YearToAvoid

2021 Tesla Model S Suspension, Wheels & Tires Problems

NHTSA lists 32 Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints for the 2021 Tesla Model S, 18% of all 178 complaints that year. Owners mainly report rear tire tread separating from the sidewall on the 21-inch wheel option, plus one wheel detachment near the median failure mileage of 1,000 miles. No related recall is listed.

Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints
32
18% of 178
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
1,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical suspension symptoms owners report

  • Rear tire tread separates from the inner sidewall, most often on the 21-inch wheel and stock Michelin tire setup.
  • Inner edge of rear tires wears abnormally fast, losing air pressure and exposing cords in some cases.
  • One owner reported a front wheel detaching from the vehicle at low mileage, causing it to strike a fence.
  • Rear adaptive suspension wiring harness rubbed against the inside of a tire until it wore through and disabled the dampers.
  • A rack-and-pinion steering issue produced grinding and clunking noises plus visible wheel movement when turning sharply.
  • A tire lost pressure quickly on the highway, later found to have tread separating from the sidewall.

When 2021 Tesla Model S suspension complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 23, 2021, latest Sep 15, 2026.

2021 Tesla Model S suspension, wheels & tires complaints: complaints filed per month2Mar 2021Sep 2022Aug 2023Dec 2023Oct 2024May 2025Jan 2026
32 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2021 to Sep 2026; peak Jan 2022 (2).

Suspension, Wheels & Tires recalls for the 2021 Tesla Model S

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints by Model S model year

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

  1. 20129 (15%)
  2. 201398 (21%)
  3. 201493 (25%)
  4. 2015150 (22%)
  5. 2016215 (33%)
  6. 2017111 (26%)
  7. 201821 (13%)
  8. 201910 (23%)
  9. 202018 (23%)
  10. 202132 (18%)
  11. 202221 (15%)
  12. 20238 (7%)
  13. 20242 (5%)
  14. 20252 (33%)

Frequently asked questions

How many suspension, wheels, and tire complaints does NHTSA have for the 2021 Tesla Model S?
NHTSA lists 32 complaints in this category for the 2021 Model S, which is 18% of the 178 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2021 Tesla Model S suspension or tires?
No related recall is listed in the NHTSA data for this component on the 2021 Model S.
What is the main suspension or tire problem owners report on the 2021 Model S?
Most complaints describe rear tire tread separating from the sidewall, especially with the 21-inch wheel and stock Michelin tires, along with a few reports of rapid tire wear and one wheel detachment.
At what mileage do these suspension and tire problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this component is 1,000 miles, though several individual complaints occurred at higher mileage.

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.