2016 Tesla Model S Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 149 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2016 Tesla Model S, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 50,574 miles. The words owners use most often: “turn signals” (11% of reports).
- 149electrical system complaints
- 50,574median miles at failure
- 8mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $3,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 53%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Turn signals: mentioned in 17 of 149 complaints (11%)
- Backup camera: mentioned in 15 of 149 complaints (10%)
- Center screen: mentioned in 14 of 149 complaints (9%)
- Media control: mentioned in 12 of 149 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2016 Tesla Model S at $3,200, and half of them between $2,550 and $3,200.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2020–2021), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 92 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 149 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 6 an injury.
Tesla Model S electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Model S | 7 | 18% | 3,500 |
| 2023 Model S | 9 | 8% | 150,332 |
| 2022 Model S | 17 | 12% | 1,500 |
| 2021 Model S | 25 | 14% | 6,000 |
| 2020 Model S | 7 | 9% | 7,875 |
| 2019 Model S | 5 | 11% | 2,730 |
| 2018 Model S | 34 | 20% | 15,750 |
| 2017 Model S | 114 | 27% | 35,000 |
| 2016 Model S | 149 | 23% | 50,574 |
| 2015 Model S | 266 | 40% | 56,022 |
| 2014 Model S | 133 | 36% | 64,000 |
| 2013 Model S | 195 | 42% | 90,000 |
| 2012 Model S | 37 | 61% | 78,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Problem: 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 (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Electrical system:adas:driver monitoring:software
Problem: 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 Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
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's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
This complaint covers a 13-month continuous chain of severe electrical system failures stemming from a deficient federal safety recall remedy on my vehicle's Media Control Unit (MCU) architecture. Tesla's corporate policy has been to replace only the isolated center screen explicitly tracked by the…
On 6/11/26, around 2:10 pm, when i was slowly pulling over to park on a road side, the car suddenly rushed forward unexpectedly. It was so powerful, at the time I could only hear the panic reactions from the two passengers and sense the imminent collision with the parked bmw in the front of several…
"What happened?
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Tesla Model Ss have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 149 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2016 Tesla Model S (23% of the 648 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Tesla Model S electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 50,574 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2016 Tesla Model S?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,200 (half paid between $2,550 and $3,200), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2016 Tesla Model S?
The most frequent phrase is “turn signals”, in 17 of 149 complaints, followed by “backup camera” (15).
Other 2016 Tesla Model S problems
See all 2016 Tesla Model S problems or electrical system problems across all Model S years.