94 of the
7,374 complaints filed about the Tesla Model Y
are about the transmission —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2021.
94
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
13
Crashes
3
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
On the morning of 8-17, 2026, the vehicle experienced a total electrical power loss and high-voltage system deadlock immediately following an official Tesla Over-The-Air (OTA) software update pushed the previous night. Prior to this remote software update, the vehicle had zero operational issues or warning signs. Right after the update completed, the vehicle became completely unresponsive and undrivable. This issue directly compromised safety by causing a sudden, unpredictable loss of vehicle power and propulsion capability, creating a severe risk of stranded vehicle hazards and secondary collisions. The vehicle was brought to an official Tesla Service Center (Whitestone/Flushing, NY) for diagnosis. The manufacturer’s service center inspected the vehicle and confirmed a high-voltage Power Conversion System (PCS) deadlock failure (Repair Estimate ID issued). The failed PCS component remains at the Tesla Service Center awaiting replacement and is fully available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11758131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. While the vehicle was parked and attempting to shift into drive(D), the brake pedal was depressed, and the driver attempted to select the gear, but the gear display icon appeared semi-transparent. The driver was able to select the intended gear after several attempts; however, upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle unintentionally accelerated at a higher speed and struck a tree. The air bags did not deploy. No injuries were reported, and a Police report was not filed. No warning light was illuminated before or after the crash. Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode was not activated during the failure. The vehicle was driven to a collision repair center to repair the damage. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure and requested assistance retrieving data from the Event Data Recorder (EDR); however, no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired for the unintended acceleration. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.
NHTSA complaint #11757772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
COMPONENT/SYSTEM THAT FAILED: The service brakes failed to stop the vehicle. While reverse-parking at low (parking) speed, I applied the brake pedal and the vehicle did not stop as expected, resulting in contact with an object and vehicle damage. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request; it has been preserved and driven only minimally since the event. HOW SAFETY WAS PUT AT RISK: The brakes failed with no warning. Had a person been behind the vehicle, the failure to stop could have caused injury. This is the only vehicle for a family with three children who are regularly transported in it, and I no longer feel safe driving them. REPRODUCED/CONFIRMED BY A DEALER OR SERVICE CENTER: Not yet. INSPECTED BY MANUFACTURER/POLICE/INSURANCE/OTHERS: The insurer opened and then denied the claim and stated that no vehicle telemetry/data was available to preserve. No independent forensic inspection has occurred yet. Police did not attend. WARNING LAMPS/MESSAGES/SYMPTOMS PRIOR TO FAILURE: NONE. There was no warning light, no alert message, and no audible signal before or during the event. The parking sensors did not beep as they normally do. No ABS or brake warning light appeared at any time before or after. ADDITIONAL RELEVANT DETAIL: Approximately one week earlier, the front lower control arms were replaced. It is UNKNOWN whether the ABS wheel-speed sensor or related wiring was affected; the vehicle displayed no related warning at any time. No injuries occurred.
NHTSA complaint #11757226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The high-voltage battery failed unexpectedly shortly after the warranty expired (with only 9,000 miles past warranty). Tesla Service confirmed a main high-voltage battery defect and quoted a full battery replacement. A sudden high-voltage battery failure causes a complete loss of propulsion/power, creating a severe collision and safety hazard on public roads. There were no prior warnings until the system suddenly failed and rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle is currently available for inspection. This appears to be a premature latent defect in 2021 model high-voltage battery packs.
NHTSA complaint #11755660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAFETY DEFECT REPORT: Sudden Power Loss & Falsified Records 1. INCIDENT & 5-HR TOWING (XXX): On XXX at ~16:30, while executing a low-speed (<10 mph) left turn in Cambridge, MA, the vehicle had a sudden, total high-voltage failure mid-turn, losing all motive power and power steering without warning or error codes. Photos/videos were taken on-scene confirming ZERO physical impact or undercarriage collision. The dead vehicle stopped directly in the active lane, completely blocking traffic. With zero power, the driver and several helpful bystanders had to use extreme physical effort to manually push the dead car out of the road. AAA arrived at 18:00 but could NOT tow because total power loss completely locked all 4 wheels/brakes (no Tow Mode). AAA dispatched a 2nd specialized flatbed with dollies (arrived 21:00). Driver was stranded on-site for over 5 hours. Car reached Tesla Dedham Service at 22:00. On XXX at 10:00 AM, driver reported the driving power loss in person at Dedham, handed over key, and got a loaner. 2. WRITTEN NOTICE (XXX): On XXX, explicit written notice was sent to Tesla Service Manager Taso, re-confirming the exact mid-driving power loss hazard. 3. TESLA DIAGNOSIS & REPAIRS: Invoice #XXX confirms a severe high-voltage failure: "A hardware overcurrent event caused small high voltage battery brick imbalance and rear inverter failure." Tesla replaced Rear Drive Unit Inverter (3DU) and Pyrotechnic Battery Disconnect (Pyrofuse). 4. FALSIFICATION OF SAFETY ISSUE: Despite 5-hr towing from wheel lock-up, XXX in-person report, and XXX written notice detailing mid-turn power loss, Tesla falsely recorded on invoice: "customer states: vehicle will not charge." This is deliberate falsification and deceptive practice by Tesla to downplay a critical road hazard into a benign charging issue. I request NHTSA to investigate this high-voltage overcurrent/inverter failure pattern and Tesla's practice of altering safe INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11752044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
The vehicle’s secondary Autopilot Processor / car computer is internally faulted and stuck in a continuous wake/shutdown loop. This causes severe standby battery drain (~20 miles of range lost per day while parked) and completely prevents all over-the-air software updates - including federally mandated safety recall remedies. On April 4, 2024, Tesla Service diagnosed the fault and linked it to the drain and inability to update. On the same visit, Tesla added two safety recalls (23V-838 Autosteer controls and 24V-051 Brake/Park/ABS indicators) to the work order. They then demanded ~$3,000 customer payment for computer replacement before the recalls could be performed. After I declined the paid repair, Tesla marked both recalls as “completed” via software update despite the same invoice stating the vehicle could not receive updates and remained on software version 2023.38.9 (which predates both remedy firmwares they claimed was installed). Tesla is effectively paywalling federally required safety recall remedies by requiring the customer to first pay for computer replacement first. Two additional recalls remain open (21V-389 seat belt fasteners and 24V-554 hood latch). The problem has been confirmed and documented multiple times by Tesla Service.
NHTSA complaint #11742219 — 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.
I am reporting multiple safety-related failures with my Tesla Model Y, purchased December 18, 2025. Within four months of ownership, the vehicle has experienced escalating issues: On April 19, 2026, while driving approximately 70 mph on a freeway in heavy rain, the vehicle suddenly lost power and decelerated to approximately 20 mph. Multiple safety systems became unavailable simultaneously, including automatic emergency braking, traction control, stability control, and vehicle hold. I was able to pull to the side of the road, but the vehicle would not restart and required towing. This created a dangerous situation and significantly compromised my ability to safely control the vehicle. On April 9, 2026, a rear seatbelt unlatched under braking while in use. This is a serious safety concern, as the passenger was not properly restrained and had to brace themselves. On February 10, 2026, the vehicle experienced repeated software failures causing lockouts. In one incident, I was locked out while my [XXX] child was inside the vehicle. On January 2, 2026, the vehicle required service for a cracked window shortly after delivery. The vehicle has been taken in for service multiple times, and although repairs were performed, new and increasingly serious failures have continued to occur. I am concerned about the safety of operating this vehicle, particularly due to the loss of power at highway speed and failure of safety systems. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11732247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear subframe wiring harness on my Tesla contains a significant design flaw that creates an unreasonable safety risk. The factory-installed corrugated protective tubing (wire loom) terminates prematurely, leaving approximately 1 inch of critical wiring completely exposed at the connector. This specific harness uses soy-based insulation, which is a known attractant to rodents. Because of the 1-inch gap in protection, rodents have been able to sever the same connector twice within a 30-day period Safety Risk: The exposed wires in the rear subframe harness are responsible for Rear Drive Unit communication / Wheel Speed Sensors / Brakes]. A failure of these wires while the vehicle is in motion could result in a sudden loss of propulsion, unexpected braking, or the loss of stability control systems. This creates a high risk of a collision, particularly at highway speeds.
NHTSA complaint #11731575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On January 29, 2026 my 2023 Tesla Model Y was serviced by Tesla for windshield repair and routine maintenance. Within a week after the service visit, the vehicle began displaying a service warning message on the dashboard. I contacted Tesla and was advised to bring the vehicle back for inspection. Before I could return to the service center, while slowly reversing out of my garage, a large bolt fell from the vehicle and the front left wheel assembly dropped, causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop. Tesla service later confirmed that a bolt from the front suspension link assembly had detached, resulting in damage to the front halfshaft, steering gear, wheel speed sensor, and other related components. The vehicle had approximately 38,000 miles at the time of failure. This appears to be a critical suspension hardware failure. If this failure had occurred at highway speed it could have resulted in loss of vehicle control and a serious accident. The vehicle had been serviced by Tesla shortly before the incident and had displayed a warning message prior to the failure.
NHTSA complaint #11723109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On [XXX] I pick up my New Tesla Y. On [XXX], while traveling at highway speeds on [XXX] with Autopilot "FSD" engaged, my 2026 Tesla Model Y experienced a sudden vehicle shutdown and start giving multiple alerts without warning. The vehicle displayed multiple critical alerts: "Vehicle Shutdown", "Pull Over Safely", "Stability Control Disabled." Upon the failure, Autopilot FSD disengaged, and the power steering immediately became extremely heavy ("hard"), making the vehicle difficult to steer. The car lost all propulsion. I had to manually maneuver the heavy, unpowered vehicle through active highway traffic to reach the shoulder, which created an immediate and severe safety risk. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla Service Center in Fort Lauderdale with only 130 miles on the odometer. Technicians confirmed a "major motor failure" of the rear drive unit requiring a full replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11722480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle display flashed red and then the vehicle turned off completely while in traffic with no ability to change gear, operate the electronic door releases, or turn the hazards on. Safety was put at risk because insufficient notice of failure was given so it was impossible to get out of traffic, the vehicle could not be put in neutral so could not be pushed out of traffic, further the hazard lights could not be turned on so I had to stand in traffic waiving people around the vehicle. Because the electronic door releases didn't work, the doors could not be opened from the outside, had a front window not been open, it would have been easy to trap our child in the car. The dealer confirmed that the failure took place from vehicle logs but was unable to reproduce the problem. The dealer/manufacturer inspected the vehicle. Prior to this happening the vehicle showed warnings that power was reduced and vehicle may not restart about 20 minutes prior to the event, but the warnings disappeared after a minute. Even though Tesla confirmed the failure, they refused to diagnose the problem or fix it so the vehicle remains dangerous.
NHTSA complaint #11720264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tesla Model Y 99,000 km It is known issue with many driver of same model and milage that Wire Harness connected to Oil pump gets hot and damage. This can also cause fire. Many people have been complaining about similar issue on Facebook group.
NHTSA complaint #11715422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A few weeks ago my seatbelt censor started acting up, and then two weeks later that my heater quit. They blamed Chewed wiring because of soy based coatings, and set its not in the warranty and accused rodent damage since the rear seat was eaten. I got the call during diagnosis demanding i bring the loaner car because they wanted $1,349.07 which i did not have because a 9/11 first responder and don't have other insurance accept mandated state minimums, they told me bring the loaner back, on the way home FSD worked till i got towards my putnam county rural route 22 when power steering FSD and power breaks died. I skidded at 25 mph managed to get to park and plug it and leaving it this. So the tech put the plugs together and made the situation worse by plugging chewed harness together. No heat, transport, no car, no door dash money for me, no medical appointment and cant risk losing all steering. When TESLA works, it works very and great car. had they refused to use soy coatings and stayed with rubber coatings this issue would not be here. how Many FSD crashes are result of rodent damage?
NHTSA complaint #11713921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2022 Model Y, 213k miles, battery health 77%, no issues until Beginning of November 2025. After Tesla’s update, BMS_a079 popped up, capped charge at 22%. No dead cells, no imbalance—pure software bug remotely triggered by Tesla. Service refused written diagnosis, only said ‘nine thousand dollars for new battery. Risk of stranding.
NHTSA complaint #11706239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In early Nov 2025 my Tesla Model Y began intermittently showing warnings about the forward collision warning system and multiple sensors being offline. Tesla service replaced a faulty connector on Nov 3. On Nov 15, 2025, about two weeks later, the car had a sudden drivetrain failure while I was parking on a steep hill. I heard a loud bang from the front of the car and the vehicle immediately lost drive power and had to be towed. Tesla diagnosed a failed front motor inverter that blew the high-voltage pyrofuse and damaged the 12V battery; they replaced those parts. The vehicle is available for inspection and the repaired components and records are with Tesla. After that repair the car needed another visit for alignment and has continued to show worrying behavior: “VCFRONT offline/unable to contact VCFRONT” in the service menu, repeated “autopilot computer overheating” messages, intermittent loss or reduction of regenerative braking (braking feel changes unpredictably), a rear right seatbelt malfunction warning (later inspected and cleared by Tesla), and what appears to be significantly increased battery drain compared to before the inverter failure. This has now resulted in four service visits within about a month, all at Tesla service centers (no police, insurance, or independent shops involved). Tesla has confirmed the inverter/pyrofuse/12V failure and says the overheating was due to an air pocket in the cooling system, but the VCFRONT messages, inconsistent regen braking, and increased drain have not been fully resolved or clearly explained. I am concerned that a sudden loss of power, loss of regen, or failure of VCFRONT/autopilot systems could recur at speed or in traffic, creating a serious safety risk. Please note that I'm only able to view partially-complete paperwork from the latest service appointment in the Tesla app. I have requested this documentation from Tesla and will be able to provide all the service reports and communication as a follow-up.
NHTSA complaint #11704381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Date of Incident: December 8, 2025 Mileage at Failure: Approx. 580 miles Vehicle Status: At Tesla Service Center since December 9, 2025 (no repairs started; status shows “Preparing”) Failure Summary While driving 40–45 mph on a busy three-lane road in California, approaching a signalized intersection, the vehicle suddenly displayed multiple red warnings, a “Reduced Speed” alert, and numerous fault messages. Within 3–5 seconds, propulsion was completely lost. Incident Details Using residual momentum, I steered across two lanes into a nearby retail parking lot. The vehicle stopped at an angle, partially obstructing traffic. Towing Delay & Safety Risk The vehicle remained stranded for ~4 hours. A flatbed tow arrived ~2 hours later but could not load the vehicle due to inoperative Tow Mode. A second dolly-equipped tow truck was required, adding ~90 minutes. During this time, the vehicle continued to block traffic and posed a safety hazard. Component/System Failure Complete propulsion loss and failure of major electrical/control systems, including doors, frunk, trunk, Tow Mode, and non-responsive key card and phone key. Vehicle remains inoperable. Safety Hazard Sudden shutdown in a center lane near a major intersection left almost no opportunity to maneuver safely. Extended roadside immobilization and inoperative Tow Mode further increased risk. Warning Prior to Failure None, except 3–5 seconds of simultaneous red warnings and fault messages. Problem Status Ongoing and unresolved. Tesla has not diagnosed or repaired the vehicle and continues to delay the estimated repair date. Inspections Vehicle is under evaluation at Tesla Service Center. No repairs, police, or insurance inspections have been conducted.
NHTSA complaint #11704478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.