Code ESP_a250 was reported by the “Stability control and ABS (ESP)” controller in the car. The letter “a” in the middle places it among entries of the alert type.
The electronic stability program — ESP, ABS, traction control and brake force distribution. These codes show up as warning lights and some assistance systems dropping out. The car still brakes, just without electronic help.
The most common type. The car logged the event and may have shown it on the screen. The range is wide — from something trivial that clears itself to something that needs attention.
This is how the fault is named inside the car's firmware. For codes without a description it is the most precise clue there is — the name itself says what the event is about.
The text below comes from Tesla's technical documentation. We leave it in the original English so that translation cannot shift its meaning.
Invalid Data Received From Drive Motor Control Module A: Alive Counter invalid
Wheel Speed Sensor: General Fault.
If the difference between maximum and minimum wheel speed related to a reference speed exceeds 5%. A generic wheel speed sensor fault is set if no wheel specific fault could be determined. During system mode ABS and backup-EBD (Electr. Brake Force Distribution) and below 20 kilometers per hour the deviation is 6 kilometers per hour for velocities 100 kilometers per hour.
1.) Open circuit in the WSS line 2.) Short circuit to + voltage in the WSS line 3.) Short circuit to GND in WSS line 4.) WSS dislodging from bracket 5.) Input amplifier in ECU faulty 6.) tooth wheel missing 7.) WSS not installed 8.) too great airgap 9.) incorrect tooth count
Invalid Data Received From Pedal Monitor: Alive Counter invalid
The ESP is back in a normal ABS state
Copy it exactly, letter and number included. Photographing the screen is safest — codes often differ by a single digit, and mixing them up leads somewhere else entirely.
Some codes clear after a screen restart or after the car sits locked for a few hours. If the code does not come back, it was usually a one-off glitch.
A one-off entry and a code that appears after every drive are two different things. It helps a service centre enormously if you know exactly when it shows up.
With airbags, brakes, steering and high voltage there is no point waiting it out. With the other groups you can watch and see whether the code returns at all.
Error codes are only part of the picture. For cars on TesList you also see battery health pulled straight from the vehicle, plus a price calculator that works out from current listings what a given car is actually worth today.