2021 Tesla Model S Steering Problems

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Tesla Model S owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

Beta Autopilot was engaged, driver had hand on steering wheel, vehicle was traveling less than 35MPH (speed limit) and coming around a corner when it misjudged the road curve. The road curved to the left and as the car took the turn it took too wide of a turn and veered slightly off the road. Unfort the front right side of car went up and over the begining of a rock incline. The front right tire blew out and ONLY the side AIrBags deployed (both sides). The car traveled about 500 yards along the road and then turned itself off. I could not get the horn to work, nor put it in neutral. There were no warning signs before incident. In fact the I belong to a beta driving scoring rating and for that day Tesla rated me a 91/100. I called Tesla roadside assistance and they said they would not provide any help as it was viewed as an accident and not a self-driving issue. …

I recently took delivery of a Tesla Model S with the new steering "yoke" and lack of directional stalk. After having used this system for some time, I believe it to be extremely dangerous and ill-advised. First, Tesla eliminated the fixed-position directional stalk and moved directionals, wiper functions, high-beam functions and even the horn to small, poorly-defined "buttons" on the steering yoke. This change makes variable what should be fixed positioning for very important vehicle functions. In other words, these buttons become moving targets on an awkwardly-shaped spinning control surface that often requires the driver to take their eyes off the road in order to attempt even the most basic operations like signaling or using the horn. This is *extremely* difficult and *extremely* dangerous. For example, trying to signal when exiting a roundabout. …

My car has a yoke steering wheel that feels unsafe and should be illegal along with the touch turn signals and horn. I almost crashed today when I had to swerve to avoid a mother crossing the road with her child. I tapped on the honk, but unfortunately, it's not in the middle of the steering wheel as one one would expect, but it's a small touch button right next to the cruise control touch button. each time i need to engage it, I have to take my arms off the road and find this button. It's very distracting, especially in emergency situations. The turn signals are also touch only and there's no way to really know if you have them or not. When turning in a roundabout, the yoke steering wheel is almost upside down and trying to signal is nearly impossible. …

Tesla Sudden Acceleration Accident: I ordered a Tesla Model S on June 21, 2021 and received a Tesla Model S on November 10, 2021. On Monday, February 7th, 2022, at approximately 5pm EST, my Tesla Model S failed to stop in a parking lot. I was pulling into a parking lot at Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, Florida. As I was turning into the parking spot, my Tesla accelerated and drove over the parking stop, crashed into a chain-link fence, and grazed the Honda SUV of a colleague. I tried to brake, but the Tesla did not respond. When the car finally came to a stop, I looked down and saw my foot on the brake pedal. The police reviewed the situation but did not issue any citations because, luckily, no one was injured, and the Honda SUV suffered almost no damages. …

I was recently nearly involved in a traffic accident when I wasn't able to blow the horn on the Tesla steering wheel. I was backing up out of a parking stall in a parking lot and at the same time another car in the stall next to me was also backing up. I tried went to blow the horn on the steeling wheel and I was not able to find it quickly enough because it is very difficult to find the button in an emergency. Fortunately, the other driver in the car saw me just in the nick of time and was able to stop. The problem in my opinion, and many others on social media, is that Telsa chose to not put a horn in the normal place on the steering wheel where most other car manufactures place their horns. Another area of concern about this Yoke steering wheel are the turn signals. Unlike most cars, the directional signals on this model Tesla are located in a small area on the steeling wheel. …

Dear Sir/Madam, I am highly concerned about the safety of the newest versions of Tesla Model S, Model X (without stalks), CyberTruck and Model 3 with the code name Highland. These models pose a significant danger when operated without intuitive direction signals, especially in the following situations: 1) Roundabouts: It is nearly impossible to correctly activate the signal lights. Please refer to the following example: [redacted] 2) Complete distraction of our focus from the road is required to operate signalling (eyes are EVERY TIME off a road), as shown in this example: [redacted] 3) In the event of a slightly dangerous occurrence, it is impossible to effectively and intuitively use the signals (or honk with the "Yoke" steering wheel). …

Front suspension has a popping and creaking sound when driving and turning steering wheel. Safety issue as sounds something is loose but Tesla says no issue it's the body flexing which is even scarier to hear the panels rattling if this is in fact true. Tesla will not do anything about it. Additionally the brakes and rotors squeal when pressed at slow speeds coming to full hard stop. Both front and back. Both brakes and rotors have 90% life and according to Tesla shouldn't need replacing until 90k miles due to the regen braking. The braking system does not engage as it should or how it is designed and car has 40k miles. Tesla uses the excuse that that they don't cover this as it's a wear and tear component. Which another issue because they don't know the reason of why it's doing this. They want customers to pay and replace the brakes and rotors. …

The horn placement on the yoke steering is dangerous and problematic. It is illogical and useless in the prevention of accident avoidance. I have had several scenarios where I have needed to use the horn and could not find it because I was in a turn, or I intuitively slammed the palm of my hand on the center of the yoke, where the horn should be located. Also, when holding the yoke in the proper position my thumb is not long enough to reach the horn button. Just by luck and quick action I was able to avoid being hit in multiple scenarios. It is DISTRESSING and UNNERVING to be driving a vehicle where you CANNOT find the horn when needed! I cannot stress enough how important it is to recall these vehicles and place the horn in the center of the yoke/steering. How this design ever passed safety regulations and put into production is mind boggling!

During afternoon commute in a residential area, driving at 19 mph, a cat running after some type of lizard run in front of my car. I have been driving for the last 40 years, safe driver designation on my license, and have more than 1,000,000 miles on my back without major accident. I instinctively went for the horn in the center of the steering and tried to catch the top of the steering wheel (absent in my car) to change course. Finding a little button among other little buttons to sound the horn is impossible when the driver is under stress and needs to use the horn. The consequence, sadly, was a severely injured animal that did not survive. Without diminishing the importance of an animal life, if that was a child the consequence would be catastrophic. The steering yoke and horn control pauses a serious danger.

I have the yoke steering wheel. To activate the horn, you press on the right side of the steering wheel. I was driving at freeway speeds and a car did not see me and started to move into my lane. Due to the placement of the horn on the side next to windshield wipers, the wipers went on but not the horn. You have to take your eyes off the road to look down for the horn. Tesla is aware of the dangers of the placement of the horn and has a new yoke steering wheel with the horn in the traditional position, center of wheel. Unfortunately, Tesla has not on its own recalled the older model yoke although they have taken remedial steps to improve the design. I believe a formal recall should be initiated on this steering wheel.

Related recalls

Steering complaints in other Model S years