SERVICE BRAKES
Screen provides alert that "center brake light condition deteceted". Shows up as VCRIGHT_a487. Tesla has said it is a software condition that will be fixed in an update, yet several updates later, the condition persists with no fix in sight. This error has appeared since the time of new vehicle delivery in early May 2026 to the present.
STRUCTURE:BODY
On August 26, 2026, I sustained a significant injury when the door of my Tesla closed while my thumb was in the door area. The door caught my thumb and forcibly lifted/tore off most of my thumbnail, causing immediate bleeding and leaving the nail bed exposed. I am reporting this because I am concerned about the safety of the vehicle’s door closing mechanism and its ability to prevent this type of injury when a hand or finger is obstructing the door. The force of the closing door was sufficient to cause substantial physical injury rather than a minor pinch. There were no warning messages or alerts before the incident that I was aware of. At this time, I do not know whether the door, sensors, or closing mechanism malfunctioned or whether they were operating as designed. The cause is UNKNOWN and has not yet been confirmed by Tesla or an independent service center. The vehicle and door are available for inspection upon request. I am also reporting the incident to Tesla and requesting that Tesla inspect the door and related components and preserve/review any available vehicle diagnostic or event data associated with the incident. The injury has been photographed and documented. I am concerned that the same door behavior could cause serious injury to another occupant, particularly if a child’s hand or fingers were caught in the door.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am reporting this history because four windshield failures across two relatively new Tesla vehicles raises concern that there may be a recurring issue involving windshield durability, installation, fitment, glass stress, vehicle-body interaction, or another vehicle-related factor. I am also concerned about the following distances maintained by Tesla's automated driving and adaptive-cruise systems. In my experience, the vehicle frequently follows other vehicles more closely than I would choose when driving manually. While the vehicle may calculate that the distance is adequate for braking, closer following distances may increase windshield exposure to stones and roadway debris thrown from vehicles ahead. I cannot establish that automated following distance caused these windshield failures, and I am not presenting that as a proven cause. I am reporting it as one possible contributing factor that may warrant investigation along with windshield design, glass specification, installation, fitment, and structural stress. Because the windshield is an important visibility and structural safety component, I believe the repeated cracking history warrants documentation and review for a possible pattern involving Tesla vehicles. For the current August 17, 2026 incident, I have asked Tesla to inspect and document the apparent origin of the crack before replacing the windshield, including whether there is an identifiable external impact point or evidence of an edge-, fitment-, or stress-related crack. I am submitting this complaint so that NHTSA has a record of the repeated windshield failures and can determine whether similar complaints indicate a broader safety-related defect or trend.
TIRES:SIDEWALL, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
The front driver-side OEM Hankook tire (size: 235/55R18) on my 2026 Tesla Model Y Standard Range developed a severe 2-inch structural split/crack along the tire shoulder/sidewall under normal daily commuting on paved roads. There was no road hazard or curb impact. This sudden structural failure caused immediate, complete air pressure loss, creating a severe safety risk on the road. The failure was confirmed by an independent local tire repair technician, who inspected the tire and declared it irreparable, forcing an immediate out-of-pocket replacement. No prior warning lights or symptoms appeared before the incident. Photos of the defect, tire size, and DOT code are available upon request.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I own a 2026 Tesla Model Y, and I subscribe to and use Tesla's Full Self-Drive ("FSD") service. Whenever I have the car in FSD mode and take over control of the car, thereby turning off FSD, a box appears in the bottom left corner of the display screen in the car that the driver must use for all functions of the car. That box asks why I turned the FSD off and requires that I choose from 4 selections. The box remains on the screen until a selection is chosen and does not disappear after any period of time on its own, and there is no option to stop that box from appearing every single time I take over from FSD. The requirement that I divert my attention from the road to the bottom corner of that screen every single time I take control of my vehicle from FSD is a dangerous distraction that on more than one occasion has almost caused an accident. It is ridiculous that Tesla imposes this dangerous feedback box on its drivers with no ability to turn it off or make it disappear without taking our eyes off the road to answer it. Please do something to require them to get rid of this dangerous mandatory feedback box before it gets people hurt or killed.
