Which Tesla Model S years have the most brake complaints?

The 2021 model year has the most, with 105 complaints and a rate far above any other year. The 2023 and 2022 years follow. The 2024 and 2025 years show few complaints, but they are recent and have had less time to collect filings, so that is not a sign of better brakes.

Is it safe to drive a Model S with brake problems?

It depends on the symptom. Phantom braking has caused near collisions and neck pain. Any report of a pedal that does not stop the car, a leaking brake hose, or ABS warnings calls for inspection before driving. Crashes are reported in every year tracked.

Does a recall cover Model S brake problems?

The one recall listed here, 21V387000, names the 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y, and it addresses loose brake caliper bolts. Its text does not name the Model S. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see what is open on your car.

What causes phantom braking on the Model S?

The data does not name a cause. Owners say it happens on Autopilot, cruise control, or Full Self-Driving, and some report it with those off. Some were told updates would address it, and others were told nothing was wrong.

How much does a Model S brake repair cost?

The data gives no repair costs. Owners mostly describe no fix found, a promised software update, or no diagnosis at the dealer. Ask the seller for brake service records, and get a written quote before you buy.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Tesla Model S Brake Problems

Tesla Model S brake complaints center on phantom braking, hard stops with nothing ahead, plus some reports of the pedal not stopping the car.

Owner complaints: 321
Share of all complaints: 7%
Crash / fire / injury reports: 35 / 0 / 21
Related recalls: 1

Model S brake complaints by model year

The 2021 model year has the most brake complaints at 105, and by far the highest rate per vehicle sold. The 2023 year follows with 75 and the 2022 year with 68. The 2020 year has 25. The 2018 and 2019 years have the fewest among older cars, at 16 and 10. The 2024 and 2025 years show 12 and 10, but they have had little time to collect filings, so low counts there do not make them safer picks.

2018
16 · 5.3/10k sold
2019
10 · 6.9/10k sold
2020
25 · 12.3/10k sold
2021
105 · 90.9/10k sold
2022
68 · 7.5/10k sold
2023
75 · 28.1/10k sold
2024
12 · 7.5/10k sold
2025
10 · 10.9/10k sold

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA under service brakes, parking brake. Newer model years have had less time to collect complaints.

What goes wrong

Phantom braking is the top complaint. On Autopilot, adaptive cruise, or Full Self-Driving, the car brakes hard on an open highway with nothing ahead, then speeds back up. Some owners report it several times an hour. Others see it repeat at the same overpass or bridge. A smaller group describes a pedal that did not stop the car, ABS and stability control dropouts, and strong regenerative braking that causes slides on snow.

The safety risk is real. Brake issues make up 7% of the model's owner complaints, and every model year tracked has at least one crash report. Most years also include injuries. No fires are reported. Phantom braking has caused near rear-end collisions and neck pain. Pedal-failure reports often end in crashes. Many filings for the newest years name the Model Y or Model X, so treat them as a Tesla-wide pattern rather than proof about the Model S alone.

Symptoms owners report

Phantom braking on the highway

The car brakes hard at freeway speed with no obstacle, often dropping from about 65 or 70 mph to near a stop. It happens with Autopilot or cruise on, and some owners say it happens with both off. Some count 20 or more events on one trip.

Pedal does not stop the car

Drivers say they pressed the pedal fully and the car kept creeping or rolling forward, sometimes during unintended acceleration. Several of these reports end in crashes at parking or city speeds. Some say automatic emergency braking never reacted either.

Automatic emergency braking misses

Owners report no warning and no automatic braking when a car stopped suddenly ahead. Others describe the opposite: emergency braking triggering in rain, followed by a spin. One owner says it re-enables itself every drive after being turned off.

ABS and stability control dropouts

Warnings appear that disable ABS, traction control, and automatic emergency braking. A 2018 filing traces one case to a wheel sensor cable rubbing the tire. A 2024 filing links a front motor shutdown to lost power steering and ABS.

Strong regenerative braking on ice

Lifting off the accelerator slows the car hard enough to break traction on snow or ice, even on the lightest setting. Owners say passengers pitch forward against their belts. Some say one-pedal braking cannot be switched off.

Rear brake hose leaks

Some 2020 filings mention leaking rear brake hoses. These are far less common than phantom braking, but a leak is a hydraulic fault that needs attention before the car is driven again.

When the problems start

Owners rarely give mileage in these filings, so no clear pattern emerges. One Model S owner reported phantom braking at 70 mph at 59,000 miles, even with Autopilot off. A crash report on a 2022 car cites roughly 32,000 miles. A Model X owner reported brake failure at about 20,000 miles. Phantom braking and pedal complaints appear on low-mileage cars too.

Repairs and recalls

Owners report few clean fixes. Some were told there is no fix yet or that software updates would address phantom braking. Others say service found nothing wrong, or the dealer did not diagnose or repair the car. No repair costs appear in the data. One federal recall, 21V387000, lists model years 2020 and 2021, but its text names the 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y, not the Model S. It covers loose brake caliper bolts, and Tesla inspects and tightens or replaces them free of charge.

Model years	Campaign	Problem
2020, 2021	21V387000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles. The brake caliper bolts may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate and contact the wheel rim.

Checking a used Model S for brake problems

Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall is closed. Do not assume recall 21V387000 applies to a Model S.
Test drive on a highway with adaptive cruise on and note any sudden braking with nothing ahead.
Press the brake firmly in a safe lot and confirm the car slows and stops without creeping or a stiff pedal.
Scan the dash for ABS, traction control, or stability control warnings, and ask for service records covering brakes.
Look behind each wheel for fluid or wet brake hoses, especially at the rear, and check for wheel sensor cables rubbing the tire.
Try the regenerative braking settings and ask if one-pedal braking feels too strong for your winter roads.

1 brake recall cover the Tesla Model S. A VIN check shows whether the car you're looking at had its recall work done, plus accident and title history.

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