YearToAvoid

Tesla Best and Worst Years by Model

5 Tesla models, 13,221 NHTSA owner complaints and 159 recall campaigns for model years 2010–2025. Pick a model to see which years to avoid and which are the safest bets.

Tesla models ranked by owner complaints

Sorted by popularity. Years to avoid / best years come from each model’s own Complaint Index.

ModelYearsComplaintsRecallsYears to avoidBest yearsTop issue
Tesla Model 32017–20254,302352018, 2022, 20232017, 2020Collision Avoidance & Cameras
Tesla Model Y2019–20253,799362022, 20232020Collision Avoidance & Cameras
Tesla Model S2012–20253,387382013, 2014, 2015, 20162012, 2019, 2024, 2025Electrical System
Tesla Model X2015–20251,538392016, 2017, 20232021, 2024Suspension, Wheels & Tires
Tesla Cybertruck2024–202519511——Electrical System

Tesla model years with the most complaints

Raw complaint counts (not adjusted for age or sales). Click through for the breakdown.

  1. 2023 Tesla Model Y · 1,163 complaints · 17 recalls Avoid
  2. 2021 Tesla Model Y · 1,076 complaints · 23 recalls Caution
  3. 2018 Tesla Model 3 · 1,024 complaints · 19 recalls Avoid
  4. 2022 Tesla Model Y · 863 complaints · 20 recalls Avoid
  5. 2022 Tesla Model 3 · 765 complaints · 18 recalls Avoid
  6. 2015 Tesla Model S · 667 complaints · 9 recalls Avoid
  7. 2021 Tesla Model 3 · 663 complaints · 22 recalls Caution
  8. 2016 Tesla Model S · 646 complaints · 10 recalls Avoid
  9. 2019 Tesla Model 3 · 614 complaints · 22 recalls Good
  10. 2013 Tesla Model S · 459 complaints · 11 recalls Avoid

How we rank Tesla years

For each model we compare its own model years using the Complaint Index: complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and “Do Not Drive” recalls reported to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. The top quarter of a model’s years is marked Avoid, the bottom quarter Best. Because NHTSA publishes no sales data, models are not ranked against each other. Full details in the methodology.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.