Tesla Model Y Complaints

4,325 consumer complaints on file.

#11753605July 29, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On February 17, 2026, around 4:20 pm, as I was departing my agency's parking garage structure, my 2023 Tesla Y uncontrollably and un-prompted accelerated at a very high speed. I applied the brake and it would not stop. I nearly killed the security guard at the garage who was trying to direct my vehicle to the correct exit lane. The vehicle ran across a sidewalk adjacent to the garage, ran across a street, hit a street parking meter, ran across another sidewalk, ran across and toppled a perimeter fence around a parking lot across from the garage I exited, ran over concrete wheel barriers, and continued running for about 300 feet before it came to a stop on its own. This duration of this terrifying ordeal was 3 to 5 seconds. The air bags did not deploy. I called 911 repeatedly for Police investigation and report but the Police never showed up. I towed the vehicle to a Tesla Collision Center, which inspected and investigated the accident, and the Tesla Center stated that the FSD system was working properly and did not find anything wrong. I informed the Tesla Center that I did not subscribe to the FSD system service and was not using it during the accident, and they stated that they stand by the determination of their engineering division that reviewed the "blackbox", information gathering device of the vehicle. The vehicle was totaled and non-salvageable. Prior to the accident, the Tesla Collision Center, had repaired the vehicle from a previous accident that occurred on September 25, 2025. There were no warnings before the vehicle uncontrollably accelerated at a very high speed. I have copy of the accident videos. Your platform would not allow me to upload the videos.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753345July 28, 2026
SUSPENSION
Clicking noise in rear suspension upon acceleration and assistive braking. First time I brought it in the Tesla service center lubricated the halfshafts. Clicking went away but returned a little over a month later. 2nd time the Tesla service center adjusted torque on suspension. Looking at thread online this seems to be a common issue with older Tesla Model Y. These are not normal maintenance items. I am worried about the safety of the suspension with this vehicle and how long it will be safe to drive before additional fixes, checking proper torque is required.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753327July 28, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING
The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the I-95 N to 175 W exit ramp, while approaching a traffic light in slow-moving traffic with the self-driving feature engaged, the vehicle failed to slow down as expected. To avoid a crash with the vehicle ahead, the contact veered to the right, leaving the roadway and traveling onto a slope and into the grass, where the vehicle struck a tree branch. There were no warning lights illuminated. A Police report was filed. There were no reported injuries or air bag deployment. The insurance company was notified of the issue. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 19,891.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753319July 28, 2026
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness
My child does not eat in his car seat. Every day debris dust etc gets under the release mechanism button causing the harness straps to randomly loosen. Huge safety issue that could lead to a fatal accident. Cybex’s solution is to tell you to clean out the mechanism but there’s no telling when or where the straps will stop tightening again. It’s not feasible to clean the strap every time I use the seat. My son’s straps fully loosen just by him leaning forward. This seat needs to be recalled!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753246July 28, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH with the cruise control engaged the vehicle lost automotive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and had received similar complaints; however, there was no fix available for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753209July 28, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The Full Self Driving software does not allow the user to limit the maximum speed of the vehicle while in use. The car frequently drives 15-20 MPH over the actual limits in typical driving modes with no ability for the user to safely and precisely restrict its speed to a more safe and appropriate level. The car may begin a journey at an appropriate speed, and continue at that speed for miles, but for no reason that is apparent to the user, the system may begin to accelerate beyond a safe limit. This makes the driving experience while using this software less predictable and compromises the safety of the user and others on the road. The user controlled speed limiting feature was previously available, and worked well, but was removed as part of an update to version 14.x of the software. An alternative that is being used, which is much less safe, is that users can restrict the speed of the entire vehicle such that its speed may never pass a certain level, under any circumstance, even if the accelerator is fully depressed (by the user). Once enabled, this feature cannot be adjusted or disabled while driving. Users are using this vehicle speed restriction feature to more precisely restrict the excessive and unpredictable speeding of the automated system because they are not given the ability to do so safely and precisely via other means.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752865July 26, 2026
SEATS
This is for a recurring front passenger safety restraint system defect on a 2021 Tesla Model Y, VIN [XXX]. The defect has now resulted in at least six service visits or invoices involving the same front passenger restraint / occupancy system concern, and Tesla has now charged $1,582.18 for another repair involving the front passenger seat cushion trim and seat back trim even though prior repairs did not permanently correct the condition. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752764July 25, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
This is about a 2020 Tesla Model Y, with HardWare3 (HW3) Full-Self-Driving (FSD) feature. The older HW3 FSD-enabled Model Y cars started getting the new "v14 Lite" FSD updates recently - I got mine a few days ago. I immediately noticed a safety concern with the v14 Lite. Previous versions of FSD allowed me to set the maximum speed that the car would drive in the FSD mode - I can adjust it using the "wheel button" on my right thumb on the steering wheel, and the car would not exceed the maximum speed I choose. However, after the update to v14 Lite, the wheel button no longer controlled the maximum speed. Instead, it controlled the "speed profile" ("Sloth", "Chill", "Standard", "Hurry" are the options in my car). Regularly in highway driving, even in the Standard mode, the car would speed up to go well past the speed limit, more than 10mph over the speed limit, seemingly to match the speed of the rest of the traffic (69mph on a 55mph highway). This felt very uncomfortable. I tried to adjust the max speed down like I was used to, but the car instead switched to a different profile, "Chill", and rapidly slowed down to 4mph below the speed limit (51mph in this case=. The speed reduction was so sudden that it also felt dangerous (car behind me would have to break quickly to not hit me), and I didn't want to be driving well below the speed limit (also dangerous). Under "Self Driving" settings menu, there is also a feature called "Speed Limit", that used to allow you to set the "default" speed limit for FSD driving (for instance, +3mph above the speed limit). You can adjust it up and down with the right thumb wheel beyond that, but it set the default basic max speed limit for FSD. After the v14 Lite update, the FSD completely ignores this speed limit, and happily accelerates well beyond that. Not it seems like the "speed limit" feature is simply for warning the driver to not exceed the pre-determined speed limit when controlling the car. FSD simply ignores it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752860July 25, 2026
AIR BAGS
At I-66 East and 495 Exit in Fairfax/Vienna, another car hit my Tesla car from the side at around 40-50 MPH. My car driver side had a heavy impact - Door scratched badly, rear window broke, rear tail lamp broke, rear tire got damaged, components on top of the front tire came off. Even the car was hit with this heavy force and had heavy damage, Airbags never deployed. Luckily THe driver didn't have any injuries as she was wearing a seat belt. How come the airbags never popped with this heavy impact accident? THe car that hit our car, didn't have as much damage as ours but their airbags deployed. Is this a defect with Tesla airbags?
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752840July 25, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
On August 25, 2025, I was in a crowded Trader Joe's parking lot using the vehicle's FSD parking feature. The vehicle was moving backward into a parking position. A stationary vehicle was in the area. Instead of detecting the other vehicle and stopping, the Tesla kept backing up and made contact with the stationary vehicle. The other vehicle was not moving, and there was enough room for the Tesla to park without contact. I do not remember the exact positioning or direction because of the time that has passed. I did not receive a warning that prevented the contact. I reported to Tesla that the vehicle appeared not to detect the stationary vehicle, but I did not receive an inspection result or written technical finding. I do not have an expert determination of the cause. I am asking NHTSA to review this as a possible FSD parking, parking-collision-warning, or automatic-emergency-braking safety defect.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752838July 25, 2026
STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
On June 7, 2026, I was driving westbound on I-290 in the leftmost lane in a 2024 Tesla Model Y. I recall FSD (Supervised) was engaged and making a lane change into the left lane. Instead of settling in the lane, the vehicle continued left and struck the divider/median. I braked. The vehicle then bounced back and moved right toward a large truck and collided. I did not receive a takeover warning before the event. The front bumper came off and the vehicle became inoperable. A fire truck traveling behind me blocked traffic after the crash. Tesla event data records a Crash Algorithm Wake-Up at about 9:49 a.m. Central and includes speed, steering, braking, acceleration, ABS, lane-assist, and cruise-control signals. I reported the safety concern to Tesla and asked for review of the FSD/software issue and data, but I have not received written findings. I do not have an expert determination that FSD caused the crash. I am asking NHTSA to review the incident and data for a possible driver-assistance, steering, or lane-control safety defect.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11752724July 24, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My 2025 Model Y with stalks creates an unsafe driving condition. Under current software, enabling FSD forces a single-pull lockout that completely disables standard Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC). (Advanced Driver Assistance Sytems) FSD routinely follows vehicles at less than a 1 second gap at 70-80 MPH and attempts unsafe merges with tractor-trailers. Drivers must be allowed to drop to TACC to maintain safe following distances without being forced to entirely disable FSD while parked. Because the software removes the single-pull/double-pull distinction, the driver cannot downgrade the system to standard cruise control on the fly to establish a safe following distance. To stop the dangerous FSD behavior, the driver must completely disengage the system to manual control, as switching the underlying autopilot modes requires pulling over and shifting into Park. Tesla customer support has refused to address this software-enforced safety hazard. Following too closely routinely happens on the interstate at Highway speeds while using FSD. This safety issue occurs consistently during highway driving on major interstates at speeds between 70-80. The inability to seamlessly select a safe cruise control mode increases the risk of a high speed rear end collision.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752664July 24, 2026
STEERING
I was backing out of my residential driveway when I suddenly noticed the steering wheel required much greater effort than normal, indicating a loss of power steering. There were no prior warning messages or symptoms before this event. As I began driving, multiple warnings appeared on the display, including “Steering Assist Reduced,” “Stability Control Disabled,” “Traction Control Disabled,” and “Vehicle Hold Unavailable.” The steering immediately became extremely heavy, making the vehicle difficult to maneuver safely. Because the failure occurred without warning, I did not feel it was safe to continue driving except to move the vehicle as necessary. The vehicle was subsequently inspected by a Tesla Service Center, which confirmed that the steering rack and Front Vehicle Controller required replacement. The repair was performed by Tesla after diagnosis. I am submitting this report because a sudden loss of steering assist without any prior warning presents a significant safety risk. Although this occurred while pulling out of my driveway, the same failure could occur while a driver is traveling at higher speeds or in traffic, where maintaining control of the vehicle could be much more difficult.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752663July 24, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
While driving through normal rain with ordinary standing water on the roadway (NOT flood conditions), the rear bumper fascia detached from my Tesla Model Y. There was no impact, no collision, and no debris strike - there are no impact marks or scratches on the bumper. The fascia was pulled off by water drag, tearing a welded body mount bracket from the vehicle structure and damaging the underbody shield. This is a road safety hazard: a detached bumper fascia can drag on the roadway, separate completely, and become a large road obstacle for vehicles behind me. Tesla documented this exact failure mode in Service Bulletin SB-20-12-003 (rear fascia detachment when driving through standing water, with damage to harnesses and body fasteners/mounts), yet the defect persists in Model Y vehicles. Notably, another Tesla directly next to mine suffered the identical bumper detachment in the same rainfall at the same time - two identical failures in identical ordinary weather conditions, indicating a systemic design defect rather than driver error. Tesla Service denied warranty coverage, characterizing normal rain as 'flood water.'
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752660July 24, 2026
AIR BAGS
The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact experienced a medical emergency and the vehicle crashed into a tree. The air bags deployed as needed. The contact and wife who was seated in the front passenger seat, were transported to the local medical center. The contact was unconscious when transported. The contact sustained injuries, including burns to the face; both eye corneas were burned, lungs infected due to the inhalation of toxic fumes and a broken talus on the right foot. In addition, the contact was continuing to receive medical treatment. The contact's wife sustained burns to the face and inhalation of the toxic fumes. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A Police report was filed. The contact stated that the air bags were defective and unsafe. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11752539July 23, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
As a 100% T&P Disabled Veteran relying on advanced driver-assistance for mobility, I purchased a 2022 Tesla Model Y Performance with Hardware 3 (HW3), which was actively advertised and sold as possessing all necessary hardware for safe, autonomous operation. In practice, the vehicle suffers from safety-critical driver-assist defects—including unexpected disengagements and erratic system choices—due to fundamental HW3 processing and memory bandwidth limitations. Operating a vehicle marketed as autonomy-ready, but constrained by hardware incapable of handling complex traffic scenarios safely, forces constant manual intervention and creates an unacceptable collision hazard for a disabled driver.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752331July 23, 2026
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On 7/22/2026 between 6pm and 7pm PST, I was driving my Tesla Model Y on I-405 southbound in Orange County, CA, between the Westminster Blvd exit and Exit 73, with Full Self-Driving (Supervised) engaged. The incident occurred at an express lane ingress/egress transition zone where a physical barrier separates the express and general-purpose lanes. While in FSD mode, the vehicle initiated a lane change on its own. During the lane change, the FSD system misjudged the lane boundary and steered the vehicle into the lane divider/barrier. The vehicle struck the divider on the front right side. The failed system is the FSD/automated steering and lane change function. No forward collision warning sounded and no automatic emergency braking activated before impact with the fixed barrier. There were no warning lamps, alerts, or symptoms prior to the failure; the system initiated and executed the lane change without indicating any problem. The impact damaged the front right body panel, front right bumper area, and the right headlight. My safety and the safety of vehicles in adjacent lanes was put at risk, as the collision occurred at roadway speed during an automated maneuver I did not initiate. Had the divider been a vehicle or a pedestrian work zone, the outcome could have been far more severe. All FSD telemetry, camera footage, and vehicle data from the incident should be available from the manufacturer, and I have requested the vehicle data report from Tesla. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request and is being taken to a Tesla-certified collision center for repair. An insurance claim is being filed with my carrier. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or police.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752329July 23, 2026
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
**Incident Report — Tesla Model Y Safety System Failure** The subject vehicle, a Tesla Model Y equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology and advanced safety features, was involved in a collision at an estimated impact speed of 40–45 MPH. The vehicle's onboard recording system captured the incident and clearly documents the impact dynamics, vehicle speed at impact, and the contributing actions of the other party involved. **Incident Details:** - **Impact Location:** Left front side of vehicle - **Impact Speed:** 40–45 MPH - **Damage Assessment:** Vehicle declared total loss by insurance - **Recorded Evidence:** Onboard system footage available **Safety System Failures:** Despite the severity of the impact and speed involved, the following safety systems failed to activate: - Emergency braking system did not engage - Forward Collision Warning Failed - Seatbelt pre-tensioning/locking mechanism did not activate - Airbag deployment systems failed (front, side, curtain, and knee airbags) **Concern:** The vehicle's advanced safety features—which are primary design components marketed for collision mitigation—did not function as designed or expected. Given the impact speed and severity, these safety systems should have either mitigated the collision or deployed to protect occupants. The failure of multiple redundant safety systems raises questions regarding the reliability and function of these critical systems at the time of impact. **Available Evidence:** - Onboard system footage (speed, impact angle, timing) - Insurance total loss assessment - Medical records (if applicable) - Vehicle service history
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11752327July 23, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Tesla took off from a parking lot and was uncontrollable, went through the grass, crossed the street and construction before hitting the barricades and fell into a sewer as the road ended there. There were 2 passengers in the car and luckily both passengers came unharmed. But FSD needs to be investigated on why this happened.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752281July 23, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I want to raise a serious safety concern with a recent Tesla software update related to Full Self-Driving (FSD). When I disengage FSD, a prompt immediately appears on the main screen asking why I intervened, with selectable options. Here is the issue: When I take over from FSD, it is almost always because something requires my full attention in that moment. That is the exact point where I need to be focused entirely on driving, not reading or interacting with a screen. Introducing a pop-up at that precise moment creates a distraction during a potentially critical transition from automated to manual control. From a human factors and safety standpoint, this feels backwards: - The highest-risk moment is the handoff from FSD to driver - The system is adding cognitive load and visual distraction at that exact time - Even if interaction is optional, the visual interruption alone pulls attention This is not just an annoyance—it has real potential to increase risk in already sensitive situations.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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