2016 Tesla Model S · symptom sheet

A/C blows warm or the compressor fails

29owner reports
62,000median miles
$642median quote
1involved a crash

Newest report Dec 28, 2021 · checked Oct 2, 2026

29 of the 647 complaints on this car describe A/C failure.

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026

1 crashin 29 reports

Tick what matches of 29 reports

works then cuts out

the condenser had a leak

it was out of warranty

A/C failure on other Model S years

201426 reports 201555 reports 201629 reports 201725 reports

Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023.

What this problem usually is

Most A/C complaints start the same way: the fan still blows, but the air coming out of the vents is warm or only a little cool. Some owners get cold air that fades after a while, and others hear a noise from the compressor before it quits. It's rarely a safety problem on its own, which is also why it seldom gets a recall.

Read the full explainer · Which cars report it most

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the compressor (3 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on this problem covers the 2016 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

What owners paid

10 of the 29 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $250 to $1,500.

$250$642$1,500

$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 29,000 and 70,000 miles, from the 23 reports that gave a mileage.

What owners wrote

“Notes from service center: AC will only work when driving found condenser fans were not turning on, found condenser fan relay melted recommend harness replacement and recheck, harness fixed and ac is working at this time, (Possible ac compressor wear/damage due to high ac pressure and high ramp up speeds. Verified Proper Operation at this time ac works on idle now.”
Filed Sep 9, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 1 of 29 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.

Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found