2015 Tesla Model S Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,057 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2015 Tesla Model S, alongside 9 recall campaigns and 13 defect investigations. It scores 86/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 58,750 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2015 Tesla Model S sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2012, 2019–2020, 2022.
Avoid
Where 2015 sits among all Model S years
What owners report
“My tesla mcu1 screen/memory failed and had to be replaced at my expense. $1600. When that happens, turn signals, climate control, and wipers are inoperative, making the vehicle unsafe to drive.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Model S
“Center console touchscreen stopped working completely. This happened overnight while the vehicle was parked in the garage.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Model S
“Another model s in the junkyard. Http://www.copart.com/us/lot/23726316?searchid=1302071014 front suspension twisted and bent. No collision damage forward of the wheel that could have cause the suspension to be damaged like that. Please add this to the list of suspension failures”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Model S
“The vehicle was involved in an accident due to a failure of the autopilot system. There was a recall letter sent out of 23V-838 a month prior, but changes either did not persist or was the primary cause of the accident.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Model S
“Electric power steering stopped working unexpectedly and making it very difficult to steer and drive safely.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Model S
“Unintended, uncommanded acceleration. Car rapidly accelerated to maximum throttle during parking maneuver in a parking structure. I was travelling at 3mph. Car accelerated, hit another vehicle and a wall. Tesla claims vehicle logs show throttle was commanded to 98%. At no time did i have anything…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Model S
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 704 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 51,651 miles. Half of those reports fall between 28,000 and 73,150 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (9)
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these…
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this…
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 Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System…
Fix: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
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 remedy. In certain circumstances when…
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2014-2021 Model S vehicles. The front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned, preventing the secondary hood latch from engaging. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and reposition the latch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 18, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center…
Fix: Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2014-2016 Model S vehicles equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating…
Fix: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began May 29, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with Bosch steering racks. The aluminum bolts that attach the power steering gear assist motor to the gear housing may corrode and fracture causing a reduction or complete…
Fix: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the steering gear mounting bolts and add a corrosion-preventative sealer, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electric parking brake calipers have an internal gear that may be improperly manufactured, possibly resulting in the gear fracturing during parking brake application or release.
Fix: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will replace both the left and right electric parking brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2018. Owners may contact Tesla customer…
Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Model S vehicles manufactured May 31, 2012, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with driver or front passenger seat belts that may be improperly connected to the…
Fix: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will inspect the driver and front passenger seat belts, correcting their connection, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 14,…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:DRIVER MONITORING:SOFTWARE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening a Recall Query to assess the remedy adequacy of Recall 23V838. On December 12, 2023, Tesla filed a Defect Information Report (Recall 23V838) applicable to all Tesla models produced and equipped with any version of its Autopilot system, which…
Model years named: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting that ODI reevaluate its decision to deny DP20-001 on the basis that intermittent high electrical current demands on the vehicles' 12VDC systems may have caused some or all of the incidents examined by ODI in DP20-001. The…
Model years named: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Model years named: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Led to recall campaign 23V085.
Led to recall campaign 21V035.
Technical service bulletins
97 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and seats & interior — are on file for the 2015 Tesla Model S. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2015 Model S TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2015 Tesla Model S reliable?
The 2015 Tesla Model S drew 1,057 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 86/100, scored against the model's worst year (2016).
What are the most common 2015 Tesla Model S problems?
The top reported problems for the 2015 Tesla Model S are electrical (313 complaints), other (214), and suspension (150).
At what mileage do 2015 Tesla Model S problems show up?
Owners most often report 2015 Tesla Model S problems around 51,651 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 28,000 and 73,150 miles.
Does the 2015 Tesla Model S have recalls?
9 recall campaigns apply to the 2015 Tesla Model S. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.