Home › Guides › Tesla › AIR Bags
Tesla airbag recalls: which Model S, X and 3 are affected?
Tesla's airbag recalls cluster on the 2021 Model S, which appears in most of them, and on assembly errors rather than wear. Two involve side curtain airbags: Model 3 curtains improperly secured to the roof rail and possibly twisted (2020-2021 and 2023), and 2021-2022 Model S curtain inflators assembled incorrectly. Two more cover driver's airbags that could tear during deployment — a 2021 recall for 2021 Model S and Model X, and a broader December 2024 recall reaching 2021-2025 Model S and Model X. A 2025 recall covers 2021-2024 Model S and 2021-2025 Model X fitted with the wrong horn pad, so the horn may not sound; one single 2024 Model 3 was recalled for a side airbag missing its gas deflector.
Warning signs to watch for
- In most cases nothing at all — the notices describe cars that drive normally with no warning sign.
- A horn that does not sound when you press it (2021-2024 Model S, 2021-2025 Model X).
- Nothing visible on the curtain airbag recalls; a twisted curtain sits hidden in the roof rail.
- The defect only shows itself in a crash, when an airbag may tear or deploy improperly.
Is it safe to keep driving?
None of these six recalls carries a stop-driving or park-outside instruction, and Tesla has not told owners to stop driving. The vehicles behave normally; what changes is how well you are protected in a crash if a curtain is twisted, an inflator was assembled wrong, or the driver's airbag tears during deployment. Schedule service rather than delay it. Two notes: the single 2024 Model 3 was already repaired in April 2024, and horn pad owners should test the horn now and drive knowing they may not be able to warn anyone.
What the free repair involves
Every repair is free of charge at a Tesla service center, and none of these is an over-the-air update. Tesla inspects and realigns the Model 3 side curtain airbags, replaces the Model S side curtain airbags, replaces the driver's airbag or the full airbag assembly on the two tearing recalls, and inspects and installs an airbag with the correct horn pad on the Model S and Model X.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| high | 3 |
| medium | 3 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-19 | Tesla Model S and Model X horn may not sound | medium |
| 2024-12-24 | Tesla Model S Driver Airbag May Tear Open | high |
| 2024-04-19 | One Tesla Model 3 has an incomplete side airbag | medium |
| 2022-02-23 | Tesla Model S side curtain airbags may deploy improperly | high |
| 2021-11-09 | Tesla Model S and Model X Driver Airbag May Tear | medium |
| 2021-10-25 | Tesla Model 3 side curtain airbag may be twisted | high |
Common questions
There are two driver airbag tear recalls for the Model S — do both apply to me?
They are separate campaigns. The 2021 recall covers 2021 Model S and Model X with a cushion that may tear; the December 2024 recall covers 2021-2025 Model S and Model X airbags that could tear during deployment. Check your VIN with Tesla.
Can Tesla fix an airbag recall over the air, like its software recalls?
No. All six of these require a Tesla service visit — inspecting and realigning curtain airbags, replacing side curtain or driver's airbags, or installing an airbag with the correct horn pad. Every one of those repairs is free of charge.
My horn stopped working. Is that one of these recalls?
It may be. Tesla recalled certain 2021-2024 Model S and 2021-2025 Model X vehicles on which an airbag with the incorrect horn pad was installed, preventing the horn from sounding. Tesla service installs the correct airbag free of charge.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.