NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of September 2026, the NHTSA has logged 333 complaints against the 2019 Tesla Model S. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2019 Tesla Model S complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2019 Tesla Model S has generated 185 NHTSA complaints and has 10 active recalls. If your 2019 Tesla Model S has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Tesla pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Suspension problems affect vehicle handling and ride quality. For the 2019 Tesla Model S, reported issues include clunking noises, premature wear, and handling instability. With 30 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect has a documented pattern. Owner reports include: “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 “f…”
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2019 Tesla Model S has 25 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving 76 MPH with the adaptive cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced pha…”
Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2019 Tesla Model S has generated 20 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “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…”
The 2019 Tesla Model S has generated 10 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “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 …”
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2019 Tesla Model S include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 10 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “while driving on a highway, car made warning sounds and displayed a message "steering assist is reduced, drive with care" the car was not drivable. I …”
The following 10 recalls have been issued for the 2019 Tesla Model S by the NHTSA or Tesla. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly, obstructing the driver’s view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and reposition the latch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 18, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-21-11-003.
Component: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-21-00-004.
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A delayed rearview camera image reduces the driver’s rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-22-00-004.
Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update to recalibrate the EPAS system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 31, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-22-00-014.
Component: STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2019 Tesla Model S:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Tesla to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Tesla must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2019 Tesla Model S qualifies as a lemon under California law, Tesla may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Tesla a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Tesla dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Tesla pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Tesla a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Tesla is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2019 Tesla Model S has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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