Model-year warranty research

Is an Extended Warranty Worth It for a 2016 Tesla Model S?

Review estimated repair costs, owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications for this model year. The records describe submitted cases; they do not tell you how likely a failure is.

Run the worth-it calculator for this car →
645complaint reports
10recall campaigns
99manufacturer communications
6leading reported components
Animated diagnostic view representing the 2016 Tesla Model S

Model-year records

What the 2016 record can and cannot say

Compared with other Tesla Model S years here, the 2016 total is about 521 reports above the median complaint count in these records. Its raw count is 645, with no denominator for vehicles sold.

Suspension is the most common displayed tag, with 209 reports. Its 32.4% share describes submitted complaints, not all vehicles on the road.

EV traction battery replacement has the highest midpoint estimate for parts alone, at $13,000. Local labor adds to the bill, while claim rules can limit what the plan pays.

Sources and methods

What each source tells you

NHTSA records: 645 submitted complaints, 10 recalls and 99 manufacturer communications. These are report counts, not failure probabilities.

EPA vehicle details: 13 matched fuel-economy configurations help us leave out repairs for equipment this model year does not have.

Repair-cost estimates: We model 18 applicable repairs beyond normal wear items, using published benchmarks where available plus parts and independent-shop labor assumptions. These ranges are not dealer quotes, repair-shop quotes or invoices.

Read the full research and repair-cost methodology.

Vehicle configuration

2016 EPA specification range

The official dataset contains 13 matched configurations for this model year. The range reflects trim and drivetrain choices, not changes to the complaint count.

Vehicle classLarge car
Fuel choicesElectric
Drive layoutsAll-wheel drive and Rear-wheel drive
Engine rangeNo combustion engine
EPA efficiency89 to 104 MPGe; 210 to 315 miles electric range
Transmission typesAutomatic

EPA figures vary by configuration. Confirm the exact engine, drive layout and fuel system from the VIN or original window sticker. Source: FuelEconomy.gov vehicle data, updated 2026-08-07.

Estimated repair bills

Major repair cost range

These ranges combine parts and labor benchmarks with modeled independent-shop rates for Dallas, TX. We adjust supported repairs using published estimates for this model and leave out repairs that do not fit its model-year specifications.

RepairSystemEstimated range
EV traction battery replacementEV Powertrain$7,992-$29,272
EV drive unit replacementEV Powertrain$3,744-$17,204
EV onboard charger replacementEV Powertrain$1,496-$8,136
EV thermal management repairEV Powertrain$872-$6,136
Steering rack replacementSteering$2,164-$2,584
Strut and control arm repairSuspension$946-$4,495
Infotainment display or head unit replacementElectrical and Electronic$624-$4,445
AC compressor replacementAir Conditioning$946-$3,407
AC evaporator replacementClimate control$1,190-$2,029
Electronic control module replacementElectrical and Electronic$474-$3,186

Symptoms, recalls and source documents

Research 2016 Tesla Model S problems before choosing coverage

FixCatalogue links to symptom descriptions, documented conditions and the original recall or manufacturer sources. Read those details when researching a problem; a complaint count alone cannot tell you which part to replace or whether a contract will pay.

Campaign 24V051000

Recall source file 24V051000

Check the VIN and the campaign remedy. A listed model year does not establish that your individual vehicle has an open recall.

Source evidence label
Official safety recall
Years named in the source
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Source reviewed
2026-08-03
Jurisdiction
United States

Source labels are not our independent diagnosis. Check whether the cited document applies to your car.

Campaign 24V376000

Recall source file 24V376000

Check the VIN and the campaign remedy. A listed model year does not establish that your individual vehicle has an open recall.

Source evidence label
Official safety recall
Years named in the source
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Source reviewed
2026-08-03
Jurisdiction
United States

Source labels are not our independent diagnosis. Check whether the cited document applies to your car.

2 indexed model-year file links. Separate campaigns can share a label, so every displayed campaign keeps its own source URL. Source-link snapshot: 2026-09-03. Labels are derived from public URLs; the source file controls the details.

Check coverage for the current problem first

Get the current problem diagnosed and check factory coverage or recall remedies first. A new vehicle service contract generally excludes pre-existing conditions. Set those costs aside when comparing coverage for future eligible failures.

Research this vehicle on FixCatalogue

The source layer includes FixCatalogue's public index and factual metadata for 1,221 canonical issue records, retrieved 2026-09-03. It does not copy full articles, images, owner counts or private APIs. Recall and complaint counts remain our separately dated NHTSA snapshot and may differ from live results.