The 2022 Model S represents Tesla's refreshed flagship with improved build quality over earlier years, but suffers from drive unit longevity issues, thermal management problems, and software-dependent failures that can sideline the car unexpectedly.
Drive Unit (Transmission) Failure & Milling Noise
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 40,000-80,000 mi
Symptoms: Grinding or milling noise during acceleration, Vibration at highway speeds, Drivetrain error messages, Loss of propulsion or reduced power mode
Fix: Drive unit replacement required; Tesla calls it a 'transmission' but it's the electric motor/gearbox assembly. R&R takes 8-12 hours depending on AWD configuration. Plaid tri-motor cars can fail one unit and limp on two, but dual-motor cars lose significant function. Requires lift and high-voltage lockout procedures.
Estimated cost: $7,000-15,000
Inverter & Coolant Loop Failures
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Powertrain disabled warnings, Coolant leaks under vehicle (orange/pink fluid), Loss of power or inability to charge, Thermal management errors on screen
Fix: Inverter assembly replacement often needed when coolant loop fails internally. Cannot be rebuilt; exchange-only part from Tesla. Requires high-voltage disconnect and cooling system evacuation/refill. 6-10 hours labor. Some shops report coolant service every 25k-30k mi helps prevent early failure.
Estimated cost: $5,500-9,000
High Voltage Battery Module Degradation & Faults
Rare · high severity
Symptoms: Sudden range loss beyond normal degradation, Contactors not closing errors, Vehicle won't charge or charge rate severely limited, BMS faults displayed
Fix: Individual module replacement possible but requires full pack disassembly (16-24 hours). Most indie shops cannot touch HV battery due to liability/training. Tesla service required. Full pack replacement runs $12k-22k depending on capacity. 2022 models have newer 18650/2170 cells that are proving more reliable than earlier packs, but failures still occur.
Estimated cost: $3,000-22,000
MCU/Infotainment Computer Failure
Occasional · medium severity
Symptoms: Black screen on center display, Touchscreen unresponsive or frozen, Backup camera not working, Climate control inoperable
Fix: Media Control Unit replacement; 2022 uses MCU3 which is more reliable than MCU2, but still sees failures. Requires dashboard disassembly and Tesla account linking. 3-5 hours labor. Some failures are software-fixable via remote update, but hardware failures require unit swap.
Estimated cost: $1,500-2,800
12V Battery Premature Failure
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 30,000-60,000 mi
Symptoms: Door handles won't present, Vehicle won't wake from sleep, Warning messages about 12V system, Frunk won't open
Fix: Lithium-ion 12V battery (not lead-acid) fails earlier than expected, often 2-4 years. Located in frunk area. Replacement takes 1 hour but requires Tesla-specific battery ($300-450) as aftermarket options cause BMS issues. Car gives minimal warning before total failure.
Estimated cost: $400-650
Suspension Air Spring & Compressor Issues
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Vehicle sagging on one corner, Suspension fault warnings, Compressor running excessively, Inability to raise/lower ride height
Fix: Air springs develop leaks; compressor overworks and fails. Each air spring runs 2-3 hours to replace. Compressor is 4-5 hours. Independent shops can handle this. Inspect air lines for rubbing/chafing during replacement.
Estimated cost: $1,200-3,500
Door Handle Mechanism Failure
Common · low severity
Symptoms: Handle won't present/extend, Handle stuck out or stuck in, Mechanical grinding noise from door, Manual release required to exit
Fix: Auto-presenting door handles use motors and microswitches that fail. 2022 models improved over earlier versions but still problematic. Each handle assembly 1.5-2 hours to replace; requires door panel removal. Not safety-critical but annoying.
Estimated cost: $400-800
Owner tips
Change drive unit fluid every 30,000 mi despite Tesla saying 'lifetime' — extends drive unit life significantly
Keep inverter coolant service on 2-year intervals; orange/pink fluid should stay clean
Replace 12V lithium battery proactively at 3-4 years to avoid being stranded
Software updates can introduce new bugs — read forums before installing non-critical updates
Find an indie shop certified in high-voltage EV work before you need one; Tesla service waits can be weeks
Buy if you can afford $3k-5k/year repair budget and tolerate occasional Tesla service center delays; avoid if you need absolute daily reliability or DIY everything yourself.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model S and 2021-2025 Model X vehicles. An air bag with the incorrect horn pad may have been installed, preventing the horn from sounding.
Consequence: An inoperative horn may prevent the driver from alerting other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla service will inspect and install an air bag with the correct horn pad as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-20-001.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:CUSHION · 24V967000
2024-12-24
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Model S and Model X vehicles. The driver's air bag could tear during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 212, "Windshield Mounting."
Consequence: A torn air bag may not adequately protect an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla service will replace the air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 21, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-20-001.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH · 24V554000
2024-07-24
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.
Consequence: An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and 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 September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Consequence: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH · 23V862000
2023-12-19
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Model S and X vehicles. The cabin doors can be unlocked during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214, "Side Impact Protection."
Consequence: An unlocked door may unlatch and open during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-009.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Consequence: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR · 23V743000
2023-11-03
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model S and Model X vehicles. An incorrect air bag may have been installed when the steering yoke or round steering wheel was replaced with a different style of yoke or steering wheel.
Consequence: An air bag that is not designed to function with the replacement steering yoke or wheel may deploy incorrectly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and replace the driver air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-20-005.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT · 23V488000
2023-07-14 · PE23006
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Model S and Model X vehicles. The front-row seat belts may not be connected properly to the pretensioner anchors, which can cause the seat belts to detach.
Consequence: A detached seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect the front-row seat belts and connect the seat belts to pretensioner anchors, or replace the seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-20-004.
STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING · 23V085000
2023-02-15 · EA22002
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.
Consequence: 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.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS · 22V702000
2022-09-19
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Model 3, 2020-2022 Model Y, and 2021-2022 Model S and Model X vehicles. The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Consequence: A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update of the automatic window reversal system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2032. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-013.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · 22V526000
2022-07-21
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2022 Model S vehicles. The front bumper carrier structure may alter the vehicle's crash detection, causing the front passenger air bag to deploy incorrectly during certain low speed crashes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: A passenger air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla Service will replace the front bumper carrier structure, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 19, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-10-006.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION · 22V296000
2022-05-03
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S, Model X, and 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating certain firmware releases. The infotainment central processing unit (CPU) may overheat during the preparation or process of fast-charging, causing the CPU to lag or restart.
Consequence: A lagging or restarting CPU may prevent the center screen from displaying the rearview camera image, gear selection, windshield visibility control settings, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will improve CPU temperature management, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-009.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · 22V235000
2022-04-12
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."
Consequence: 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.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR · 22V104000
2022-02-23
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S vehicles. The right or left side curtain air bag inflators may have been assembled incorrectly.
Consequence: An incorrectly assembled inflator can cause a delayed or improper deployment of the side curtain air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service Centers will replace the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-20-001.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · 22V063000
2022-02-04 · DP22005
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."
Consequence: 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · 22V050000
2022-02-02
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A software error may cause a valve in the heat pump to open unintentionally and trap the refrigerant inside the evaporator, resulting in decreased defrosting performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Consequence: Decreased defrosting performance may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-18-002.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · 22V045000
2022-02-01
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The audible chime may not activate when the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-002.
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.
Consequence: 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.
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