There are 3 stored owner reports matching the air bags & restraints leading-label group for the 2013 Tesla Model S in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 3 of 3 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)MY TESLA HAS HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES RELATED TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE FIRST ISSUE WAS THAT A SEATBELT SENSOR TIED INTO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO A PINCHED WIRE IN THE SEATBELT MECHANISM, CAUSING THE SRS/AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT TO STAY ON. TO FIX THIS, TESLA REPLACED THE SEATBELT LATCHING MECHANISM AND CHARGED ME FOR THE REPLACEMENT. SHORTLY AFTER, THE WARNING LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THIS TIME, A SEAT SENSOR TIED INTO THE SYSTEM FAILED. TESLA HAS TOLD ME THAT TO FIX THIS, THE DRIVER'S SEAT MUST BE REPLACED, AND THAT I MUST PAY FOR IT, A $2500 BILL. I WAS FURTHER INFORMED THAT IT WOULD TAKE 4 TO 6 WEEKS TO ORDER THE SEAT, DURING WHICH TIME THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WOULD REMAIN NON-OPERATIONAL. AT THE MOMENT I AM REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE SEAT, SO I'M DRIVING AROUND WITH A DISABLED AIRBAG SYSTEM. I FEEL THAT TESLA SHOULD BE FIXING SUCH DEFECTS FREE OF CHARGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND CRASHED INTO A SIDE DITCH. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE, CAUSING MULTIPLE INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT WHERE IT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *DT*DT*DT*DT *TR*DT*DT*JB*DT*JB REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT *JB*DT *JS*DT
THE FIRST REPORTED TESLA CRASH IN CHINA, IT APPEARS THAT THE DRIVERS STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. WHILE CHINA IS NOT IN THE JURISDICTION OF NHTSA, THE INFORMATION CAN BE USED PROACTIVELY FOR SAFETY IN THE US, INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE. HTTP://WWW.CARNEWSCHINA.COM/2014/07/11/FIRST-TESLA-CRASHES-IN-CHINA/......UPDATED 07/15/14 *BF
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.