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2023 Tesla Model S (all Variants)

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

108 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)75
Severity (30%)77
Recall load (20%)100
Trend (10%)66

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20232026 YTD

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.

10 open NHTSA defect investigations on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2023 Tesla Model S (all Variants), plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k mi

Also reported (mileage varies): Steering (19) · Driver assistance (16) · Electrical system (8) · Speed control (6)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Steering

18%

19 complaints · 9 in the last 2 years

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 when turning the…

Driver assistance

15%

16 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years

Auto emergency braking is occurring when vehicle recognizes leaves as people. This has happened on three occasions. It is startling to say the least and a matter of ti…

Electrical system

7%

8 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years

Horn is not in the center of the steering wheel. When turning it is impossible to reach the horn. Not able to find the horn to avoid an accident.

Speed control

6%

6 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years

Experienced severe phantom breaking on [XXX] in route to Las Vegas at 70mph September 2024. In heavy rain, while windshield wipers set to auto...........wipers have st…

Recalls (0)

No recall campaigns on file for this model year.

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2023 Tesla MODEL S (ALL VARIANTS) beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2023? See how every Model S (all Variants) model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2023 Tesla Model S (all Variants) against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2023 Tesla Model S (all Variants) as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.