Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 128 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Tesla Model S P100D, and it carries no recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 18 | 14% |
| Suspension | 16 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 10 | 8% |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 7% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 6 | 5% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 4 | 3% |
| Structure | 4 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 3% |
| Power train | 3 | 2% |
| Steering | 3 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
This is very comment of tesla not responding to customer about the power reduced in the car is safe concerns is lot of people with the same problem and tesla want Pay for all the repairs of the car even with my car still
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The Instrument Cluster Freezes and has to be reset. When it freezes you have not knowledge of speed you are going. After bringing it into Tesla Service I was told that is a known defect. The only way to fix is to repl
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I own a 2018 Tesla Model S. While it was still under warranty the passenger side door handle quit working and it was no longer possible to open that door. Tesla replaced the door handle at no change with a newly designed
NHTSA complaint: Latches/locks/linkages
The cable harness (slip ring) connecting the steering wheel controls including the vehicle horn, steering wheel buttons, scroll wheels, and potentially the airbag (according to the service technician) failed on this vehi
NHTSA complaint: Steering
•I’m not sure what component was responsble for either the braking issue or the fire. It is available for inspection. •When driving the brake pedal had a frightening delay that almost caused 2 accidents and unfortunatel
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
While driving in Autopilot mode, approx 70 mph in light rain the vhicle began to drift side to side almost crossing over the lane dividing line. Upon grabbing the wheel to take control the vehicle entered multiple 360 d
NHTSA complaint: Forward collision avoidance
I pulled into a driveway on a one lane road (due to construction) to allow a car traveling downhill to pass so they would not have to back up. I had come to a complete stop in the driveway with the car in drive. As I sta
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I own Tesla model S 2018. Last week in Florida there was a storm near the place where I live, (Tampa). I happen to drive in the flooded road only to realize that Tesla has a known manufacturing defect, which multiple cus
NHTSA complaint: Structure
| Reliability raw | 58 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 69 | good |
| Maintenance | 88 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 77 | good |
| Performance | 85 | excellent |
| Efficiency | 86 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 128 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and unknown or other is the most reported area with 18 of them (14%). No recalls are on record for it.
AVOIR scores its reliability 58/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 69/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2018 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 75/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.