Tesla Model S Visibility/wiper Problems
Owners have filed 131 complaints with NHTSA about visibility/wiper problems on the Tesla Model S across 14 model years. The 2015 model year has the most (31). The words owners use most often: “backup camera” (15% of reports).
- 131visibility/wiper complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 58%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.
- Backup camera: mentioned in 19 of 131 complaints (15%)
- Turn signals: mentioned in 18 of 131 complaints (14%)
- Service center: mentioned in 16 of 131 complaints (12%)
- Media control: mentioned in 15 of 131 complaints (11%)
At what mileage do visibility/wiper problems happen?
Based on 73 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 131 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Tesla Model S visibility/wiper complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility/wiper complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model S | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2025 Model S | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2024 Model S | 2 | 5% | — |
| 2023 Model S | 6 | 5% | — |
| 2022 Model S | 5 | 4% | — |
| 2021 Model S | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2019 Model S | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2018 Model S | 2 | 1% | 3,100 |
| 2017 Model S | 15 | 4% | 48,523 |
| 2016 Model S | 26 | 4% | 42,000 |
| 2015 Model S | 31 | 5% | 66,500 |
| 2014 Model S | 15 | 4% | 61,882 |
| 2013 Model S | 18 | 4% | 79,500 |
| 2012 Model S | 5 | 8% | 70,850 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists visibility/wiper 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.
COMPONENT: The rear window glass has optical distortion in the zone viewed through the interior rearview mirror. Vehicles behind me visibly warp and change apparent size as they move across the affected area of the glass. The vehicle and component are available for inspection upon request. SAFETY…
I had a new windshield installed by a official Tesla Service Center that has a large distorted area in the center of the windshield. I complained about the large distortion and I was told that all the of stocked parts for my car are affected by the issue and they don't have any estimates or…
In Nov 2019, while driving at night, the center touchscreen (MCU) of my 2015 Model S went blank and would not recover after restarts. I lost access to nearly all vehicle controls. The daytime running lights remained on, but the headlights did not illuminate despite being set to auto, and I had no…
This issue involves critical safety systems, including the rearview camera, front camera, and Autopilot/driver assistance features. The vehicle was taken to Tesla for a recall related to the MCU system. Tesla marked the recall as completed, but no effective repair was performed. The rearview camera…
My 2016 Tesla Model S (45,500 miles) is experiencing a complete failure of the Media Control Unit (MCU1), resulting in a total loss of the rearview camera display and defrost/defogging controls. This is a critical safety hazard. The unit was previously replaced by Tesla in 2021 under NHTSA Recall…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Tesla Model Ss have visibility/wiper problems?
No. NHTSA has 131 owner complaints about visibility/wiper 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 visibility/wiper?
No recall currently lists visibility/wiper for this vehicle.
What do owners say about visibility/wiper problems on the Tesla Model S?
The most frequent phrase is “backup camera”, in 19 of 131 complaints, followed by “turn signals” (18).
Other Tesla Model S problems
See all Tesla Model S problems.