2017 Tesla Model S Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 114 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2017 Tesla Model S, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 35,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “service center” (11% of reports).
- 114electrical system complaints
- 35,000median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 62%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.
- Service center: mentioned in 12 of 114 complaints (11%)
- Media control: mentioned in 9 of 114 complaints (8%)
- Main screen: mentioned in 9 of 114 complaints (8%)
- Turn signal: mentioned in 7 of 114 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 71 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 114 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 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.
day time running light on driver side headlight burned out, it cannot be replaced, you have to replace the whole headlight assembly which costs about $1,000.00 plus labor, I think this is not right , on my other. cars I can change the running light myself and only cost a couple. of dollars
2017 Tesla Model S P100D. Vehicle received a paid MCU2 infotainment upgrade (MCU1 to MCU2), which replaced both the center touchscreen computer and the instrument cluster. The original MCU1 architecture used an independent computer for the instrument cluster, providing redundancy. The MCU2 retrofit…
My Tesla wouldnât charge at Level 3, 2, or 1 charger resulting in the need for the tow and further service hours. Following the service I was told it was a software issue and that a power cycle resolved the issue which locked out the charging. Itâs deeply concerning and baffling that this could…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2017 Tesla Model Ss have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 114 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2017 Tesla Model S (27% of the 428 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 2017 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 35,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2017 Tesla Model S?
The most frequent phrase is “service center”, in 12 of 114 complaints, followed by “media control” (9).
Other 2017 Tesla Model S problems
See all 2017 Tesla Model S problems or electrical system problems across all Model S years.