2023 Tesla Model S: HW3 or HW4, sensors or not, yoke or wheel

Whether a 2023 Tesla Model S has HW4 depends on when it was built: Model S deliveries with Hardware 4 began around early March 2023, so earlier cars have HW3. The same year also lost ultrasonic parking sensors partway through, gained an optional round steering wheel and took the biggest price cut of any Model S year.

How to tell an HW4 car from an HW3 car

Listings get this wrong often, so check the car. The steps take two minutes:

Does it matter? For most owners, not much day to day. Basic Autopilot works on both. It matters if you plan to buy Full Self-Driving, or if the car already has it, because the computer decides which software versions the car can run. If a seller says the car "has FSD", confirm in the Tesla app whether that is a purchased package attached to the car, and which computer it runs on.

Ultrasonic sensors: the second split

Tesla said in October 2022 it would remove the ultrasonic sensors, and Model S and X followed in 2023. Without them, the car's Park Assist relies on cameras. Try both kinds in your own garage if you can, because a tight bay with a Wall Connector mounted near the bumper is exactly where parking aids get tested. A 2023 can be any of these combinations:

The cutoff dates are approximate. Trust the car, not the calendar.

The yoke became optional

For 2023, Edmunds lists a traditional round wheel as a no-cost option alongside the yoke. That makes a factory round-wheel car possible for the first time since the refresh. If a used car has a wheel that was swapped later, check recall 23V743000: the wrong driver air bag may have been fitted during a yoke or wheel replacement.

Price cuts made 2023 the value year

Tesla cut Model S prices hard during 2023. Edmunds lists $74,990 for the dual-motor car and $89,990 for the Plaid, against $104,990 and $135,990 for 2022. Early-2023 cars sold at the higher prices before the cuts, but the used market prices by year and condition, so a 2023 often costs only a little more than a 2022 with newer hardware.

The dual-motor car is rated 405 miles. We found no 2023 EPA entry for the Plaid in the data we checked, so treat the 2022 Model S Plaid range (396 miles on 19 in wheels, 348 on 21s) as the closest guide.

Recalls: one camera fix needs a technician

NHTSA lists 13 campaigns. Eight were over-the-air updates. Five need service, and one is unique to this year in our Model S pages:

• 23V489000: a misaligned forward camera could disable automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning and lane assist without warning. A service center inspects and adjusts the camera pitch.
• 23V488000: front belts may not be attached to the pretensioner anchors.
• 23V743000: wrong driver air bag after a yoke or wheel swap.
• 24V967000 and 25V172000: driver air bag cushion and horn pad.

• 23V085000February 15, 2023Steering, automated/adaptive steeringSoftware update
  FSD Beta could act unsafely at intersections and respond poorly to speed limit changes
• 23V489000July 14, 2023Forward collision avoidance, sensing system, cameraService visit
  Misaligned forward camera could disable AEB, forward collision warning and lane assist without warning
• 23V488000July 14, 2023Seat belts, frontService visit
  Front seat belts may not be properly attached to the pretensioner anchors and could detach
• 23V743000November 3, 2023Steering, steering wheel/handle barService visit
  Wrong driver air bag may have been fitted when a yoke or steering wheel was replaced
• 23V838000December 12, 2023Electrical system, adas, autonomous/self driving, softwareSoftware update
  Autosteer driver-engagement controls may not be enough to prevent misuse
• 23V862000December 19, 2023Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchSoftware update
  Doors could unlock during a crash (FMVSS 214)

Source: NHTSA recalls API. A recall only applies if your VIN is listed.

NHTSA has not crash-rated the 2023 Model S. Complaint totals and the most common areas:

120 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Model S. Most frequent areas (approximate order): unknown or other; steering; forward collision avoidance; electrical system; visibility/wiper; vehicle speed control. Source: NHTSA complaints database.

Charging a 2023 at home

Nothing changed here. The onboard charger takes 48 A (11.5 kW), which on a Wall Connector with a 60 A breaker adds about 41 miles of range per hour. A NEMA 14-50 outlet through a Mobile Connector adds about 27. Note that cars ordered after late April 2022 did not come with a Mobile Connector in the box, so a 2023 may have none; our page on what ships with a new Tesla explains the change.

Rates scale Tesla's published Wall Connector table for this model; older cars and cold batteries charge slower. Times are estimates.

On the road

The 2023 car Supercharges at up to 250 kW on V3 and V4 sites, the same as other refresh years. For CCS1 stations off the Tesla network you need Tesla's CCS Combo 1 adapter ($300, out of stock as of October 2026); check your car's eligibility in the Tesla app before buying one. The J1772 adapter for Level 2 public chargers comes with every Tesla.

Cost to run: at about 28 kWh per 100 miles (computed from the EPA's 120 MPGe) and the July 2026 US average of 18.31 cents/kWh, a 1,000-mile month costs about $51. Your utility's overnight rate may cut that a lot; see the price per kWh to charge. If you need a new circuit, charger install prices and permit costs are on our cost page.

Which build to look for

• Wants FSD or long ownership: an HW4 build from spring 2023 onward.
• Parks by sensor beeps: an early-2023 build with ultrasonic sensors, or look back at the 2022 Model S.
• Just wants the cheapest refresh car with current hardware: any 2023, then compare against the near-identical 2024 Model S.

All years in one place: every Model S model year.

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