Which Tesla Model S years have the most electrical complaints?

The 2021 model year has the most, with 126 complaints and a much higher rate per car sold than other years. The 2023 and 2022 years follow. The 2019 year has the fewest among older cars. The 2025 year has few complaints, but it is too new to judge.

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

Not when the symptom is a blank screen, power loss or a shutdown warning. Owners report losing the speedometer, turn signals and backup camera, and some lost power at highway speed with hard braking. Have it diagnosed before driving it regularly.

Does a recall cover Model S electrical problems?

Partly. Federal recall records list several over-the-air fixes that include the Model S, such as heat pump defrost performance, warning-light font size and the seat belt chime. None of the recall lines mention screen blackouts or unintended acceleration.

What does it cost to fix Model S electrical faults?

The data gives little cost detail. One 2021 owner quotes $3,000 per heat pump repair. Recall software updates are free. Owners also report weeks-long waits for back-ordered parts, so downtime can matter as much as the bill.

Why do the screens on a Model S go black?

The data does not give one cause. Owners report the center screen and instrument cluster going dark while driving, sometimes for minutes until a reset. One 2018 owner traced it to a full onboard computer at about 20,000 miles.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Tesla Model S Electrical Problems

Tesla Model S electrical complaints center on screens going dark while driving and unintended acceleration, with some reports of total power loss and fire.

Owner complaints: 491
Share of all complaints: 11%
Crash / fire / injury reports: 73 / 11 / 142
Related recalls: 9

Model S electrical complaints by model year

The 2021 model year leads, with 126 complaints in this area and a rate far above any other year. The 2023 model year follows with 96, then 2022 with 86 and 2024 with 55. The 2018 and 2020 years each have 47. The 2019 year has the fewest among older cars at 18. The 2025 year has 16, but it is too new to read as a good sign, since complaints build up over time. One 2022 filing lists 99 injured, which inflates that year's injury count.

2018
47 · 15.7/10k sold
2019
18 · 12.5/10k sold
2020
47 · 23.2/10k sold
2021
126 · 109/10k sold
2022
86 · 9.5/10k sold
2023
96 · 36/10k sold
2024
55 · 34.6/10k sold
2025
16 · 17.4/10k sold

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA under electrical system. Newer model years have had less time to collect complaints.

What goes wrong

The most common complaint is a screen that goes dark while the car is moving. The center display and the driver's instrument panel blank out. The speedometer, turn signals and backup camera go with them, sometimes for several minutes, until the car is reset. Other owners report cars that will not start, a dead 12-volt battery, or a "vehicle system shutting down" warning. Charging failures and range loss also come up, and so does a heat pump that leaves the cabin without heat or defrost.

The risk goes beyond annoyance. Many crash reports describe sudden acceleration at parking speeds, with owners saying the brake did not stop the car. Some describe total power loss at highway speed with hard braking. In 2022, owners describe total power loss that left doors locked and occupants trapped until someone opened a door from outside. Fire reports include a car that burned while charging. Several cars were left undrivable for weeks while owners waited on back-ordered parts. Note that many sample filings across these years name the Model X and Model Y, not the Model S.

Symptoms owners report

Screens go dark while driving

The center screen and instrument cluster blank out on the road. The speedometer, turn signals and backup camera stop working, sometimes for several minutes. Repeat failures after a repair come up often. One 2018 owner traced it to a full onboard computer.

Unintended acceleration at low speed

Drivers say the car surged while parking or pulling out, over curbs and into walls, poles and houses, sometimes with a foot on the brake. In some 2018 cases the car's recorded data showed the accelerator was pressed.

Power loss and 12-volt battery drain

Some cars will not start or need a new 12-volt battery. Others show a constant drain, or warn that ABS, power steering and regenerative braking are unavailable. Some lose power at highway speed after a shutdown warning.

Charging failure and range loss

Owners report full-charge range far below the rating. Charging hardware fails so the car cannot charge on a Level 2 charger. On nearly new 2022 cars, charging stops overnight and service finds a failed power conversion unit.

Heat pump and defrost failure

In 2021 cars, heat pump failures leave no cabin heat or defrost in winter. One owner quotes $3,000 per repair. This is a safety issue in cold weather because the windshield cannot clear.

Trapped occupants and fire

Total power loss can leave doors locked, and a blacked-out screen has trapped occupants until someone opened the door from outside. Fire reports include a car burning while charging and a console USB port that burned a charger.

When the problems start

Owners give few mileages, so the pattern is thin. One 2018 owner traced screen trouble to a full onboard computer at about 20,000 miles. A 2020 owner lost the ability to charge on a Level 2 charger at 46,000 miles. Driver-assist computer failures on 2024 and 2025 cars often hit near 1,000 miles, though those excerpts mostly describe Model Y and Model X cars.

Repairs and recalls

Owners describe repeat failures after repairs and long waits for parts. One owner lost the horn after a software update while parts were on order. Others waited weeks for a back-ordered computer. A failed power conversion unit was the service finding on 2022 cars that stopped charging. One 2021 owner quotes $3,000 per heat pump repair. Federal recall records list several over-the-air software fixes that cover the Model S, all free. They address Autosteer warnings, rolling stops, warning-light font size, Boombox sounds, heat pump defrost performance and the seat belt chime. None of the recall lines mention screen blackouts or unintended acceleration.

Model years	Campaign	Problem
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024	24V051000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the…
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023	23V838000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall…
2023	23V434000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The pyrotechnic battery disconnect may be defective.
2021, 2023	23V679000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Model X vehicles. The vehicle controller may fail to detect low brake fluid and will not display a warning light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the…
2020, 2021, 2022	22V235000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y, Model X, Model S, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion,…
2020, 2021, 2022	22V063000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, Model Y, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion,…
2020, 2021, 2022	22V050000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A software error may cause a valve in the heat pump to open unintentionally and trap the refrigerant inside…
2020, 2021, 2022	22V045000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The audible chime may not activate when the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their…
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022	22V037000	Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may…

Checking a used Model S for electrical problems

Run the VIN through federal recall records and confirm every open software recall was completed.
Drive for 30 minutes and watch for the center screen or instrument cluster going blank or rebooting.
Ask for service records showing any 12-volt battery, computer or power conversion unit replacements, and whether the problem returned.
Charge the car on a Level 2 charger and confirm the full-charge range is close to the rating.
Test the heat and defrost on a cold setting to check the heat pump.
Test every window for pinching, and check that all doors open normally from inside.

9 electrical recalls 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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