Tesla Model S: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Tesla Model S: 7 model years scored from 883 NHTSA owner complaints and 60 recall campaigns. Worst year 2013, best year 2012.
Tesla Model S: which years to avoid
Across 7 scored model years the Tesla Model S ranges from 58/100 in 2013 to 89/100 in 2025 — a 31-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Electrical System (195 of them).
Safest years: 2012, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Editor's note
The early Model S (2012–2015) carries complaints about the drive unit, the retractable door handles, the touchscreen's eMMC memory chip wearing out — the subject of a 2021 recall — and the suspension. Later years shift toward Autopilot and touchscreen complaints. The record is unusual in that the most complained-about component is software, not mechanical. MotorJury carries battery-warranty and replacement-cost figures for every Tesla year.
Read the guide
Used Tesla Model S and Model 3: what the record says and what it cannot — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
How the Model S changed, run by run
The federal record falls into 2 stretches of years that behave alike. A redesign shows up here as a step in the complaint rate that then holds.
2012–2014
Mean score 66/100, about 23 complaints per year on the road. Owners of these years complain about Electrical System more than anything else (363 complaints). 22 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
2022–2025
Mean score 78/100. 23 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2012 (score 76). Worst: 2013 (score 58, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 89 | BUY | $1,130 | 0 | 2 |
| 2024 | 79 | BUY | $1,270 | 0 | 6 |
| 2023 | 71 | BUY | $1,460 | 0 | 12 |
| 2022 | 73 | BUY | $1,600 | 0 | 12 |
| 2014 | 64 | CAUTION | $3,448 | 365 | 9 |
| 2013 | 58 | CAUTION | $3,680 | 459 | 11 |
| 2012 | 76 | BUY | $3,280 | 59 | 8 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Model S sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the Model S on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Tesla Model S
Across every Model S model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Electrical System363 complaints across all Model S years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other215 complaints across all Model S years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Suspension190 complaints across all Model S years · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle$780–$1,580
- Power Train66 complaints across all Model S years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Steering56 complaints across all Model S years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
- Exterior Lighting32 complaints across all Model S years · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement$360–$1,380
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Tesla Model S years to buy?
2012, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2025 at 89/100, on 0 complaints and 2 recall campaigns.
Which Tesla Model S years should I avoid?
The 2013 is the weakest year we score, at 58/100 (CAUTION), on 459 complaints and 11 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Tesla Model S problem?
363 of the complaints filed against the Model S across all its model years sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component.
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04