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 June 2026, the NHTSA has not yet received complaints specific to the 2023 Tesla Model S. However, this does not mean the vehicle is free from defects. Complaint data often lags behind real-world issues, and many vehicle owners experience problems before they are widely reported. If you are experiencing recurring issues with your 2023 Tesla Model S, you may still have a valid lemon law claim. You can file your own complaint at SaferCar.gov and check for updates on the NHTSA database.
The 2023 Tesla Model S has generated 102 NHTSA complaints and has 12 active recalls. If your 2023 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.
The 2023 Tesla Model S has generated 43 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 horn is a little button on the steering wheel. Tesla has since switched to a center horn. I assume this is due to safety concern that accessing …”
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2023 Tesla Model S include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 9 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “The steering wheels on these Tesla Model S vehicles have a horn button instead of depressing the center of the wheel. This button is difficult to find…”
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 2023 Tesla Model S has 4 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “Auto emergency braking is occurring when vehicle recognizes leaves as people. This has happened on three occasions. It is startling to say the leas…”
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2023 Tesla Model S include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 4 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “On May 3, 2025, at approximately 2:00 PM EDT, while driving a 2023 Tesla Model S on a busy highway in a high-density retail area, a vehicle suddenly p…”
The 2023 Tesla Model S has generated 3 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 left turn signal is intermittent, it works most of the time, but many times the button on the yoke will not turn on the turn signal. Tesla wants …”
The following 12 recalls have been issued for the 2023 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: 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: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Safety features that are unavailable without any warning to the driver may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and adjust the pitch angle, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-23-17-006.
Component: SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A detached seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect the front-row seat belts and connect the seat belts to pretensioner anchors, or replace the seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’
Component: STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An air bag that is not designed to function with the replacement steering yoke or wheel may deploy incorrectly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and replace the driver air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-23-20-005.
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: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An unlocked door may unlatch and open during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-23-00-009.
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A rearview image that does not display while in reverse decreases the driver’s visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-24-00-002.
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 2023 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 2023 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 2023 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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