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World Of EVEditorial

2025 Tesla Model S problems & recalls

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering the 2025 Tesla Model S and owners have filed 6 complaints. The most-reported area is power train (2 complaints).

Recalls
2
Complaints
6
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
0
Injuries
0

Recalls (2)

Jan 7, 2025#25V002000

Back over prevention › Software

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.

Fix: 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.

Dec 24, 2024#24V967000

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Cushion

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.

Fix: 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.

Owner complaints (6)

What owners reported to NHTSA, by component. One complaint can name several components.

  • Power train2
  • Suspension2
  • Steering1
  • Wheels1
  • Visibility/wiper1

Complaints over time

Jul 2025: 1 complaintAug 2025: 0 complaintsSep 2025: 1 complaintOct 2025: 0 complaintsNov 2025: 0 complaintsDec 2025: 1 complaintJan 2026: 1 complaintFeb 2026: 2 complaintsJul 20252026
Complaints filed per month. Peak: 2 in Feb 2026. Hover a bar for its count.
Complaints filed per month
MonthComplaints
Jul 20251
Aug 20250
Sep 20251
Oct 20250
Nov 20250
Dec 20251
Jan 20261
Feb 20262

Recent owner reports

Feb 17, 2026Power train

The power train of my 2025 Tesla Model S failed. As a result, the car had several systems alert on my console that they were "unavailable" or "degraded", and in addition to the alerts I experienced their loss or degradation in real time. This included braking, steering, stability control, and traction control. Normally you don't have to hold the brake pedal down at a stop light on this electric vehicle, but when the failure occurred my car was rolling backwards at the stop light and so I had to hold down the brake. Also, steering was noticeably degraded and not stable. The car was also ex…

Feb 17, 2026Power train

The power train of my 2025 Model S failed similar to failure of 7-6-25 which I previously reported to NHTSA (complaint #11718413) and Tesla. Upon getting into my car on 2-7-26 and putting it in reverse, several alert messages displayed including "stability control disabled, traction control disabled, and emergency braking unavailable". I drove 1/4 mile to a safe area to call Tesla roadside assist, since my steering was noticeably degraded in real time and the car was not safe to drive. The car was towed to the nearest Tesla service center. Tesla made statements on their service report atta…

Jan 26, 2026Steering

The turning signal button on the steering wheel doesn't respond intermittently. It's a safety hazard to not engage a turning signal when making a turn.

Dec 13, 2025Suspension, Wheels

I experienced excessive rear tire wear on both rear tires inner side The tire ended up blowing out on the rear passenger tire

Sep 26, 2025Suspension

TIRES WEAR EXCESSIVLY DUE TO INCORECT FACTORY AND NON-ADJUSTABLE CAMBER SETTINGS CAUSING EXTREME SAFTEY CONCERNS/BLOWOUTS, WHICH ARE NOT VISIBLE WITHOUT REMOVAL OF TIRE OR LIFTING OF VEHICLE BY AVERAGE MOTORIST. MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THIS WITHIN FIRST 10,000 MILES ON NEW CAR WITH NEW TIRES. FOURTUNEATLY A FLAT LED TO FURTHER INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT BEFORE INCCURING TRAGIC OR ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES.

Jul 24, 2025Visibility/wiper

Tesla’s automatic wipers are unreliable. This vehicle lacks a dedicated rain sensor and instead uses the forward-facing camera and neural net to detect moisture. In light rain, the system often fails to activate. More critically, it frequently triggers false wipes during dry conditions—sometimes multiple times per day. Each dry swipe smears debris (e.g., bugs, sap), reducing visibility and risking permanent windshield scratches. This directly compromises driver safety and optics for the FSD/autopilot system. Tesla has acknowledged the issue but suggests turning off automatic wipers. However,…

Tesla Model S news

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall and complaint records, updated Oct 1, 2026. Complaints are owner reports and are not verified by NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.