Is the 2021 Tesla Model S a bad year?
179 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Model S years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2021 Tesla Model S are in line with other Model S years.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2021 Model S owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 80,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collision avoidanceSTANDS OUT | 48 (27%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 29 (16%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 25 (14%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 16 (9%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 16 (9%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 16 (9%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 10 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 9 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Lane assist | 9 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 9 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 80,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 179 complaints: 13 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 3 report an injury · 7 say the car was towed.
11 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2021 Tesla Model S: 24
The rearview camera image may be delayed when the vehicle is placed in reverse. A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
An air bag with the incorrect horn pad may have been installed, preventing the horn from sounding. An inoperative horn may prevent the driver from alerting other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The driver's air bag could tear during deployment. A torn air bag may not adequately protect an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened. An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. 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.
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. 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…
An incorrect air bag may have been installed when the steering yoke or round steering wheel was replaced with a different style of yoke or steering wheel. An air bag that is not designed to function with the replacement steering yoke or wheel may deploy incorrectly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The front-row seat belts may not be connected properly to the pretensioner anchors, which can cause the seat belts to detach. A detached seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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 a complete stop… 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 electronic power assist steering (EPAS) system may experience a loss of power steering assist when driving on rough roads or after hitting a pothole. A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
The driver side exterior rearview mirrors are convex (curved glass) and the passenger side mirrors do not include the "Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear" etched warning. When using the incorrect mirrors, the driver may misjudge the distance of other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction. A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
The infotainment central processing unit (CPU) may overheat during the preparation or process of fast-charging, causing the CPU to lag or restart. A lagging or restarting CPU may prevent the center screen from displaying the rearview camera image, gear selection, windshield visibility control settings, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
The right or left side curtain air bag inflators may have been assembled incorrectly. An incorrectly assembled inflator can cause a delayed or improper deployment of the side curtain air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
A software error may cause a valve in the heat pump to open unintentionally and trap the refrigerant inside the evaporator, resulting in decreased defrosting performance. Decreased defrosting performance may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The audible chime may not activate when the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their seat belt. The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
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. Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
The front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned, preventing the secondary hood latch from engaging. 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 driver's air bag cushion may tear during deployment. A torn air bag may not adequately protect an occupant in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system. Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Tesla: 67
Repair instructions Tesla sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2021 Tesla Model S. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
On some Model S and Model X vehicles, the compression gap of the HVAC drain funnel seal is wider than intended, which may cause water ingress
On certain Model S and Model X vehicles built between approximately January 2021 and September 22, 2022…
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies
On some Model S and Model X vehicles, the LH and RH frame rail bolts might not have been tightened to specification…
NHTSA defect investigations: 14
FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged
Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting Requirements
Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.
FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
Neighbouring years
2020 Model S: 80 complaints, keep it · 2022 Model S: 140 complaints, keep it.
Every Tesla Model S year
2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Model S years side by side
Other Tesla models: Tesla Cybertruck · Tesla Model 3 · Tesla Model X · Tesla Model Y. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2021 Tesla Model S a bad year?
179 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Model S years. At 80,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Tesla Model S?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: collision avoidance (48), steering (29), electrical system (25), brakes (16), speed control (16).
How many recalls does the 2021 Tesla Model S have?
24 recall campaigns list this model year: Backup camera (NHTSA 26V-283), Electrical system (NHTSA 25V-172), Air bags (NHTSA 24V-967), Latches and locks (NHTSA 24V-554) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.