Tesla Model S Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Tesla Model S across 13 model years. The 2013 model year has the most (35). The words owners use most often: “service center” (12% of reports).
- 148power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $7,950typical repair cost reported by owners
- 28%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 18 of 148 complaints (12%)
- Rear unit: mentioned in 14 of 148 complaints (9%)
- Software updates: mentioned in 10 of 148 complaints (7%)
- High voltage: mentioned in 8 of 148 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the Tesla Model S at $7,950, and half of them between $6,750 and $8,700.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2021–2026), 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 power train problems happen?
Based on 73 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 148 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Tesla Model S power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Model S | 2 | 33% | — |
| 2023 Model S | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2022 Model S | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Model S | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2020 Model S | 6 | 8% | 1,625 |
| 2019 Model S | 3 | 7% | 5,000 |
| 2018 Model S | 5 | 3% | 20,000 |
| 2017 Model S | 10 | 2% | 10,500 |
| 2016 Model S | 18 | 3% | 5,000 |
| 2015 Model S | 29 | 4% | 48,401 |
| 2014 Model S | 27 | 7% | 49,000 |
| 2013 Model S | 35 | 8% | 110,000 |
| 2012 Model S | 5 | 8% | 59,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the Tesla Model S. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I am reporting a suspected defect in the rear Large Drive Unit (LDU) of my vehicle, a 2017 Tesla Model S P100D with approximately 40,815 miles. The component involved is the rear drive unitâs rotor seal, which is known to allow engine coolant to leak into the motor. The concern is safety-related…
I am requesting help with a very common issue on Tesla Model S and X vehicles that they refuse to extend warranty to repair. The rear drive motor on all performance models made from 2012-2020 have a very common issue of a faulty internal factory seal that should prevent liquid coolant from entering…
The vehicle has suffered a catastrophic, intermittent low-voltage network crash caused by a failing Body Control Module (BCM), resulting in multiple dangerous safety-critical failure modes. On a previous occasion, the vehicle woke up with severe network faults and automatically forced itself into…
In October 2024, I brought my recently purchased used Model S to the Cincinnati Service Center for an antenna inspection, MCU upgrade, and general inspection to ensure the vehicle was safe and operating properly. During the inspection, I was informed that additional issues had been discovered…
While driving my 2013 Tesla Model S at normal road speed, the vehicle suddenly lost all propulsion without any warning. I had to coast and maneuver across traffic to avoid being hit before the car came to a stop. After shifting into Park, the vehicle displayed DI_w072 and DI_f072 gateâdrive…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Tesla Model Ss have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 148 owner complaints about power train for the Tesla Model S. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Tesla Model S power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Tesla Model S?
Owners report a typical cost of $7,950 (half paid between $6,750 and $8,700), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Tesla Model S?
The most frequent phrase is “service center”, in 18 of 148 complaints, followed by “rear unit” (14).
Other Tesla Model S problems
See all Tesla Model S problems.