2020 Tesla Model S: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 120 complaints
120
Total Complaints
2,000mi
Median Mileage
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Top Issue
25
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

990 25th Percentile
2,000 Median Mileage
6,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
14
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
14
SUSPENSION
13
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
11
STEERING
10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
8
POWER TRAIN
6
SERVICE BRAKES
6
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
5

Severity Assessment

25
Crashes
0
Fires
8
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ALL SCREENS FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN THE CAR REBOOTED AND SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON LINE. TESLA SAYS THE USB MIGHT BE CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE CPU TO HAVE A VERY HIGH USAGE. ..."
"WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ALL SCREENS FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN THE CAR REBOOTED AND SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON LINE. TESLA SAYS THE USB MIGHT BE CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE CPU TO HAVE A VERY HIGH USAGE. ..."
"WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ALL SCREENS FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, THE BRAKES WORKED BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN THE CAR REBOOTED AND SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON LINE. TESLA SAYS THE USB MIGHT BE CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE CPU TO HAVE A VERY HIGH USAGE. ..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28