563 of the 7,374 complaints filed about the Tesla Model Y are about the braking system — 8% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2021.
563
Complaints
8%
Share of all complaints
103
Crashes
2
Fires
SERVICE BRAKES
While exiting a drive-thru, I pressed the accelerator and the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated at a high rate of speed on its own. I attempted to brake, but the brakes did not respond. The vehicle struck a concrete median. Police report on file: East Hanover Township PD, Case #2026-12503.
NHTSA complaint #11758962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
On August 15, 2026, at approximately 5:00 PM, the vehicle was being driven with Full Self-Driving (Supervised) engaged during light rain. As the vehicle approached traffic ahead, it did not slow or brake as expected. The driver recognized that the vehicle was not slowing and attempted to intervene manually by pressing the brake pedal multiple times. The driver reports that despite these attempts, the vehicle did not slow or respond to the brake pedal as expected, and a collision occurred. There were no known warning lamps or warning messages indicating a braking-system problem prior to the incident. The vehicle has not yet been inspected to determine the cause of the reported braking behavior. The incident has been reported to the manufacturer, and a request has been made to preserve and review available vehicle data surrounding the collision, including braking inputs, vehicle speed, Full Self-Driving status/actions, warnings, diagnostic information, and safety/event data. The vehicle is available for inspection. At this time, the cause of the failure to slow as expected is UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #11757356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
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.
SERVICE BRAKES
My tesla model Y was driving on FSD (full self driving) and just did hard full stop brake at a traffic light and brought the car to a complete stop even when the light was green. Both of toddler kids in the back got pulled jolted forward where the seat belt hurt them. This stopping was random was unnecessary as no threat of other cars or the light was present. Luckily no one was behind us or they would have rear ended our car causing a serious accident. This really left my children in shock.
NHTSA complaint #11753870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
On February 17, 2026, around 4:20 pm, as I was departing my agency's parking garage structure, my 2023 Tesla Y uncontrollably and un-prompted accelerated at a very high speed. I applied the brake and it would not stop. I nearly killed the security guard at the garage who was trying to direct my vehicle to the correct exit lane. The vehicle ran across a sidewalk adjacent to the garage, ran across a street, hit a street parking meter, ran across another sidewalk, ran across and toppled a perimeter fence around a parking lot across from the garage I exited, ran over concrete wheel barriers, and continued running for about 300 feet before it came to a stop on its own. This duration of this terrifying ordeal was 3 to 5 seconds. The air bags did not deploy. I called 911 repeatedly for Police investigation and report but the Police never showed up. I towed the vehicle to a Tesla Collision Center, which inspected and investigated the accident, and the Tesla Center stated that the FSD system was working properly and did not find anything wrong. I informed the Tesla Center that I did not subscribe to the FSD system service and was not using it during the accident, and they stated that they stand by the determination of their engineering division that reviewed the "blackbox", information gathering device of the vehicle. The vehicle was totaled and non-salvageable. Prior to the accident, the Tesla Collision Center, had repaired the vehicle from a previous accident that occurred on September 25, 2025. There were no warnings before the vehicle uncontrollably accelerated at a very high speed. I have copy of the accident videos. Your platform would not allow me to upload the videos.
NHTSA complaint #11753605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
2026 Tesla Model Y (VIN [XXX]) running FSD Supervised v14.2.2.5 / software 2026.14.200 experienced two unintended phantom braking events while FSD was active. Incident 1: XXX, approximately 9:16 AM, XXX southbound off-ramp at [XXX] exit heading [XXX]. Vehicle braked abruptly and without warning at highway approach speed with no obstacle present. Incident 2: XXX, approximately 2:08 PM, [XXX] westbound atXXX northbound on-ramp [XXX]. Same abrupt, unwarned braking with no obstacle present. Tesla service performed diagnostics XXX, at the Delray Beach service center. No hardware fault was found. Vehicle has been unable to receive OTA software updates. A nearly identical vehicle, a 2026 Tesla Model Y in the same household (VIN [XXX]), is currently running software 2026.20.6.11 and FSD v14.3.6, several versions ahead of the affected vehicle. Tesla confirmed the software disparity is due to VIN batch rollout scheduling and cannot be manually accelerated. Tesla regional management and engineering review team have been notified. While children were not in the vehicle at the time of these specific incidents, they are frequent passengers in this vehicle and this braking behavior represents a serious safety concern for our family. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11753635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
SERVICE BRAKES
I was pushed to complete an update on my 2023 Tesla Y with an over the air update. This happened last week. Following the update i have been getting a slew of errors when driving my car related to the parking break, brake functions, automatic energy braking and steering are affected. The wording on the app / car says, Alerts - Steering & Braking - Parking brake functions degraded / Parking brake may not apply or release / Parking brake may not apply or release. This causes my auto brake to not engage, my hold break to not engage, my parking brake to not engage. This causes my car to roll at stop / red lights. I have to physically slam by brakes to stop. This is extremely unsafe and Tesla is trying to charge me $130 to diagnose the car to see why the update caused the issue. My car went from fully drivable without any FSD, normal driving to a runaway trainwreck. This happens roughly 20-30 minutes randomly into driving. Not immediately and it is completely random.
NHTSA complaint #11751833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
My car will randomly break while I’m driving straight on a road. It seems to happen when I’m going between 30 and 45 mph. It breaks so hard that if a car behind me was following, they could run into me. Whenever it breaks, I have to put my foot on the accelerator to get the car to go back forward.
NHTSA complaint #11751573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
SERVICE BRAKES
A 2023 Tesla Model Y experienced a sudden electrical failure while parked/being prepared for use. Multiple warnings appeared on May 26, 2026, including high-voltage system service required, low-voltage electrical system power reduced/vehicle shutting down, cabin climate control limited, and steering/braking/parking brake functions degraded. The vehicle could not be driven normally and required flatbed recovery. The failure created a safety concern because the vehicle showed high-voltage and low-voltage faults together with steering/braking/parking brake warnings and could have left the vehicle disabled without reliable restart or parking brake function. The manufacturer service center inspected and repaired the vehicle after several days. The component should be available through manufacturer service records, and screenshots of the warnings, tow/recovery, and service records are available.
NHTSA complaint #11743303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving my Tesla in self drive mode, and ibecause it started raining. I reduce the speed to standard. I had a notification on the screen, an alert in red. That the tesla reached the maximum speed in that mode “standard”. I was surprised and decided ti canceled the FSD feature and took control of the vehicle. Then when I was driving in the expressway very close to my exit on the right lane, the car accelerated by itself and turn to the left unexpectedly. I tried to returned the car to my lane and I never had control again of the car. Not the steering wheel, not the breaks responded. I was spinning on the expressway until I hit the concrete barrier with the rear bumper. Hopefully I did not hit any car nor they didn’t hit me. The car shutdown after the impact. Tesla sent me the footage of the impact, ignoring the moment that caused that incident that was some seconds before. The brakes were automatically turned onz and the wheels did not move. I know something wrong happened. Specially because the incident some minutes before when I was driving in standard mode and accelerated with no reasons. I have safety concerns. Also I noticed that after the last upgrades the car was havung navigation issues that I reported immediately when the autopilot was removed and we have to select the options.
NHTSA complaint #11743089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I purchased a new 2026 Tesla Model Y Standard and took delivery on approximately 30 May 2026. Within the first week of ownership, the vehicle displayed multiple safety-related warnings, including: * Steering Assist Reduced * Power Braking Assist Reduced * Automatic Emergency Braking Unavailable * Lane Departure Avoidance Features Unavailable * Automatic Vehicle Hold Disabled The warnings have occurred more than once. They initially disappeared and then returned on a later drive. Both incidents occurred while the vehicle was operating with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged. During the most recent occurrence, while parking at less than 3 mph, the vehicle’s braking assistance appeared reduced and the brake pedal required significantly more effort than normal. As a result, I nearly struck a curb because the vehicle did not slow as expected. The warnings indicated that increased steering and braking effort may be required. Because the vehicle is brand new and these warnings involve steering, braking, and collision-avoidance systems, I believe this creates a significant safety risk. I no longer feel the vehicle is safe to drive until it is inspected and repaired. Tesla has been notified and a service request has been initiated.
NHTSA complaint #11742507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
am reporting a serious safety concern involving a 2025 Tesla Model Y, VIN [XXX] . On [XXX], the vehicle was being driven on [XXX] in Columbus, Ohio while the driver was traveling to Columbus Preparatory Academy. During the trip, the steering reportedly stopped responding properly, and the driver struggled to control the vehicle. Witnesses at the scene reported that the driver appeared to be fighting with the steering and trying to stop the vehicle or prevent it from drifting. The vehicle then lost control, accelerated or continued moving uncontrollably, flipped/rolled over, and sustained major damage. A police report was created by the Columbus Police Department under report number [XXX]. The vehicle involved is a 2025 Tesla Model Y. This was a serious crash involving a possible steering malfunction, loss of control, and rollover. The vehicle is currently located at Pro-Cars, 400 Stimmel Rd, Columbus, OH 43223. Tesla was contacted after the incident, and the representative advised that the vehicle should be taken to a collision center. I am filing this complaint because the incident appears to involve a potential safety defect affecting steering control and vehicle control. I request that NHTSA review this matter as a possible vehicle safety defect. The vehicle has not yet been repaired, and I am attempting to preserve it for inspection. I have supporting materials including the police report, photos/videos, witness information if needed, towing/storage documentation, and communications regarding the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11741715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Service Concern — Front Suspension / Rattling Noise Vehicle is experiencing a persistent rattling/knocking noise from the front area when driving over bumps, uneven pavement, or rough roads. Noise is noticeable at low to moderate speeds and appears suspension-related. Condition seems consistent with known Tesla Model Y service concerns regarding: * front upper control arm mounts, * front damper assemblies, * and wiper bracket pencil braces. Requesting inspection and evaluation of: * front suspension components, * damper assemblies, * upper control arm mounts, * and any applicable Tesla Service Bulletins related to front-end NVH/rattling concerns. Noise has become increasingly noticeable during normal driving conditions and is affecting ride quality. Please document findings and advise whether repairs are covered under warranty. The symptoms typically include: * Rattling noise over small bumps * Knocking or clunking from the front suspension * Noise on rough pavement, speed bumps, or uneven roads * Sometimes vibration or looseness felt near the dashboard/firewall area The repair procedure mentioned is consistent with a Tesla internal service approach for addressing front-end NVH issues (Noise, Vibration, Harshness). Here’s what each item means: Front Upper Control Arm Mounts These are suspension mounting components near the top of the front wheel assembly. If worn, loose, or improperly isolated, they can create: * Metallic knocking * Clicking during suspension travel * Vibration transferred into the cabin Replacing them helps stabilize suspension movement. Front Damper Assemblies The dampers (shock absorbers/struts) control suspension rebound and compression. Faulty or noisy dampers can produce: * Hollow clunks * Rattles over expansion joints * Repetitive knocking on rough roads Replacing the assemblies usually resolves internal damper noise. Wiper Bracket “Pencil Braces” These braces sit beneath the cowl/wiper assembly area. On some vehicles they c
NHTSA complaint #11740760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Phantom brake incident today,5/26/26. Traveling 35mph, brakes slammed on for no apparent reason. Seatbelt tightened and my head launched forward. Neck is very strained.
NHTSA complaint #11740161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I have written several times before about my car's phantom braking in cruise control. When the Santa Fe Tesla dealer, where I bought the car, told me recently that the problem had been fixed, I was disappointed they didn't bother to tell me, but thrilled to hear the news. On May 12-13 I drove over 900 miles. I tried cruise control for significant portions of both drives and did not experience one problem. Finally, I thought, they fixed the problem...and how nice it was to have cruise control for extended drives. Not so soon: on May 19th I was driving 2 friends up to volunteer at the Wildlife refuge on I-25 in northern New Mexico. The phantom braking happened again. My friends were dismayed...one thought I had seen something in the road that she didn't see. The other, in the back seat, tried to understand what happened. Please, this is beyond the pale! Of course I will call and take the car in to the dealer...an hour's drive for me. I will be surprised if they fix it, and if they do it under warranty. I did just buy new tires (see previous report about original tires with multiple flats and not even making it to their 40,000 mile warranty) so I'm no longer worried about getting a flat in the rural areas where I live and drive.
NHTSA complaint #11739798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Purchased used 2023 Tesla Model Y from Tesla on April 17, 2026 at ~16,300 miles. Pre-delivery, Tesla notified me by text that the vehicle failed state safety inspection due to front upper ball joint play (a known Tesla Model 3/Y defect). Tesla repaired it at its own service center and certified it as passing on April 8, 2026. No warning lamps or messages. ~12 days post-delivery a family member reported a noise from the left rear; the vehicle was then parked. On May 10, 2026, I removed the left rear wheel and found the left rear brake caliper completely detached from the rear knuckle. Both caliper bracket mounting bolts were missing. The caliper was held only because it had seized on the rotor. Vehicle unsafe to operate. Towed by flatbed to Tesla May 11; available for inspection on request. Properly torqued caliper bracket bolts do not back themselves out in ~800 miles of light use. Realistic causes: (a) bolts installed but not torqued to spec, worked loose in service; (b) bolts missing at state inspection and certified anyway; (c) suspension disassembled during the pre-sale repair, bracket reassembled with bolts omitted. All implicate Tesla's workmanship; (b) and a visibly-loose (a) also implicate the inspection. Tesla previously acknowledged this failure mode in recall SB-21-33-002 ("Loose Brake Caliper Bolts," 2019-2021 Model 3 / 2020-2021 Model Y): caliper bolts "may not be torqued to internal specifications" and "may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate." My vehicle is outside that range but the recall shows this is a known Tesla pattern. Risk: caliper detachment can wedge the wheel, lock the brake, damage tire/wheel, boil brake fluid, or break free at speed — any can cause loss of control. Vehicle driven ~800 miles in this condition. Dealer confirmation pending; Tesla instructed in writing not to repair pre-inspection. State Police ASED complaint filed; formal dispute filed with Tesla Resolutions.
NHTSA complaint #11737042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
SERVICE BRAKES
There was a grinding sound coming from the LF wheel. This was progressively getting worse. Car was shaking while driving so dropped it off with my mechanic due to safety concerns. Per the mechanic that fixed the issue: Inspection found LF wheel bearing is loose. A bolt backed out on inside rubbing through axel shaft. Allowed wheel bearing to damage to damaged from moving in place. Axle shaft damaged from rubbing on backed out bolt. Replace LF axle shaft and wheel bearing. Informed by mechanic that wheel could have fallen off while driving. No prior work. Mechanic believes most likely issue was not having the bolts appropriately installed at time of manufactue
NHTSA complaint #11732866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.