Known APK problem

Tesla Model S: tyres

On the Tesla Model S the APK inspector finds tyres problems 50% more often than on cars of the same age: at 11–12 years 10.0%, against about 6.7% nationally.

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Too little tread (at least 1.6 mm), cracks or uneven wear.

Repair indication: smallusually a small repair, often done with the service.

How to check it at the viewing

Check the tread and look for uneven wear: that points to an alignment problem. The DOT code on the tyre tells its age.

Ask the seller: How old are the tyres, and has the car been aligned recently?

By age

Share of inspected Tesla Model Ss with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	Model S	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
5 – 6 years	B	15.0%	11.7 – 19.1%	13.6%	1.1×	360
5 – 6 years	C	5.0%	3.2 – 7.8%	5.0%	1.0×	360
7 – 8 years	B	16.5%	15.2 – 17.9%	15.0%	1.1×	2,797
7 – 8 years	C	7.5%	6.6 – 8.5%	5.0%	1.5×	2,797
9 – 10 years	B	17.0%	15.2 – 18.9%	15.5%	1.1×	1,656
9 – 10 years	C	8.8%	7.5 – 10.2%	5.9%	1.5×	1,656
11 – 12 years	B	19.0%	16.9 – 21.2%	17.3%	1.1×	1,276
11 – 12 years	C	10.0%	8.5 – 11.8%	6.7%	1.5×	1,276

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 11–12 years

Model	Tyres	Vs. national
Tesla Model S	10.0%	1.5×
BMW 5-serie F11	13.6%	0.8×
Peugeot 508 I	20.1%	1.2×
BMW 5-serie F10	14.3%	0.8×

Looking at a Tesla Model S? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Tesla Model Ss of the same age.

All weak spots of the Tesla Model S · Tyres: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Tesla Model S often have tyres problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 11–12 years the inspector found a tyres defect on 10.0% of inspected Tesla Model Ss, against about 6.7% of all cars of the same age (1.5×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the tyres on a used Tesla Model S?

Check the tread and look for uneven wear: that points to an alignment problem. The DOT code on the tyre tells its age.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know