investigation will be to assess the systemâs ability, when encountering reduced roadway visibility conditions, to detect degradation and alert the driver with sufficient t…
Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engagedOpen
PE25012 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS · Opened 2025-10-07 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
The Office of Defects Investigation (âODIâ) is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety consequences of FSD executing driving maneuvers that constitute traï¬c safety violations. This investigation concerns versions of FSD that Tesla has labeled as "FSD (Supervised)" and "FSD (Beta)." Tesla characterizes FSD as an SAE Level 2 partial automat…
Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting RequirementsOpen
AQ25002 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS · Opened 2025-08-20 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
The Office of Defects Investigation (âODIâ) has identified numerous incident reports submitted by Tesla, Inc. (âTeslaâ) in response to Standing General Order 2021-01 (the âSGOâ), in which the reported crashes occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports. The majority of these reports involved crashes in which the Standing General Order in place at the time required a…
Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.Closed
On January 6, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation 24003 (PE24033) to investigate Actually Smart Summon (Summon) sessions resulting in crashes during active sessions. According to Tesla, Summon is a short-distance SAE Level 2 system, controlled by the user from a cell phone within a certain distance and intended for use in parking lots and on private prope…
FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsClosed
PE24031 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS · Opened 2024-10-17 · Closed 2026-03-18 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
On October 17, 2024, NHTSAâs Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24031) of Teslaâs Full Self Driving Beta and Full Self Driving (Supervised) (collectively, FSD) to assess: the ability of the FSD system to detect and respond appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions; whether any other FSD crashes had occurred under degraded roadway visibility co…
Recall 23V838 Remedy EffectivenessOpen
RQ24009 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:DRIVER MONITORING:SOFTWARE · Opened 2024-04-25 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening a Recall Query to assess the remedy adequacy of Recall 23V838. On December 12, 2023, Tesla filed a Defect Information Report (Recall 23V838) applicable to all Tesla models produced and equipped with any version of its Autopilot system, which Tesla described as an SAE Level 2 (L2) Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). Autopilot is the simulta…
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2024 Tesla Model S?
38 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2024 Tesla Model S, or about 14.2 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2024 Tesla Model S?
The most common category is Driver-assist systems, accounting for 42.1% of complaints.
Does the 2024 Tesla Model S have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 safety recall(s) for this model year. 6 NHTSA defect investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions” (opened 2026-03-18, still open).
Is the 2024 Tesla Model S still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 4 new complaints were filed, versus 28 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.
How does the 2024 Tesla Model S compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 38 owner complaints about the 2024 Tesla Model S, or 14.2 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.34, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 89 model-year 2024 vehicles we track, it ranks #26 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Tesla models its rate is 79% lower; against other Electric vehicles it is 75% lower.