129 of the
1,581 complaints about the 2022 Tesla Model Y are about the
braking system — 8% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
10,444 miles.
I was driving at approximately 30-35 mph on a 30 mph residential road with my son in the front passenger seat. My vehicle unexpectedly collided with a parked, unoccupied car on the right side of the road, impact occurring between my front passenger side and the rear driver side of the parked vehicle. Following the initial collision, the vehicle continued past a small tree, mounted the sidewalk, and struck a second parked car before I was able to manually bring it to a stop 2–3 houses further down near an intersection. Throughout this sequence—with the vehicle traveling at ~35 mph—neither the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) activated nor did any airbags deploy. Fortunately, neither my son nor I sustained catastrophic injuries, though my chest struck the steering wheel during the impact, causing ongoing pain my and mental trauma for my son. I am currently receiving medical advise. Given the speed and sequence of impacts, it is terrifying that the vehicle’s primary safety systems failed to engage before, during, or after the collision. I am seeking a thorough technical investigation into why Automatic Emergency Braking and airbag deployment failed in this scenario with Tesla Model Y
NHTSA complaint #11754177 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fullerton, CACrash2 injured
SERVICE BRAKES
**Incident Report — Tesla Model Y Safety System Failure** The subject vehicle, a Tesla Model Y equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology and advanced safety features, was involved in a collision at an estimated impact speed of 40–45 MPH. The vehicle's onboard recording system captured the incident and clearly documents the impact dynamics, vehicle speed at impact, and the contributing actions of the other party involved. **Incident Details:** - **Impact Location:** Left front side of vehicle - **Impact Speed:** 40–45 MPH - **Damage Assessment:** Vehicle declared total loss by insurance - **Recorded Evidence:** Onboard system footage available **Safety System Failures:** Despite the severity of the impact and speed involved, the following safety systems failed to activate: - Emergency braking system did not engage - Forward Collision Warning Failed - Seatbelt pre-tensioning/locking mechanism did not activate - Airbag deployment systems failed (front, side, curtain, and knee airbags) **Concern:** The vehicle's advanced safety features—which are primary design components marketed for collision mitigation—did not function as designed or expected. Given the impact speed and severity, these safety systems should have either mitigated the collision or deployed to protect occupants. The failure of multiple redundant safety systems raises questions regarding the reliability and function of these critical systems at the time of impact. **Available Evidence:** - Onboard system footage (speed, impact angle, timing) - Insurance total loss assessment - Medical records (if applicable) - Vehicle service history
NHTSA complaint #11752329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
North Hills, CACrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact’s wife owned a 2022 Tesla Y. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, his wife shifted the gear shifter into drive(D), and the vehicle independently accelerated. The Autonomous feature was not engaged. The brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed, and the front center of the vehicle crashed into a pile of cinder blocks, drove through a gate, and crashed into a dumpster, where it came to a stop. As a result of the impact, the front driver's side tire detached, and the dumpster was damaged. The contact stated that another person helped remove the driver from the vehicle due to the front driver door being unable to open. The air bags deployed as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was deemed a total loss. A police report was filed. The driver had pain in the back and sought medical attention. The contact's wife was informed of a slight fracture of an unstated bone in her back and ribs, and had to return to the doctor several times for medical assistance. The contact was certain there was no user error to have caused the crash The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11745984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Penfield, NY
SERVICE BRAKES
Our 2022 Tesla Model Y long range had a braking system failure due to a flawed routing of the rear flex brake lines. When applying the brakes at a red light the vehicle rolled into the intersection despite the brake pedal being pressed to the firewall. There were no warning lights at this time. After arriving home, large amounts of brake fluid were visible under the car. I removed the rear passenger side wheel to inspect the source of the leak. It was immediately clear that the flexible brake line was the source of the leak. It was installed (at the factory) in a position that allowed it to rub against the thin and abrasive edge of the wheel well. Over time, this cut into the brake line until a hole formed. The same issue was occurring on the rear driver side brake line. I took the car to a Tesla service center where they insisted that this was not a Tesla issue. They claimed that the faulty routing of the brake lines must have occurred within the last three weeks, and that they had never heard of this happening with another Tesla. Only after they looked at the problem did a brake warning appear on the screen showing there was a problem. I paid an independent service center to replace the lines and reroute them. I’m filing this report because I’m worried there are other customers, (especially those that have Model Ys that came off the line when mine did) driving around unaware that their brakes may fail when they need them most.
NHTSA complaint #11735369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
University Place, WA
SERVICE BRAKES
I am reporting a serious safety concern involving my Tesla Model Y. While driving, the vehicle’s main center screen (MCU) suddenly failed and entered a continuous reboot loop. This resulted in the loss of critical driving information and controls, including navigation, camera display, and vehicle system status. The issue occurred without any warning and nearly caused a serious accident, as I was unable to safely monitor essential driving information. This failure made the vehicle extremely unsafe to operate. The problem appears to be related to a known MCU system failure affecting some Tesla vehicles. I am concerned that this issue may present a broader safety risk for other drivers. Please investigate this matter for potential safety defects.
NHTSA complaint #11732043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairfax, VA
SERVICE BRAKES
The vehicle was delivered with a critical safety defect in the braking system and inoperable safety software (GPS/FSD/Navigation). Upon further inspection by the dealer's own technician, it was confirmed that the vehicle had 'EXTREMELY POOR BRAKE FEEL' and 'EXTREME RUST BUILD UP' on all pads and rotors, which violated Tesla’s 6mm minimum safety standard for used vehicles. Additionally, a physically damaged windshield harness caused the failure of GPS and FSD features. These defects posed a significant safety risk to myself and my family during operation. The dealer has documented and confirmed these safety issues but is now refusing a buyback and is retaliating with storage fees for my rejection of the unsafe product. No warning lights appeared prior to the technician's discovery of the brake defects.
NHTSA complaint #11724003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oakland, CACrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES
We live on a road with a steep embankment. My wife backed across our driveway and when she put the car from reverse to drive it accelerated uncontrollably. She hit our mailbox, then a power pole across the street, a driveway across the street then over the embankment where she hit a retainer wall another wooden railing and finally came to rest against our neighbors house. If she wouldn’t have caught the edge of the house she would have went down approximately 150 foot embankment. Not only the car accelerated on its own it is supposed to automatically brake, it didn’t and the airbags never deployed. This all this happened right after it went through an automatic update. The car was totaled, with my wife getting a concussion and a lot of muscle injuries. There was no warning lights prior to event and we reported it to Tesla and all they did was send camera images which we had. The car is now in possession of Wawanesa Insurance because it was a total loss
NHTSA complaint #11716189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Claremont, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving, the front left brake caliper detached, causing immediate damage to the wheel and a tire blowout. There was no recent brake, wheel, or suspension service (over two years). Tesla is repairing the vehicle for an estimated $2,336.41 but did not clearly identify root cause. This was a sudden brake system failure that could have resulted in loss of control. I am reporting this as a potential safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11716035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sausalito, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
Vehicle: 2022 Tesla Model Y VIN: [XXX] Mileage: 85,000 Complaint Description (Copy & Paste): I am filing this complaint due to serious and ongoing safety-related defects with my 2022 Tesla Model Y that remain unresolved despite multiple service visits. The vehicle experiences shuddering and vibration during regenerative braking, especially when driving downhill. In addition, the braking behavior is unpredictable, which compromises vehicle control and creates a risk of loss of control while driving. These issues occur during normal driving conditions and present a significant safety hazard to myself, my passengers, and other road users. I have taken the vehicle to Tesla for service three separate times for this issue. Despite these visits, the Tesla service department has stated they are unable to fix the problem, and the safety concern remains unresolved. I’m being having this issues since I bought the car new. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11706215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dripping Springs, TX
SERVICE BRAKES
On October 13th 2025, while driving, I began to hear a clunking and rattling sound from the front left wheel area when braking. Concerned for my safety, I brought the vehicle to a local independent brake specialist for inspection. Their technician found that one of the two bolts securing the brake caliper was completely missing, and the remaining bolt was approximately halfway backed out. The shop explained that this condition presented an immediate risk of caliper detachment and total brake failure, potentially leading to serious injury or death. After both bolts were replaced and properly torqued, the brake noise that Tesla had previously attributed to “pad burnishing” disappeared entirely. This indicates that the squeaking and vibration symptoms Tesla dismissed were, in fact, caused by an improperly secured caliper—a direct safety issue, not a normal wear condition. I notified Tesla legal of this problem (via certified mail) on October 13 2025 and requested a response within 14 days. I have received no such response, nor have I been contacted for further investigation into this dangerous situation with my vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11699010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newport Beach, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The car exhibited a noise from the drivers side (LH) rear brake caliper, car was brought into Tesla for repair and it was determined that "Technician Notes: Technician inspected and verified excessive noise from the driver's side rear brake when applied, as reported by the customer. The noise was caused by a loose brake caliper on the left rear side. The technician replaced the left rear brake caliper and performed a brake fluid bleed/flush to resolve the issue. After the repair, the technician confirmed that the brake noise was no longer present." Tesla Service. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Brake caliper coming loose reduces brake performance and could lead to catastrophic failure and accident. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, see above. Tesla Service center "resolved" the issue by replacing the caliper. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No inspection, beyond Tesla service noted above. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights, just a clicking sound from the caliper, sounded loose.
NHTSA complaint #11666422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 45,417 milesChandler, AZCrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while idling, waiting for their garage to open, the vehicle began to move forward independently. The contact attempted to apply the brake pedal, but the brakes failed, and the vehicle accelerated forward at a higher speed. The vehicle crashed into an unoccupied vehicle parked in the garage, causing the other vehicle to crash into the garage wall and into the laundry room inside the home. The Tesla's air bag deployed. The contact confirmed that no self-driving or other feature was activated at the time of the failure. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled. The contact sustained injury to their neck, knee, and hands. Medical attention was sought via ambulance. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was 45,417.
NHTSA complaint #11663141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seattle, WA
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving at approximately 25 mph on a local street in Seattle, WA, my Tesla suddenly engaged the brakes without any apparent reason. The vehicle was not in Autopilot or Full Self-Driving mode, and my foot was actively pressing the accelerator pedal at the time. The braking was abrupt and forceful, causing a sudden deceleration. The weather was clear with good lighting. There were no obstacles, vehicles, or road hazards in my path that could have triggered the braking. The unexpected stop was shocking and could have led to a rear-end collision, as there were vehicles behind me.
NHTSA complaint #11649066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,100 milesHuntington Beach, CACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while at a stop, the brake pedal was depressed when suddenly the steering wheel seized to function, and the vehicle started to move forward independently, causing the driver to veer to the right to avoid crashing into a home garage. The contact attempted to get back into the street however, the vehicle kept moving forward independently as the contact kept depressing on the brake pedal crashing the front center of the vehicle into a sign pole. The vehicle continued to accelerate independently causing the contact to crash into a second sign pole on the front passenger side where the vehicle came to a stop. The vehicle was damaged by the fender upon the first impact and was damaged on the front passenger side upon the second impact however, the vehicle was not destroyed. The air bags did not deploy. The contact and his wife suffered from whiplash however, medical attention was not required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the place of the accident to the contact's home. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 10,100.
NHTSA complaint #11647705 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Diego, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving in town and pulling into a parking spot, my Tesla slammed on the brakes so hard it was like we struck something. The car was not in FSD or any assistive driving mode unless Tesla changed it without our knowledge. There were no warning or anything before the car slammed on the brakes. I reported the incident to Tesla and they never responded.
NHTSA complaint #11625733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 6,000 milesGlenshaw, PA
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the contact noticed that the front hood lid had opened unintentionally. The contact stated that the failure occurred on several occasions. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and attempting to brake, the regenerative braking system malfunctioned, causing the braking distance to be extended. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 6,000.
NHTSA complaint #11622413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Manalapan, NJCrashFire1 injured1 killed
SERVICE BRAKES
Hello, My name is [XXX] and I had the 2022 Tesla Model Y performance. I had an accident on [XXX]. Car just took control itself, we hit the tree. It was in a residential area, it happened so fast that I could not react to prevent it. After we hit the tree, the car caught fire, It was a nightmare for me, I had my best friend with me at the time of the accident in the front passenger seat. Both of us were unconscious, by the time I got awake, the car was in flames, my friend was still unconscious but then he got awake after I tried with the local neighbor to pull him out from the car. Unfortunately my friend passed away after an accident in 5 hours. I had autosteer assistance on my car as a subscription. Plus my car had a problem with the side cameras, from time to time it was giving me errors - Door Pillar error message. Cops were trying to get information from the car, but according to Tesla representative my car was out of network from June 30, 2022. And I never got any notifications that my car is out of network. I have a case against me VS State of New Jersey, the prosecutor's office charged me with vehicle manslaughter, at the time of accident i gave a statement to the police officer, in December 12, 2023 it was Nationwide recall on Tesla cars, and this recall it was exactly for the same problem what I described to the police officer at the time of accident, so my problem is, I can't retrieve any information from Tesla regarding what happened at the time of accident, DUE TO TESLA had my car out of network for 25 days prior. I can't prove my innocence because of that I'm facing serious charges right now. My complain is about my car being out of TESLA NETWORK FOR 25 DAYS, WITHOUT PROPER NOTIFICATION ON THE APP OR EMAIL, WHILE MY CAR WAS OPERATED EVERYDAY ON THE DAILY BASIS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11620976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Syosset, NYCrash
SERVICE BRAKES
When driving home and try to make a left turn, the steering doesn't work and car suddenly speed up even though try to brake, the whole car is out of control, and the car hit my neighbor, and it's extremely dangerous! Thank god that no one is hurt. Police came and did a report but didn't say anything about Tesla. After that, I checked the alert history, nothing special, the only alert is remind me that window cleaner is running low. I tried to contact Tesla but failed, no one answer the phone call, no where to report. Everything is too bad
NHTSA complaint #11602274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Irvine, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
Safety issue with Tesla's auto pilot braking without cause in the middle of freeway. Many times accidents were about to happen when I intervened and press onto the gas pedal. It seems like there are other complaints and not sure why NHTSA is not doing about it? Is Tesla that powerful that government does not want to disturb anything?
NHTSA complaint #11594070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Raleigh, NC
SERVICE BRAKES
Phantom braking occurred when the adaptive cruise was engaged when a truck entered the road from the right side. The car abruptly slowed when the truck crossed my lane although there was no eminent danger. The car behind us nearly collided with us due to the sudden braking incident. This is the third sudden braking incident; however, the others were related to a bridge or overpass.
NHTSA complaint #11593221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Diego, CACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
Unwanted Lane Assistance in Tesla Model Y made the car swerve to side. When I tried correcting it, the steering got hard to control and whole car swirled 360 degrees and hit shoulder rail. Brakes didn’t slow the car.
NHTSA complaint #11580313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tucson, AZ
SERVICE BRAKES
Tail light assemblies on vehicle develop moisture inside of them when it rains. Tesla claims that this is normal and refuses to service the part. The concern is that the electronics inside the light assembly will be damaged by the moisture. This places the burden on the consumer to frequently test and inspect the tail light for an impending failure of the light which may inadvertently occur during driving and result in an accident. In certain instances the amount of moisture that may develop unbeknown to the driver while operating the vehicle, may decrease the light transmission through the light assembly, rendering the function of the tail light to fall out of NHTSA mandated standards for light transmission for the fixture.
NHTSA complaint #11571831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Port Orchard, WA
SERVICE BRAKES
Since purchasing the car, I've had issues with the driver's side floor mat sliding and/or flapping. By sliding I mean it slides to the right and then interferes with the braking. By flapping, I mean the left separate portion/flap of the drivers side mat just randomly bends over - again causing interference with braking. I've tried to correct this issue multiple times by repositioning the floor mats. There is no way to secure the mats. I also added this concern to a pre-existing service request as it is quite annoying; however, I was told to just purchase new mats - even though my vehicle is under warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11569302 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lexington, KY
SERVICE BRAKES
Tesla does not provide power to the Aux pin on the standard 7 pin connector for towing. This means that the vehicle will not keep a 12V battery on a trailer charged up at all times. In case of a breakaway situation, there will be no power to the brakes and thus the trailer will not stop safely. Tesla changed to a 16V battery and has refused to step down the voltage for towing purposes. This is extremely dangerous when they advertise the Model Y and X as towing up to 3500 and 5000 lbs respectively and do not advertise the fact (outside the manual, where it must be inferred) that there is no power on the Aux pin. The 7 pin connector is a standard and Tesla is not adhering to it.
NHTSA complaint #11564353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glendale, AZ
SERVICE BRAKES
"Phantom breaking" issue. When the vehicle is placed in cruise control the vehicle just randomly slams on the breaks; this typically happens when on the freeway/highway at speeds of 55 mph or greater. My wife and I have experienced this extremely dangerous issue from day 1 of taking possession of our Tesla over a year ago. I've reported it to Tesla and also spoken to the repair technicians that work on the Tesla vehicles. They're aware of the issue and haven't done anything to help or even offered to fix the issue. The technicians advised me that they are fully aware of the issue, and Tesla has no fix at this time. This is totally unacceptable and extremely dangerous. We've nearly gotten into a couple of major accidents because of this uncorrected issue.
NHTSA complaint #11559896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tarboro, NC
SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving at 64 mph utilizing the Adaptive Cruise Control and Autosteer (Beta). I was in the first of a two lane divided highway with no vehicles within 1000 feet in front of me and several cars passing me on my left. Fortunately, I had both hands on the wheel at the 10 and 2 positions and have good arm strength. Suddenly, abruptly and violently the car took over the steering and braking swerving to the left about a foot or so then applying the brakes hard while simultaneously turning the front wheels about 65 degrees to the right. I believe another vehicle without the Tesla's low center of gravity would surly have rolled over. I was now heading across the breakdown lane towards the guardrail. With great effort I took over control of the steering just 1-2 feet from the guardrail pulling hard left and pressing down on the accelerator (to release the brakes) causing a second roll over feeling. I then turned right to straighten the car out and continued down the highway in the same lane without contacting any objects. I felt the violent nature of the swerving in my lower back and left arm. The car did not want to release the steering to me. I have no evidence other than the experience of my wife and me. I was coming off a white concrete bridge deck with a slight left curve without any lane markings. At the moment of the incident the bridge deck was covered with a large area of black tar. I believe these two factors caused the car to go into some kind of avoidance maneuver. I also believe a lesser capable driver may have been killed.
NHTSA complaint #11555855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Diego, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
On November 12, 2023, approximately 3PM, my family and I were traveling eastbound on Miramar Road, near Camino Santa Fe Road, San Diego, when we experienced an immediate and sudden braking of our vehicle (2022 Tesla, model Y), for no apparent reason. There were no warning lights or symptoms that would have exhibited any kind of problem with the vehicle. This sudden braking caused my wife, the driver, to panic and swerve. We were traveling at the posted road speed of about 50mph. Fortunately, there was no traffic and no other vehicles in the vicinity or there might have been an accident. We have not yet reported this incident to Tesla, the police, or anyone else. I am conducting my initial research. Coincidentally, my daughter just experienced a similar incident this morning in her 2017 Tesla, Model 3. She will file her own report. After hearing of the problem happening to my daughter I decided we need to file immediate reports and contact Tesla today.
NHTSA complaint #11554928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,444 milesSarasota, FL
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while his wife was parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle collided with a wall and was stopped by a curb. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was diagnosed by the manufacturer and the contact was informed that the accelerator had been depressed inadvertently; however, the contact was adamant that it was brake pedal that was depressed at the time of the failure. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 10,444.
NHTSA complaint #11554313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chandler, AZ
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving at night with the cruise control on, the emergency braking system engaged. It appeared that the road surface went from dark to a lighter color.
NHTSA complaint #11550766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Reno, NV
SERVICE BRAKES
Many occurrences of phantom braking have occurred since I purchased the vehicle several months ago. I was driving on I-5 in California with the cruise control set at 70mph, then changed lanes from left lane to right lane with about 5-6 car links from the semi truck to the rear in the right lane. The emergency braking feature engaged with no vehicles in front of me in either lane for at least 500 yards. The semi truck locked up its breaks to avoid rear ending me. I applied the accelerator as quickly as possible and when I did the semi was approximately 3 feet from crashing into the rear of my vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11543955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.