Tesla Model Y Complaints

4,325 consumer complaints on file.

#11580908April 3, 2024
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The headlamp design of the 2024 Tesla Model Y creates a shadow (or shadows) that cannot be adjusted away. These shadows could be a contributing factor if an accident were to occur. Tesla Service has stated there is nothing more they can do regarding adjustment. Initially, there were two shadows. The user-friendly headlamp adjustment on the touchscreen allows only up-down adjustment after the system self-calibrates. Tesla Service manually adjusted the physical headlamps but did not resolve the shadows. This adjustment merely relocated the shadows while creating an additional horizontal shadow. I believe the reflector design of the headlamp is the issue. This is my third Tesla, and prior models did not have this issue. It is best to see video examples, but this form does not allow the file type and I suspect YouTube links would be blocked/removed. Please Advise.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580815April 2, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I got a recall notice for NHTSA Recall No: 23V-035. I checked for the software update, but didn't see anything from Tesla prompting for the update.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580774April 2, 2024
SEAT BELTS
2 of 3 backseat seatbelts suddenly stopped latching, middle seat, and driver side rear seat. These are the seatbelts we use the least in this vehicle. Yes, the dealer replaced the 2 failed seatbelts, but would not replace all seatbelts in the vehicle. The vehicle was only inspected and fixed by Tesla. No, there were no warnings. This is especially concerning since we use a seatbelt to secure a car seat in the backseat.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580692April 2, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
You have no doubt heard the news that Tesla has deployed Full Self Driving to all its vehicles as a "free trial." My Tesla received this update in the past few days. Last night I was driving on an expressway and engaged what has up until now been traffic-aware cruise control by pressing down one time on the right stalk. I expected regular cruise control but the car started steering for me. Tesla has changed the default behavior of the cruise control activation (one single downward press on the stalk) to instead activate Autopilot. My attempt to regain control caused me to jerk the wheel side to side in a way that could have led to an accident had I been in heavier traffic. This was unexpected behavior from the vehicle and I find it unacceptable that Tesla has changed a default function in this manner. I had to hunt around on the screen to find the setting to change the behavior back to regular Traffic Aware Cruise Control from one downward press. Furthermore, on the same 20 mile trip I had three phantom braking incidents while the car was on Traffic Aware Cruise Control mode. This is more than typical and these events can be dangerous if they happen in traffic. Tesla should not be allowed to deploy changes, especially without notice, that modify basic functionality of a car in motion from what the driver has become accustomed to.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580588April 2, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES
Electrical system had 7 alerts/warning scroll on screen. Said vehicle was going to shut down. Regenerative braking system failed. Pulled car into a parking spot. Vehicle would not go into park so I could not take foot off of brake. Started to shift between park and neutral randomly. Was told by Tesla to reboot car. Did this three times, but nothing changed. Tesla dealership reproduced and confirmed. There were no warnings or messages before the incident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580562April 1, 2024
POWER TRAIN, STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving on PA Turnpike in light rain . I never drive fast . Somehow my car start shifting from one side of the rd to another I slow down but I did not feel connection with sterling wheels car start spinning in circles and I crashed with 2 kids in the car.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11580378April 1, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
In the Tesla Full Self-Drive adaptive cruise control system the set speed arbitrarily and abruptly drops from the set speed to 40 mph on an interstate highway. In other words, if set to 70 it will drop instantly to 40 mph for no reason.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580313March 31, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Unwanted Lane Assistance in Tesla Model Y made the car swerve to side. When I tried correcting it, the steering got hard to control and whole car swirled 360 degrees and hit shoulder rail. Brakes didn’t slow the car.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580239March 30, 2024
AIR BAGS, WHEELS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Tesla suddenly accelerated forward from a complete stop at very rapid pace and hit a wall
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580171March 29, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Forward collision with a deer. The deer jumped out in front of the vehicle, very close to the vehicle, at night. The vehicle failed to detect large object obstacle in front of it and apply emergency braking.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11580128March 29, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Autopilot will suddenly start to slow down on highway and freeway speeds with no warning, this has happened more than 4 times. The last time that this happened me and my partner almost got rear-ended.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579954March 28, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was using the Summon feature and the vehicle scraped another car. The safety features that keep the vehicle from hitting an object did not work.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579715March 27, 2024
AIR BAGS, SUSPENSION, STEERING
I am writing to file a complaint against Tesla, Inc. for refusing to repair recurring suspension issues that were supposedly addressed through previous recalls. As an owner of a 2020 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ), I have experienced numerous problems related to the vehicle's suspension system, steering, and safety restraints, which I believe pose serious safety risks. My vehicle has undergone multiple repairs at Tesla service centers for issues such as squeaking noises when turning, vehicle shutdowns while driving, steering difficulties, and excessive tire wear. Many of these problems are related to the vehicle's suspension system, which has been the subject of several recalls by Tesla in recent years, including recalls [XXX],[XXX], [XXX], and [XXX]. Despite these recalls supposedly addressing the suspension issues, my vehicle continues to experience problems. Most recently, on [XXX], I brought my vehicle to a Tesla service center for a loud and distinct sound coming from the steering system. The service center diagnosed the issue and recommended repairs to the front half shaft assembly, front damper assembly, and front lower lateral links, with a total estimated cost of $3,670. These issues should be covered under warranty and are directly related to the previous suspension recalls. However, Tesla has refused to cover the repairs under warranty. Furthermore, I have experienced recurring issues with the front passenger safety restraint system, which required a retrofit of the Occupant Classification System (OCS) on two separate occasions. This suggests that the initial repair was ineffective and that the system may have an underlying design flaw. I request that the NHTSA investigate these issues and take appropriate action to ensure Tesla addresses these safety concerns and honors its warranty obligations. I have attached documentation detailing the repair history, invoices, recall notices, and correspondence with Tesla. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579779March 27, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I want to report what I think is a very dangerous issue with my Tesla Model Y. We have experienced numerous times that the car brakes without warning. I have talked to Tesla about this "phantom braking", and they say it is "normal". The Traffic-Aware Cruise Control cannot be disabled to create a normal manual cruise control. I gave them a hypothetical situation where this could be life-threatening, but they dismissed it. Two weeks later, that very scenario happened, thankfully not ending in tragedy. I was driving at 65 mph on a wide, two lane paved highway (near Dove Creek, CO). A car going in the opposite direction was stopped on the shoulder on the other side of the highway. A large semi truck, also going in the opposite direction, pulled into my lane to pass the parked car on the side of the road. I saw what was happening, let off the accelerator, and steered over onto the paved shoulder (wide shoulder) to avoid the oncoming truck. My car's Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, using the car's cameras, interpreted the situation as an apparent collision danger and automatically braked hard. In this situation there was a large pickup doing what most pickup drivers do.... tailgating close behind me to get me to drive faster. Neither the driver of the pickup, nor me, were expecting my car to brake hard, as we had all assessed the situation correctly as not being dangerous. I responded as quickly as I could by pushing on the accelerator to cancel the cruise control, but the pickup almost rear ended me. At that speed, it could easily have turned into a fatal accident. Tesla says I can't disable the cameras, so I just don't use the cruise control now. I was told you can disable the "traffic-aware" part of cruise control on older model Teslas, but not 2023 and newer. Often the phantom braking occurs with no apparent reason (although the car's cameras and computer would probably disagree). Do many people have to be killed to take a safety hazard seriously?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579727March 27, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The front license plate holder, which is attached to the vehicle with two strips of double-sided adhesive tape, became detached while driving on the highway. This occurred while driving on the highway without any prior collision or impact that could have caused such damage. The detachment resulted in damage to the vehicle’s paint on the bumper, dislodgement of the ultrasonic parking sensor, and the license plate holder itself flying off the vehicle. I have ordered a replacement plate at my expense. Safety Concerns: There was no prior warning or indication of instability of the license plate holder. Tesla’s provided literature does not include instructions for regular checks or maintenance of the plate frame, nor are there warnings against the potential risks of car washes on the adhesive’s integrity. Previous Incidents: Online forums and discussions among Tesla owners reveal multiple instances of similar occurrences, indicating a pattern that suggests a potential defect in the design or materials used for the license plate holder’s attachment. Response from Manufacturer: Upon contacting Tesla regarding the incident, I was informed that they consider this situation akin to a collision and hold me solely responsible for all repairs. Despite the availability of video footage and telemetry data from my vehicle that could confirm the absence of a collision, Tesla has declined to utilize these resources to investigate the incident further. Requested Action: I urge the NHTSA to consider the potential safety hazards posed by the detachment of the front license plate holder on Tesla vehicles. An investigation into the frequency and circumstances of these incidents could be warranted to ensure the safety of Tesla vehicle owners and the driving public.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579475March 26, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I rear ended to another car when I blacked out for a few seconds in the city driving around 20 miles an hour. The AEB, based on TESLA manual and instructions should have kicked in, but it never did. After the accident, a friend of mine told me about AEB function and the fact that it works in those type of conditions, I tested the car in my driveway (I have a pretty long driveway to do this). AEB did not kick in until I turned off the function and I turned on the function again. Then, it kicked in immediately, and on the screen "A" showed, which means AEB kicked in. That was the first time AEB worked and that sign appeared on the screen. Later in the day, when I tested the car again under the exact same conditions,, AEB stopped functioning again like the way it has been since I bought the car. I read all the information/instructions regarding AEB. I understand that in certain conditions like, if the driver is accelerating or putting pressure on brake pedal or steering wheel, AEB does not kick in. I talked to another TESLA owner, he said his does not kick in either unless the car is on auto cruise or autopilot. Mine is the same. This is definitely malfunction. The issue is that the car, on the screen shows that AEB is always turned on, but it never kicks in and the car does not give any error regarding this issue. Again, I tested it after turning off and on AEB function, and I now know the difference. Under the same conditions of that testing, the AEB does not function at all. The accident I had was 100% preventable if AEB worked properly. TESLA Service Center has been dismissive. They send me snippets from the TESLA manual, which I already have and read many times. They say they cannot test it. All they can do is to check remotely to see if the function is on, but that's where the issue is. The function is always on, but it never kicks in. Again, It did work for me for a few minutes when I turned it off and on, but that was it.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579205March 24, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY SIDE MIROR WILL NOT ADJUST BACK TO NORMAL LEVELS WHERE I CAN SEE VEHICLES ON THE LEFT SIDE. EVERYTIME I BACKUP AND MOVE FORWARD THE LEFT SIDE MIRROR DOES NOT ADJUST BACK TO ORIGINAL POSTION THEREFORE LEAVING ME EFFECTIVELY BLIND AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM THE LEFT MIRROR. I HAVE TRIED TO GET TESLA TO FIX THIS ISSUE. EVERY TIME THEY TELL ME TO TAKE IT IN AND THAT THEY WILL NOT GIVE ME A VEHICLE TO COMEPENSATE FOR MY LOST WORK TIME. THIS IN UNACCEPTABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579200March 24, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield wipers fail to work properly when in auto mode. Windshield was covered in rain and visibility was reduced to zero. Windshield wipers would not activate to clear the rain. The problem has happened multiple times while raining.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579180March 24, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
While using Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, the vehicle unexpectedly slows down due to phantom braking. During my recent 800+ mile road trip, this occurred twice without any obstruction in view, causing the car to brake abruptly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579142March 24, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
This car does not have Full Self Driving, and I do not use Auto Steer. I experience multiple phantom braking events every time I use the "Traffic Aware Cruise Control." Sometimes I can see that the cruise control set speed has been reduced from the speed I set, and I have to cancel and reset it to resume the original speed. Sometimes the cruise control set speed is unchanged, and pushing the accelerator will cause the car to resume the set speed. Yesterday I drove 320 miles and had about 6 of these events. I'm concerned about these events causing an accident from the sudden speed reduction, or getting into a road rage situation because the person behind me thinks I am brake-checking them. Internet research indicates that these complaints are very common during the past few years. If Tesla can't - or doesn't want to - solve the problem, they should at least allow us to choose basic cruise control to avoid this problem. Adaptive cruise control would be more reliable with radar, but Tesla is doing everything it can to make the cars cheaper, and radar was eliminated. Personally, I think trying to do everything with cameras is a fatally flawed approach - especially considering cars travel at night and in varied weather and lighting conditions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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