2016 Tesla Model S 90d recalls & complaints

1. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. 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 te…

What could happen: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Tesla dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V002000 (manufacturer code SB-19-20-001).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Steering

What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. 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.

What could happen: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Tesla dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V204000 (manufacturer code SB-18-32-002).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Tesla dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 17V260000 (manufacturer code SB-17-33-002).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Electrical system — software update

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.

What could happen: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.

The fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. This recall may be fixed by an over-the-air software update. Check the car's screen or app before booking a dealer visit.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Backup camera

What's wrong, in plain English: The rear camera may not show an image when reversing. 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 d…

What could happen: 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.

The fix: 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, 202…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Tesla dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V035000 (manufacturer code SB-21-21-001).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Latches / locks

What's wrong, in plain English: Doors, hood or trunk may open unexpectedly. 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."

What could happen: 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.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Tesla dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V00B000 (manufacturer code SB-21-11-003).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Steering — software update

What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to…

What could happen: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.

The fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge.  Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023.  Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.  Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. This recall may be fixed by an over-the-air software update. Check the car's screen or app before booking a dealer visit.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Electrical system — software update

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. 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…

What could happen: 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.

The 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 to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. This recall may be fixed by an over-the-air software update. Check the car's screen or app before booking a dealer visit.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Electrical system — software update

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. 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."

What could happen: 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.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. This recall may be fixed by an over-the-air software update. Check the car's screen or app before booking a dealer visit.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

10. Seat belts — software update

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat belts may not hold you in a crash. 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."

What could happen: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

The fix: 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2016 MODEL S 90D.
2. This recall may be fixed by an over-the-air software update. Check the car's screen or app before booking a dealer visit.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-798-3752.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Suspension (204), Unknown Or Other (143), Electrical system (137), Steering (81), Vehicle Speed Control (74).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.