Tesla Model Y Complaints

4,325 consumer complaints on file.

#11523750May 24, 2023
POWER TRAIN
My wife was driving in moderate rain on the freeway. We were going about 70mph which was the same speed as the rest of the cars. We were going around a gentle turn in the road. Then without warning, our car started to slowly spin around. My wife instantly and completely lost control. We spun almost 180 degrees, crashed into two other vehicles, and came to rest against the cement barrier. Luckily nobody was seriously hurt, but we totaled two vehicles and damaged another. If the spin had happened along a different section of road we frequently drive on, we would have slid into oncoming traffic and people could have been killed. I requested that Tesla send the full data logs of the accident. It shows that my wife released the accelerator pedal right when the spin started. In most cars, releasing the accelerator causes the car to gently slow down. But Teslas, on the other hand, do aggressive regenerative braking when the accelerator is released. So it was as if my wife had pressed the break. HERE IS THE PROBLEM: THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM APPLIES THE BREAKS TO THE REAR WHEELS ONLY. On dry pavement this is fine, but on a wet road, going around a turn, hitting only the rear breaks was enough to cause the back of our car to slide out from behind us. Here is more detail: 1. Our car was All Wheel Drive. But the Tesla has published that for increased efficiency, they don't actually use the front motor except during high acceleration. This means that most of the time the car is only rear wheel drive. 2. Our car had under 25,000 miles on it, and the factory tires. The rear tires were worn more than the front tires, likely due to the car's acceleration being mostly applied to the rear tires. I believe that Tesla could fix this issue with an over-the-air recall. The recall would need to either reduce regenerative braking when wet roads are detected, or apply braking across both the front and rear wheels while on wet roads. Thank you!
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523734May 24, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
False forward collision took place on May 24, 2023 at 6:18pm on Rt. 50 Arlington, VA in the following form: I was driving on my way home, while driving around 35mph (limit is 45mph), a car in front of was taking the left lane dedicated to turn left, which slowed down. I was going slow (35mph) and there was more than enough space between me and the car in front of me. At this point Tesla's forward collision gave me another false warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523629May 24, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 55-65 MPH, the vehicle experienced "Phantom Braking". The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523536May 23, 2023
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Driving I-80 on May 9 between 2 - 4 pm going approx 70mph using autopilot. Sudden, unexpected, rapid deceleration causing back seat contents (suitcases & my dog) to fly forward. Nothing in front of me, no visual obstruction, weather clear and sunny. Luckily no one behind me. It felt like I had slammed on the brakes. I did get off highway shortly after to get dog out of where he lodged in back seat.Tesla rep via text messaging said I caused this by tapping accelerator & no need for inspection, but I do not recall doing that. I did receive a message/warning around the approx time I think this occurred stating “Driving visualization temporarily degraded” (I have screenshot.) They did send me the spreadsheet data of that day but I can’t decipher it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523534May 23, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I bought this car on March 2023. The windshield blades won't stop running on auto. I kept it turned off, but when I engage the adaptive cruise control, it goes back on and I can't turn it off. I made a service request on May 10 and Tesla cancelled the appointment saying the issue was resolved because it was a software issue, not a hardward issue. I was advised that wait for over the air update. I have had 3 over the air updates and the issues continuous. This is no my first tesla and this was never a software problem with my previous car. I also have another tesla Y 2021 that doesn't have the problem either. I have contacted Tesla again and they don't have a solution. One of the main reason I keep buying teslas is because I have problems with my arms and need to use the adaptive cruise control with lane centring to easy my arm pain. It is a feature I bought and it has to work otherwise I don't want this car. what seems to be easy it is become a problem. I always happen to get disconnected when talking to people at tesla. They must really have phone problems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523465May 23, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Phantom Braking: On our trip from Billings, MT to Minneapolis and back, we experienced 13 hard phantom braking incidents on I94. The first 3 were extremely dangerous and anxiety-inducing. We were very fortunate we did not have following traffic or we likely would have caused a collision at high speed. After that, I used the cruise control sparingly and only when we did not have following drivers. Still, we were anxious whenever I engaged cruise control and every time the car braked hard for no apparent reason. I am well-aware that Tesla owners report this problem regularly to the NTSB, and I keep expecting the company or the Agency to do something about it. It will kill people. We would be grateful for some action here.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523438May 23, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Vehicle at interstate speeds would periodically “phantom brake” on I-90 one a clear day with no other cars around. Experienced about 10 different phantom brake incidents betweeen Sioux Falls and rapid city
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523352May 22, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHY I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT: I am writing to you upon the advice of the CA Attorney General's office. Their guidance was in response to a question I submitted on their web about safe and legal towing with the Model Y factory-installed towing package. PROBLEM: Risk of silent brake controller failure. VEHICLES IMPACTED Model Y's with the Lithium Ion low voltage battery & towing trailers 1500 lbs or more. TECHNICAL ISSUES: The lithium Ion low-voltage battery operates at 15.5v, out of the normal 12v operating range. The wiring harness sends 15.5 v to the brake controller. Brake controllers connected to the Model Y towing harness do not throw an error. High voltage through a 12 v brake controller may result in unexpected brake controller failure per controller manufacturer's support teams. Tesla disconnected the 12v aux power to the 7-pin towing connector. This power is used for RF trailer brake controllers. RF brake controllers don't get the required power. RF Brake controllers will throw an error & the driver knows the brake system isn't connected correctly. WHY DO I KNOW THIS? I bought the Model Y to tow my 2,000 lb teardrop trailer w/ a Prodigy/Tekonsha RF Brake controller. When I attempted to connect & verify the rig was in spec, I discovered there was no power to the 7-pin plug. While troubleshooting, I found a Twitter post that described the problem, said Tesla disconnected the power & there would be a retrofit in mid-2022. See attached. ATTEMPTED RESOLUTION I've worked with Tesla Rocklin CA for a year. They submitted cases, escalated, and even unsuccessfully tried to connect a 24v controller. A fix isn't hard. I've heard corp. didn't expect people to tow. COMMUNICATION: To my knowledge, there's been no communication to affected owners or to brake controller manufacturers. NO FIX PLANNED Tesla Corp. doesn't intend to fix it or communicate to owners. See attached. ACTION NEEDED People towing may be at risk of silent brake controller failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523315May 22, 2023
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The problem I am writing about is not specific to my Tesla vehicle, but inherent to all Tesla's. I have read in the news about the issue concerning the full AutoPilot with drivers not paying attention figuring the vehicle will drive itself. Although, there is another inherent issue with vehicles without subscribing to AutoPilot while using the cruise control feature resulting in a problem referred to within the Tesla community as "phantom braking." While the cruise control is active and the driver is attentive with hands on the steering wheel, the vehicle intermittently jams on the brakes even though there are no obstacles in the road ahead. The driver and passengers are panicked requiring the driver to immediately respond by pressing the accelerator to avoid being rear-ended. My wife and I have experienced the issue on multiple occasions since owning our Tesla Y since September 2021. We have experienced the issue on clear days with perfect weather and a clean windshield. The road is clear with no vehicles in front of us on a divided highway traveling at highway speeds. We've also experienced the issue on a two-lane non-divided road with oncoming traffic in the other lane. Eventually, the problem becomes such an issue that we have to turn-off the cruise control to drive normally which defeats the reason why cruise control is desired. I had presented the issue with Tesla support, but I was basically blown off. Although, this issue is frequently commented by other Tesla owners on social media. Basically, the Tesla cruise control does not function like any of my other car's cruise control. The problem is thus software related to how the images from the camera are interpreted. I'm worried about my safety with the possibility of being rear-ended.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523271May 22, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
1. Personally, I believe ALL NEW CARS should be required to put BLIND SPOT MONITORING NOTIFICATION LIGHTS in the side mirrors ! It is such a GREAT SAFETY ADDITION. Tesla does not have it. 2. I have had the car since 4/16/22. I have replaced the windshield x 2 already and this weekend a rock hit the windshield which now needs to be replaced again. 4 windshields in 13 months? Is there a proble m with the windshields?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523174May 22, 2023
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness
Harness is fraying from normal use; car seat is unsafe to use. Contacted company and they refused to replace it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523127May 21, 2023
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
A two-month old Tesla model Y encountered phantom braking at least 12 times in 5 days while Autopilot was activated. All incidents happened in a 4000 miles round trip on I-5 in California, I-10 in Arizona, and I-10 in Texas. The vehicle underwent automatic braking without any prior prediction. As a result of these incidents, there was a potential risk of the rear vehicle colliding with my own vehicle, or the potential risk of neck injury. These incidents happened on 05/08/2023, 05/09/2023, 05/19/2023, 05/20/2023, and 05/21/2023.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523092May 21, 2023
STRUCTURE:BODY
I HAVE HAD 3 BROKEN WINDSHIELDS IN 9,400 MILES OF TRAVEL. I AM PRETTY SURE EACH WAS CAUSED BY FLYING ROCKS, BUT AT ONE REPAIR THE TESLA SERVICE MANAGER MENTIONED THAT THE WINDSHIELDS ARE VERY THIN TO SAVE WEIGHT. I BELIEVE THE WINDSHIELDS ARE VULNERABLE TO DAMAGE. I HAVE A 2018 TESLA MODEL 3 WITH 90,000 MILES THAT HAS NEVER HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD DRIVING IN THE SAME LOCALE. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY PROBLEM IF THE WINDSHIELD CRACKS AT SPEED. I DON’T THINK CRACKED WINDSHIELDS ARE REPORTED AS FAULTS, BUT I BET THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MANY Y’S WITH CRACKED WINDSHIELDS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523076May 21, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Braking. Yes, can be inspected upon request. Phantom braking for no apparent reason occurred at least 12 times in each direction on a long-distance trip on 2- and 4-lane roads on May 15 & 17 and also a trip in April, both in Autopilot and TACC modes, with nothing but the open road ahead, very little traffic, although a couple times when nearing the top of a hill. Driving at 70 mph on 2-lane roads and 80 mph on 4-lane roads. Concern of being rear-ended if passing a vehicle so wait long time to return to driving lane. Fortunately in standard driving no one was following closely to cause concern. One time when I was passing a semi, when I was almost even with the cab. No contact with dealer or service center as they are 240 miles away from my home or inspection by others. Unknown if there were on-screen messages due to watching the road instead.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523021May 20, 2023
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Car accelerated on its own, with no pedal pressure. My right foot was on the mat
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523050May 20, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
False forward collision warning incident took place on May 20, 2023 at 9:25pm on Alder Woods Dr. Fairfax, VA. The forward collision system mistake a legally parked on the street car for a moving car, and produced a false/phantom warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523034May 20, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
This incident took place on May 20, 2023 at Judicial Dr, Fairfax VA at 1:12pm. I was driving with my family, I changed from left lane to the right lane and the forward collision warning went off for no good reason: I didn't have any cars in front of me, or at my right hand side. Forward collision warning is producing false/phantom warnings.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523010May 20, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Incidents of phantom braking: We took our brand new Tesla model Y on a road-trip from Saint Helena CA to Scottsdale AZ and back. We had several incidents of the car slamming on the brakes while in cruise control due to mistakes in recognizing an actual reason to brake. May 11, in Arizona on highway 60, single lane road, we were in the right lane heading east when a large white pickup approached in the left lane. Our car mistook the approaching vehicle as a potential collision and slammed the brakes. This occurred a second time with another approaching vehicle at which point we ceased using cruise control. May 17 return trip on highway 10 in the morning, as I was driving with cruise control on, two lane highway, I approached a swale in the road with a change in pavement color. Gray concrete color contrasted with the blacktop patches in the upslope of the swale and the car slammed on the brakes. Same day, same highway, I was in the left lane having passed a slower vehicle. There were two cars behind me, waiting to pass. I put on the right turn signal and began to move into the right lane. There were a series of white jersey barriers on either side of the road. The car mistook these as a potential collision, slammed on the brakes and pushed me back toward the left lane. I applied the accelerator and forced it back into the right lane, avoiding a collision with the cars behind me. May 18 driving north on highway 5, multi lane highway and as my wife was driving and crested a hill there was a wire hanging across the road. In the center of the wire was a camera or some other device. While the wire was at least 6 feet over us, the car mistook it for an obstruction and slammed on the brakes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11522985May 20, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Wipers keep turning on randomly. It is a safety hazard as you do not expect wipers to turn on when no rain or water. Asked tesla dealer and they said it is a system wide issue and they have no solution.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11522980May 20, 2023
STEERING
The right tie rod suddenly disconnected when I turned the steering wheel. The tie rod did not look damaged. The car lost all steering control. Fortunately I was in my driveway when it occurred. The car has 24,000 miles and has never been in an accident. The car was towed to Tesla for repairs on 5/19/23
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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