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Tesla Model SModel year report

2020 Tesla Model S Problems

Compared with other Tesla Model S years

Typical for this model

49/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Open NHTSA investigationFSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions; Recall 23V838 Remedy Effectiveness and 1 more

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
80filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
2,500miles, 25 complaints with mileage
Recalls
11campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
109 MPGecombined, Electric AWD · 113 city / 105 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2020 Tesla Model S (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints on this model year cluster heavily around driver-assist systems: owners describe the car braking sharply on its own while cruise control or Autopilot is engaged, usually on the highway and often with nothing visible ahead. A smaller but recurring group covers suspension and steering noises or loss of assist, plus several reports of the front trunk lid opening while driving. Many complaints were filed within the first few thousand miles, and reports describe software updates, resets and part replacements rather than a single confirmed cause.

  1. Forward collision avoidance

    Unexpected automatic braking (phantom braking)

    • 17 complaints (21%)
    • median 100 mi at 1.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2022–2024

    Owners describe the car braking hard and briefly while adaptive cruise control or Autopilot is engaged, on straight highways and sometimes at low speed on surface streets. Several say no vehicle or object was visible ahead, and a few mention overpasses, low sun or bright oncoming headlights around the event. Complaints describe the car slowing sharply and then resuming, with drivers behind forced to react; owners report taking the car in and being told the behaviour could not be reproduced or diagnosed. Reported across a wide mileage range, from very low mileage up to roughly 75,000 miles, most often during highway cruise control use.

    Recall 21V846000

    What to check: Take a highway test drive with adaptive cruise control set and watch for uncommanded braking. Ask whether the vehicle's software is current, since one recall concerns a communication error that could produce false forward-collision warnings or automatic emergency braking.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was on the interstate with my cruise control set at 75 mph. Traffic was normal when all of a sudden the brakes were applied and my speed quickly decelerated by at least 20 mph. I immediately physically applied the brakes to disengage the cruise control and immediately speed up again so that I would not get rear ended by the car behind me. This event happened 5 more times through my road trip while I was using the autopilot AND cruise control.”

    NHTSA complaint #11490149, filed 2022-10

    “From Aug 23 to 28, 2023, we traveled in our 2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus vehicle from Santa Fe, NM to San Diego, CA and back, for a total distance of approximate 2100 miles. We drove primarily interstates (I-25, I-10, I-8, I-5) where speed limits ranged from 55 to 75. We experienced numerous instances of what is known to Tesla owners as sudden, severe phantom braking [hereinafter PB] while the cruise control was activated (not AutoPilot, nor FSD, just cruise control). …”

    NHTSA complaint #11541451, filed 2023-08
  2. Suspension

    Loud knocking or popping from front suspension

    • 8 complaints (10%)
    • median 1,500 mi at 0.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2020–2026

    Owners describe knocking, popping or creaking noises from the front end, most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at low speed. Some reports trace the noise to worn front control links, and one owner notes the noise persisted after the air suspension was deflated and re-inflated. A separate set of complaints describes collapsed or broken front suspension components on cars listed at salvage auctions, with the wheel pushed into the wheel well. Reported from a few hundred miles up to around 30,000 miles, often noticed at parking-lot speeds while turning.

    What to check: Listen for clunks or popping while turning the wheel at low speed and over uneven ground, and ask whether the front control links or air suspension have been inspected or replaced.

    An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “After getting new tires installed at Walmart I heard a loud knocking noise when turning the steering wheel. The Walmart tech thought that it was because the tires were too big/wide. Tesla said they probably forgot to put the car in Jack Mode and the air suspension fully deflated. Once the sir suspension return to normal the knocking noise is still there, although not as loud and not as frequent. Both the Walmart technician and Tesla technician confirmed the noise. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11588549, filed 2024-05
  3. Steering

    Loss of power steering assist with warning messages

    Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners report a sudden increase in steering effort, often paired with on-screen alerts about reduced steering assist and unavailable driver-assist features. Some describe the wheel seizing while reversing out of a garage or at highway speed, then recovering after a reset. Complaints also mention forward collision warning, lane departure and park assist becoming unavailable at the same time, and one owner says the vehicle was checked after learning about a related recall. Reported from a few thousand miles upward, with several events during low-speed maneuvering and a few at highway speeds.

    Recall 22V818000

    What to check: Ask whether the electronic power steering recall for this model was performed, and on a test drive feel for uneven or heavy steering, especially after rough pavement or potholes.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Error message popped on my screen steering might require extra force and shortly after that I lost power steering, cruise control, automatic emergency, braking, forward collision warning land departure etc. Contacted Tesla service to acquire about recalls since I remember reading about it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11545828, filed 2023-09

    “Stability control disabled, steering assist disabled, airbags disabled, brake system altered for weeks before service request. In addition, steering wheel moved uncontrollably while parked, with car off, and no one in it for over eight hours. Finally, entire system locked after a factory reset. Locking the doors, preventing entry, and showing the transmission in neutral. Tesla’s service model is inhuman, meaning they don’t allow conversation with a human, but instead require scheduling service through their phone app. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11417545, filed 2021-05
  4. Electrical system

    Touchscreen and instrument cluster going blank

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners describe the center screen and instrument cluster going dark while driving, leaving no speed or turn signal information for a minute or more before the system reboots. Some say the car drove normally during the blank period but that they had no idea how fast they were going. Others report repeated reboots, the car becoming unresponsive to inputs, and service visits where software or a connected device was named as a possible factor. Reported from a few hundred miles to well past 10,000 miles, at both highway and low speeds.

    Recall 24V051000

    What to check: Ask about the vehicle's software version and any history of screen reboots, and confirm the instrument cluster display recall has been addressed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “As I was driving, suddenly my speedometer decided to stop working and showed 0mph. It happened to me twice on separate occasions. Rebooting the system fixed the issue. I spoke to Tesla service center and they told they found a firmware problem (the service manager told me it is the 1st time he saw this issue) and expect a fix sometime in the future. To my question if speedometer could stop working again, he said yes, there are no guarantees in life. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11340664, filed 2020-07, 1,500 miles

    “I have experienced 5 occasions where the Tesla Model S software and instrument panel has shut down and rebooted while driving. This also happened while waiting at an intersection. The vehicle would not operate properly. Traffic was blocked. All human sense of control is lost. This is a repeating occurrence. Twice I have reported to Tesla and Twice they said that they cannot and will not resolve it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11458540, filed 2022-03

Buying note. Most of what owners report here concerns software behaviour in the driver-assist and display systems, so check the installed software version and whether the open recalls for this model year were completed. A highway test drive with cruise control on, plus a listen for front-end noises at low speed, will show you the two most commonly described symptoms.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 80 consumer complaints for the 2020 Tesla Model S. 25 of the complaints include a mileage, and 96% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 2,500 miles. Of all complaints, 16 involved a crash, 8 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns and 64 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 11 Tesla Model S model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 49 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Latches, locks and linkages (4), Wheels (4), Seat belts (3), Air bags (2), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (2), Equipment (1), Fuel system (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Forward collision avoidance: “While driving today on I-25 northbound at approximately 9:50 am from Albuquerque to Santa Fe we had the cruise control set at 85 mph. There were no vehicles or obstacles in front of our 2020 Model S when the automatic braking suddenly engaged bringing the vehicle to a sudden stop. Multiple vehicles behind us had to make emergency maneuvers to avoid hitting our stopped vehicle. The vehicle was set on cruise control, NOT full self driving. This type of life threatening malfunction is not acceptable in a $100,000 vehicle. …”

NHTSA complaint #11506719, filed 2023-02

Other or unknown: “I was stopped at a red light one car in front of me. My car suddenly accelerated forward and hit the car in front of me. My car then stopped. No injuries.”

NHTSA complaint #11364250, filed 2020-10, 57 miles

Suspension: “I am writing to emphasize and provide details regarding the critical safety issue affecting both Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X. My personal experience highlights the severity of this problem which included a tire blow out at highway speeds on a tire that had only approx 10k miles on it. This specific wear pattern is a direct result of improper camber alignment, an issue that Tesla has continuously refused to rectify. This problem is not isolated to my vehicle alone. Many Tesla Model X and Model S owners have reported similar experiences, indicating a widespread and systemic issue. …”

NHTSA complaint #11565681, filed 2024-01

Steering: “The contact owned a 2020 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle lost stability and started to slide sideways and left the roadway. The contact stated that the vehicle left the roadway, slid down a ditch on the passenger side, and crashed into a telephone pole on the passenger side front door. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated, also she said that the road conditions were dry pavement. The contact stated that the police were on the scene and filed a report. …”

NHTSA complaint #11567180, filed 2024-01, 29,996 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

96% of the 25 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 990 and 14,500 miles.

72%0–1012%10–2512%25–500%50–754%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (25 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 2,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

202020212022222023202420252026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2020 Tesla Model S. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Model S (all Variants) · hatchback AWDnot rated———5 · 5.7% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2020 model year: forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2020 Tesla Model S version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving); for electric versions it is the cost of electricity and the rating is in MPGe.

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Model S Long Range AWDElectricsingle-speed115107111 MPGe$700
Model S Long Range Plus AWDElectricsingle-speed121112117 MPGe$650
Model S Performance (19in Wheels) AWDElectricsingle-speed104104104 MPGe$750
Model S Performance (21in Wheels) AWDElectricsingle-speed989697 MPGe$800
Model S Standard Range AWDElectricsingle-speed113105109 MPGe$700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 11 recalls for the 2020 Tesla Model S → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 64 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 64 bulletins →

Other model years of the Tesla Model S

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20267—0—110 MPGe—Too new
20256—2—104 MPGe—Too new
2024383,5006—107 MPGeToo new to compareToo new
202311583,16613—120 MPGe41 · TypicalToo new
20221396,11820—116 MPGe60 · TypicalRising
20211796,00023—110 MPGe78 · MoreStable
2020802,50011—109 MPGe49 · TypicalFalling
2019445,10010—103 MPGe0 · FewerFalling
201817016,00011—102 MPGe51 · TypicalFalling
201742924,2369—102 MPGe72 · MoreFalling
201664926,25010598 MPGe100 · MoreFalling
201566849,2409595 MPGe76 · MoreFalling
201436752,4259589 MPGe41 · TypicalFalling
201346170,00011594 MPGe42 · TypicalFalling
20126168,4818—89 MPGe0 · FewerFalling

All Tesla Model S model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Tesla Model S?

Complaints on this model year cluster heavily around driver-assist systems: owners describe the car braking sharply on its own while cruise control or Autopilot is engaged, usually on the highway and often with nothing visible ahead. The issues reported most often: Unexpected automatic braking (phantom braking); Loud knocking or popping from front suspension; Loss of power steering assist with warning messages.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2020 Tesla Model S have?

NHTSA recorded 80 consumer complaints for the 2020 Tesla Model S as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2020 Tesla Model S is reported most often?

Forward collision avoidance is named most often, in 23 complaints (29% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 14.

Has the 2020 Tesla Model S been recalled?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How efficient is the 2020 Tesla Model S according to the EPA?

The EPA rates the 2020 Tesla Model S (Model S Standard Range, Electric) at 109 MPGe combined, 113 city and 105 highway, with an estimated annual electricity cost of $700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other battery and motor versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2020 Tesla Model S reported?

Among the 25 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 2,500 miles and the middle half falls between 990 and 14,500 miles; 96% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.