Tesla Model S Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Not unusually. 59 of the 3,226 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012–2025 Tesla Model S (1.8%) name the engine, below the 19.4% median share across the 152 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst years are 2013, 2015 and 2014.
Engine complaints
59
Filed with NHTSA, 2012–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
1.8%
of 3,226 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
0
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Tesla Model S engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 | 1.7% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2013WORST | 21 | 4.6% | 3 | — | 0 |
| 2014WORST | 12 | 3.3% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2015WORST | 15 | 2.3% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | 4 | 0.7% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 0.5% | 2 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0.8% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 | 3.1% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0.6% | 1 | — | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0.7% | 0 | — | 3 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 3 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 0 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Tesla Model S engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 59 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Tesla Model S years to avoid for the engine
2013 Tesla Model S
21 engine complaints (4.6% of the year's 459). Most often described: engine failure, seizure or replacement.
2015 Tesla Model S
15 engine complaints (2.3% of the year's 646). Most often described: smoke, burning smell or fire.
2014 Tesla Model S
12 engine complaints (3.3% of the year's 364). Most often described: loss of power or limp mode.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Tesla Model S years to avoid.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2013 Tesla Model S have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 21 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2013 Tesla Model S, 4.6% of all 459 complaints for that year. The most common description is "engine failure, seizure or replacement" (4 complaints). 3 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2015 Tesla Model S have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 15 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Tesla Model S, 2.3% of all 646 complaints for that year. The most common description is "smoke, burning smell or fire" (2 complaints).
Does the 2014 Tesla Model S have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 12 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2014 Tesla Model S, 3.3% of all 364 complaints for that year. The most common description is "loss of power or limp mode" (1 complaints). 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Tesla Model S years have the most engine complaints?
2013 (21), 2015 (15) and 2014 (12), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Tesla Model S engine problems?
In the 59 engine complaints, owners most often describe smoke, burning smell or fire (10.2%), overheating or coolant loss (8.5%) and engine failure, seizure or replacement (8.5%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Tesla Model S model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration