Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Tesla Model S owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was involved in a significant vehicle crash with my Tesla Model S, the vehicle wa a complete write-off and was towed away. I was taken via ambulance unconscious from my injuries. The vehicle was struck by a perpendicular vehicle who ran a stop sign and hit the front driver's side firewall/door area. The impact was hard enough to drive my car sideways against all wheels into the curb, over the curb, onto the sidewalk, and into a pole. My head hit the drivers window hard enough to break the glass and render me unconscious. No airbags deployed, curtain/seat/otherwise - no side impact airbags even. Seatbelt was worn, I was extracted by first responders - I later spoke with Tesla regarding my complaint of no air bag protection, and was told they would take this seriously and investigate. …
No early alert before slamming on the brakes, only tapping a rear bumper on a 1999 Toyota Tundra. No damage to the Toyota but to my surprise, the insurance company said the Tesla's totaled. The airbags for the driver were deployed only, with no other passengers in the car. Quite a loud noise. I have an EDR report, not sure how to interpret it. Did not hear any warning lamps. Fortunately, both the other driver and I suffered no injuries. I would like to find out exactly what happened.
The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Tesla Service Center where it was diagnosed that the front passenger's side knee air bag was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,057.
I was behind a car at a stop light when a SUV hit me very hard from behind, I hit the car in front of me. My face hit the steering wheel, 2 teeth came out whole, ripped from the gums, one tooth pushed up into my upper jaw. I got a laceration on my lower lip. i hit my forehead left side of my mouth and nose (very swollen, deviates to the right).
The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a fault in the seat. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 138,000.
My vehicle was having issues during 2020 with the eMMC recall. I took the vehicle to the dealership to be repaired and paid for the repair out of pocket. After this repair took place, the NHTSA forced Tesla to do a recall for the part that failed. I subsequently was reached out by Tesla who denied a refund for the repair that I paid out of pocket and did not and has not (3 months of following-up with the company) explained the denial nor offered repayment as directed by the NHTSA. Unfortunately, I am not the only individual who has had this same experience. Many individuals online have ran into the same unfortunate circumstances. See instances linked below. https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/emmc-recall-reimbursement.222189/
What happened? While driving my 2015 Tesla Model S, the main touchscreen (MCU) began intermittently going black, disabling access to essential vehicle controls, navigation, climate settings, and rear-view camera display. At times when the MCU was functioning, the rear-view camera feed would still display a black screen upon shifting into Reverse, leaving me without any rear visibility. Component or system that failed: Media Control Unit (MCU1) / eMMC memory failure Rear-view camera and/or associated wiring harness Safety risk: The intermittent blackouts of the MCU and loss of rear camera feed created significant safety hazards, especially when reversing or attempting to adjust driving settings while in motion. The loss of rear visibility increased the risk of collision with pedestrians, cyclists, or obstacles. …
Here is a Tesla Model s in the wrecking yard. The front tire is wrenched off the rim and this appears to have happened while the car was still rolling forward. Even though there has been a major collision the air-bags have not deployed. I have put together a collection of photographs of steering and suspension components from Tesla cars. Http://teslabears.club/t/no-wonder-the-wheels-snap-off/68 the standard of construction is in my opinion absolutely appalling. Tesla has gained the reputation of being the safest car in the world. I am convinced that reputation is merely the result of Tesla pr hype and the myth is perpetuated by Tesla enthusiasts and investors. The number of crashed teslas showing up in the salvage yards is out of all proportion to the number of vehicles on the roads. Please start an investigation into the causes of all these crashes.
My tersla experienced a sudden acceleration event on July 31, 2019. It was being parked in a target parking lot about to be put in park when it suddenly experienced a full acceleration. It jumped over a 6 to 8 foot wide concrete meridian, took out a bush and hit a parked pick-up, moving it about 15 feet and totaling the truck. The car had almost $40,000 in damage and the driver was injured. Telsa first said they would have their read out in one week then 3, then 4 - finally after about 4 months they said it was driver error but the driver denies touching the gas or brake. She was already stopped and it happened so fast she didn't have time to react.
Here is a report of a Tesla involved in a crash. Http://bgr.com/2017/05/23/Tesla-crash-photos-walk-away/ I am filing this report as a concerned citizen because I think the owner will not make a complaint himself since Tesla owners are often tsla shareholders and are unwilling to make any criticism. Two things to note: the back wheel flew off and nearly killed a bystander. The airbags failed to deploy and a passenger was seriously injured. Please see attached files from a facebook page in which the owner describes the crash.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2014-2016 Model S vehicles equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.
Remedy: Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began May 29, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Airbag complaints in other Model S years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2015 Tesla Model S?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the air bags of the 2015 Tesla Model S, 3% of the model year's 668 complaints. The component named most often is knee bolster (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Tesla Model S airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 19V-002 (inflator module, Jan 7, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2015 Tesla Model S airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 33,000 miles, and 44% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.