24 recalls covering model years 2021. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
Tesla is recalling certain Model 3, Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles that are running software version 2026.8.6. When the vehicle is put into reverse, the picture from the rearview camera may be delayed before it appears. Because of this, the vehicles do not meet the federal safety standard for rear visibility. Tesla has released a software update that reaches the vehicle over the air, at no cost.
Some Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles were built with an airbag that has the wrong horn pad installed. Because of this mismatched part, pressing the horn does not make it sound. This means the horn does not work as intended, so a driver is not able to use it to alert other drivers on the road the way the horn is supposed to work.
The driver's airbag could tear as it deploys. Because of this, these vehicles do not meet federal safety standards for occupant crash protection and windshield mounting.
Some Tesla Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles have a hood latch that may fail to detect when the hood isn't fully latched. If the hood isn't properly closed, it could open fully while driving, blocking the driver's view of the road. Tesla is fixing this with a free over-the-air software update, so no dealer visit is needed.
Tesla is recalling certain Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. If the driver is not wearing a seat belt, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not turn on the way they are supposed to. This means the vehicle may fail to alert an unbelted driver that their seat belt is not fastened.
Tesla is recalling certain Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Doing a factory reset on the car turned off the sound the car makes so that people walking nearby can hear it coming. With that sound muted, the vehicles do not meet the federal rule on minimum sound for electric and hybrid vehicles. Tesla has put out a software update that the car receives over the air.
Tesla is recalling certain Model S, Model X, Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck vehicles. The Brake, Park and Antilock Braking System warning lights on the instrument panel are shown in the wrong font size, smaller than it should be. Because of this, these vehicles do not meet the federal safety standards for hydraulic, electric and light vehicle brake systems. Tesla has begun sending out a free over-the-air software update to fix the display.
Tesla is recalling Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that have Autosteer, a driver-assistance feature that helps steer the car. Autosteer still requires the driver to stay in charge of driving and take over when needed. In certain situations, the way the feature's controls are presented may not be clear or noticeable enough to keep drivers from using Autosteer in ways it was not designed for, or to make clear when it is not on.
Some Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles may have an incorrect airbag installed. This can happen if the steering yoke or round steering wheel was replaced with a different style of yoke or wheel. The airbag that was installed may not be designed to work correctly with that replacement part. Tesla Service will inspect the vehicle and replace the driver airbag as necessary.
On some 2021-2023 Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles, the front-row seat belts may not be properly connected to their pretensioner anchors, which can cause a seat belt to detach.
Tesla is recalling Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that have the Full Self-Driving Beta software, or are waiting for it to be installed. The software may let the car behave unsafely at intersections, for example going straight through an intersection from a turn-only lane, entering a stop-sign intersection without coming to a full stop, or going into an intersection on a steady yellow light. It may also respond poorly to changes in posted speed limits or allow speeding.
The electric power steering system in your Model S or Model X may lose its power assist while you're driving on rough roads or after hitting a pothole. When that happens, it can be harder to turn the wheel, especially at low speeds. Tesla has released a free over-the-air software update that recalibrates the power steering system to fix this.
The outside rearview mirrors on your Model S don't meet federal visibility standards. The mirror on the driver's side is curved, or convex, glass instead of flat glass. The mirror on the passenger's side is missing the etched warning that reads 'Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear.' Because these mirrors are the wrong type, the vehicle doesn't meet the federal rear visibility safety standard.
Tesla is recalling certain Model 3, Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles because of the power windows. When a window is closing and something is in the way, the system that is supposed to sense it and stop the window may not respond the way it should. Because of this, the vehicles do not meet the federal rule for power-operated window systems.
The computer that runs the center touchscreen can overheat while the car is getting ready to fast-charge or while fast-charging. This can cause the computer to slow down or restart. When that happens, the center screen may stop showing the rearview camera image, the gear you have selected, the windshield visibility settings, and warning lights, which can make it harder for the driver to see important information.
Tesla is recalling certain Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles over the Boombox feature. Boombox can play sounds through a speaker on the outside of the car while the car is moving. Those sounds may cover up the warning noise the car makes so people walking nearby can hear it approaching. Because of this, the vehicles do not meet the federal rule on minimum sound for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Some 2021-2022 Tesla Model S vehicles may have a right or left side curtain airbag with an inflator that was not assembled correctly during manufacturing. Because the inflator was not assembled as intended, the airbag may deploy later than expected, or it may not deploy properly, when needed during a crash. This means the airbag may not respond correctly at the moment it is needed most.
On certain Tesla Model S, Model X, Model Y, and Model 3 vehicles, a feature called Boombox lets sounds play through an outside speaker while the car is moving. This can be loud enough to cover up the warning sounds the vehicle is supposed to make so pedestrians nearby can hear it approaching. Because those warning sounds may be muffled, people walking near the vehicle may not notice it coming.
Tesla is recalling certain Model 3, Model S, and Model Y vehicles because of a software error. The error can cause a valve inside the heat pump to open when it shouldn't, which traps refrigerant inside the evaporator. When this happens, the vehicle's ability to defrost or defog the windshield is reduced. Vehicles with the problem no longer meet the federal safety standard for windshield defrosting and defogging systems.
Tesla is recalling certain Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. When the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their seat belt, the audible warning chime may not activate the way it is supposed to. This means a driver could start driving without being reminded by a chime that their seat belt is not fastened.
Tesla is recalling certain Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that have the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software. A setting in that software called rolling stop can let the car go through an intersection where every direction has a stop sign without first coming to a complete stop. Tesla is turning the rolling stop feature off with a software update sent to the car over the air.
On certain Model S vehicles, the front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned so that the secondary hood latch does not engage. If the primary latch is accidentally released, the secondary latch may not hold, and the hood could open unexpectedly while driving.
Tesla is recalling certain Model X and Model S vehicles because the driver's air bag cushion may tear when it deploys. A torn air bag may not protect the driver as well as it should in a crash.
A communication error in the software running on these Tesla vehicles can trigger a false forward-collision warning or cause the automatic emergency braking system to activate when it isn't needed. If the automatic braking activates unexpectedly, the car can come to a sudden stop while driving. A car that suddenly stops without the driver expecting it raises the chance that another vehicle could crash into it.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Tesla Model S. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 176 | 13 | 2 | 4 |
NHTSA lists 24 safety recalls covering the 2021 Tesla Model S. 11 of them are rated high or critical on this site. The most recent is "Tesla Model 3, S and Y rearview camera image delayed" (NHTSA campaign 26V283000), reported May 5, 2026.
No. None of the 24 Tesla Model S recalls on file carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory from NHTSA.
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall often applies to only some vehicles of a model year, and the VIN lookup shows the ones still unrepaired on your car. Recall repairs are free at any franchised Tesla dealer, including for second owners.
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: