Is My Tesla Model S a Lemon?

Tesla’s Model S, available in the United States since 2012, has been described as the company’s most influential electric car and a vehicle that changed the US automotive industry. The Model S won the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award in 2013. 

Tesla’s Model S is constructed primarily of aluminium, sharing about 30 percent of its components with the Model X – a crossover SUV Tesla began offering in 2015. The Model S received several updates since its 2012 release, with major “makeovers” occurring in 2016 and 2021. Significant modifications have included updating the vehicle’s power and torque capabilities, revising its exterior elements, and updating the look and feel of the interior. 

The Model S was the top selling electric vehicle worldwide in 2015. Just a few years later, however, Road & Track magazine argued that the various updates – and the issues some of these updates introduced – had turned the Model S into “perhaps one of the worst” vehicles in the world. 

If persistent issues with your Tesla Model S have you nodding in agreement with Road & Track’s opinion, your Model S could be a lemon. 

Common Issues with Tesla Model S Vehicles That Could Mean Your Vehicle is a Lemon

Tesla Model S vehicles from every model year between 2012 and 2025 have been subject to multiple complaints, investigations, and federal recalls. The 2025 Tesla Model S alone has racked up over 100 complaints, 12 investigations, and 8 recalls as of December 2025. 

Issues with Model S vehicles include:

Rearview camera failures. Issues with the rearview camera can cause the image to fail, putting vehicle occupants and anyone behind the vehicle at an increased risk of a collision or injury. 

Tire pressure sensor light failures. Tire pressure monitoring systems ensure the vehicle’s tires are properly inflated – and warn the driver when the tires need attention. The failure of this light to stay on means a driver may not know their tires need maintenance until it’s too late to prevent an accident. 

Air bags tearing during deployment. An air bag’s purpose is to inflate during a crash to cushion a driver or passenger from impact. When the air bag tears, it cannot inflate properly – and it cannot do its job to keep vehicle occupants safe.

Suspension problems. Issues with the vehicle’s suspension or frame breaking in crashes or causing excessive wear on tires, causing them to blow out, have been reported in Model S vehicles. Incorrect camber settings, which could not be adjusted and which could raise serious safety concerns, have been reported in some vehicles

Wiper system bugs. Some drivers report the Model S’s automatic windshield wiper system is unreliable, leading to visibility issues in both rain and dry weather. 

Endless over-the-air updates.  Tesla is notorious for performing over the air updates without any notice to the owners.  Many of these updates are much more than a simple feature enhancement, but are actually hidden and secret repairs to defects known only to Tesla and not the owners.  And, many of these defects relate to safety issues.  

What Protections Does California Lemon Law Provide if My Tesla Model S is a Lemon?

California’s lemon law protects consumers who buy or lease a new vehicle, only to discover the vehicle has substantial defects. The law applies when a Tesla Model S or another vehicle has one or more defects that impair the vehicle’s use, value, or safety, and the automaker fails to fix the defects after a reasonable number of repair attempts. Over-the-air “updates” qualify as repair attempts when they’re used to fix a problem with the vehicle’s software, rather than simply to add new features. As few as two attempts may qualify as “reasonable” for serious, dangerous defects. 

If your Model S is a lemon, Tesla must either replace the vehicle or buy it back. Defects in your Model S can put you, your passengers, and others on the road at risk of serious harm. Your Model S doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does need to be safe, reliable, and work the way it is intended to work. When Tesla sells you a lemon and refuses to make it right, it’s time to take action. 

The experienced trial attorneys at Wirtz Law APC can help you fight for your rights under California’s lemon law. We handle these cases without cost to you, and we know how to hold automakers accountable. 

A lemon law claim covers any defects that significantly affect your vehicle’s value, use, or safety, such as:

• Airbag, seat belt, and other safety equipment defects
• Touchscreen or software malfunctions
• Braking and suspension issues
• Failures in the heating or air conditioning
• Issues with powered equipment like doors and trunks
• Engine or electric motor failures
• Problems with electrical systems
• Defects in batteries and charging systems

Contact the Lemon Law Attorneys at Wirtz Law APC

Buying a Tesla Model S should mean enjoying the benefits of a cutting-edge electric vehicle – one that drivers all over the world have embraced. It shouldn’t mean ongoing repairs and never-ending uncertainty. If your Tesla Model S keeps returning to the shop or is out of service for repairs for long periods, it might be time to speak to an experienced attorney. 

Wirtz Law APC has extensive experience protecting California consumers from automakers’ refusal to make it right when a vehicle has a defect. We’ll fight for a refund or replacement, so you can get back on the road with confidence.