Tesla Model S: common faults & what to check

Which Tesla Model S are you looking at?

1 generation variant documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Electric

1 variant documented

2014–now2014–nowGenerationEV 75-100kWhElectricDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Alexander-93 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Tesla Model S

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Tesla Model S before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Costly issue

  Reboot the screen (hold both scroll wheels) and time how long it takes to come back — many minutes or repeated crashes point to dying eMMC.

  See why

  MCU1 8GB eMMC flash memory wear — blank centre screen (pre-March 2018 cars)

  Model S cars built before March 2018 use the MCU1 media computer with an 8GB eMMC flash chip that wears out from constant logging — the centre screen goes blank or reboots endlessly, killing charging control from the screen, climate, and the reversing camera; regulators found defect rates up to 30% for some build months and Tesla was pushed into a recall of about 135,000 Model S/X in 2021, replacing the chip with a 64GB part. Tesla's recall/warranty adjustment coverage for the eMMC has time/mileage limits, so many NZ cars (including used imports) now sit outside it. On any pre-2018 car, confirm whether the eMMC daughterboard was replaced or the car was upgraded to MCU2 — an unfixed original chip is a matter of when, not if.

  What you would notice

  • Centre touchscreen blank, frozen or rebooting in a loop
  • Screen very slow to boot, sluggish maps and menus
  • Reversing camera intermittently black
  • Alert about memory storage degradation

  Typically $500–$4,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Drive at 80-100 km/h with the stereo and climate fan off and listen for a speed-proportional whine or grind from beneath the rear seat.

  See why

  Early drive unit bearing wear — 'milling' noise and unit replacement

  Early Model S rear drive units are documented for bearing wear that produces a rising hum or 'milling' noise with road speed, and many 2012-2016 cars had one or more complete drive unit swaps under Tesla's 8-year drive-unit warranty — which has now expired on these cars. A car already running a later-revision (often 'Q' revision) replacement unit is a better bet than an original. Out of warranty, a replacement or rebuilt drive unit through an independent EV specialist is a four-to-five-figure job, so listen carefully at speed with the radio off.

  What you would notice

  • Rising whine/hum with road speed (changes with speed, not revs of anything else)
  • 'Milling' or grinding note under acceleration
  • Clunk on throttle lift

  Typically $6,000–$15,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Select reverse several times during the viewing and confirm the camera image appears straight away every time.

  See why

  HW4 car computer short circuit: blank reversing camera (recall 25V-002)

  On some Model S cars with the HW4 car computer, the power-up sequence could cause a short on the computer circuit board, leaving the reversing camera blank when reverse is selected and potentially affecting other camera-based features. Tesla recalled 2024-2025 Model S (plus 3, X and Y) under NHTSA 25V-002 / SB-25-00-001, with an over-the-air fix (software 2024.44.25.3 or 2024.45.25.6 or later) and a free computer replacement for cars that had already failed or been stressed. A car still showing the fault needs a new computer, which is very expensive outside the recall.

  What you would notice

  • Black or blank screen when selecting reverse
  • Camera-related alerts or Autopilot features unavailable
  • Repeated screen or computer reboot warnings

  Typically $0–$6,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  View the car before it's been driven: a corner sitting low after sitting overnight means a leak.

  See why

  Air suspension leaks and compressor failure

  On air-suspension Model S cars the air springs develop slow leaks with age, which overworks the compressor until it fails — a documented pattern in owner teardowns, with moisture ingress rusting and freezing compressor internals. Symptoms are a car sitting low overnight (often one corner), long pump run times, and eventually a suspension fault message. A compressor alone is a manageable independent-workshop job; a leaking air strut is the bigger cost, and aftermarket (Arnott-type) struts are the affordable route in NZ versus Tesla parts. Always check ride height after the car has sat.

  What you would notice

  • Car noticeably lower after parking overnight, often one corner
  • Compressor running long or loudly after startup
  • Suspension fault message / height stuck
  • Clunks over bumps from a failing strut

  Typically $500–$3,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  With the car on, set the climate to maximum heat and then to maximum cold and feel the vents change within a few minutes.

  See why

  Heat pump expansion valve fault: loss of cabin heat, weak demist, 'HVAC limited' alert

  The refreshed Model S uses a heat pump with an electronically controlled expansion valve. A software fault could let the valve open unintentionally, trapping refrigerant in the evaporator and making the compressor shut down, leaving the cabin with little or no heat and a windscreen that will not demist properly. Tesla recalled 2021-2022 Model S, 3, X and Y cars under NHTSA 22V-050 and fixed it over the air (firmware 2021.44.30.7 or later), but cars that already lost refrigerant or had the fault repeatedly may still need a regas or valve work. Ignoring it means poor visibility on cold or damp mornings.

  What you would notice

  • 'Heating and air conditioning limited' or similar alert
  • Cold air when heat is requested
  • Windscreen slow to clear with the demist on
  • Air conditioning weak on a hot day

  Typically $0–$3,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Ask the seller to open the Tesla app on their phone and show any service alerts or notifications about the low-voltage battery.

  See why

  Low-voltage (16V lithium) battery failure: car will not wake, cascade of alerts

  The refreshed Model S replaced the old 12V lead-acid battery with a small 16V lithium-ion low-voltage battery that runs the doors, screens, locks and safety systems. Owners report these batteries failing, typically with a 'low voltage battery needs service' alert first, then a car that will not wake, will not open or shows a wall of warnings; early 2021 cars were also reported to lose hazard lights when it died. It cannot be swapped for a cheap generic 12V battery, so replacement goes through Tesla. Recent firmware sends an app notification when it needs replacing, so the warning is easy to check.

  What you would notice

  • 'Low voltage battery needs service' or similar alert on screen or in the app
  • Car slow to wake, doors not presenting or handles not responding
  • Many unrelated warnings appearing at once
  • Screen goes black or car loses power when parked

  Typically $450–$1,000 to put right.

Tesla Model S service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Tesla Model S. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Tesla Model S’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• EV Battery Replacement Cost

Other Tesla models