2013 Tesla Model S Electronic stability control Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 1%of 461 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 113,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the electronic stability control of the 2013 Tesla Model S, 1% of the 461 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 113,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“While arked in my garage morning the center screen didnt turned on the media control unit know as mcu which is the center screen failed and the car wasnt able to charge, turn on A/C and many other functions of the car where disabled it is a very escencial part of the vehicle if it fails vehicle would not be drivable at all after battery is depleted”
NHTSA complaint #11340878, filed 2020-07, 209,000 miles“2013 Tesla s p85 mcu will not boot up after over the air software update between october 2 t o october 9th while I was on a vacation. Ota software version 2020.24.6.11”
NHTSA complaint #11366786, filed 2020-10, 106,000 miles“Our Tesla Model S 2013 was purchased in august of 2013, 7years ago. The car was able to cover over 200 miles with a full charge. Starting june 2019, the brakes started to shake during braking and the traveled miles decreased drastically after sudden loss of range with 2019.16.x software update that throttles batteries. Under the same conditions traveling the same route by the same person. Now, the full charge of car lasts approximately 100 miles traveled. Total super charged battery miles do not go beyond 150 miles even after waiting more than 2 hrs. …”
NHTSA complaint #11339078, filed 2020-07, 95,000 miles“Tesla is like a laptop with wheels. If the laptop's hard drive dies, the car won't work. That is what happened to my 2013 Tesla Model S p85+. The car's main computer had a combination of faulty design in hardware(small emmc memory chip) and software(high frequency logging to emmc memory) resulting the memory chip failed after 120,000 miles of driving. After the failure, the car will no longer drive for more than 23 miles or be charged beyond 23 miles of range. The air condition stopped working, the main control screen stay black. The car will receive no control. …”
NHTSA complaint #11329285, filed 2020-06, 120,000 miles“2013 Tesla s p85 with manufacture quality control problems. My current concern is that my media control unit (mcu) touch screen in my Model S manufacture in 2013 failures of the touch screen with bubbles on the lcd touch screen and sometime just lines on the lcd display when it is hot under the sun. The car takes a long time to start up after driver get into the driver seat- sometimes it can take up to 3 minutes to start up the car and, lines on lcd display, sticky glue leaking down under the dash area from the passenger side. …”
NHTSA complaint #11337482, filed 2020-07Electronic stability control: other model years
Other parts of the 2013 Tesla Model S
195 complaintsOther or unknown
122 complaintsSuspension
92 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
35 complaintsSteering
29 complaintsBrakes
25 complaintsVehicle speed control
25 complaintsFuel system
24 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
22 complaintsEngine
21 complaintsBody and structure
19 complaintsExterior lighting
15 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2013 Tesla Model S
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology