Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 32 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Tesla Model S 75D, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 6 | 19% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 9% |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 6% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 6% |
| Steering | 2 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Air bags | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Experienced rattling while driving. Brought car in and was told this is a known problem. Obtained copy of the bulletin from Tesla saying this was a “fix upon notification” rather than a recall. Then was forced to pay for
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
Vehicle suddenly stopped on highway luckily there were no drivers behind me. The vehicle all of a sudden started beeping even though there was a clear path and no obstructions. Then stopped. I was panicked and in awe at
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
On [XXX] at approximately 1230 pm my husband loaded my [XXX] child into the car. He shut the door then tried to open the driver site door. At that time the inside the car was 93 degrees. The car shut off. Telsa cust
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to complete a turn, the contact heard an abnormal sound emanating from the front end of the vehicle. No
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
On[XXX], at approximately 6:30 PM while I was driving my 2019 Tesla Model S in Fort Lee, NJ. While navigating through congested traffic and executing a right turn from [XXX] on a green light, the auto-pilot system was no
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The intermittent wipers do not work at all. I created a service ticket with Tesla and they informed me that this is a known bug affecting Model S & X vehicles and that there is currently no known date for a fix to be rel
NHTSA complaint: Visibility/wiper
Sept 9th, 2023 while driving on the interstate the vehicle lost all propulsion power, red lights shown in "gear, P N D" indicator area. I was in left lane and had to get to the side of the road, 4 lanes over, where putti
NHTSA complaint: Steering
DRIVING ON AUTOPILOT ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR SUDDENLY BRAKES WITH NOT APPARENT REASON.
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
| Reliability raw | 67 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 73 | good |
| Maintenance | 88 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 77 | good |
| Performance | 85 | excellent |
| Efficiency | 87 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 32 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and suspension is the most reported area with 6 of them (19%). No recalls are on record for it.
AVOIR scores its reliability 67/100 (good) 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 73/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2019 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 78/100. 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.