2013 Tesla Model S Complaints

  • Parking Brake, electrical System, engine 02/14/2026

    The contact owns a 2013 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the parking brake seized while leaving a charging station, and the vehicle screeched into oncoming traffic and stalled. The parking brake warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle had not been charged prior to a snowstorm, and the battery became fully drained. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the main battery and 12-Volt battery needed to be replaced before the diagnostic test. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle failed to shift into drive or move. The jack mode was disengaged. While driving, the rear wheels were screeching. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB: SB-21-33-002). The vehicle was towed to another local dealer, Tesla Service Arlington-Glebe Rd (2710 S Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22206). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The battery was at 19 percent. The m...

  • Unknown Or Other 02/11/2026

    I have a 2013 Tesla Model-S, I have so far spent thousands on this car for door handle related problems over its lifetime. And Tesla still keeps charging for any door repairs. As of now, the driver side door doesn't open from outside and this is a serious safety hazard in case of an accident

  • Electrical System, vehicle Speed Control 10/26/2025

    On [XXX], at approximately [XXX], I was driving my 2013 Tesla Model S (VIN: [XXX] ) on [XXX] in Barrow County, Georgia when the instrument cluster/speedometer display went completely blank while driving. This is an intermittent issue that occurs without warning - the display turns off and sometimes freezes. Because the speedometer was not displaying, I had no way to know my actual speed. I was pulled over by Barrow County Sheriff’s Office and cited for speeding. I explained the instrument cluster malfunction to the officer at the scene and showed him the blank display. I took my vehicle to Tesla Service Center in Duluth, GA (3380 Satellite Blvd) on November 4, 2025 - as soon as I could get an appointment after the incident. Tesla cleared the filesystem caches but did NOT inform me about the existing eMMC recall (SB-21-21-001) that affects my vehicle, nor did they perform the recall repair. My 2013 Model S is equipped with the MCU1 with the 8GB eMMC that is subject to NHTSA Recall 21V-1...

  • Electrical System 01/17/2026

    While charging my 2013 Tesla Model S, the vehicle experienced a charging system failure and would no longer charge. Upon inspection, I discovered water intrusion and corrosion on the lower portion of the charging-related electronic circuit board at the bottom of the charging port and right where the High Voltage cables are located as well. The affected electronics are located in an area that is not normally exposed to water and is not owner-serviceable. Later model Tesla Model S vehicles (2014 and newer) include a drain in this exact location, which this vehicle does not have. This design change appears to directly address the same water accumulation issue that caused the failure in my vehicle. The failure results in loss of the vehicle’s ability to charge, rendering the vehicle inoperable. Tesla declined to repair the issue, stating the vehicle is out of warranty, despite acknowledging the design change in later models. This appears to be a latent design issue related to water ingr...

  • Electrical System 01/02/2025

    The screen abruptly shuts down and that is a safety hazard. Tesla has refused to fix this issue.

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