2017 Tesla Model S Steering Problems
NHTSA lists 47 steering complaints for the 2017 Tesla Model S, 11% of all complaints for the year. These involve 3 crashes and 2 injuries, with median mileage at failure of 10,000 miles. Two related recalls cover EPAS steering assist loss and FSD Beta steering behavior.
- Steering complaints
- 47
- 11% of 424
- Crashes reported
- 3
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 10,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical steering symptoms owners report
- Owners describe steering arm or fore-link components fracturing or snapping, sometimes at the eyelet, leading to loss of steering control.
- Front suspension and steering linkage reportedly collapse or go out of alignment, causing wheels to sit crooked.
- Some drivers report a fracturing sound from the steering system followed by the vehicle veering off the road and crashing.
- Multiple complaints describe autopilot-related steering veering, where the car unexpectedly changes lanes or drifts off the road while hands are on the wheel.
- Ball joint problems are cited as a cause of difficult or heavy steering.
When 2017 Tesla Model S steering complaints were filed
First complaint Jul 17, 2017, latest Aug 18, 2026.
Steering recalls for the 2017 Tesla Model S
- NHTSA 23V085000Feb 15, 2023Steering362,758 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Steering:automated/adaptive steering
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 a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 22V818000Nov 1, 2022Steering40,168 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Steering:electric power assist system
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S and Model X vehicles. 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.
Risk: A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update to recalibrate the EPAS system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 31, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-014.
- NHTSA 22V037000Jan 27, 2022Steering53,822 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Steering:automated/adaptive steering
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. 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.
Risk: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Steering complaints by Model S model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many steering complaints does the 2017 Tesla Model S have?
- NHTSA lists 47 steering complaints for the 2017 Tesla Model S, which is 11% of the 424 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Are there any steering recalls for the 2017 Tesla Model S?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 22V818000 covers a loss of electronic power assist steering (EPAS) on rough roads, and 23V085000 covers Full Self-Driving Beta steering behavior; both are fixed with a free over-the-air software update.
- Did the 2017 Tesla Model S steering issues cause crashes?
- NHTSA data tied to this steering complaint group shows 3 crashes and 2 injuries among the 47 reports.
- At what mileage do steering problems usually appear on the 2017 Model S?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for steering complaints on this model year is 10,000 miles.
- How does the 2017 Model S compare to other years for steering complaints?
- The 2017 model's 11% share of complaints tied to steering is lower than 2016's 13%, 2020's 13%, 2021's 16%, 2022's 15%, and 2023's 18%, but higher than 2013's 6% and 2014's 7%.