NHTSA Safety Recalls
2021 Tesla Model S Recalls
The 2021 Tesla Model S has 24 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on May 4, 2026.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2021 Tesla Model S. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 24
- Owner complaints
- 179
- Crashes reported
- 13
- NHTSA crash test
- Not rated
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
2 fires
On a 2021 Tesla Model S, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
24 recalls on the 2021 Tesla Model S
Back over prevention: software
- Campaign
- 26V283000
- Reported
- May 4, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 218,868
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 111, rear visibility
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Air bags
- Campaign
- 25V172000
- Reported
- March 19, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 91
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- only the 2021 Tesla Model S
Air bags: frontal: driver side: cushion
- Campaign
- 24V967000
- Reported
- December 23, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 487
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 208, occupant crash protection
- Same campaign
- only the 2021 Tesla Model S
Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
- Campaign
- 24V554000
- Reported
- July 24, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,849,638
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Seat belts: front: warning light/devices
- Campaign
- 24V376000
- Reported
- May 28, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 125,233
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 208, occupant crash protection
- Same campaign
- also 2012–2014 Model S, 2 other models
Forward collision avoidance: warnings: external/pedestrian alert
- Campaign
- 24V153000
- Reported
- February 27, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 6,557
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 141, minimum sound for hybrid and electric vehicles
- Same campaign
- also 2013 Model S, 2 other models
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- Campaign
- 24V051000
- Reported
- January 30, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 2,193,869
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 105, hydraulic and electric brakes
- Same campaign
- also 2012–2014 Model S, 3 other models
Electrical system: adas: autonomous/self driving: software
- Campaign
- 23V838000
- Reported
- December 12, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 2,031,220
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2012–2014 Model S, 2 other models
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
- Campaign
- 23V743000
- Reported
- November 3, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 194
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- only the 2021 Tesla Model S
Seat belts: front
- Campaign
- 23V488000
- Reported
- July 14, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 15,869
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- only the 2021 Tesla Model S
Steering: automated/adaptive steering
- Campaign
- 23V085000
- Reported
- February 15, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 362,758
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Steering: electric power assist system
- Campaign
- 22V818000
- Reported
- November 1, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 40,168
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- only the 2021 Tesla Model S
Visibility: power window devices and controls
- Campaign
- 22V702000
- Reported
- September 19, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,096,762
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 118, power windows and roof panels
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Back over prevention: display function
- Campaign
- 22V296000
- Reported
- May 3, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 129,960
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Electrical system: software
- Campaign
- 22V235000
- Reported
- April 12, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 594,894
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 141, minimum sound for hybrid and electric vehicles
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator
- Campaign
- 22V104000
- Reported
- February 23, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 9
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- only the 2021 Tesla Model S
Electrical system: software
- Campaign
- 22V063000
- Reported
- February 4, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 578,607
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 141, minimum sound for hybrid and electric vehicles
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Electrical system: software
- Campaign
- 22V050000
- Reported
- February 2, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 26,681
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 103, windshield defrosting and defogging
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Electrical system: software
- Campaign
- 22V045000
- Reported
- February 1, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 817,143
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 208, occupant crash protection
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Electrical system: adas: autonomous/self driving: software
- Campaign
- 22V037000
- Reported
- January 27, 2022
- Vehicles affected
- up to 53,822
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
- Campaign
- 21V00B000
- Reported
- December 21, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 130,441
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 113, hood latch
- Same campaign
- also 2014 Model S
Air bags
- Campaign
- 21V868000
- Reported
- November 9, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 7,600
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- only the 2021 Tesla Model S
Forward collision avoidance: sensing system: camera
- Campaign
- 21V846000
- Reported
- October 29, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 11,728
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Visibility: rearview mirrors/devices: exterior
- Campaign
- 22E092000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- only the 2021 Tesla Model S
2021 Tesla Model S complaints by year
NHTSA has received 179 owner complaints about the 2021 Tesla Model S, the newest on September 29, 2026. Of these, 13 describe a crash (7%) and 2 a fire; owners reported 5 injuries and 1 death.
In complaints about the 2021 Tesla Model S, the component group named most often is the forward collision avoidance (27%), followed by the steering (16%) and the electrical system (14%).
2 of the 2021 Tesla Model S's 24 recalls also concern the forward collision avoidance.
Where 2021 Tesla Model S owners gave the mileage (15 complaints), the median was 6,000 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Forward Collision Avoidance48
- Unknown Or Other45
- Steering29
- Electrical System25
- Service Brakes16
- Suspension16
Complaints received, by year
| 2020 | 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17 | |
| 2022 | 68 | |
| 2023 | 44 | |
| 2024 | 24 | |
| 2025 | 15 | |
| 2026 | 9 |
Complaints about the 2021 Tesla Model S peaked in 2022, when NHTSA received 68. 87% arrived between 2020 and 2024, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2021 vehicles, the 2021 Tesla Model S drew 1.8× the complaints of the median Tesla Model S year in the same window: 2nd highest of the 10 ranked years.
The 179 complaints about the 2021 Tesla Model S are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
Tesla Model S by model year
Other 2021 Tesla models
Newest record on this page: September 29, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted