11 NHTSA safety recalls cover the 2013 Tesla Model S. Owners have filed 460 complaints with NHTSA about this model year. Every recall repair is free at any Tesla dealer.
Is yours affected? Recalls cover ranges of VINs, not every 2013 Tesla Model S. Check your Model S by VIN and confirm open recalls at NHTSA.gov.
Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.
Owners filed 460 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Tesla Model S, reporting 41 crashes, 19 fires, 24 injuries, 5 deaths. Tesla has issued at least 102 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.
Read Tesla Model S owner complaints and bulletins, every year
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation lists this model year in 12 investigations. An investigation is not a recall; it is how NHTSA decides whether one is needed.
Owners have filed 460 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Tesla Model S. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
“slowing down pulling into a parking spot and there was a sudden unintended acceleration causing the vehicle to jump over the bumper onto the other side of the parking lot causing property damage to the front passenger side and a vehicle to the right parking spot.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11567902
“I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT GOING UNDER 5MILES AND MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT FULL SPEED. THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED A FEW FEET LATER BEFORE DOING PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING. I HIT A TRASH CAN. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALLED THE CAR. TESLA HAS THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11474391
“The rear view camera did not deploy when I was backing out of a driveway and I was struck by another vehicle. The police determined it was a no-fault accident. My insurance company deemed me primarily responsible.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11443631
“Car was charging in the garage on Dec 30, 2020 when at 5:25 AM a message was sent to my phone that the charging had been interrupted but not completed. 12 minutes later at 5:37 AM a message was sent that the Alarm on the vehicle had been activated.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11440932
“I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE AND THE LEFT REAR END OF MY CAR HIT A CAR PARKED BEHIND ME. MY CAR IMMEDIATELY SPED UP IN FORWARD DIRECTION IN AN ARC CAUSING ME TO HIT JUST INSIDE GARAGE ON THE LEFT . I TRIED TO BRAKE AND TO PUT IT INTO PARK AND NOTHING WAS WORKING.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11396170
Search the official database: NHTSA. Excerpts are quoted from the public record, shortened at a sentence and with personal details removed.
Not every 2013 Tesla Model S is in every recall. Enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact vehicle, then confirm which are still open at NHTSA.gov or with any Tesla dealer.