YearToAvoid

2021 Tesla Model S Collision Avoidance & Cameras Problems

NHTSA lists 48 Collision Avoidance & Cameras complaints for the 2021 Tesla Model S, 27% of all complaints for the year, linked to 9 crashes and 1 injury. Median mileage at failure is 3,500. Five related recalls cover this system.

Collision Avoidance & Cameras complaints
48
27% of 178
Crashes reported
9
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
3,500 mi
Related recalls
5

Typical collision avoidance system symptoms owners report

  • Owners describe Autopilot or Full Self-Driving suddenly steering into barriers or lanes without warning, in some cases causing a crash.
  • Several report phantom braking, where the car hard-brakes on the highway with no vehicle or obstacle ahead, often on adaptive cruise control.
  • Some describe automatic emergency braking failing to activate when approaching a slowed or stopped vehicle, resulting in a rear-end collision.
  • Owners report forward-collision warning or automatic braking not engaging during an actual collision event, including one case where seat belts spooled out on impact.
  • A rear parking camera reportedly showed a persistent green line or failure, both stationary and in motion, from very early mileage.

When 2021 Tesla Model S collision avoidance system complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 8, 2020, latest May 13, 2026.

2021 Tesla Model S collision avoidance & cameras complaints: complaints filed per month9Nov 2020Mar 2022Aug 2022Dec 2022Jun 2023Mar 2024May 2026
48 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2020 to May 2026; peak Feb 2022 (9).

Collision Avoidance & Cameras recalls for the 2021 Tesla Model S

  1. NHTSA 26V283000May 4, 2026Collision Avoidance & Cameras218,868 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Back over prevention:software

    Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017, 2021-2023 Model 3, 2020-2023 Model Y, 2021-2023 Model S, and Model X vehicles operating software version 2026.8.6. The rearview camera image may be delayed when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-00-001.

  2. NHTSA 24V153000Feb 27, 2024Collision Avoidance & Cameras6,557 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Forward collision avoidance: warnings:external/pedestrian alert

    Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."

    Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.

  3. NHTSA 22V235000Apr 12, 2022Collision Avoidance & Cameras594,894 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Forward collision avoidance: warnings:external/pedestrian alert

    Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y, Model X, Model S, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."

    Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, including Summon and Smart Summon, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall supersedes recall 22V-063. Vehicles configured with Summon or Smart Summon and already remedied under 22V-063 will need to have the new remedy software installed.

  4. NHTSA 22V063000Feb 4, 2022Collision Avoidance & Cameras578,607 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Forward collision avoidance: warnings:external/pedestrian alert

    Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, Model Y, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."

    Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 5, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall has been superseded by Recall 22V-235. Tesla's number for the new recall is SB-22-00-003.

  5. NHTSA 21V846000Oct 29, 2021Collision Avoidance & Cameras11,728 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Forward collision avoidance: sensing system: camera

    Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S, Model 3, Model X, and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles operating software version 2021.36.5.2. A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system.

    Risk: Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-00-004.

Collision Avoidance & Cameras complaints by Model S model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20122 (3%)
  2. 201311 (2%)
  3. 201413 (4%)
  4. 201544 (7%)
  5. 201659 (9%)
  6. 201784 (20%)
  7. 201850 (30%)
  8. 201913 (30%)
  9. 202025 (31%)
  10. 202148 (27%)
  11. 202235 (25%)
  12. 202318 (16%)
  13. 20242 (5%)
  14. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2021 Tesla Model S have a Collision Avoidance & Cameras recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists five recalls touching this system for the 2021 Model S, including campaigns for false forward-collision warnings (21V846000), muted pedestrian warning sounds (24V153000), and delayed rearview camera images (26V283000).
How common are Collision Avoidance & Cameras complaints on the 2021 Model S?
NHTSA shows 48 complaints in this area for the 2021 Model S, which is 27% of the 178 total complaints filed for that model year.
Are these complaints linked to crashes?
Yes. Of the complaints in this category, NHTSA data associates 9 crashes and 1 injury with the reported issues.
At what mileage do these problems typically show up?
NHTSA's median mileage at failure for this problem area on the 2021 Model S is 3,500 miles.

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.