FaultScore

Tesla Model Y other reported problems

622 of the 7,374 complaints filed about the Tesla Model Y are about the other systems — 8% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2023.

622

Complaints

8%

Share of all complaints

122

Crashes

3

Fires

Other & Unspecified complaints by model year

2020 Model Y 54 8.7%

Median failure at 3,000 miles

2021 Model Y 133 21.4%

Median failure at 20 miles

2022 Model Y 117 18.8%
2023 Model Y 145 23.3%
2024 Model Y 52 8.4%
2025 Model Y 23 3.7%
2026 Model Y 98 15.8%

What owners said

2026 Tesla Model Y Dana Point, CA Crash

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

i was in FSD mode and my car began parallel parking.As the car was in reverse it automatically accelerated and crashed into the car behind me. I did not step on the accelerator pedal, nor the brake and my hands were not on the steering wheel. I in no way caused this accident. What is most surprising is that there was no warning response. Normally if I get too close to any object a color warning shows up on the screen, if I decide to make a change while driving the screen comes up with 4 options as to why I took control but in this case with the car hitting an object there was no response at all.Teslas standard answer is always that it's my fault. I know what happened and it was not my fault.I now have a repair estimate for $1,897.98 which I must be responsible for

NHTSA complaint #11758297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 Tesla Model Y Austin, TX Crash

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

This is what happened: While Full Self-Driving (FSD) was engaged, the vehicle approached an intersection and appeared unable to correctly follow the roadway. Instead of following the intended road path, the vehicle continued forward, drove over the curb, and struck a road sign. The impact knocked the sign down, and the sign subsequently struck the vehicle, including the roof glass. The roof glass shattered and small pieces of glass entered the cabin, exposing both the driver and front passenger to a safety risk. Vehicle data obtained after the incident shows that the vehicle was in ACTIVE_FSD leading up to the collision. FSD changed from ACTIVE to UNAVAILABLE approximately 1.5 seconds before the crash algorithm wake-up. Significant braking occurred only very close to the collision, and no Automatic Emergency Braking intervention was recorded during the incident window. The data also shows multiple substantial steering movements shortly before the collision. Accelerator-pedal data does not establish driver acceleration as the cause of the collision. The available samples show an accelerator position of 2.0% shortly before the collision and 0.0% in the next recorded sample. The driver applied the brake shortly before impact. There were no prior warning lamps or messages indicating that FSD was about to become unavailable before the vehicle departed the roadway. The vehicle has been inspected/repaired following the collision, and vehicle data relating to the incident has been obtained and preserved. Police responded to the collision, and the incident was also reported to insurance. A police report was filed, and the case number is 2026-07160174. I have not yet received the formal CR-4 crash report. Following the collision, I experienced significant psychological distress and trauma-related stress symptoms as a result of the incident.

NHTSA complaint #11758061 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Tesla Model Y Garner, NC

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I am reporting multiple safety‑critical incidents involving my Tesla Model Y equipped with FSD (Supervised). The vehicle has repeatedly performed sudden braking in active traffic without any obstacles present, causing physical jolting and creating a risk of collision. These incidents occurred on [XXX] and XXX including a sudden hard brake at approximately 2:18 p.m. on XXX. Additionally, the vehicle has shown lane‑centering instability on the highway. On XXX at approximately 1:51 p.m., the vehicle drifted within the lane and failed to maintain proper centering while FSD was engaged, requiring immediate manual intervention to avoid unsafe movement. Tesla service has stated that no error codes were detected, but also acknowledged known FSD software behaviors affecting Hardware 3 vehicles. This indicates the system may be performing unsafe maneuvers without logging faults. I am reporting these incidents because they pose a direct safety risk to me, other drivers, and pedestrians. I request that NHTSA review these behaviors as potential safety defects in Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11757733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Tesla Model Y Durham, NC Crash

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

FAILED COMPONENT & AVAILABILITY: 2023 Tesla Model Y front suspension (suspected lower lateral link detachment), steering system, and airbag system (failed to deploy). Preserved intact, but will be at Hendrick Collision ([XXX]; POC: Dendi [XXX]) under Allstate Claim #XXX. Available for immediate NHTSA inspection. SAFETY RISK: At highway speed on Aviation Parkway, the car suffered an unprompted, violent directional loss, zig-zagging uncontrollably in the lane and risking a multi-vehicle crash. Operating manually. Do not have Autopilot or FSD. I was at the mercy of the vehicle's sensor/chassis failure. The car crashed into the grass median, sustaining heavy driver-side damage. Airbags failed to deploy during impact. CONFIRMATION BY REPAIR CENTER: Physical teardown is on hold pending Event Data Recorder (EDR) "Black Box" imaging and chassis alignment inspection. INSPECTIONS TO DATE: Allstate Level 1 Claim #XXX assigned. Evidence preservation and cloud telemetry extraction notices served to Tesla Legal and Allstate. WARNINGS & PRIOR REPAIR HISTORY: No warnings appeared immediately prior to steering failure. Software was fully updated. This crash occurred 14 days after a 2nd High-Voltage (HV) Battery replacement: XXX: HV Battery error code -> 1st HV Battery Replacement (returned XXX) XXX: Recurring HV Battery error -> 2nd HV Battery Replacement (returned XXX) XXX: Unprompted directional failure and crash. INVESTIGATIVE CONTEXT: Matches NHTSA PE26006 investigating 2021-2023 Model Y front lower lateral link detachments causing sudden loss of control. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11757531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2024 Tesla Model Y Los Angeles, CA Crash

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

During a software update, the vehicle was parked and no key was present inside the car. The car went into neutral and forward through my gate onto oncoming traffic. The car hit a parked car and then came to a stop. The software update proceeded and I was unable to move the car until it finished.

NHTSA complaint #11757481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 Tesla Model Y Laveen, AZ

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

[XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Email [XXX] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation [XXX] [XXX] Re: Safety Concern – Tesla Structural Battery Pack Design Dear NHTSA, I am writing to raise a serious safety and durability concern regarding Tesla’s structural battery pack design, in which the high-voltage battery is glued into the vehicle’s body and used as a load-bearing structural member. My primary concerns are as follows: See atrached PDF fe INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11757570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 Tesla Model Y San Diego, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The exterior rear door handle on the driver’s side rear passenger door caught the occupant’s finger during normal use, tearing the fingernail partially out of the nail bed and causing bleeding and an exposed nail bed injury requiring medical treatment. The flush-mounted door handle pinched and trapped the finger while the door was being operated. The component is available for inspection upon request. No warning of any kind preceded the injury — the handle functioned as designed, which is the concern. The injury was treated at an urgent care facility. The problem has not been inspected by the manufacturer, dealer, police, or insurance to date. No warning lamps or messages are applicable. Cause: the flush-mounted rear door handle design creates a pinch point that can trap a finger during ordinary entry

NHTSA complaint #11757317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 Tesla Model Y Leander, TX Crash 1 injured

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On August 3, 2026, my Tesla Model Y was traveling at approximately 50 mph with Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged. At approximately 4:12:47 PM CDT, FSD became unavailable and then became available again. At 4:12:51.628 PM CDT, FSD was recorded as ACTIVE_FSD again. Approximately 2.36 seconds after FSD was re-engaged, at 4:12:53.987 PM CDT, the vehicle's steering began a sudden and rapid rightward movement. I did not turn the steering wheel or intentionally provide a rightward steering input that initiated this maneuver. The recorded steering angle increased rapidly from approximately +11.4° to +20.7°, +33.3°, +83.3°, +137.9°, +154.7°, and ultimately approximately +282° within about 1.6 seconds. Importantly, FSD was still recorded as ACTIVE_FSD when the steering movement began. FSD changed to UNAVAILABLE at approximately 4:12:54.364 PM CDT, about 0.38 seconds after the steering movement had already started. The steering continued to escalate after FSD became unavailable.The vehicle subsequently experienced severe lateral acceleration of approximately 0.96 g, and crash detection activated at approximately 4:12:55.710 PM CDT. The accelerator was recorded at 0% during the developing steering event and increased only after crash detection. Hard braking and ABS activation occurred afterward.I do not have Tesla Dashcam footage, but I have retained Tesla's vehicle telemetry export containing FSD state, steering, steering-torque, accelerator, braking, vehicle-speed, stability-control, and crash-event data.I am concerned that Tesla FSD may have initiated or contributed to the unexpected steering maneuver that resulted in the collision. I am certain that I did not initiate the sudden rightward steering maneuver.I request that NHTSA investigate whether this represents a potential safety defect or unexpected FSD behavior, particularly the sequence of FSD re-engagement followed approximately 2.36 seconds later by the unexpected steering event while FSD was still ACTIVE_FSD

NHTSA complaint #11756945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 Tesla Model Y Greeneville, TN

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was operating my Tesla using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) when the vehicle approached an active school zone with flashing warning lights and a posted school-zone speed limit of 35 mph. FSD did not appropriately respond to the active school zone or reduce the vehicle's speed to the posted 35 mph limit, requiring me to disengage FSD and manually slow the vehicle. The incident was captured on the Tesla dashcam. The recording shows FSD active while approaching the school zone. At approximately 14 seconds into the recording, the vehicle was traveling approximately 52 mph with "Self-Driving" displayed while the flashing school-zone warning and SCHOOL pavement markings were visible ahead. The posted school-zone speed limit is 35 mph when the warning lights are flashing. Because FSD was not slowing the vehicle appropriately, I intervened and disengaged FSD. Immediately following my intervention, vehicle speed decreased from approximately 49 mph to 39 mph, 31 mph, and approximately 29 mph as I manually slowed the vehicle. This was the second time I experienced FSD failing to appropriately respond to this same active school zone. After this occurrence, I saved the dashcam recording and submitted a Bug Report through the vehicle. There were no warning messages indicating that FSD could not recognize or respond to the school zone. My safety concern is that FSD may proceed into an active school zone substantially above the posted school-zone speed limit unless the driver recognizes the failure and intervenes. The original dashcam recording is available and documents the vehicle speed, FSD status, active flashing school-zone warning, posted speed limit, and timing of my intervention.

NHTSA complaint #11756753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2024 Tesla Model Y Sanford, FL

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Plastic trim around window switches on driver side door panel bubbled and popped. Tesla refused to warranty due to “wear and tear” when vehicle was purchased brand new 1.5 year ago.

NHTSA complaint #11756509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 Tesla Model Y Chandler, AZ Crash 2 injured

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While driving straight ahead in my lane on a wet freeway in an active construction zone, the vehicle abruptly and without warning lost traction and spun out of control. I was traveling in a normal, controlled manner with the flow of traffic and was not turning, braking hard, or making any abrupt maneuver when the loss of control occurred. It was so sudden that I initially believed another vehicle had struck me. I was unable to recover control, and the vehicle left its lane and was involved in a collision that resulted in the vehicle being declared a total loss. This is a nearly new all-wheel-drive vehicle, approximately 17 months old, equipped with electronic stability and traction control. I am an experienced driver with a clean record and had driven this same vehicle through mountain roads the week prior without any issue. A vehicle of this type is not expected to suddenly lose control while traveling straight. The specific component or system that failed is UNKNOWN. No warning lamps or messages appeared before the loss of control. The vehicle data available to me as an owner is limited and does not reflect the full diagnostic logs the manufacturer retains. The vehicle is a total loss but is preserved and available for inspection upon request. The manufacturer has not inspected or responded. A police report was filed.

NHTSA complaint #11756095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Tesla Model Y Ypsilanti, MI

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I reporting a potential safety-related defect involving my 2023 Tesla Model Y Performance. Since shortly after purchasing the vehicle in April 2026, it has repeatedly been unable to successfully install Tesla software updates. The updates download, but the installation repeatedly fails. I have attempted installation multiple times under appropriate conditions, including adequate battery charge, stable Wi-Fi, vehicle reboot, removal of USB devices, and installation directly from the vehicle touchscreen. The failures continue. Tesla evaluated the vehicle and documented the failed software installation. Tesla also identified a possible issue involving the HW3 car computer and prepared an estimate of approximately $3,000 that included replacement of the vehicle computer, diagnostic work, and labor. I am concerned because Tesla vehicles rely extensively on their onboard computers and software for vehicle operation, safety systems, driver-assistance functions, security updates, bug fixes, and manufacturer-issued corrections. Because this vehicle cannot successfully install software updates, I am concerned it may be unable to receive safety-related corrections or updates that other vehicles are receiving. This is not simply an infotainment issue. The failure appears to involve the vehicle computer itself and has continued despite repeated troubleshooting and Tesla service involvement. I believe NHTSA should evaluate whether defective HW3 computers or related electronic systems can cause repeated update-installation failures and potentially prevent affected Tesla vehicles from receiving safety-related software updates or recall remedies.

NHTSA complaint #11755397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 Tesla Model Y Whittier, CA Crash

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Vehicle has complete Full Self-Driving (Supervised) capabilities. Vehicle was reverse parking on its own but the right side crashed into a wall. Vehicle did not stop reverse upon collision. Driver took over immediately to avoid further crash fatality.

NHTSA complaint #11755576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 Tesla Model Y Post Falls, ID

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My car locked itself with the phone key and the key card sitting in the car. My baby was trapped in the back seat. Eventually, I was able to get a hold of my husband and he was able to unlock the car from the app. I was talking to 911 when he saw my messages and unlocked the car. I think poor cell reception may have been the cause.

NHTSA complaint #11755383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 Tesla Model Y Anaheim, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was operating my Tesla using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from my home to a coffee shop. The vehicle completed the entire drive under FSD without any manual intervention. After arriving at the destination, FSD automatically entered the parking lot, selected an available parking space, and initiated the parking maneuver on its own. I did not manually select the parking space or start the parking maneuver. During the automatic parking maneuver, the vehicle failed to detect a fixed square concrete bollard located within the parking space and continued moving until the front bumper made contact with the bollard, causing damage to the vehicle. No collision warning, parking collision warning, or automatic emergency braking occurred before impact. The vehicle remained under FSD control until the collision. The incident occurred in daylight with good visibility. The obstacle was a permanent concrete bollard, not a temporary object or a low parking curb. Dashcam footage of the incident has been preserved and has been provided to Tesla Insurance. I believe Tesla should review the vehicle telemetry and FSD logs to determine why the system failed to recognize the fixed obstacle during the automated parking maneuver.

NHTSA complaint #11754995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Tesla Model Y Eastvale, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On July 9, 2025, while making a right turn at about 15 mph on a standard road, the two front-left bolts fell out, causing the entire bracket and lateral link assembly to detach. The vehicle became inoperable and had to be towed for repairs. Not long after, on September 29, 2025, while making a left turn at 20 mph, the two front-right bolts also fell out, and the bracket and lateral link assembly detached just as before. Once again, the vehicle required towing for repairs. I am now afraid to drive the car; fortunately, neither incident occurred on the highway—where a major accident could have easily happened—since the vehicle becomes completely immobilized the moment these parts fall off. What's more, the Tesla's center console computer doesn't show any issues or trigger any warnings, yet the car simply won't drive—it won't move at all.

NHTSA complaint #11754633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Tesla Model Y Yonkers, NY Crash

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was driving the car to the parking lot from 5mph to 0 mph , car reversed on its own sped to 10 mph causing accident .

NHTSA complaint #11754420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Tesla Model Y Dublin, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On June 7, 2026, my 2021 Tesla Model Y with approximately 37,131 miles became completely unresponsive and could not be driven. Tesla Mobile Service replaced the 12V low-voltage battery on June 11, 2026. The official repair notes stated that the battery was replaced, proper operation was verified, there were no active alerts, and the vehicle was in excellent condition. Shortly after this repair, multiple vehicle systems stopped functioning, including all cameras, navigation/GPS, and software/firmware updates. Tesla Service later diagnosed the vehicle as requiring replacement of the HW3 vehicle computer at a cost of approximately $3,066. The loss of camera functionality disabled or affected multiple driver assistance features that rely on the camera system. The vehicle has been unavailable for approximately one month while awaiting repair. During discussions with Tesla Service regarding the diagnosis, I was informed verbally by the Service Manager that they see similar HW3 computer-related issues on a regular basis (approximately every other week). I cannot independently verify that statement, but I am including it because it contributed to my concern that this may not be an isolated incident. I am not asserting the root cause of the failure. I am submitting this complaint because the loss of the vehicle’s camera system and related driver assistance functionality may represent a potential safety concern, and I believe NHTSA should be aware of this incident.

NHTSA complaint #11754296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2025 Tesla Model Y Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Crash

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Driver selected auto-park in parking area and car tried to self-park in a chosen spot adjacent to a pole and made several attempts to park and in the process hit a pole adjacent to the chosen parking spot. Immediately the incident was reported via Tesla app and photos were uploaded and an appointment was given for 8/6/2026 at 2:15pm at Tesla service Aliso Viejo. In reference to the pictures, car tried to park in spot 89 entering from spot 90, and made several attempts and driver expected the auto-park to be aborted giving up control to teh driver, but the car hit the pole and then driver took control to park.

NHTSA complaint #11754240 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2026 Tesla Model Y Pittsburgh, PA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On July 31, 2026, at approximately 12:55 PM, my 2026 Tesla Model Y experienced a severe safety defect while operating in Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode. The vehicle completely failed to detect, slow down for, or stop at a clearly visible and unobstructed stop sign at an intersection. The vehicle attempted to proceed through the intersection without yielding. I was fully attentive with my hands on the wheel and had to instantly apply heavy manual braking and steering intervention to prevent a collision with an oncoming vehicle that had the right of way. This failure of the automated driving system to recognize fundamental traffic control devices constitutes an immediate and severe collision hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11754203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Tesla Model Y problems