Selling a junk Tesla
Junkyards and junk car buyers take any Tesla in any condition. What they pay depends on the car's weight, the scrap steel price, the parts still on it and the tow. Pick your model below for what owners report most, or get an offer now.
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What NHTSA data shows for Tesla
Across the 3 Tesla models with enough data to count (model years 2012–2022), NHTSA has 13,525 owner complaints on file and 98 recall campaigns. The most-reported components across the make are driver assistance (3,415), electrical system (1,702), other (1,644). The Tesla Model 3 has the most complaints of any Tesla, with 6,384. Data as of 2026-10-12.
Complaint counts rise with how many of a model were sold and how long they've been on the road, so a big number mostly means a common car. The useful part is what fails: the model pages name the parts, and the guides explain how each one changes the price.
Tesla models
| Model | Model years | Complaints | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | 2017–2022 | 6,384 | Driver assistance | 28 |
| Tesla Model S | 2012–2022 | 5,061 | Electrical system | 36 |
| Tesla Model X | 2016–2022 | 2,080 | Suspension | 34 |
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