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NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2014 Tesla Model S.
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Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2014-2016 Model S vehicles equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began May 29, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-19-20-001.
Component: PARKING BRAKE
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electric parking brake calipers have an internal gear that may be improperly manufactured, possibly resulting in the gear fracturing during parking brake application or release.
Consequence: If the gear breaks during parking brake release, the vehicle will not be able to be moved. If the gear breaks during parking brake application, the parking brake may not adequately hold the vehicle, potentially resulting in the vehicle rolling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will replace both the left and right electric parking brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2018. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-17-33-002.
**Incident / Defect Description for NHTSA Safety Complaint** **Vehicle Information** - Make: Tesla - Model: Model S - Year: 2014 - VIN: [XXX] - Approximate Mileage: 148,129 miles - Date of Discovery / Failure: 04/23/2026 **Description of the Defect** This vehicle is equipped with Tesla’s Large Drive Unit (LDU / rear drive unit), which was used in the majority of 2012–early 2020 Model S vehicles (RWD and Performance models). The LDU design routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. Over time, the rotor seal fails and allows ethylene glycol coolant to leak internally into the motor and inverter. Evidence of this failure is easily visible by removing the rear speed sensor, where blue coolant, corrosion, and debris are present. This is a well-documented design flaw affecting thousands of vehicles. **Consequences of the Defect** Coolant intrusion causes: • Corrosion and rust in the stator windings • Washing out of bearing grease • High-voltage isolation faults • Inverter damage • Complete drive unit failure **Safety Risks** This defect presents an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety because: • Drive unit failure can occur suddenly and without warning while driving, resulting in total loss of propulsion. This is especially dangerous on highways, in traffic, or at high speeds. • Coolant inside high-voltage electrical components increases the risk of electrical shorts, arcing, or fire. • Reduced power or complete shutdown can lead to loss of vehicle control and potential crashes. I have experienced complete drive unit failure. Many other owners report identical issues, often between 50,000–120,000 miles. Tesla has not issued a recall despite this being a widespread, predictable design defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration I am submitting a complaint regarding repeated denial of access to charging infrastructure for my electric vehicle due to fraudulent billing activity within Tesla’s Supercharger network. I own a 2014 Tesla Model S located in Alabama. My Tesla account has repeatedly recorded Supercharging sessions in California that were not performed by my vehicle. Tesla customer support representatives have acknowledged that this issue appears to involve VIN cloning or a flaw in their charging identification system. Because I blocked my credit card to prevent fraudulent charges, Tesla’s system repeatedly flags my account as having unpaid balances and automatically disables my vehicle’s access to the Supercharger network until those balances are resolved. This creates a situation where my vehicle can be denied access to charging infrastructure even though the charges are fraudulent and unrelated to my vehicle’s actual activity. The issue has occurred multiple times over several months and requires repeated calls to Tesla customer support to restore charging functionality. Loss of access to charging infrastructure can significantly impact the usability and operational reliability of an electric vehicle. I am requesting that this issue be investigated as a potential defect in the Supercharger billing or authentication system that could affect multiple vehicle owners.
The 2014 Tesla Model S has 9 NHTSA recalls and 361 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
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Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with Bosch steering racks. The aluminum bolts that attach the power steering gear assist motor to the gear housing may corrode and fracture causing a reduction or complete loss of power steering assist.
Consequence: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the steering gear mounting bolts and add a corrosion-preventative sealer, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-18-32-002.
Component: SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Model S vehicles manufactured May 31, 2012, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with driver or front passenger seat belts that may be improperly connected to the outboard lap pretensioner.
Consequence: If the seat belt is not correctly attached to the pretensioner, it may not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and service centers will inspect the driver and front passenger seat belts, correcting their connection, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2015. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-15-20-002.
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center display functions.
Consequence: The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-21-001.
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2014-2021 Model S vehicles. The front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned, preventing the secondary hood latch from engaging. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 113, "Hood Latch System."
Consequence: If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and reposition the latch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 18, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-11-003.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
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."
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Component: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
Rear Door handles are inoperable again after repairs made by dealer. The fault is due to design fault with the wiring harness on the door handles. Manufacturer refuses to make repairs under warranty
The rear door handle has failed and now the door pops open when parked.
This is regarding a 2014 Model S fully electric vehicle. Any reference to an 'engine' simply implies the motor. Accelerator pedal became unresponsive and abruptly lost drive power while going ~55mph on the highway. The PRND display on the display panel went red. Car was towed to the service center Immediately after this malfunction, I somehow cruised along towards the shoulder with just with brakes and hazard lights. Total loss of motor power caused vehicle to slow down and vehicles behind me had to slow down (and honk). After coming to complete stop and shifting to Park the PRND display turned white again indicating function was restored. Shifting to D seem to re-engage the motor and I could pull away to the nearest exit and then into a parking lot. At this location it no longer responded to R or D positions and had to finally towed. Frequent drive unit failure is apparently a prevalent issue on certain models. Not sure if anyone else was in a similar situation. Service centers admit this as well as there is evidence on online forums Warning sign (PRND turning red) appeared at the exact moment of failure. On stopping and going back to Park it would go away. No persistent errors remained on the screen. After the motor had completely failed, various other warnings started appearing (ref photos)
The contact owned a 2014 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the highway, the vehicle exited into a tunnel. The contact stated that his hands were on the steering wheel and that the steering wheel did not move; however, the vehicle inadvertently made a sharp left turn, and the passenger-side headlight struck the tunnel wall. The vehicle spun rapidly, and the contact's head snapped to the right. The air bags did not deploy. The contact received medical attention for whiplash. Police were made aware of the crash but did not arrive on the scene. There was no police report filed. The contact pulled over on the shoulder of the road and then restarted the vehicle. The vehicle had driven for a mile when the tire pressure dropped to zero. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then to a tow yard, where it was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
I am the current owner of a 2014 Tesla Model S equipped with MCU1. While driving, including at freeway speeds, the center touchscreen has rebooted unexpectedly, showing only the Tesla logo before recovering. During these reboots, critical vehicle functions are unavailable, including the rearview camera, HVAC/defrost controls, and other essential features. This failure matches the exact safety defect described in NHTSA Recall 21V-035 related to the MCU/eMMC failure. I reported this safety issue to Tesla Service and provided photo evidence of the screen rebooting while driving. Tesla has refused to address this as a recall or safety repair. Tesla claims the recall was previously completed under a prior owner but refuses to provide any documentation proving that the recall repair was actually performed, citing prior owner privacy. Tesla has further stated that diagnosis of this active safety defect would be customer-paid due to the basic warranty being expired and has indicated that the only path forward is a paid infotainment upgrade. Tesla is effectively requiring payment to diagnose and resolve a known safety defect. As the safety defect is actively occurring while driving and Tesla has marked the recall as complete without providing proof or correcting the issue, I am requesting NHTSA review whether Tesla is improperly closing out recalls without ensuring the defect has been remedied and whether charging customers to diagnose known safety defects is appropriate. After entering my VIN into NHTSA’s recall lookup, NHTSA shows Recall 21V-035 (MCU/eMMC failure) as Recall Incomplete for my vehicle. This directly contradicts Tesla’s claim that the recall was previously completed. Tesla has refused to provide documentation and is requiring paid diagnosis and a paid infotainment upgrade despite the recall being listed by NHTSA as unresolved.
My [XXX] mother owns a 2014 Tesla Model S P85+ (VIN: [XXX] ) with only 50,367 miles. The vehicle suddenly became completely inoperable without warning. It would not turn on, would not charge, and the charge port would not open. The vehicle had to be towed. Tesla diagnosed failures of the high-voltage battery contactors, the onboard charger assembly, and HV circuit integrity. These are essential high-voltage components that should not fail at such low mileage. When these parts fail, the vehicle loses all ability to charge, loses all propulsion capability, and becomes a stranded hazard. This represents a safety concern because the vehicle can shut down without warning and cannot be moved, which could leave occupants stuck in unsafe conditions or traffic. The charge port failing to open is also a safety issue, as the vehicle cannot be charged in an emergency and the owner has no way to safely get the vehicle off the road once it loses power. Tesla quoted nearly $4,000 for repairs and refused goodwill assistance even though this is a known early Model S issue and these components have been redesigned in later models. My mother is on a fixed Social Security income and cannot afford the repair or even the diagnostic fee. This situation may cause her vehicle to be repossessed through no fault of her own. I am requesting NHTSA to review premature high-voltage component failures on early Tesla Model S vehicles, as these failures pose safety risks and leave owners stranded with no warning. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
After a high-voltage junction box repair performed by Tesla, the vehicle shut down 15 miles after leaving the service center. Tesla replaced the high-voltage harness at no cost but provided no explanation. After the HV harness replacement, new proximity/sensor alerts began triggering that were not present before their HV work. Multiple reasonable diagnostic procedures were refused, including bench-testing the sensors. Tesla is pressuring me to take possession of the vehicle without providing written confirmation that it is safe to operate following the HV system failure and subsequent replacement of HV components. I am concerned the vehicle may have unresolved high-voltage or wiring issues that could pose a safety hazard.
The main touchscreen (MCU1) and instrument cluster on my 2014 Tesla Model S frequently freeze, reboot, or go blank while driving. When this happens, I lose access to defrost, turn signals, backup camera, and speed display. I contacted Tesla Service, but they refused to repair or replace the unit under recall EA20-003 or the extended warranty, even though the symptoms match the known eMMC 8GB memory failure. The black screen and frozen instrument cluster create a clear safety risk. Tesla should cover this issue under the recall or provide an equivalent MCU2 replacement if MCU1 parts are unavailable.
Vehicle Information: 2014 Tesla Model S VIN: [XXX] Incident Date: [XXX] Component Affected: Suspension / Air Suspension / Ride Height Control Problem Description: On [XXX], while driving, my 2014 Tesla Model S suddenly raised itself to and/or beyond maximum ride height without any driver input. Immediately afterward, the front driver-side suspension collapsed completely, leaving the vehicle unsafe to operate. This appears to be an uncommanded overinflation event caused by Tesla’s suspension control system. It is not normal wear but a manufacturer-induced malfunction. If this failure had occurred at highway speeds, it could have caused catastrophic loss of control. The collapse of a suspension system without warning is a serious safety defect. Tesla’s service center in Moraine, OH, has refused to review the vehicle logs (which would confirm this sequence of failure) and has instead classified the incident as a standard part failure. As a result, Tesla is attempting to push full financial liability onto the owner instead of addressing what is clearly a safety-critical defect. Safety Concern: A sudden, uncommanded suspension height change followed by collapse could lead to total loss of vehicle control and a crash. This poses an ongoing risk to both Tesla drivers and the public. Requested Action: I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this failure mode as a safety defect in Tesla Model S vehicles and require Tesla to address these failures appropriately. Service Center Involved: Tesla Service Center 1927 W Dorothy Ln Moraine, OH 45439 Owner Information: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2014 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the digital screen intermittently blacked out and several safety features were inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the resort block remained at 90%, and the same EMMC ID that should have been covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Coolant ingress found on second Model S large drive unit in rear. After this leak destroyed my first vehicle, second was checked as a precaution and was found to have coolant leaking into drive unit as well.
the recirculation button takes 3 presses to engage/disengage or 1. sometimes 2. it's supposed to be an "intelligent" design. I'm sure there's software programming that determines when 2 presses are required vs 3 or 1 but to a driver it can be dangerous while focusing on the road. It should just be 1 press engages or disengages recirculation PERIOD just like other vehicles. Also, those buttons should be on the main page of the ipad screen. it shouldn't take opening 2-3 different pages on the screen to get to the recirculation button. Buttons that should be on the main page that you don't need to open several pages to get to: 1. recirculation button 2. AC button (it is a serious safety issue when trying to defrost on a humid day but it takes pressing several different buttons to get to the AC button that should just be out in the open like any other car. 3. suspension height (sometimes you need to quickly change for clearance and if distracted by opening several pages to get to the suspension button, it is a safety issue) All those buttons should be lined up on the far left edge of the screen closest to the driver and preferably towards the top. It's a serious safety issue to be distracted by fidgeting around on the screen to get to those buttons that are supposed to be "right there".
I was driving my car on the freeway on cruise control, when there was a sudden/automatic violent break of 65 MPH to 0 MPH. There was no car in front of me, and there was nothing above my car (no direction sign, no bridge, no FASTRAK billboard, nothing). This was a "phantom break" and it was violent and sudden. Tesla needs to fix this!
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