NHTSA // CRASH-TESTED
2020 Tesla Model S Safety Ratings
The 2020 Tesla Model S scores 88 out of 100 on the NHTSA Safety Index (Strong), 11 recalls, and 80 owner complaints on file.
Updated Oct 1, 2026 from NHTSA data · Reviewed by Ivanna Verstliar
The 2020 Tesla Model S demonstrates strong occupant protection and crash avoidance, securing a perfect 5 out of 5 stars for rollover resistance. Its crash protection and avoidance technology sub-scores both achieved maximum ratings in NHTSA evaluations. This performance contributes to a NHTSA Safety Index of 88/100, placing the vehicle in our Strong band. However, the overall assessment is moderated by a record of 11 recall campaigns and a lower score for defect reporting.
The 2020 Tesla Model S receives a NHTSA Safety Index of 88 out of 100 and a 5-star NHTSA rollover rating, according to federal NHTSA data.
MotorCaliber Safety Desk // NHTSA data, verified Oct 1, 2026
Among the 105 Sedans from 2020 that NHTSA has crash-tested, the 2020 Tesla Model S ranks 49 for overall NHTSA Safety Index.
- families prioritizing rollover safety
- new and teen drivers who want standard crash-avoidance tech
| NHTSA Safety Index | 88 / 100 (Strong) |
|---|---|
| Frontal / Side / Rollover | 5 stars |
| Rollover risk | 5.7% |
| Recalls on file | 11 |
| Owner complaints | 80 (unverified allegations) |
| Class rank | 49 of 105 Sedans tested for 2020 |
| Data verified | Oct 1, 2026 |
ANALYSISHow safe is the 2020 Tesla Model S?
The 2020 Tesla Model S earned 5 out of 5 stars for its rollover rating, with a 6 percent risk. The model achieved a score of 88 out of 100 on the NHTSA Safety Index, rated as Strong. Crash protection for this model year earned the full 70 out of 70 points. Avoidance technology also received a perfect 10 out of 10, attributed to standard forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and electronic stability control across all variants. The defect record, however, scored only 8 out of 20 points, significantly impacting the overall Safety Index. This low score reflects five distinct recall campaigns targeting software-centric issues: autonomous driving logic, pedestrian alert behavior, instrument cluster software, and adaptive steering. All were addressed via over-the-air updates. This method, unique to Tesla, makes physical verification of recall completion challenging for subsequent owners. The 80 owner complaints, 23 of which concern Forward Collision Avoidance, directly correlate with one of these recall campaigns, suggesting a tangible link between the software issues and real-world owner experience.
NCAP // CRASH TESTHow did the 2020 Tesla Model S perform in crash tests?
The 2020 Tesla Model S demonstrated excellent performance in rollover resistance, achieving a 5 out of 5 star rating from NHTSA. This result, indicating a 6 percent rollover risk and a "No Tip" outcome in the dynamic maneuver, is a key data point for its overall safety profile. No frontal or side crash test ratings were published for the 2020 Model S.
Source: NHTSA NCAP, VehicleId 15100
Index breakdown
NHTSA // RECALLSDoes the 2020 Tesla Model S have any recalls?
Yes. The 2020 Tesla Model S is tied to 11 recall campaigns. Named component areas include seat belt warning systems, forward collision avoidance and pedestrian alert, instrument cluster software, autonomous and self-driving software covering all Full Self-Driving variants, and automated adaptive steering on Full Self-Driving-equipped vehicles. All five detailed campaigns above were resolved via over-the-air software fixes. No park-outside or do-not-drive directive appears in the provided data.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES24V376000
Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
Reported 2024-05-28
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT24V153000
Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.
Reported 2024-02-27
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL24V051000
Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
Reported 2024-01-30
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE23V838000
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
Reported 2023-12-12
STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING23V085000
Risk: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Reported 2023-02-15
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM22V818000
Risk: A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update to recalibrate the EPAS system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 31, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-014.
Reported 2022-11-01
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE22V235000
Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, including Summon and Smart Summon, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall supersedes
Reported 2022-04-12
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE22V063000
Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 5, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall has been superseded by Recall 2
Reported 2022-02-04
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE22V037000
Risk: Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
Reported 2022-01-27
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH21V00B000
Risk: If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect and reposition the latch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 18, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-11-003.
Reported 2021-12-21
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA21V846000
Risk: Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-00-004.
Reported 2021-10-29
NHTSA // COMPLAINTSWhat do owners report about the 2020 Tesla Model S?
Owners have filed 80 unverified complaints with NHTSA. The most-alleged component is Forward Collision Avoidance with 23 reported incidents, followed by Suspension at 14, Steering at 10, Vehicle Speed Control at 8, and Electrical System at 7. These are unverified consumer allegations, not established defects.
80 owner complaints on file. These are unverified allegations reported to NHTSA.
USED BUYERWhat should used buyers know about the 2020 Tesla Model S?
Any shopper considering this 6-year-old vehicle should run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup tool before purchase. Because all five detailed recall remedies were over-the-air software fixes, confirm with Tesla service records that each campaign was applied to the specific unit, not just announced fleet-wide.
- All five named recall campaigns for the 2020 Model S were remedied via over-the-air software updates, meaning no dealer visit was required, but also meaning remedy completion cannot be confirmed by a visual inspection of the vehicle.
- The defect-record sub-score of 8 out of 20 is the single largest factor pulling the Safety Index below a top-tier rating, driven by 11 recall campaigns tied to this model year.
- NHTSA did not conduct frontal or side crash tests on the 2020 Tesla Model S. The only crash-test result on file is a perfect 5-star rollover rating with a 6 percent rollover risk.
- Forward Collision Avoidance is the most-alleged complaint component with 23 unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, and a separate recall campaign targeting pedestrian alert behavior in the forward collision system was issued for this model year.
RANKINGSWhere the 2020 Tesla Model S places
The 2020 Tesla Model S qualifies for these MotorCaliber safety rankings:
FAQ2020 Tesla Model S safety questions
Was the 2020 Tesla Model S crash-tested by NHTSA?
Yes. NHTSA crash-tested the 2020 Tesla Model S, and it earns a NHTSA Safety Index of 88 out of 100, placing it in the Strong band. The index combines federal crash-test stars, standard crash-avoidance tech, and the recall record.
What are the 2020 Tesla Model S crash-test star ratings?
In NHTSA testing the 2020 Tesla Model S earned 5 out of 5 stars for rollover. Its measured rollover risk is 5.7%. Categories NHTSA did not test show as not rated.
How many recalls does the 2020 Tesla Model S have?
According to NHTSA recall data, 11 vehicle recalls are on file for the 2020 Tesla Model S. Confirm your VIN at nhtsa.gov to see which apply to your car.
How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Tesla Model S?
According to NHTSA's complaint database, 80 owner complaints are on file for the 2020 Tesla Model S. These are unverified allegations submitted by owners, not confirmed defects, and include reports involving a crash.
Cross-check this record against independent expert reviews and the live NHTSA database before you buy.
Other Model S years
Rivals in Sedan (2020)
| Vehicle | NHTSA Safety Index | Overall stars | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Acura RLX | 99/100 | 5 of 5 | 1 |
| 2020 Acura RLX Sport | 99/100 | not rated | 1 |
| 2020 Audi S5 Sportback | 99/100 | not rated | 0 |
| 2020 Infiniti Q50 | 99/100 | not rated | 0 |
| 2020 Mazda Mazda3 | 98/100 | 5 of 5 | 2 |
| 2020 Nissan Maxima | 98/100 | 5 of 5 | 1 |
- DATA Pulled directly from NHTSA: New Car Assessment Program crash tests (VehicleId 15100), the recallsByVehicle and complaintsByVehicle records for the Tesla Model S 2020.
- SCORE The NHTSA Safety Index (0-100) weights crash protection, standard crash-avoidance tech, and the defect record. Full formula on the methodology page. It ranks 49 of 105 in the Sedan class for 2020.
- EDITED Written by the MotorCaliber Safety Desk and reviewed for accuracy and plain-language clarity by Ivanna Verstliar, Editor, against the source figures on this page.
- VERIFIED Data last synced Oct 1, 2026. Recalls change; confirm your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. See our corrections policy and disclosure.