189 of the
7,374 complaints filed about the Tesla Model Y
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2023.
189
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
June 30, I was driving an highway, PA 376 during a rain storm, FSD 60 MPH 4-5 PM. The rain was heavy, vehicles in front of me flashing their emergency lights, I attempted several times to slow down, Acceleration Modes, towards me. Vehicle would not slow down, heavy rain and puddles blurred my vision, thinking I would rear end the vehicle in front of me. Traffic was light due to the rain, FSD needs better software to slow down during weather conditions.
NHTSA complaint #11749426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This is a safety concern for visibility. How can a brand new, barely used windshield crack like this? There are no rock chips and it has barely been driven to fall as wear and tear on the vehicle. This is not okay and incredibly unexceptional for vehicle standards. This vehicle spends 90% of its time in a garage. I have contacted my insurance company.
NHTSA complaint #11743978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The heat pump failed after experiencing temperatures below 10 degrees fahrenheit. There was no warning until after the failure, when I received a notification that the climate system needed maintenance. All heating/cooling, including defrosting/defogging the windshield, is inoperable. The service center confirmed that this is a heat pump failure and requires a replacement of the entire system, and a Tesla employee indicated that this is a common issue in the first 6-9 months of this cooling system design. This is well documented across many forums, and there is a class-action lawsuit in Quebec, Canada related to this failure.
NHTSA complaint #11743021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting a safety incident involving my 2025 Tesla Model Y and Full Self-Driving. While driving with Full Self-Driving engaged… latest update, the vehicle steered into an express-lane barrier/bar structure. The impact caused severe windshield damage and apparent body damage near the passenger-side A-pillar / windshield frame / roof rail area. The windshield is heavily cracked across the driver’s side and center area, and the vehicle is not safe to drive. I was able to get home safely and filed an insurance claim. I preserved TeslaCam footage and photos of the damage. The in-vehicle Tesla playback shows Full Self-Driving engaged during the incident. I also copied the TeslaCam files from the vehicle’s USB drive. The exported video file does not appear to show the same Full Self-Driving overlay that appears in the in-vehicle playback. I am reporting this as a potential safety issue involving Tesla Full Self-Driving steering behavior and impact with a fixed roadway/express-lane structure. No injuries occurred, but the vehicle sustained significant windshield damage and possible body/frame-area damage.
NHTSA complaint #11741689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On XXX at approximately 8:30 PM, the vehicle was operating under Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode when it failed to detect or react to a stationary pole, resulting in a front-end collision. 1 System Failed: The Full Self-Driving software, Tesla Vision camera system, and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) failed to detect the obstacle or apply brakes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2 Safety Risk: The autonomous driving software drove the vehicle directly into a fixed object without warning, creating a severe collision risk for occupants and nearby pedestrians. 3 Confirmed by Dealer: Yes. The vehicle was taken to the Tesla Service Center in [XXX] on XXX, where technicians officially captured and logged the diagnostic vehicle data for this specific incident under my active service file. 4 Inspected: The physical hardware and system logs have been initially inspected and captured by Tesla Service technicians. 5 Prior Warnings: There were zero warning lamps, chime alerts, or visual indicators on the center console display prior to the impact. The system treated the obstacle as navigable space INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11741200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting a safety‑critical issue with the automatic windshield wiper system on my 2024 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle uses a camera‑based “Auto Wiper” system, and it consistently fails to activate fast enough during heavy rain, spray from passing trucks, or sudden visibility loss. During moderate to heavy rain, the Auto wipers often stay on a slow or intermittent setting even when the windshield becomes fully covered with water. The system does not increase wiping speed quickly enough to maintain visibility. This results in several seconds where I cannot clearly see the road ahead. This problem is made worse because the Model Y makes it difficult to quickly switch to manual wiper control while driving on the freeway. The driver must look down at the touchscreen and navigate menus to adjust wiper speed, which is unsafe at highway speeds. The delay between losing visibility and being able to manually increase the wiper speed creates a dangerous situation. This behavior has occurred multiple times at highway speeds. When passing large trucks or encountering sudden water spray, the wipers do not react, and the windshield becomes momentarily opaque. This creates a serious risk of losing lane position or failing to see vehicles in front of me. This is a safety hazard because: 1.The Auto wipers do not clear the windshield when visibility is urgently needed. 2.Manual override requires taking eyes off the road to use the touchscreen. 3.The delay in response can lead to loss of visibility for several seconds. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue, as it affects visibility and could lead to collisions, especially at highway speeds or during sudden heavy rain.
NHTSA complaint #11739805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Second time in the five months I have owned the car that I need to replace the windshield in its entirety. Not only does it chip incredibly easily, but any chip immediately becomes a large crack, usually overnight and definitely before Safelite or a similar company can be called to try to fix it. In addition to being dangerously fragile and very expensive to fix - although very lucrative for Tesla since I can’t drive without an intact windshield - it’s very difficult to get an appointment. This time around I must drive around with an ever-expanding crack for 16 days before driving 100+ miles to the nearest Tesla service center to get it replaced. How can it possibly keep me and my family safe if it breaks that easily and that often and why is it normal to replace the windshield that often in any car much less a brand new car?
NHTSA complaint #11739830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The full self driving system has malfunctioned and is failing. I was put in incredibly dangerous situations that were near potentially fatal accidents. Had someone been a little bit closer when following me, I would not have had enough time to counter the issue. Yes it has been confirmed but not nearly to the extent that I have experienced it It has been inspected by a local service center from the company. There have been some visibility warnings but nothing else.
NHTSA complaint #11738713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2021 Tesla Model Y HW3 experienced complete failure of all cameras, GPS, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Adaptive Cruise Control following the installation of software update 2026.8.6.1 — the OTA remedy update issued by Tesla for NHTSA Recall 26V283000. The vehicle was fully functional prior to this update. The failure was confirmed and reproduced by Tesla's authorized service center. The service advisor confirmed in writing: "During the update, the computer failed to reboot properly. We attempted to perform a 12V reset but unfortunately it is still stuck in the boot loop state." The Autopilot ECU (Primary/Turbo A) is stuck in a permanent boot loop and cannot be recovered by software means. Safety impact: All cameras including rearview camera are completely non-functional. Automatic Emergency Braking and all ADAS features are disabled. The vehicle cannot safely detect obstacles or pedestrians. GPS navigation is frozen. Tesla has confirmed the computer requires replacement but is classifying it as a customer-pay repair citing expired warranty, despite the failure occurring during Tesla's own recall remedy software deployment. This vehicle meets every technical criterion of Recall 26V283000 — HW3 hardware, 2021 Model Y, software version 2026.8.6.1, complete camera failure — but does not appear in the recall VIN database. I am requesting NHTSA review whether this VIN should be included in recall 26V283000 or a related investigation.
NHTSA complaint #11736560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Washer fluid indicated low washer fluid. Refilled washer fluid, but shortly after washer fluid leaked out underneath the vehicle. Took the vehicle in for repair at an Tesla Service Center and service advisor indicated that the reservoir had cracked at the seam (an obvious defect of the reservoir). They stated it was not considered a defect even though it was obvious the crack was at the seam. Given the age of the vehicle and the fact that the vehicle is constantly garaged when parked this seems to be an abnormal issue. Had I not taken this in to get serviced there could have been an issue with not having any washer fluid in the reservoir when needing to clean the windshield which would pose a visibility hazard and could potentially lead to a collision.
NHTSA complaint #11734091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Following a "secondary" botched windshield replacement within 3 weeks performed by the Tesla Service Center in Carle Place, NY, my Tesla Model Y experienced a catastrophic structural water intrusion during rainfall. A great amounts of water dripping directly through the windshield seal into the cabin, soaking the dashboard electronics, floorboards, and much more water coming in from the brake pedal area while driving on LIE. While I was driving the vehicle with my three children in the back seat, this water intrusion triggered an active electrical short circuit. The vehicle's hazard lights began flashing autonomously, and the electrical system became severely compromised, creating an immediate and life-threatening safety hazard on the road. The vehicle is currently grounded, completely undrivable, and poses a continued electrical fire risk. Tesla Service has been notified in writing and has officially acknowledged via their app that the vehicle must be towed. This gross negligence in structural sealing has directly compromised the vehicle's electrical control modules, severely endangering the lives of the occupants."
NHTSA complaint #11724866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HVAC system failure in sub-freezing weather causing loss of windshield defrost and cabin heat. Tesla has acknowledged this as a known hardware design limitation of the heat pump/octovalve system but is refusing repair coverage outside of warranty. This condition affects driver visibility and winter driving safety.
NHTSA complaint #11715661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Observed intermittent center display/infotainment computer (MCU) crashes/reboots where the center display becomes blank and then restarts. In recorded events, when reverse was selected during an MCU reboot interval, the rearview camera image did not display until the reboot completed. Recorded rear camera unavailability during reverse was approximately 10–17 seconds. MCU crash/reboot behavior was observed to be repeatable, including predictable occurrence while the vehicle was in the built-in Service Mode. After a factory reset, repeated/double boot behavior was also observed. Additional observations: - With the turn signal activated, light leakage was observed in the side repeater camera image (glare/bloom present in the camera view). - With each windshield wiper sweep, the forward camera image was observed to briefly flicker to a purple/green distorted state and then return to normal. - During driving, the on-screen message “Auto Lane Change unavailable” was observed. A separate rear camera symptom has also been observed: intermittent freezing/stale frames (image appears not to update). This rear camera freeze behavior has not yet been captured on video. These conditions have been documented by video/screenshots and reported to the manufacturer/service center for inspection/diagnosis. No crash or injury occurred. The vehicle is currently located at the manufacturer’s service center and is available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11714932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We are currently experiencing single-digit temperatures here in Pittsburgh. I placed my vehicle in “defrost” mode, and while it did clear the windshield, it also caused the glass to crack. I contacted Tesla and brought the vehicle in for an assessment, at which point I was informed the damage would not be covered. My car has only 14,000 miles and will be one year old next month. It is essentially brand new and has been meticulously maintained. There were no prior flaws or damage to the windshield. Despite this, Tesla refused coverage for what is a known issue: windshield cracking caused by defrost mode in extreme cold temperatures. This issue is widely documented online. Customer service confirmed that Tesla does not cover glass damage, even when it cracks spontaneously as a result of using defrost mode as intended. The quoted repair cost is $1,500. This experience reflects a lack of accountability and failure to stand behind the product.
NHTSA complaint #11713702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While using cruise control at highway speed, the car suddenly slams on the breaks causing major panic. Oversteering onto incoming traffic and cars following are affected slamming on their breaks to avoid contact. Have contacted Tesla Service Center multiple times addressing the problem (Phantom breaking problem). What they keep on telling me is that there is no fix to the problem at this time. The cruise control intermittently turns off and on by itself with no warning or obstruction. No lamps warning or messages prior to failure. My Tesla 2022 Model Y (Performance) has been inspected at the Tesla Service Center many times, but to no avail problem still exists.
NHTSA complaint #11710067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I noticed the windshield washer nozzle on the passenger side isn't either working or not there. I reached out to Tesla, and also stopped by a Local Dealership and they told me that it would cost me out of pocket, since it's out of warranty. Secondly, the left side driver repeater camera has a Glare when turned at night time only. which is quite dangerous due to very less visibility due to the Glare of the Turn signal light that causes the repeater camera to function properly. this is a on going known problem. I have reached out to Tesla for this matter. and I was advised that it would not be covered since it's not under warranty. This issue should be a recall that Tesla should fix. this isn't an issue caused by normal wear and tear it's a manufacturer defect.
NHTSA complaint #11709822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We were driving and had the circulation on to make sure that no outside air was being circulated in so that condensation does not build up on the inside of the cabin. The circulation button auto turned off without us knowing. We then had all four windows, and our windshield and back window completely covered in condensation and it would not resolve. I had to manually wipe it away. We were traveling down a highway going 70mph when this happened. This is extremely dangerous and that circulation button should not have been auto shut off.
NHTSA complaint #11707358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Date: December 28, 2025 Time: Approximately 3:25 PM Vehicle: 2026 Tesla Model Y Incident Location: Southbound on the I-35N feeder road, just north of Highway 114. Safe Harbor Location: Burger King (15925 N Hwy 114, Northlake, TX) Statement of Facts: I was driving my 2026 Tesla Model Y southbound on the I-35N feeder road at approximately 3:25 PM today. I was traveling at a steady speed of 55 MPH. Without any warning chime or dashboard notification, the front hood (frunk) suddenly and violently flew open. The hood slammed into the windshield, shattering the glass across my entire field of vision and completely obstructing the road ahead. I was forced to perform an emergency "blind" stop on the feeder road. Once the vehicle was under control, I drove at approximately 10 MPH with zero forward visibility to reach a safe location off the main road. I pulled into the Burger King parking lot located at the intersection of I-35 and Highway 114 to inspect the damage and call for assistance. Key Safety Failures: • Software Failure: At no point before the hood flew open did the vehicle alert me that the frunk was unlatched. • Mechanical Failure: The latching mechanism failed to hold at standard highway speeds, creating a life-threatening visibility hazard. • Structural Damage: The windshield is fully shattered, and the hood and hinges are visibly warped from the force of the impact. Conclusion: This incident was a catastrophic safety failure. Given Tesla's history of recalls for this exact issue (NHTSA Recall 24V-554), it is clear that this 2026 model either suffers from the same defect or the previous "software fix" is insufficient to protect drivers.
NHTSA complaint #11707389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Incident Summary: Car Computer (HW3) suffered internal hardware failure on 12/17/25 following software update 2025.44.3. While the media screen and rearview camera functioned, the Autopilot Board (APB) was "MIA." Tesla Randolph (Invoice #3000S0015357298) confirmed the internal failure and replaced the unit. Safety Risk: Failure disabled safety-critical ADAS: Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Forward Collision Warning. Driving visualizations were severely compromised; the vehicle failed to detect pedestrians or lane markings while in motion, creating an immediate collision risk. The car’s active safety "intelligence" was essentially blind despite the camera feed being visible on the screen. Inspection & Contradictions: Tesla Service confirmed the "internal failure" (12/19-12/23). Note: The Service Manager verbally claimed "no codes," but the official invoice explicitly states technicians "found multiple alerts present." Part was retained by Tesla. Warning Symptoms: Failure followed a software reboot loop. Symptoms (MIA board/power cycle failure) match Recall 25V-002. Vehicle had only 36,289 miles. Reporting as potential HW3 defect expansion.
NHTSA complaint #11706873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.