2026 Tesla Model S

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

• Wrong airbag after a wheel swap All years One source so far

  What to check: If the yoke or the wheel has been swapped, confirm with Tesla that recall 23V743000 was done.

  The driver's airbag fitted after a swap may be the wrong one.

  Sources ¹²

• Door handles that do not extend All years One source so far

  What to check: Walk up to the car with the key and watch every handle come out.

  The handles can fail to come out, or break. In a crash that cuts the 12-volt power they may not open; the rear manual releases sit under the carpet below the rear seats.

  Sources ¹³

• Worn suspension All years One source so far

  What to check: Look for a car sitting low at one corner, which on air suspension can be a leak.

  The car's weight wears suspension parts, and air suspension can leak.

  Sources ⁴

• Battery capacity All years One source so far

  What to check: Get a battery health report showing how much capacity is left.

  Tesla's battery warranty runs 8 years or 150,000 miles and passes to a new owner. It repairs a pack at 70 per cent.

  Sources ⁴

Rare catches

Rare options, colors and interiors to look out for, and whether finding one is good news.

• Rare Garnet Red Color

  Signature Edition only^7,9

Recalls

What buyers say

Reputation: what owners and the press report

• Sought after: Better build quality All years One source so far

  Owners quoted by Jalopnik say 2021 and later cars are well built, with few rattles or creaks.¹³

• Avoid: Yoke All years Less sought after One source so far

  Jalopnik and Road & Track called the yoke a step backwards, and Consumer Reports criticised it as a distraction.¹

Before you pay

Open the buyer's checklist

Every warning and recall for this generation, with a box to tick.