2015 Tesla Model S Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 22about this part
- Share
- 3%of 669 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 33,033miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 22 complaints about the air bags of the 2015 Tesla Model S, 3% of the 669 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 33,033 miles. 8 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I drove the car into a parking space at the school (desert christian elementary) in tucson arizona on sept 16th about 11:05 am, when the car accelerated on its own (unintended acceleration) and crashed into 2 parked vehicles and airbags deployed and I sustained a fracture of my right arm requiring surgery. Also my car (the Tesla Model S) was damaged and the two other parked cars.”
NHTSA complaint #10910065, filed 2016-09, 11,000 miles“My center screen that controls the vehicle functions such as air conditioning, all vehicle settings, map, cruise control, vehicle collision sensors, lder, etc are not functioning because the mcu unit failed. The emmc chip inside mcu failed when the vehicle was downloading a update sent from Tesla over the air. The car doesnt want to turn on half the time and vehicle driveability and functions are very limited. Tesla hasnt responded to my complaints and my issue. The car was in my driveway and downloading when the screen qent black and nevwr turned back on. …”
NHTSA complaint #11362938, filed 2020-10, 131,191 miles“Have an issue with the central touch screen panel going blank. The embedded multi-media-card memory (emmc) in the mcu ins likely the issue. This is causing the central touch screen panel (that controls air bags, navigation, music, heating etc..). This screen has been causing a problem for many months. We got a 'temporary fix' by a reset that cost 100s of dollars - but it went blank again. This is a design flaw that has nothing to do with how we drive the car - it has got fixed in the 2018 and later Model S models - but it looks like it is a systematic issue in many cars prior to that.”
NHTSA complaint #11354363, filed 2020-09, 60,000 miles“My tersla experienced a sudden acceleration event on july 31, 2019. It was being parked in a target parking lot about to be put in park when it suddenly experienced a full acceleration. It jumped over a 6 to 8 foot wide concrete meridian, took out a bush and hit a parked pick-up, moving it about 15 feet and totaling the truck. The car had almost $40,000 in damage and the driver was injured. Telsa first said they would have their read out in one week then 3, then 4 - finally after about 4 months they said it was driver error but the driver denies touching the gas or brake. …”
NHTSA complaint #11302858, filed 2020-01, 33,033 miles“I was behind a car at a stop light when a SUV hit me very hard from behind, I hit the car in front of me. My face hit the steering wheel, 2 teeth came out whole, ripped from the gums, one tooth pushed up into my upper jaw. I got a laceration on my lower lip. i hit my forehead left side of my mouth and nose (very swollen, deviates to the right).”
NHTSA complaint #11458352, filed 2022-03Related recalls
- 19V002000Jan 7, 2019Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2014-2016 Model S vehicles equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag…Covers: Tesla Model S 2014–2016
Related service bulletins
- 10153424Jan 11, 2019The propellant in the front passenger airbag inflator might degrade over time, which could cause the inflator body to rupture in the event the airbag is deployed.
- 10153422Jan 7, 2019The propellant in the front passenger airbag inflator might degrade over time, which could cause the inflator body to rupture in the event the airbag is deployed.
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 3% |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% |
| 2022 | 4 | 3% |
| 2021 | 5 | 3% |
| 2020 | 2 | 3% |
| 2019 | 2 | 5% |
| 2018 | 4 | 2% |
| 2017 | 5 | 1% |
| 2016 | 14 | 2% |
| 2015 | 22 | 3% |
| 2014 | 13 | 4% |
| 2013 | 8 | 2% |
| 2012 | 1 | 2% |
Other parts of the 2015 Tesla Model S
266 complaintsOther or unknown
189 complaintsSuspension
150 complaintsSteering
51 complaintsExterior lighting
46 complaintsVehicle speed control
40 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
39 complaintsFuel system
32 complaintsForward collision avoidance
31 complaintsBody and structure
30 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
29 complaintsBrakes
21 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2015 Tesla Model S
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 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