2023 TESLA MODEL S Complaints

Catastrophic structural failure of the rear driver-side (LH) brake caliper assembly on a 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid at approximately 18,036 miles. While driving normally on a public roadway, the factory-installed rear LH brake caliper bolts backed out completely due to improper assembly torque or a latent material defect. The unbolted caliper detached entirely from its mounting bracket and collapsed into the spinning wheel barrel. The caliper became violently wedged between the wheel rim and the rotor, instantly puncturing the wheel, flattening the driver-side rear tire, damaging the passenger-side (RH) rear tire, and causing an immediate loss of vehicle control. The loose caliper acted as an unconstrained projectile inside the wheel assembly, severing the hydraulic brake line, shredding the electronic parking brake harness, destroying the suspension links (rear lower fore/aft links), and destroying the ABS sensor/module. This failure created an extreme, life-threatening hazard of a sudden high-speed wheel lockup and total brake system failure. An independent Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) was completed just 263 miles prior to this incident. The certified inspector completed an 85-mile test drive and verified the braking and suspension systems were operating in normal factory condition with zero abnormal vibrations or loose hardware. This establishes the failure as a sudden, latent assembly torque failure of factory hardware during normal operational stress. The manufacturer's authorized service center confirmed via technician notes that the caliper came entirely loose and lodged into the wheel. Despite this being a severe assembly workmanship failure within the active factory warranty window, the manufacturer is refusing to cover the repair, alleging third-party tampering without physical or forensic proof. The failed hardware is being retained for forensic inspection.

My 2023 Tesla Model S has a horn activated by a small button on the right side of the steering wheel rather than by pressing the center of the steering wheel. During a recent dangerous traffic situation, I needed to use the horn immediately to warn another driver, but I could not locate and activate the horn button quickly enough while concentrating on avoiding the hazard. No collision occurred. The incident occurred approximately on August 23–24, 2026; I do not recall the exact date. I reported this to Tesla as a safety concern. Tesla confirmed that my vehicle can be converted to the newer steering wheel configuration with a mechanical center horn. Tesla initially quoted $1,177.34 for the replacement. After further diagnostics, Tesla determined that the conversion also requires replacement of the driver airbag and revised the customer-pay estimate to $1,748.50. Tesla declined to cover the conversion under warranty or goodwill. After I escalated the matter through Tesla Customer Support, a Tesla Service Manager also declined the request and advised me that if I believe this presents a safety issue, I should report it to NHTSA. The existing horn is operational. My safety concern is that the location and method of horn activation can make this essential warning device difficult to access instinctively and immediately during an emergency.

My Tesla Model S has a touch-sensitive horn button on the right side of the steering wheel. In urgent situations, I've often had difficulty quickly locating it to get another driver's attention. Tesla quoted me $1800 to replace the steering wheel with a model that has the horn in the center, like most other cars. This is a safety concern because owners shouldn't have to pay to move the horn for safety reasons. Tesla should be required to retrofit any model with a touch button for the horn to one with the horn in the center of the steering wheel.

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while exiting a supercharging station with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature engaged, the message "Take Over Immediately" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle abruptly accelerated into an intersection and crashed head-on with another vehicle. The air bags deployed as needed. The contact stated that a Police report was filed; however, the report number was not provided. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it remained undiagnosed and unrepaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 150,332.

?The driver's seat assembly on the vehicle suffers from a critical mechanical and software tracking defect that causes the seat to permanently jam into a mechanical lock, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard. ?The electronic calibration soft-stops for the driver's seat allow the mechanism to travel past the safe limits of the track when indexed or operated. When the seat reaches the absolute mechanical limit of the rear rail, the lead screw/worm gear mechanism binds tightly, resulting in a total mechanical lock where the motor lacks the breakaway torque to reverse direction. This causes the driver's seat to become permanently stuck in the fully rearward position. ?This defect directly compromises vehicle safety by potentially preventing a driver from safely reaching and operating the brake and accelerator pedals. ?The vehicle has been taken to the manufacturer's service center on three separate occasions for this exact issue. During these three visits, technicians physically replaced the seat motor, checked track alignment, and attempted recalibration. Despite these repeated hardware interventions, the defect persists, and the seat continues to travel past safe limits and bind into a mechanical lock. The manufacturer has now refused to correct the underlying track/assembly defect under warranty, incorrectly dismissing the recurring, hazardous mechanical failure as "customer education." The vehicle lacks a safe physical fail-safe to prevent the seat from self-destructing into a permanently jammed state.

Repeated warning of failure of Front left safety restraint system. Now also a seatbelt warning light. Have already bright car to service three times. Tesla acknowledges inability to resolve recurrent issue. I think this was a recall issue for previous years of this model, Model S. Most recent yesterday, Friday, June 12, 2026.

I feel Tesla has introduced two safety issues with a recent version of software relating to the "Full Self Driving (Supervised)" feature. Issue #1. When disengaging the Full Self Driving ("FSD") software, Tesla positions a dialog box over the main center display screen. The box takes up a fairly large portion of space. The purpose of the box is to provide feedback on the reason for disengaging FSD. This dialog box does not dismiss by itself. The only way for the user to dismiss it is to tap one of the 4 options presented or leave a voice message. This is an unnecessary distraction that in no way is required for the user to operate the vehicle. Tesla is mandating feedback and introducing distractions when users take over control of the vehicle for their sole benefit. It is also akin to a penalty for disabling FSD, as it a generally negative experience for most people. Issue #2. Tesla has introduced a mandatory "FSD Streak" counter. This number appears on the smaller instrumentation screen for the S & X models. The counter counts the number of miles consecutively traveled by FSD. When a driver disables FSD for any reason, the counter resets to 0. The gamification of keeping FSD enabled is a major safety issue. Some people are highly susceptible to increasing this number as high as possible as if it were a video game. In situations where they should likely disable FSD and make manual control, there are inevitably users that will hesitate or maybe even not take control at all because they do not want to reset the counter. Tesla does not have any options to disable or remove this counter, so even people who know they are susceptible to this cannot remove it. This is akin to placing an open beer in the car and saying people will not drink it because they have self control... only - as we know, addiction is a disease, and games are just as addicting as many substances.

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the horn button on the right side of the steering wheel was not easily accessible. The contact was concerned that the issue could prevent the driver from beeping the horn during emergencies, increasing the risk of a crash. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to purchase the improved steering wheel designed with a center horn. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unavailable.

Tesla just sold me a car with defective front half shafts axles. The car makes a reproducible and very concerning accelerator pedal shudder that makes the entire vehicle front vibrate, including the steering wheel and brake pedals while the car is accelerating between 30-60mph. This interferes with safety features like, lane departure assistance and blind spot steering wheel feedback, Confusing the driver and creating a distracting scenario where an accident can happen. Upon bringing this to the attention of the service center in Fort Myers Florida, the service center manager took a drive test with me, and was able to replicate the issue, but immediately started dismissing it as "normal" and within Tesla specs. This is becoming a regular practice at that service center, where they deem warrantable issues as normal and within (their tolerance). I insisted that this issue is not to be taken likely by Tesla, because it is something that involves a safety hazard. Upon further research, I was able to find that this issue is happening to many Teslas model S and X, where the front axles bend due to the weight and high torque of the vehicles. The issue falls completely under warranty and the half shafts should be replaced, but apparently Tesla has instructed their service centers to dismiss and disregard the symptoms, and just tell the customers that no warranty replacement will occur, because it is not necessary, we just have to drive the cars like this, until the car completely fails, or an accident happens because one of the bent axle shafts breaks on a highway during normal drive. I recording this report as evidence that the issue has been reported to the highest vehicle safety authorities, and I expect a corrective action so Tesla can fix my car under the existing unexpired warranty.

I have been consistently at risk since I picked up my car in late December 2023. The Horn icon which is impossible for older people to see, especially at night, is located in a place that is very hard to find on the steering wheel and unintuitive. Just yesterday, a large truck was coming around the corner near my house in my lane in the opposite direction and I could not find the horn to honk. It was another near miss. Interestingly, Tesla changed the design and put the horn in the middle of the steering wheel where it belongs starting in January 2024 just a few days after I picked up my car. I need the Horn in an intuitive place in the middle of the steering wheel for my safety and the safety of the other people on the road I believe Tesla should pay to change out the steering wheel