Selling an old or broken Tesla Model S

Tesla ended Model S production in May 2026, per Wikipedia, so most of these cars are older now. If yours has a dead screen, a sagging corner or a pack that won't charge, we buy whole non-running and junk cars. Sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Problems by era

Wikipedia lists the Model S as a full-size car built in Fremont, California, with final assembly in Tilburg, Netherlands, from 2013 to 2021. It came with one rear motor, two motors, or three on the Plaid, and batteries from 40 to 100 kWh.

2012-2016: the early cars

The 2015 has 668 complaints, the most of any year, and 235 of them name the electrical system. On the 2016, suspension leads with 182.

Several recalls hit these cars hard. Recall 18V204000 covers 2012-2016 Model S cars with Bosch steering racks: aluminum bolts holding the power steering motor can corrode and break. Tesla Service replaces the bolts and adds a sealer, free; the campaign lists 70,421 vehicles. Wikipedia says the corrosion was worst in cold places where roads are salted. Recall 19V002000 covers passenger air bag inflators on all 2014-2016 cars, 68,673 vehicles.

The center display is the other known weak point. Recall 21V035000 names 2012-2018 Model S and 2016-2018 Model X cars with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and 8GB eMMC flash memory. Its 134,951 vehicles include Model Xs. Wikipedia adds an April 2017 recall over Brembo-supplied parking brakes, reaching 53,000 of the 76,000 S and X cars Tesla sold in 2016.

2017-2020: fewer complaints, two hood and steering recalls

Complaints drop fast here: 427 on the 2017, then 169, 44 and 80. Recall 21V00B000 covers 2014-2021 Model S cars whose front trunk latch may be misaligned, so the secondary latch might not catch. Tesla Service inspects and repositions it; the campaign lists 130,441 vehicles. Under recall 22V818000, power steering assist may cut out on rough roads on some 2017-2021 cars; the campaign's 40,168 vehicles mix the S with the X.

2021-2026: the Plaid years

The 2021 appears in 23 recall campaigns, more than any other Model S year, mostly fleet-wide software updates shared with the Model 3, X and Y. Wikipedia says Tesla moved to camera-only "Tesla Vision" from 2021 and dropped ultrasonic sensors in 2023. Steering ranks among the top three on the 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Recall 23V862000 found that the cabin door locks on certain 2021-2023 Model S and Model X cars could release during a crash. A free over-the-air (OTA) update fixed it, and the 120,423 vehicles it covers include both models. On January 28, 2026, Musk said Tesla would stop building the Model S and Model X. Those final cars show only a handful of complaints, in part because they are so new.

Every Model S year: complaints and recall campaigns

We pulled these Model S numbers from NHTSA's downloadable complaint file, dated October 10, 2026. Every entry is something an owner told NHTSA, not a confirmed fault. Campaigns that span several years are counted in each, so the recall column does not total 38.

Fix it or sell it?

A Model S repair gets compared to one number: what the car sells for once it runs right. When the quote nears that, sell it as it sits.

1. Run the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup. Steering bolts, the trunk latch and air bags on older cars are shop recalls, not software.
2. Display dark or electrical faults? On a 2012-2018 car, ask about the display recall first. The electrical problems guide covers the rest.
3. Air suspension down or a corner sagging? See broken suspension.
4. Pack won't charge? The EV battery guide helps you weigh it.

Selling your Model S whole

1. Write down the VIN, mileage, battery size if you know it, and whether it powers on and rolls.
2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Say where the car is: a garage, a long driveway or a service center lot. We send the truck there, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Don't strip it. Leave the pack, wheels and seats in place. Say what's already missing.
5. Sign out of the big touchscreen and clear saved places; wipe your data has the steps.
6. Have the title and ID at pickup. Plate rules vary; see after you sell.

The Model X shares this car's platform and many of its recalls. Newer and smaller: the Model 3 and Model Y. There's also the Cybertruck, and the Tesla page lists every model.