Tesla Model S Phase 1 — Problems & Common Faults
Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice
789 PS
Performance · Elektro
Raven Performance: the final word
Fun to Drive!Generations
Engine Overview
The Tesla Model S Phase 1 is available with 9 engine variants — from 320 to 789 hp.
Early single-motor rear-wheel drive with induction machine. Early drive units (Large Drive Unit) had elevated replacement rates due to bearing noise and seal issues — many were swapped under warranty, later revisions (Q-drive) are considered durable. Check drive-unit replacement history and 12V battery condition before buying. Expect real-world range of early builds 20-30% below the original rating.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Early single-motor rear-wheel drive with induction machine. Early drive units (Large Drive Unit) had elevated replacement rates due to bearing noise and seal issues — many were swapped under warranty, later revisions (Q-drive) are considered durable. Check drive-unit replacement history and 12V battery condition before buying. Expect real-world range of early builds 20-30% below the original rating.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Dual-motor all-wheel drive with rear induction machine and, depending on build year, a permanent-magnet front unit. Considerably more robust than the early single-motor drives, but the small front drive unit can develop gear-oil leaks. Electronics topics affect the whole series: MCU1 eMMC wear leads to display failure — verify the upgrade was done. Suspension arms wear earlier than class-typical due to the high vehicle weight.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Early single-motor rear-wheel drive with induction machine. Early drive units (Large Drive Unit) had elevated replacement rates due to bearing noise and seal issues — many were swapped under warranty, later revisions (Q-drive) are considered durable. Check drive-unit replacement history and 12V battery condition before buying. Expect real-world range of early builds 20-30% below the original rating.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Dual-motor all-wheel drive with rear induction machine and, depending on build year, a permanent-magnet front unit. Considerably more robust than the early single-motor drives, but the small front drive unit can develop gear-oil leaks. Electronics topics affect the whole series: MCU1 eMMC wear leads to display failure — verify the upgrade was done. Suspension arms wear earlier than class-typical due to the high vehicle weight.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Performance tier of the dual-motor drive with Ludicrous options. Sustained high load stresses drive units and tires above average; rear tire wear is substantial. Otherwise the series topics apply: MCU eMMC, door handles, air suspension. Have battery health (SoH) measured before purchase — performance driving profiles accelerate degradation.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Early single-motor rear-wheel drive with induction machine. Early drive units (Large Drive Unit) had elevated replacement rates due to bearing noise and seal issues — many were swapped under warranty, later revisions (Q-drive) are considered durable. Check drive-unit replacement history and 12V battery condition before buying. Expect real-world range of early builds 20-30% below the original rating.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Performance tier of the dual-motor drive with Ludicrous options. Sustained high load stresses drive units and tires above average; rear tire wear is substantial. Otherwise the series topics apply: MCU eMMC, door handles, air suspension. Have battery health (SoH) measured before purchase — performance driving profiles accelerate degradation.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Performance tier of the dual-motor drive with Ludicrous options. Sustained high load stresses drive units and tires above average; rear tire wear is substantial. Otherwise the series topics apply: MCU eMMC, door handles, air suspension. Have battery health (SoH) measured before purchase — performance driving profiles accelerate degradation.
- !! Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude from 240,000 km
The Large Drive Unit routes coolant through the hollow rotor shaft. As the seal ages, coolant leaks into motor and inverter — from whining noise up to total drive-unit failure.
Symptoms: Whining/humming from the drive unit, power loss, fault messages; repeat replacements reported - !! Charge port: overheating up to melting
Charge port or cable can overheat, sometimes with a visibly melted connector. Affects old and new builds alike, promoted by water and corrosion ingress.
Symptoms: Melted connector, interrupted charging, in extreme cases total charging failure
Vehicle Weaknesses
| Weakness | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Recall: MCU1 memory wear kills the display The 8GB eMMC flash in MCU1 wears out from write cycles. At end of life the center display, rearview camera, defrost controls and turn-signal indication fail. Recall 21V035000 (134,951 vehicles). Symptoms: Display freezes or boot-loops, camera and climate controls fail from 75,000 km | ||
| Recall: frunk secondary latch fails to engage The frunk latch assembly can be misaligned so the secondary latch never engages — the hood can open while driving and block the view. Recall 21V00B000 (130,441 vehicles). Symptoms: Hood doesn't latch cleanly, in the worst case opens while driving | ||
| Recall: power-steering bolts corrode Aluminum bolts of the Bosch steering-assist motor can corrode and fracture — power assist partially or fully fails, most noticeable when maneuvering. Recall 18V204000. Symptoms: Clearly higher steering effort, especially when parking | ||
| Recall: seat-belt pretensioner connection faulty Front seat belts may be improperly connected to the pretensioner and not fully restrain in a crash. Recall 15V780000, listed with the German KBA as well. | ||
| Recall: passenger airbag inflator can rupture The passenger airbag inflator can rupture after years of humidity and temperature cycling, ejecting metal fragments. Recall 19V002000, German KBA action 6739. | ||
| Recall: parking-brake gear fracture An improperly manufactured gear in the electric parking-brake calipers can fracture — the brake fails to hold or release. Recall 17V260000. Symptoms: Parking brake fails to release or hold, roll-away possible |
Alternatives
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Known Problems and Issues +
A total of 17 weaknesses have been documented for the Tesla Model S Phase 1 (2013–2020) — 6 engine-related and 11 vehicle-related. Typical issues affect Other, Body, Suspension, Electronics.
Model S (ModelS-RWD, 2013–2016) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 320 PS.
Model S (ModelS-RWD, 2013–2016) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 367 PS.
Model S (ModelS-RWD, 2013–2016) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 422 PS.
Model S (ModelS-D, 2014–2019) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 428 PS.
Model S (ModelS-Perf, 2014–2016) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 469 PS.
Model S (ModelS-RWD, 2016–2019) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 388 PS.
Model S (ModelS-Perf, 2016–2019) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 700 PS.
Model S (ModelS-D, 2019–2020) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 564 PS.
Model S (ModelS-Perf, 2019–2020) — Be Careful: Drive unit (LDU): rotor seal lets coolant intrude, Charge port: overheating up to melting. Power: 789 PS.
What to watch out for with the Tesla Model S? See the detailed listing of all engine and vehicle weaknesses in the sections above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What problems and weaknesses does the Tesla Model S Phase 1 have? +
What should I look for when buying a used Tesla Model S Phase 1? +
Which engine is recommended? +
Which Tesla Model S Phase 1 engine is the most fun? +
Is the Tesla Model S Phase 1 worth buying used? +
What horsepower variants are available for the Tesla Model S Phase 1? +
Last updated: February 2026 · All information without guarantee