2018 Tesla model s
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2018 Tesla model s is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 909 on record.
2018 Tesla model s at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2018 Tesla model s recalls 11
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."
Fix: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake…
Fix: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance …
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming t…
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S and Model X vehicles. The electronic power assist steering (EPAS) system may experience a loss of power steering assist when driving on rough roads or after hitting a pothole.
Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update to recalibrate the EPAS system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 31, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-014.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Model S, Model X, and 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles equipped with Autopilot Computer 2.5 and operating certain firmware releases. The rearview image may not immediately display when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-004.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.
Fix: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2014-2021 Model S vehicles. The front trunk latch assembly may be misaligned, preventing the secondary hood latch from engaging. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 113, "Hood Latch System."
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and reposition the latch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 18, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-11-003.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S, Model 3, Model X, and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles operating software version 2021.36.5.2. A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system.
Fix: Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-00-004.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles with a center display equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and an 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. When the 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device for the center display reaches lifetime wear, the eMMC controller will no longer be able to maintain the integrity of the filesystem, causing a failure in some of the center d…
Fix: Owners should ensure their vehicles are operating firmware release 2020.48.48.12 or newer, which will alert owners if the eMMC is approaching lifetime wear. Tesla will notify owners, and will replace the VCM daughterboard with one containing an enhanced eMMC controller, free of charge. The recall b…
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2018 Tesla model s efficiency & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 4 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2018 Tesla model s costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: energy is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2018 Tesla model s — ranges cover the 2 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
NHTSA defect investigations 2
Loss of rearview camera Closed
On November 20, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) 20-003 to investigate incidents of media control unit (MCU) failures resulting in loss of rearview camera in model year (MY) 2012-18 Tesla Model S and model year (MY) 2016-2018 Tesla Model X vehicles equipped with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with an integrated 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device.During its investigation, O…
NHTSA #EA20003 · Exterior Lighting, Electrical System, Visibility · opened Nov 2020 · closed May 2024Battery Management Software Updates Closed
In a letter dated September 17, 2019, Mr. Edward Chen petitioned the NHTSA to initiate a defect investigation of certain Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles that received revised battery management software in one or more over-the-air (OTA) updates from Tesla, beginning in May 2019. The petitioner bases his request on vehicle fires that took place worldwide and OTA software updates Tesla made to the Battery Management…
NHTSA #DP19005 · Electrical System · opened Oct 2019 · closed Sep 2021An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.
Manufacturer service bulletins 78
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 78.
On certain Model S and Model X vehicles, the battery powered Pyrotechnic High Voltage (HV) Battery Disconnect will reach the end of its battery lifespan in the near future, which will trigger alerts and may limit the vehicle’s performance.
Bulletin SB-25-16-003 · Electrical System · Jun 2025Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin fsd-12-5-4_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin fsd-12-5-4-1_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin fsd-12-5-4_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin fsd-12-5-3_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin 2024.38_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin 2024.26.9_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin fsd-12-5-4-1_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin 2024.26.9_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is d…
Bulletin fsd-12-5-3_s3xy.pdf · Sep 2024Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the MODEL S 90D AWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 6
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2018 Tesla model s. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Lights And Instruments
Issue: A previous over-the-air (OTA) software update could cause the vehicle not to display the correct visual warning indicators when there are problems with the brake system or when the parking brake is applied. As a result, the BRAKE, PARK, and antilock brake system (ABS) visual indicators would display as text instead of symbols. Safety Risk: While there is a low risk to sa…
Transport Canada #2024283 · May 2024Accessories
Issue: On vehicles equipped with the Autosteer advanced driver-assistance feature, when using the feature, the vehicle may not provide strong enough warnings or monitor the driver closely enough to prevent misuse of the feature. Safety Risk: A driver that doesn't pay close attention while using the Autosteer feature or who doesn't react quickly when Autosteer is canceled could…
Transport Canada #2023657 · Dec 2023Accessories
Issue: In certain traffic situations, when the FSD Beta advanced driver assistance feature is engaged, the vehicle may perform maneuvers that break certain traffic laws, if the driver doesn't intervene and take control. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with the FSD Beta feature. Safety Risk: Certain maneuvers performed by the FSD Beta advanced driver assistance…
Transport Canada #2023063 · Feb 2023Structure
Issue: On certain vehicles, the front trunk (frunk) hood latch may not be positioned properly. As a result, the secondary latch may not hold the hood closed. This could cause the hood to open suddenly while driving if the primary hood latch is released. Safety Risk: A hood that opens suddenly while driving could block the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash. Correcti…
Transport Canada #2021783 · Dec 2021Electrical
Issue: On certain vehicles, the internal memory for the media control unit (MCU) could run out of storage capacity over time. If this happens, the center display can turn off while driving and cause some of the car's systems not to work properly. This includes the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting. Safety Risk: A rearview…
Transport Canada #2021038 · Jan 2021Lights And Instruments
Issue: On certain vehicles, when switching the distance display setting from kilometers to miles, the speedometer displays the vehicle speed in miles per hour (mph) only. Canadian regulations require that speed be displayed in either kilometers per hour (km/h) or in both km/h and mph. Safety Risk: This small error does not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not…
Transport Canada #2020497 · Oct 2020Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
2018 Tesla model s vehicles on record
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E21JF256995
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E48JF259796
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E27JF284719
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E44JF250559
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E22JF261705
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA7E28JF254048
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E2XJF275027
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA7E24JF286916
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E26JF261691
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA7E24JF287449
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA7E16HF232034
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E27JF260470
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA7E29JF259999
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E27JF259481
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E2XJF283807
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E23JF245254
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E44JF263425
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA7E24JF249946
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E24JF298156
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA7E27JF274582
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E26JF282993
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA7E27JF285131
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E2XJF259183
2018 Tesla model s5YJSA1E28JF247162