Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 S.
The 2018 Tesla S Electric is a passenger car with an all-electric powertrain, and its reliability record is defined by 129 total owner complaints and 9 recalls, with the top complaint area listed as “Unknown Or Other.” This combination of a high complaint count and multiple recalls places the 2018 model year at a notable point in the S’s reliability history, suggesting that while the vehicle’s issues are numerous, their ambiguous nature may complicate efforts to identify and address underlying problems.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 184.6 in |
| Overall width | 72.8 in |
| Overall height | 56.7 in |
| Wheelbase | 113.4 in |
| Curb weight | 3814 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 63 / 62.6 in |
| Weight distribution (front / rear) | 48/52 |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 2018 Tesla S top in one area — the unknown or other, 18 of 129 reports (14%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 30 of the reports describe a crash and 2 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the unknown or other pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 129 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
Showing 5 of 78 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB-25-16-003 | 2025-06-03 | Electrical System | On certain Model S and Model X vehicles, the battery powered Pyrotechnic High Voltage… |
| 2024.26.9_s3xy.pdf | 2024-09-30 | Unknown Or Other | Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s… |
| 2024.38_s3xy.pdf | 2024-09-30 | Unknown Or Other | Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s… |
| fsd-12-5-3_s3xy.pdf | 2024-09-30 | Unknown Or Other | Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s… |
| fsd-12-5-4_s3xy.pdf | 2024-09-30 | Unknown Or Other | Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s… |
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Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.