The MOT Files

Known faults, from the test record

Tesla Model S common problems

What fails on the Tesla Model S at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 10,836 DVSA test records.

Data updated

Quick answer

The Tesla Model S's most common MOT problems are tyres, suspension bushes, wiper blades and washers, recorded in 69.4%, 45.4% and 12.2% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2019 cars pass most often (84.5%) and 2015 cars least (75.5%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.

A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Tesla Model S that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 10,836 cars.

By component

What wears out on a Model S

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Tesla Model S tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.

  1. 1.Tyres

    69.4% of failed tests

    Tread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.

    • “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained24.2%
    • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained21.7%
    • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained12.5%
    • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.0%

    Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last

  2. 2.Suspension bushes

    45.4% of failed tests

    Rubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.

    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained17.1%
    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained13.5%
    • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained5.5%
    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained4.6%

    Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last

  3. 3.Wiper blades and washers

    12.2% of failed tests

    Rubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.

    • “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained5.9%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained3.3%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained3.1%

    Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last

  4. 4.Ball joints

    9.7% of failed tests

    Steering and suspension ball joints wear internally and their dust covers split; excessive play fails.

    • “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play” — explained9.7%

    Across all cars, ball joints failures climb 28-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long ball joints last

  5. 5.Headlamp aim

    9.5% of failed tests

    Aim drifts with sagging suspension, a knocked lamp or a botched bulb change; adjustment, not a part.

    • “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained4.4%
    • “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained4.2%
    • “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained0.9%

  6. 6.Brake discs

    8.0% of failed tests

    Discs thin with each pad set and pit or corrode when lightly used; failure is for significant wear, fracture or insecurity, advisory for surface condition.

    • “Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution.” — explained4.3%
    • “Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn” — explained2.7%
    • “Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured” — explained1.0%

    Across all cars, brake discs failures climb 3-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long brake discs last

  7. 7.Brake pads and shoes

    5.8% of failed tests

    Friction material wears with use; the MOT limit is 1.5 mm and a pad that thin is close to metal on metal.

    • “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm” — explained5.8%

    Across all cars, brake pads and shoes failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long brake pads and shoes last

  8. 8.Tyre pressure sensors

    4.0% of failed tests

    Valve-mounted sensors have sealed batteries that expire after roughly seven to ten years; a system fault lamp is a failure on cars first used from 2012.

    • “A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative” — explained4.0%

By registration year

Model S problems by year

MOT pass rate for Tesla Model S cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. No single step here is large enough to point at a generation change.

201576%
201678%+2.5
201781%+2.5
201882%+1.6
201985%+2.4

Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.

Before it fails

What testers warn Model S owners about

Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Tesla Model S tests carrying an advisory for each.

Go deeper

The rest of the Model S file

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Tesla Model S?
Going by what fails the MOT, tyres (recorded in 69.4% of failed tests), suspension bushes (recorded in 45.4% of failed tests), and wiper blades and washers (recorded in 12.2% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 10,836 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
Which Tesla Model S year is the most reliable?
By MOT pass rate, Tesla Model S cars registered in 2019 do best at 84.5% and 2015 cars do worst at 75.5%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar.
Is the Tesla Model S reliable?
Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Tesla Model S passes 81.5% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.
What should I check when buying a used Tesla Model S?
Start with what fails most: tyres, suspension bushes, wiper blades and washers. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.

Analysis built from DVSA data of