SYSTEMIC POWERTRAIN SAFETY DEFECT: Catastrophic Loss of Propulsion & Failure of Dual-Motor Redundancy. 1. Incident & Safety Risk: While traveling in the far-left HOV lane of a 6-lane interstate highway, the vehicle experienced an uncommanded, unwarranted Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) intervention during a controlled lane change. This sudden deceleration instantly triggered a complete powertrain collapse and total loss of propulsion. The vehicle came to a dead stop in a live highway lane. The driver (me), passenger, and our [XXX] infant were stranded in lane 3 of a 6 lane highway for ~35 minutes until Highway Patrol units arrived to manually push the vehicle across live traffic to the shoulder. This near-miss was an immediate, severe life-safety crisis not just for the occupants but also to others on the road. 2. Symptoms & Alert Codes: There were zero warning symptoms prior to the incident. Immediately upon the power collapse, the touchscreen displayed critical faults. Active diagnostic telemetry confirmed alert codes: DI_a137 (No Capable Drive Units) DI_a063 (System Graceful Power Off) 3. Manufacturer Confirmation & Inspection Status: The failure was confirmed in writing by the manufacturer’s service center. The diagnostic invoice explicitly states: "The rear drive inverter experienced an unintended reset due to an error. Sudden power reduction and shutdown while driving." The vehicle is currently held at the manufacturer's facility and is fully available for inspection. 4. Engineering Assessment: As a mechanical engineer, my assessment is the surge through the AEB event to the inverter’s DC-link was unable to damp this load, forcing a hardware logic reset. Crucially, the software logic failed to partition this fault. In a dual-motor architecture marketed as having built-in powertrain redundancy, a localized rear inverter reset should be isolated, leaving the front motor operational to safely navigate out of traffic, this did not happen. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (
NHTSA complaint #11750667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A day or two prior I had received an alert that my coolant was low and to get service on my vehicle. Through the Tesla app I was unable to orginally schedule until July but I kept looking and an opening opened up on June 20th. I was on my way to that appointment from New Bern (the nearest service center is 120 miles from my house). I was avoiding highways, driving early AM, and driving at or below the speed limit to try to avoid the car from overheating. The car is pretty much brand new with just over 10k miles. I was only an hour in and had just left Kinston when I got a warning to pull over and then another alert a few moments later as I was trying to get off the parkway that the rear motor was shutting down and I began to lose speed rapidly. I stopped the car which proceeded to make a ton of noise and called roadside assistance. I had never experienced this type of noise before and was worried about combustion. Tesla was excellent at responding, towing, and the car is currently being repaired under warranty but I wanted to report the incident as it is a 2026 model with only 10k miles on it and has not been in an accident. This should not be happening to a brand new car. The latest repair report shows the rear drive inverter inlet hose and the supermanifold coolant pumps required replacing.
NHTSA complaint #11745712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UPDATE to previous complaint – Reference Number: [XXX] VIN: [XXX]a [XXX] UPDATE to my previous NHTSA complaint regarding sudden unintended acceleration in my Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ) I previ[XXX]sudden acceleration incident on [XXX], at [XXX] 4 parking garage ramp. Tesla has now provided the Vehicle Data Report and EDR data (Case # [XXX]). The data shows accelerator pedal position increasing to 100%, with brake input occurring late. However, I am 100% certain that I did not press the accelerator pedal at any time. I have a clean driving record of over 27 years. This discrepancy between the logged data and actual driver input strongly suggests a potential safety defect in the accelerator pedal sensor system (both redundant sensors), drive-by-wire system, or brake override / Automatic Emergency Braking functionality. Attachments included with this update: Tesla Vehicle Data Report (VDR) Tesla EDR Report High-resolution photos of vehicle damage and airbag deployment I request that NHTSA review this additional technical information as part of their evaluation for a possible safety defect investigation. BTW, it is really difficult to contact Tesla to report such incidents. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11739880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On Saturday 16th Oct 2026 around 10 AM EST, while driving down the ramp from Parking Floor 2 to Parking Floor 1 in the JFK Terminal 4 Short Term Parking garage (John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York), the Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated forward very fast on its own without any input on the accelerator pedal. Either I was not pressing the gas pedal at the time, or I was slowing pressing as the car was going down on ramp. The car surged ahead with significant force and struck a fence at the bottom/end of the ramp area. There were two passengers in the vehicle. No other vehicles were involved. The impact caused: My Tesla Model Y to sustain severe front-end damage and appear to be a total loss. Injuries to both passengers. Minor scratches on my hands. Sequence of Events: I was driving the vehicle at low speed down the ramp from Parking Level 2 to Level 1 in JFK Terminal 4 Short Term Parking. Without pressing the accelerator, the car unexpectedly accelerated. Braking did not prevent the impact. The vehicle came to a stop only after hitting the fence. Today, I have reported this as a sudden/unintended acceleration event to Tesla and requested a full vehicle data log review. I would like Tesla to investigate following. 1. Why the car suddenly accelerated on very speed? 2. Why the steering got locked when it happened? 3. Since it is the closed parking lot, why Tesla did not stop automatically before hitting fence? I have been driving for more than 27 years, I never had any accident, and I never got any tickets in last 27 years.
NHTSA complaint #11738920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving on I-95 North in the fast lane at highway speed, my 2023 Tesla Model Y experienced a sudden loss of propulsion and displayed a warning indicating the vehicle was shutting down. The vehicle rapidly decelerated and would not respond to acceleration or drive engagement. Steering remained functional, which allowed me to maneuver the vehicle across lanes to the shoulder to avoid a potential collision. This required an emergency maneuver in active highway traffic with my family in the vehicle. A soft reset did not resolve the issue. After performing a hard reset, I was able to move the vehicle slowly off the roadway to a nearby location where it was later towed. This incident occurred without prior warning and created a significant safety hazard due to sudden loss of propulsion at highway speed.
NHTSA complaint #11735482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle experienced PCS (Power Conversion System/DC-DC converter) failure, rendering it completely undrivable—no 12V power, cannot charge or start. PCS is physically integrated inside high-voltage battery pack per service manuals. High-voltage battery warranty active (8yr/120k miles). Tesla service denies coverage citing "associated component" in vague emails—provided only general warranty table, no specific exclusion language despite repeated requests for exact quote/formal written denial. Escalated to managers: Offered "view-only" internal service bulletin on screen at meeting—no print/copy/photo allowed. Explicitly refused formal written denial letter.
NHTSA complaint #11712254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I parked my Tesla vehicle in a friend’s driveway. When I returned and opened the driver’s door, I entered the vehicle and attempted to put it into Drive. At that point, the vehicle display went completely blank and the vehicle became inoperable. I then attempted to open the door from inside the vehicle, but the door would not open and I was unable to exit the car. I was effectively locked inside the vehicle. I contacted Tesla customer support and remained on the call for approximately 1.5 hours before receiving assistance. Tesla customer support confirmed that the issue was caused by failure of the 12-volt battery. At the time of the incident, the outside temperature was below 0 degrees centigrade. The incident occurred in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There was no prior warning or notification from the vehicle or the Tesla mobile app indicating that the 12-volt battery was at risk of failure. The failure resulted in loss of vehicle function and inability to exit the vehicle, creating a serious safety concern.
NHTSA complaint #11710416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving in full self driving mode on my Tesla model Y. The car stopped at the left turn stoplight as it does normally. And then while the light was still red and the cross traffic was green (traffic flowing), the Tesla released the brake, accelerating into the intersection. I stomped on the brake and kept the car from fully entering the intersection, then continue home without using Full Self Driving mode any further. If I hadn’t intervened, the Tesla would have caused an accident, injury, or even death.
NHTSA complaint #11709468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car stopped in a busy freeway saying electric issue and doesn’t give sufficient time to drive to shoulder. This is the 2nd time this happened within 2 weeks. First time, tesla said high voltage controller had an internal issue with voltage sensing. the hv controller was replaced along with pyrotechnic fuse. Tesla assured this shouldn’t repeat and it repeated again. This has kept us in a catastrophic situation. I request immediate attention to this error and matter.
NHTSA complaint #11704905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing this complaint regarding a high-voltage battery defect in my 2021 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle has been diagnosed by Tesla Service, and both the technician and service advisor confirmed that the high-voltage battery has an internal short. This is a critical failure involving the primary energy/storage system of the vehicle. Despite acknowledging the internal failure, Tesla is denying warranty coverage for the battery replacement. They have stated that failure is internal, and is not caused by anything external The failure was not caused by an accident, environmental exposure, or improper use. This appears to be a component-level defect within the 2021 Tesla Model Y battery packs Considering Tesla has issued prior service bulletins for Model Y high-voltage battery quality issues in adjacent model years, this may indicate a broader pattern of battery defects. They are trying to charge people over $12,000 for battery replacements that should be covered by tesla due to poor workmanship and materials used. Many have had to have multiple battery packs replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11704000 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have repeatedly had electrical failure in the vehicle in the form of a "Reduced Power Alert" which renders the vehicle with significant limitation to drivability. This places the vehicle in "limp mode" and this frequently occurs on the highway. Once this Alert appears the vehicle has limited propulsion, limitations to steering and braking as well as other electrical systems. It has been to the dealership for repair on 4 occasions without remedy. It is leaving us on the highway in a dangerous situation repeatedly. It's not a one time event. There were 20 Alerts showing on the screen when I limped it into the dealership once again on [XXX] having nearly wrecked on [XXX] just before the [XXX] exit. The reason this is so dangerous is the failures occur at higher speeds such as highway driving. Leaving one with an immediate loss of forward motion as if you've hit the brakes but vehicles behind you have no warning. This is going to end up with someone getting rear ended or worse. Social media indicates it is a prevalent and not well understood recurring problem. Tesla has been quietly repurchasing vehicles from angry owners. Dreadful. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11703296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On November 16, 2025, my Tesla Model Y experienced a complete and dangerous failure while driving. The touchscreen went totally blank and stopped responding. All essential driving information and safety functions were lost, including speedometer, gear selection, turn signals, HVAC/defrost, and vehicle controls. At the same time, the car made a continuous loud humming/buzzing sound and displayed a low coolant warning. This made the vehicle unsafe to operate because I could not see my speed, cannot shift properly, and could not access any safety controls. This is the second time my vehicle has experienced a critical malfunction. The first major incident occurred on July 28, 2025. A complaint has been filed with the NHTSA under tracking number 11676662. Both failures involved sudden loss of essential functions, raising serious concerns about electrical, cooling system, or display system defects. I am reporting this because it is a serious safety risk and could lead to vehicle loss of control, inability to signal, or inability to see speed or gear position. The problem has been reported to Tesla and is pending evaluation at a Tesla service center. Warning messages and symptoms appeared at the moment of failure with no prior signs.
NHTSA complaint #11699973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The main vehicle computer (MCU) failed. The problem first appeared in May 2024 with intermittent rear camera malfunctions. It has since worsened. Most recently (08/28/25), the center display went completely black and the vehicle became inoperable — I could not start or move it. This left me stranded in a dangerous neighborhood late at night and required the car to be towed. When the display fails, I lose access to the rear camera, climate controls (including defrost), and turn signal indicators. These are safety-critical systems, and in this case the failure also disabled the ability to drive the vehicle entirely. The problem has been reported to Tesla. They inspected the vehicle but claimed the earlier camera malfunction was unrelated to the current computer failure. No independent mechanic has inspected it. The failures are ongoing and reproducible. No warning lights or alerts appeared before the system shut down. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Being that this issue originally arose back in May, 2024- it should fall under Tesla’s warranty which expired in December 2024.
NHTSA complaint #11684568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2024 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while shifting the vehicle into drive (D), the vehicle inadvertently accelerated. The contact stated that he depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle was gaining forward momentum. Additionally, the steering wheel would not turn right or left. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle gained speed and crashed through a chain link fence and drove into an alley. The contact stated that the air bags deployed. The contact stated that the vehicle then crashed into a building wall and finally stopped. The contact stated he had abrasions on both hands from the air bag. The contact stated he was treated by EMT on scene. The fire department and police were also at the scene. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25.
NHTSA complaint #11674618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Response: All 3 times has been with a faulty inverter 2)How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Response: Safety was a HUGE concern. The Tesla model Y has stalled and completely shut down while driving through traffic and at speed. The complete failure did not allow any coasting to try and get out of harms way. 3) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Response: All 3 times this issue has occurred were all serviced by Tesla directly and has always been a faulty inverter. 4) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Response: Yes, all 3 times the car failed the car was assessed by Tesla's service station Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? 5) Yes, the first 2 times the warning appeared there was only a matter of seconds before the car completely stopped in the middle of traffic. This last time there was a warning stating the car will not restart if stopped.
NHTSA complaint #11672082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range/AWD vehicle has 46,000 miles and can no longer recharge its battery (engine) with an approved charger (L2) due to a commonly failed part inside the battery. This part is called PCS (Power Conversion System). This device attached to the Tesla battery is used to convert power from a charger which is AC (household alternating current) into DC (Direct Current) the battery can understand. This error appeared for the first time on [XXX] at [XXX]. This critical part has failed in thousands of Tesla vehicles, some multiple times easily verified by thousands of customer complaints online. The PCS is NOT a consumable part - such as a tire, wiper blades, brake pads, etc. There is nothing the vehicle Owner can do to prevent the PCS failure. The Cost to repair/replace the PCS part(s) is ~ $3,000 and may fail again after replacement. As required by Tesla, I scheduled a service appointment through their phone app, and received an estimate of ~$280.00 to repair my vehicle on June 26, 2025 at the Irvine, CA Tesla Service Center 2801 Barranca Pkwy. After diagnosis, I was informed the cost to fix/repair the PCS part in my vehicle so that I could charge and drive it, would be ~$3,000. The Manager Ryan Sutherland (949) 404-2989, further stated the repair would not be covered under my Vehicle Tesla Warranty (Tesla battery or drive unit warranty that does not expire until [XXX]). I tried to contact Tesla corporate for assistance at resolutions@tesla.com and did not receive a response but instead was contacted by service manager Ryan Sutherland via email confirming Tesla's warranty position. Tesla is essentially the only service/repair resource available for these vehicles. This repair is obviously due to a faulty/defective PCS or faulty design by Tesla affecting thousands of vehicles and should covered under my vehicle warranty so that it can be driven. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11670914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact was an attorney calling on behalf of the owner of a 2025 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that the owner was driving on a neighborhood street at an unknown speed with Autopilot engaged when vehicle control was lost. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a traffic light pole where it came to a stop and caught on fire. The owner was unable to exit the vehicle and was pronounced deceased on the scene. The origin of the fire was the lithium battery. The location of the fire was under the front end of the engine compartment where the battery was stored. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed currently in the possession of the Police Department pending the cause of the crash. The vehicle was destroyed. The light pole was damaged. It was unknown if the air bags were deployed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11641739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, I WAS DRIVING IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY AND A MODEST SPEED T15 MPH I HAVE A CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY AND I WAS ASCENDING UP THE CIRCLE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT MY ACTION. i TOOK MYI FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND HIT THE BREAK BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN. IT CONTINUED UP MY DRIVEWAY ON MY LAWN AND ACCROSS MY LAWN THROUGH A FENCE AND I WOUND UP IN MY NEIGHBORS LOT WITH CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. I WAS SHAKEN BUT DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE TIME. MY NEIGHBOR AND MY WIFE ASSISTED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO TESLA CONTRACTOR BODY SHOP -RECON. WHERE IT IS NOW. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT TESLA EVALUATE AND REPAIR THE CAR BEFORE I DRIVE IT AGAIN AND PICK IT UP FROM THE BODY SHOP. I NOTIFIED THE BODY SHOPP(TONI MCCARTHY) AND TESLA SERVICE(RADCLIFFE SERVICE PERSON WORKS FOR DON HADDON SERVICE MANAGER) .SO FAR NOTHING HAS HAPPENED . TESLA ASKED ME TO SEND A PHOTO OF THE ACCELERATOR BUT SINCE THE CAR IS STILL IN THEIR AUTHORIZED BODY SHOP, I AM UNABLE TO DO IT. i AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AND ASKED THEM TO TOW IT FROM THE BODY SHOP TO THE ROCKVILLE TESLA DEALER BUT THEY SEEM RELUCTANT TO DO THIS. MY WIFE HAD A SEPARATE PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION .N HOPING FOR NHTSA INTERVENTION
NHTSA complaint #11637163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vehicle radiator protection is defective where rocks are able to hit the radiator and at some point the Tesla notified me that the radiator had leaked and it is safe to continue driving. I continue to drive and monitor the radiator level as I waited for a scheduled appointment. When I brought my vehicle to the appointment, they said that because I drove the vehicle while the radiator fluid leaked I damaged certain components that now I would be responsible to replace. Believe not only Tesla‘s vehicle notification was misleading, they have defective protection for the radiator and all model Y vehicles if not all Teslas have the same issue.
NHTSA complaint #11629491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Since I purchased the car 4 months ago my car has been going into the service center non stop for every issue you can imagine. Tesla spins and blames all issues and ignores me. Corporate says they can’t do anything and then ignore. Service center providing inaccurate or not providing service invoices.Deny my buyback requests. Repairs are failed and new damage occurs at every service appointment. New issues arise with the car every time I drive it. I rarely drive it as it’s not safe. Tesla continually cancels service appointments or does not have parts in stock. issues: -Safety restaurant system fault -electric motor issues: loud high pitched whistle/whine when driving. -car loosing power while driving -seat moving while driving -window clicking -water dripping out of dash vents. -Misalignments: frunk, trunk, trim -paint drips, bubbles, cracks, peeling -battery range issues -battery coolant fan issues -defects interior plastic surfaces -seat defects -hole left in front of car between dash and windshield with damages windshield. New dash uneven over airbag. -plastic trim falling off
NHTSA complaint #11627857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.