2016 TESLA MODEL S Unknown Or Other Problems
148 NHTSA complaints on file
Unknown Or Other Issues in the 2016 TESLA MODEL S
148 unknown or other complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 TESLA MODEL S. Of these, 10 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, and 7 resulted in injury.
148
Complaints
10
Crashes
2
Fires
7
Injuries
0
Deaths
All Unknown Or Other Complaints
While driving on the freeway in the fast lane at 75 MPH I80W, the car began a loud humming sound that came from the rear. My passenger and I noted that it was significant sound that we took a video to record the sound. I was the driver and I noticed that the sound increased as I accelerated. Then without any warning the car began to decelerate and no longer accelerated. The car slowed considerably to 35 MPH and it became a major safety issue because I had to cross all lanes of traffic at this slow speed. It was only after the car had completely shut down that the warning messages began to display. I reached the side of the road and we waited for the tow truck driver for about an hour. Subsequently, the car was towed to a Tesla dealer near my home. I was informed that...
The center touchscreen in my Tesla Model S developed a yellow discoloration and later began leaking a sticky fluid from the edges of the display. This fluid appears to be seeping from inside the screen and emits a noticeable odor. The touchscreen is the primary interface for controlling most of the vehicle’s safety-critical systems, including the backup camera, gear selection, climate control, lights, and driver assistance settings. The leak causes visible streaking and distortion on the display. This directly impacts the rearview camera feed — making it harder to see obstacles or pedestrians when reversing — which is a federally mandated safety feature under FMVSS 111. The problem worsens in hot weather and may result in fluid dripping onto electronics below, creating an electrical hazard or sudden display failure while driving. This appears to be a known design flaw in which the adhesive or seal inside the display fails over...
THE CENTER TOUCHSCREEN IS LEAKING A STICKY GLUE-LIKE SUBSTANCE AND HAS VISIBLE BUBBLES FORMING INSIDE THE SCREEN. THIS AFFECTS VISIBILITY AND OPERATION OF ESSENTIAL VEHICLE FUNCTIONS LIKE HVAC, NAVIGATION, AND DEFROST CONTROLS. THIS ISSUE IS WORSEN WITH HEAT EXPOSURE. THE SCREEN ALSO FREEZES RANDOMLY.
While the car is parked and locked the rear driver side door opens in its own. The door handle does not present itself and is scheduled for repair. This is new and started happening today. Despite how many times I close it. It opens on it own. The door is locked when this happens. Door sitting still. Plugged in to charge and locked. The door opens on its own. It unlatches, Does not fully open.
My driver's side of the vehicle looks like it's melting. I was informed by the service advisor at Tesla that this is a common issue, and the computer needs to be replaced at my expense.
on 5/20/25, I had my Tesla repaired as I had suspension issues. They repaired my car to rectify my suspension for both my front and rear tires. Then on 6/12/25, I was driving on the highway and going about 70-75 mph when I heard a huge pop. No warning indicators came on and something did not feel right. I figured nothing else came of it. I was about 30 miles away from home and when I got home, my tire was pushed inward. I was concerned on whether this was related to a bad repair since it was so soon to my previous repair and they indicated that they did not touch that area. After they saw my video, they indicated that the lower control arm of my rear tire broke and they indicated that this was just a damaged component. My biggest concern is that if this issue was...
Touch screen has bubbles and could become unusable
The infotainment unit in the car that controls functionality, I.e. navigation used to monitor battery availability is malfunctioning because of glue seeping from the unit and causing the screen to go black intermittently while driving creating a safety hazard for the driver and others due to a distraction. When this happens the driver loses visibility to navigation and other controls central to the vehicle functionality. Tesla is aware of this manufacturing defect that is a safety concern because it requires the driver to not focus on the road.
The LCD screen is blinking, sometimes going blank. And its getting worse as the days are passing by. I heard there was a recall for models older than 2018.
Turned right into garage slowly. Car suddenly accelerated very fast by itself. I swerved and avoided 1 parked vehicle. Was not able to avoid another one. I braked. The car stopped. Airbags had gone off.
Tesla has refused to fix safety recall items. They asked me to replace the cluster own my own so i can receive updates.
The passenger door handle and locking mechanism was not functioning properly. The front passenger door handle was not presenting. Also, every time I parked the car or unlocked the car, the door would pop open. Also, while in drive and when the car was in motion the passenger door would pop open unexpectedly. Safety is put at risk as the door would pop open while the car was in drive and in motion. The problem was reproduced several times and the Tesla service center acknowledged the problem and fixed it. They charged me $477. There were no warning signs.
The car drove itself away without being summoned. It was parked in a parking lot, it reversed itself and started driving and stopped at next stop sign. Someone alerted me thankfully and I went to retrieve the car from stop sign.
The main screen has been going black approximately every 2 minutes while I am driving. It flashes off and then back on. I lose my backup camera, and all access to other features such as defrost, which can be scary, not to mention distracting. This issue started in May 2023, and I brought the car in. An upgrade to the 64gb eMMc (originally was an 8gb chip) was performed in May. I believe Tesla was asked to, but would not, recall cars with this issue; they would only upgrade the chip. In August, 2023 we had issues again. They "reflashed" the unit and it was ok, but only for a couple of weeks. In addition to the recall, I have a warranty, but they will not replace the the computer unit without charging repairs to me. They tell me the hardware is outdated and the only true fix is to...
The trunk on our Tesla has become locked shut and the emergency release will not work. This seems To have been caused by the software getting buggy from reversing as the trunk was closing. After this the trunk seems to be in an error state and wouldn’t register as closed. After opening it it the. Wouldn’t shut at all following multiple attempts via the key fob. Button. And touch screen. After closing manually it still did not register as shut and is now completely inoperable. Seemingly disabling multiple systems in autopilot and as mentioned can not even be opened via the manual emergency release
At low speeds, the rear control arm on the driver side disconnected from the wheel causing instability and a near accident. When looking into this issue, it appears it may be more common than what is published. This could have caused a serious accident if I were going highway speed.
touch screen melting and leaking substance worried it will shut down dealer says not under warranty no warning or messages about leak
I’ve been complaining about my mcu1 glitching, freezing and my rear view camera not working since June 2022. I also filing a complaint because I have the fsd package on my 2016 mcu1 car and that has not been delivered after a 6 year wait. They released fsd to the mcu1 platform. But less than 50 cars got it and that very software got recalled. They have fixed every other platform but mcu1 since. I truly believe there is a issue with mcu1 hw3. I’ve complained several times about my mcu under warranty about these issues and they said the only fix is mcu2 . Which means they couldn’t fix it under warrranty. That’s a breach of warranty. I almost hit a elderly gentleman a few weeks ago because I was backing up and my screen went black. This has been happening and tesla knows all about it. But Tesla...
On Friday, June 2, 2023, I was traveling at highway speed in the left lane south on Interstate 15 just south of Temecula, California. With no warning my vehicle speed started dropping quickly, and did not respond to pressing the accelerator pedal. I immediately started moving lanes to the right, as my speed quickly decelerated to 30 mph. Luckily, I was able to make it to the shoulder safely. There was an exit up ahead, so I continued to drive as my speed continued to decelerate, in the hopes that I could make the exit and have a safe place in which to stop and contact Tesla service. I was able to make that exit, but by the time I got there my speed had decelerated to 20 mph, and as I continued up the exit to a wider shoulder, the car rolled to a stop and would not move...
Tesla Model S touchscreen (MCU 1) continue to respond extremely slowly. Sometimes this means that the rear camera does not respond / turn on when the car is in reverse. Camera has been previously replaced under warranty. However, the issue remains. Have had several past appointments with various errors including black screen resets at random times and lack of responsiveness which impacts required safety features like the rear camera, but also convenience features such as climate control, radio, navigation, etc. Tesla continues to push for customers to pay for an upgrade to MCU 2. However, it seems that these safety features should work correctly in a consistent manner without the customer being required to pay.
The glue that was used on the screen of the Tesla has been leaking and the service center refused to pay for the repairs. The glue is now exposed into the car and outside of the screen and is toxic. I am now breathing toxic glue and its giving me and my family headaches when we are inside of the Tesla.
1) repeated incidents of Tesla ghosting braking on the highway in autopilot. Sometimes with no cars in sight 3) braking from a high speed to 35 or 40 mph - would have definitely caused a crash if auto close behind me 3) all incidents have been reported to teslas with time date stamps and they have never gotten back to me and ignored all my warnings that this will cause an accident ( which I now see it has ) I can get a date and time on some if needed. You can also search the Tesla support call log
Windows both on passenger and driver side won’t close once open. They close halfway and go back. It takes multiple attempts to close them. It is happening for more than 3 years.
There is fluid a fluid leak in the main large display and edges of driver display. The large display leak is obscuring driver view of display information. Driver side display is distracting and appears to move. Tesla verified that this problem exists in most of these vehicles, of this age, but it is not covered by warranty. Apparently, the fluid origin was from the breakdown of the adhesive used to attach glass. She could not assure me that the fluid would not leak out of glass screens or if the fluid was toxic to touch or inhalation. Despite the number of cars affected, there was never a recall, but many were fixed during another recall of a different display problem. The replacement of the screens will cost over $2000. Tesla was very much aware of this problem. There were many people affected and most were trusting Tesla’s replaced speech. Very...
Main Display is de-laminating. Glue is leaking inside of car. Fear it will short out electrically and fail or become a fire hazard.
Tesla notified me that my vehicle had been recalled due to a faulty eMMC in the media control unit. My vehicle is affected. I am having problems with the media control unit. I went to schedule service to get the replacement under the recall, and Tesla sent me a notice that my vehicle is not eligible for parts replacement unless the media control unit screen is completely blank. When this happens, it is an immediate safety issue. I do not believe Tesla is complying with the spirit of the recall. Parts should be replaced BEFORE a safety issue occurs. Tesla invited me to file a complaint if I feel that they are not complying with the NTHSA. So that is what I am doing.
"My safety concern is with the 17 inch screen. Originally in the information about the car before it was purchased, the manufacturer said that the screen would tilt left or right to give the drive better a better view and access to the touch screen. I have talked to service about this issue and they have said they do not plan to retrofit our cars with the motors to make the screen move. This is now working on the same car that is one year newer. We were promised this and I believe this issue with the screen not moving is a serious concern. You cannot see the screen as well or touch it as well because it does not tilt towards the driver. Please investigate this problem, it is dangerous."
To whom it may concern, On July 26, 2021, my Tesla was hijacked remotely and controls were overridden while I was on the highway (I almost crashed). This happened sometime between 11:30am and 4pm. I reported the issue to the NY State AG consumer affairs office. In December 2021, the car suddenly turned off and locked me out. It was then towed to another State and I’ve been unable to get it back in my possession. Regards, Gaetano
I have recently been made aware of pending requests and investigations re the Tesla autopilot system and ‘phantom braking.’ The issue is much broader than the 2020-2022 models. I experience this on an almost daily issue when I use the autopilot features with my FSD package. It has always been a common issue amongst all models of Tesla owners and discussed in group chats on Tesla owner forums (see eg., https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/phantom-braking-discussion.233400/) I have reported it to Tesla when I’ve gone in for other service and the response is always ‘yeah we are aware and working to fix it,’ or something to the effect acknowledging an issue they are investigating. I can’t give you a specific date but I didn’t record it- I just know it happens quite often, even on the highway with no car in front of me. The car does more than slow- it brakes hard and jarring....
Tesla 17 inch touchscreen blacks out repeatedly and then cycles and turns back on. This is more common in hot environments after charging. Sometimes it happens more than 10 times in a short drive. Per a similar recall in newer 2021 vehicles this means the cars can lose rearview camera displays, settings that control windshield defrosters and indicators. I have had the eMMC replaced per the prior recall, but this issue continues to happen after multiple Tesla Service Center visits.
The instrument cluster goes out randomly when driving. This means there is no speed displayed. I reported to Tesla and they did nothing to correct this problem.
Driver Door opens by itself
I took my car in for the tesla video card replacement voluntary recall. After the "repair," my display screen acts erratically and visually becomes distractive. So far the service centers are trying to UPSELL me a new system to replace the current "repaired" system for $1500. I have had no luck with them taking responsibility for this issue. The big screen flickers the navigation screen and also distorts the items on the screen. As of yet, they keep saying this is normal function/behavior and all I have been asking is to have the screen operate as it is intended. (which it was prior to the chip update). Also, I believe the issue is also affecting the audio in the car.....at times the sound has become distorted and think that sound is absent from the turn signals. I know the audio system must have been impacted by their "repair" because initially...
The recent upgrade of the Tesla MCU UI (User Interface) firmware from V10 to V11 has significant User Experience problems creating a less safe vehicle. Standard pieces of automotive functionality have been moved off the main screen and into sub-menus. Two weeks ago, my car was forcefully or accidentally (may be my fault) updated to the V11 UI. To my dismay the window defrost button was moved from a single press on at the bottom of the touchscreen to multiple precise presses. I experienced how unsafe this is while driving in northern New Mexico on a snowy curvy mountain road after sunset departing Bandelier National Monument. The front windshield began fogging up as I reached 50 mph on the one lane 55mph speed limit road. Previously, a quick glance at the screen would be sufficient to make sure my finger was over the correct button. But now, the defroster button...
Sir/Madam, I own a Tesla Model S 2016 year car. I bought it in Nov 2018 from Tesla dealership. The car had free super charging and all warranty. In a parking lot entrance, someone rear ended my car and affected car back bumper and slight dent on quarter panel. The other car may not have traveled more than 5 miles as he was turning inside parking lot. The insurance company totaled my car saying Tesla won't provide parts quickly to repair. Since they can't wait, they totaled the car. Insurance company gave the car to us after deducting salvage value. Tesla didn't do body work in our area. So I took it to another shop and repaired the bumper and quarter panel. Due to pandemic we couldn't get rebuilt title quickly. Since my car was fully insured, insurance company said we can drive the car. While we were waiting for...
Tesla has released new Firmware 11 software, Version 2021.44.25.2, for the Master Computer Screen which is what controls all the software controlled functions of the vehicle. During the update, which was not communicated in advance of the update, Tesla did a complete USER INTERFACE change & redesign. This materially changed how the vehicle functions from a usability standpoint and a safety standpoint. With the said User Interface update and change (Again, Complete redesign), Tesla changed locations of "buttons" to activate functions required for safety. One major change (Among too many to be able to list in a Safety Complaint) was Window Defroster/Defogger, to keep windows clear of fog & frost. Tesla has moved buttons and options which were directly accessible with a single touch and no menu changes, and has moved said changes into sub-menu's. Doing this now requires the driver to take their eyes off the road, and at...
Failure to fix the problem in a reasonable period of time. Recall notice was sent March 22, 2021 and still no promised replacement of the defective part.
I backed my tesla out of my driveway on 12/17. I could see as I backed into the street another car at the stop sign waiting to turn left. I was blocking part of the road so as the car was in reverse moving back, I put my tesla in "D". I clearly saw the D. I stepped on accelerator seeing they were patiently waiting and I wanted to get out of their way. As I touched gas I was in shock-I kept going in reverse! The car dash said "D" and in my shock i pressed down on the gas more. I ended up accelerating more in reverse and smashed right into a parked car on the street! I knew I was swerving back and steered into the middle of the street I thought. I never heard the warning sign on my car because it was in D. I...
1. MY INFORMATION DISPLAY SCREEN LEAKS LIQUID ONTO THE LOWER CPNSOLE CAUSING THE DISPLAY TO FIL INTERMITTENTLY. 2. IN HOT WEATHER MY DASHBOARD DISPLAY SHOWS SIGNS OF MELTING AND THEN FAILS TO DISPLAY ANY INFORMATIONSUCH AS SPEED, MILEAGE CAPACITY, ETC. WHEN THE WEATHER IS COOL THIS DOES NOT AHPPEN.
NHTSA has asked Tesla to recall faulty EMMC base boards, but even after repeated service requests with proof of of center console going completely blank while driving, backup camera failure from time to time, voice commands unusable and now maps going completely blank, Tesla refuses to change the board and says their system does not show signs of wear and due to limited parts availability they won't perform replacement. They have been updating firmware to delete processes to slow down 'wear' as per their definition so that they can get around NHTSA direction.
The car sped up automatically after slowing down (when the accelerating padel was release) due to the coming red light, I tried to apply brakes but it did not work, i immediately put the car in parking which stopped the car, I got the error similar to "Could not activate the emergency brake and move the car to the side" I was lucky that there was no one in the front of my car when i happened otherwise it could have resulted into an accident I was able to drive the car after 10 minutes.
I was stopped at a red light, left signal on, when the car suddenly accelerated forward through the intersection in an aggressive 0-60 kind of start. I braked safely and was about to execute a U-turn a minute or two later when the car bolted forward again. There was no traffic other than the car behind me at the light, thankfully. There were no warnings or other signals and the car was not operating in AutoPilot. I reported the incident immediately to Tesla and the car is now out of state in their custody while an escalated investigation is conducted. They have, however, told us that the car is safe to drive and that it is not possible for this to have occurred. They also assert that all sudden acceleration cases to date have been related to AutoPilot and all have been driver error.
My Vehicle is part of the eMMC Media Chip Recall. I have tried repeatedly in past 6 months to have Tesla repair my vehicle, which continues to suffer screen blackouts daily during operation. These blackouts render my backup camera blank, creating a major safety concern. Each time I schedule an appointment, Tesla will cancel and tell me they do not have the part. They are not complying with the NHTSA recall. I cannot in good faith believe their excuse that part is unavailable given the massive volume of cars they are producing quarterly.
Car's central console locks up or goes blank while driving. This creates a driving hazard as drive must take his eyes off the road and try to restart the console. Tesla sent out a notice by mail in March that a recall was issued and that Tesla would replace the defective parts. Tesla sent a secondary notice in April. They will not take calls concerning this issue and have not provided an estimated repair date. No communication on this recall has been made by Tesla for 90 days.
This model's Main Computer Unit (MCU) is malfunctioning by spontaneously rebooting thereby disabling major functions of the vehicle including the rear camera that is enabled when driving the car in reverse. This is a safety hazard since rear visibility is completely disabled during the reboot of the system. As the NHTSA is likely aware, this problem has been previously reported and Tesla has previously issued a voluntary recall for this problem. It resolves the problem by installing a larger memory chip (a daughterboard) on the main board to prevent these functions from being disabled. My vehicle was included in this voluntary recall and was expedited to receive the recall after I reported this problem (the problem I reported is apparently different from the one that was the main impetus of the recall). However, the installation of the upgraded memory chip DID NOT resolve the problem that I have been experiencing...
The multi-media screen when blank and would not reboot in Dec. 2020. It had gone blank before many times over the years (more than I think most cars) but always I was able to reboot the car/computer. I had complained a couple of times at the service center going back a few years and got advice to reboot. Lately it had been happening quite frequently. This time it would not work. I called Tesla and the rep asked if the turn signals worked and I confirmed that they did not. He indicated that this was a safety issue and I should not drive the car and schedule a repair asap. Meanwhile, I had already received a notice in the mail of a volunary repair that Telsa would do if the screen went out and woudl not rebooot. I was able to get an earlier appointment than the 2 week one...
THE VANITY MIRRORS CAN EASILY FELL OFF FROM THE SUN VISORS. I GOT THIS PROBLEM, AND FOUND THE HEAVY MIRROR IS GLUED BY WHITE DOUBLE SIDED ADHESIVE TAPE WHICH WILL LOSS ADHESION AT HIGH TEMPERATURES. THEN THE MIRROR FELL BECAUSE OF GRAVITY. ALTHOUGH, THERE IS A PLASTIC MIRROR COVER, THE COVER HAS VERY FRAGILE THIN SPIN AXLES. I DID NOT WITNESS THE WHOLE PROCESS, BUT SINCE I DO NOT USE THAT MIRROR SO THE MIRROR COVER SHOULD NOT BE DAMAGED BEFORE THIS HAPPED. SO I GUESS THAT IN MY CASE THE FALLEN MIRROR SMASHED THE COVER, AND THE COVER AXLES ARE BROKEN AND SO THE COVER GOT OPENED AUTOMATICALLY AND LET THE MIRROR CAME OUT. THERE ARE AIRBAGS BEHIND THE SUN VISORS, SO THE FALLING MIRRORS AND COVERS ARE NOT ONLY A RISK FACTOR FOR DAILY DRIVING BUT ALSO MAY CAUSE SEVERE INJURY WHEN THE AIRBAGS ARE ACTIVATED. I DO...
CENTER CONTROL PANEL IS NOT VERY RESPONSIVE AND FREEZES OFTEN. MANY OF THE MAIN CONTROLS FOR THE CAR ARE ON THE INSTRUMENT CENTER PANEL. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM TESLA BUT THEY REFUSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND KEEP SAYING PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. IT IS HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS SINCE I RECEIVE THE NOTICE AND I FEEL THEY ARE DELAYING CORRECTING THE KNOWN ISSUE WITH EMMC DUAGHTERBOARD CHANGE.
TESLA HAS RECALL TO CHANGE MCU SINCE DECEMBER OF 2020. I HAVE CONTACTED THEM SEVERAL TIMES AND ANSWER IS ALWAYS PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE YET. I THINK THIS IS DELAY TACTICS. MY CAR SCREEN WENT BLANK SEVERAL TIMES AND I NOTIFIED THEM.
MY CAR MCU SCREEN HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE JUNE 2020 WITH BEING BLANK THAT WOULD NOT RECOVER WITH REBOOTING OR HARD RESET. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO TESLA SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES DURING MY WARRANTY PERIOD. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2020 WHEN MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND TESLA CHARGED ME $200 TO REPLACE THE MCU/EMMC. I CONTINUED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM AFTER THE REPAIR. THE LAST TIME WAS ON 1/7/21. TESLA CLAIMED THAT MY PROBLEM IS NOT RELATED TO THE EMMC PROBLEM AND I AM NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE REFUND. EVEN THOUGH THEIR REPAIR WAS REPLACING THE MCU AND THE EMMC WITH A 64 GB CARD WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE REPAIR FOR THE ISSUE BEING RECALLED. WHEN MY MCU SCREEN WAS BLANK, I COULD NOT LOCK THE CAR DOORS, USE THE AC, START THE CAR, OR USE ANY...
Other 2016 TESLA MODEL S Problem Areas
Suspension
206 complaints
Electrical System
140 complaints
Steering
83 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
75 complaints
Service Brakes
53 complaints
Exterior Lighting
49 complaints
Structurebody
27 complaints
Visibilitywiper
25 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control
22 complaints
Back Over Prevention
15 complaints
Wheels
15 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking
14 complaints
Air Bags
13 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
13 complaints
Power Train
13 complaints
Visibility
13 complaints
Electronic Stability Control Esc
11 complaints
Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection
7 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Warnings
6 complaints
Lane Departure Assist
6 complaints
Lane Departure Warning
6 complaints
Engine
5 complaints
Back Over Prevention Rearview System Braking
4 complaints
Back Over Prevention Warnings
3 complaints
Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel
3 complaints
Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch
3 complaints
Seats
3 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance
2 complaints
Parking Brake
2 complaints
Electrical Systemadasautonomousself Driving
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatchemergency Mechanical Release
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkagestrunk Lidlatchemergency Mechanical Release
1 complaint
Seat Belts
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulic
1 complaint
Structure
1 complaint
Structureinterior Panelsdashboard
1 complaint
Tires
1 complaint