Tesla Model Y Complaints

4,325 consumer complaints on file.

#11740400May 27, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SUSPENSION
Tesla 2026 Model Y was involved in a severe motor vehicle accident directly caused by a critical software and/or hardware malfunction of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. At the time of the incident, the vehicle’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software suite was actively engaged and driving the vehicle. While navigating, the system suffered an abrupt and uncommented control malfunction. Despite prompt attention, the autonomous system executed an erratic, uncorrectable maneuver that overrode human intervention thresholds, completely failed to respond safely to the immediate driving environment, and directly caused a collision.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740161May 26, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Phantom brake incident today,5/26/26. Traveling 35mph, brakes slammed on for no apparent reason. Seatbelt tightened and my head launched forward. Neck is very strained.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11740109May 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am reporting an issue with Supervised FSD regarding school zones in Ohio. In my area, active school zones are indicated by flashing lights. The FSD system successfully recognizes these lights and reduces the vehicle's speed to the legal limit of 20 mph. However, if there is a traffic light within the school zone, the vehicle loses track of the school zone speed limit after stopping or cycling through the intersection (red/green transitions). Once the traffic light turns green, the car quickly accelerates back to the normal speed limit (e.g., 35 mph) while still inside the active school zone. I have posted this issue to @Tesla and @Tesla_AI on X, but have not received a response.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740082May 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
After the newest software update, the Tesla Model Y FSD now shows a pop-up menu every time you disengage full self-driving. The pop up menu is black, so it contrasts with the white screen and causes a visual distraction. Additionally, the pop up menu requires you to make a selection in order to make it disappear - there’s no way to swipe it away (which would still be problematic while driving). Because it’s mandatory, and it is located on top of the volume controls for music/podcasts/etc, you are unable to pause auditory stimulation such as music/podcasts. This happens at the exact moment you need to focus most: when a traffic situation is so dicey, disabling FSD is required to ensure safe driving. This is an absolute safety concern. I tried to disable the feature through Tesla’s support services, but that option is not available. This is a serious safety concern, and it’s frankly egregious that Tesla is allowed to do this. The pop-up menu does not benefit drivers in any way - it’s clearly there for Tesla to collect data to improve their FSD product. They need to find a way to collect that data without impacting the safety of the driver and other vehicles on the road. Furthermore, it’s not even good quality data collection - the variables they provide in the pop-up menu are vague and do not come with definitions. Their quality system needs tighter review.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740070May 26, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I and others have noticed that once UNsubscribed from FSD, lane departure alerts and automatic corrections occur much more often than when subscribed to FSD, even if car is being driven by user. The alerts and corrections happen on almost every drive despite being within normal lane spacing. It feels like this is intentional to push users to subscribe back to FSD. Driving other makes of vehicles does not result in nearly this amount of warnings and corrections. Various online forum post corroborate this behavior. Even if there is an explained reason for it, Tesla does not notify the user of such changes that will happen once unsubscribing from FSD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740003May 26, 2026
SUSPENSION
Service Concern — Front Suspension / Rattling Noise Vehicle is experiencing a persistent rattling/knocking noise from the front area when driving over bumps, uneven pavement, or rough roads. Noise is noticeable at low to moderate speeds and appears suspension-related. Condition seems consistent with known Tesla Model Y service concerns regarding: * front upper control arm mounts, * front damper assemblies, * and wiper bracket pencil braces. Requesting inspection and evaluation of: * front suspension components, * damper assemblies, * upper control arm mounts, * and any applicable Tesla Service Bulletins related to front-end NVH/rattling concerns. Noise has become increasingly noticeable during normal driving conditions and is affecting ride quality.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739989May 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My bulldog died yesterday in the new Tesla y we bought because the side storage in the back doesn’t have a cover. I regret ever buying that car. The side storage should come with a cover especially for the size of the space. My explorer came with covers. She went in head first and suffocated to death. I pulled over as soon as I realized something was wrong and had do compressions on her in front of my kids. But it was too late. This is a safety issue. Fix it before it happens to other families. My family is devastated by this. People put their animals back there. It should be safe. We should be able to trust the product especially at the cost we paid. The car has dog mode which means it is supposed to be safe for you to leave your dogs in the car. It is not. I have records of her cremation
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739880May 25, 2026
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
UPDATE to previous complaint – Reference Number: [XXX] VIN: [XXX]a [XXX] UPDATE to my previous NHTSA complaint regarding sudden unintended acceleration in my Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ) I previ[XXX]sudden acceleration incident on [XXX], at [XXX] 4 parking garage ramp. Tesla has now provided the Vehicle Data Report and EDR data (Case # [XXX]). The data shows accelerator pedal position increasing to 100%, with brake input occurring late. However, I am 100% certain that I did not press the accelerator pedal at any time. I have a clean driving record of over 27 years. This discrepancy between the logged data and actual driver input strongly suggests a potential safety defect in the accelerator pedal sensor system (both redundant sensors), drive-by-wire system, or brake override / Automatic Emergency Braking functionality. Attachments included with this update: Tesla Vehicle Data Report (VDR) Tesla EDR Report High-resolution photos of vehicle damage and airbag deployment I request that NHTSA review this additional technical information as part of their evaluation for a possible safety defect investigation. BTW, it is really difficult to contact Tesla to report such incidents. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#11739830May 24, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
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?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739828May 24, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Adaptive cruise control slams on the brakes at highway speed alleging “curvature assist” on flat, straight roads. Dealer replaced firmware and problem persists. Defect appears to be inherent to adaptive cruise control
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739805May 24, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739798May 24, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I have written several times before about my car's phantom braking in cruise control. When the Santa Fe Tesla dealer, where I bought the car, told me recently that the problem had been fixed, I was disappointed they didn't bother to tell me, but thrilled to hear the news. On May 12-13 I drove over 900 miles. I tried cruise control for significant portions of both drives and did not experience one problem. Finally, I thought, they fixed the problem...and how nice it was to have cruise control for extended drives. Not so soon: on May 19th I was driving 2 friends up to volunteer at the Wildlife refuge on I-25 in northern New Mexico. The phantom braking happened again. My friends were dismayed...one thought I had seen something in the road that she didn't see. The other, in the back seat, tried to understand what happened. Please, this is beyond the pale! Of course I will call and take the car in to the dealer...an hour's drive for me. I will be surprised if they fix it, and if they do it under warranty. I did just buy new tires (see previous report about original tires with multiple flats and not even making it to their 40,000 mile warranty) so I'm no longer worried about getting a flat in the rural areas where I live and drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739795May 24, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Driver used Tesla FSD (supervised) to park. The car (Tesla Model Y 2023) prepared to park and slowed down. Second before full stop, the car suddenly accelerated on its own without driver stepping on the accelerator. It went onto the curb and knocked over the fence and continue to drive full speed before driver braked hard and stopped the car. Video is available upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739778May 24, 2026
SUSPENSION
Component that failed: Front lower lateral link and compliance link suspension bushings. Failed components were removed by Tesla Service and are no longer available for inspection. Safety risk: Failed suspension bushings directly compromise steering precision, vehicle stability, and handling — particularly at highway speeds. A driver unaware of this failure could experience loss of steering control or unpredictable handling without warning. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. Tesla Florida (Tampa, 11945 North Florida Avenue) confirmed the failure in writing on May 22, 2026. Technician repair notes state: “inspection failed due to worn suspension bushings in the front.” Tesla confirmed this was the first time these original components had ever been serviced. Invoice #[XXX]. Manufacturer inspection: Yes, repaired by Tesla Service Center. Cost: $1,669.58. Warning lamps or prior symptoms: None. No warning lights, no alerts through the Tesla app, and no prior symptoms communicated to the owner. Failure was discovered only because vehicle was brought in for an extended service agreement inspection. Assessment: Original factory suspension bushings completely disintegrated at 56,258 miles on a 2021 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ). This is not normal wear — photographic evidence shows full structural disintegration of rubber bushing material. Other Model Y owners may be driving with identical failures without knowledge. 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
#11739597May 22, 2026
SUSPENSION
The car is unstable on the highway when there is a crosswind - either from wind gusts or from large vehicles. The car is easily pushed by wind until lane assist activates to stop it from going outside of the lane. It feels very unsafe to drive on the highway. This is how the car was when it was bought. An alignment was done during the first Tesla service visit and that helped slightly. The second Tesla service visit they said the vehicle was operating as expected and then checked wheel balance after I insisted. They said they fixed wheel balance but it still did not change how the car handles in crosswind. The third Tesla service visit (different service center) they said the vehicle was working as expected and said they could not drive for a significant distance to test. If lane assist ever fails when I'm not ready to instantly react to a gust of wind, it feels like it would easily move into another lane or off the road. When passing large vehicles where wind changes direction, the car sometimes gets pushed left and right which sometimes triggers an alarm and shows an on screen message saying to take control of steering. I test drove another of the same model car for an hour and had the same unstable feeling in the wind but was unable to test long enough to find an area with high crosswind.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739558May 22, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Component or system that failed: The GPS navigation system and cellular connectivity module in my 2024 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ) have intermittently lost signal and become completely nonfunctional multiple times over the past month. Tesla's service documentation indicates this affects the vehicle's connectivity hardware or managing software. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: Loss of GPS navigation while driving creates a safety hazard when traveling unfamiliar routes, in low-visibility conditions, or during emergencies. Loss of cellular connectivity simultaneously disables Tesla's roadside assistance and the vehicle's calling capability. The vehicle acknowledges this risk by displaying a yellow caution alert reading "Poor GPS location accuracy — Additional attention may be required" on the primary touchscreen while in motion, with no advance warning before the failure occurs. Reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center: Yes. On May 22, 2026, Tesla Service Columbia-Two Notch Rd, 6301 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29223, confirmed this as a known issue. The service advisor stated Tesla is aware of the defect but has no repair available and instructed me to submit in-car bug reports each time it occurs. Inspected by manufacturer or others: Yes, by Tesla's service center on May 22, 2026. No independent, police, or insurance inspection has been performed. Warning lamps or prior symptoms: A yellow triangle caution icon with the message "Poor GPS location accuracy — Additional attention may be required" appears on the primary touchscreen during each failure, but only after GPS has already degraded — no advance warning is given. This has occurred four times since April 2026, with each event lasting between 15 seconds and over one minute. UNKNOWN as to specific trigger conditions. Photographic documentation has been retained. 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
#11739544May 22, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING
While driving, a critical heavy-duty front lower control arm / lateral link bolt completely detached from my vehicle and was found intact on the ground with factory green threadlocker still visible on the threads. The undercarriage and chassis show absolutely ZERO signs of external impact, scrape, or road hazard damage. This structural failure caused an immediate, severe safety hazard, rendering the vehicle completely unsafe to drive due to a catastrophic risk of wheel separation and total loss of steering control. This exact component failure is identical to Tesla's historical safety recalls, specifically NHTSA Recall Campaign Number 21V835000 and its expansions, which explicitly state: "the front suspension lateral link bolts may not have been secured to the correct specifications... causing the fasteners to loosen over time and separate from the sub-frame." Because the bolt loosened and fell out over time due to insufficient factory torque, the loose component put uneven mechanical stress on the lower control arm, resulting in the complete failure and damage of the control arm assembly. Tesla Service Center has refused to honor this as a latent manufacturing defect, hiding behind warranty expiration. They have unconscionably misclassified a known, life-threatening production defect as standard "wear and tear," forcing me to pay a $265 diagnostic fee and the full cost of a complete control arm replacement under protest. I am filing this report because Tesla is actively endangering consumers by failing to expand their suspension fastener recall to cover vehicles experiencing the exact same catastrophic manufacturing defect outside the arbitrary warranty period. NHTSA ODI complaint records show multiple substantially similar failures outside Tesla’s recall VIN population, including ODI Nos. 11630487, 11554803, 11494976, 11493354, 11486040, 11689987, 11675200, and 11632785 for Model Y vehicles, and ODI Nos. 11720800, 11705487, 11675676, 11664858, 11637813, etc
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739304May 21, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING
While making a normal right turn at low speed in a residential neighborhood, I heard knocking sounds from inside the vehicle and immediately lost steering control. I had to physically force the wheel back into position to regain control of the car. After the initial incident, every right turn and brake application produced a loud rubber grinding sound accompanied by significant loss of steering control. The vehicle was completely unsafe to drive. Tesla previously issued recall SB-22-31-002 for 2023 Model Y vehicles for improperly torqued front lower lateral link fasteners at the factory which are the exact same components that failed on my vehicle. Tesla confirmed my VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle has been driven normally with no accidents or abuse. Mileage at time of failure was approximately 58,000 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739149May 20, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
At about 2:16 PM on Monday, 5/18/2026, I was driving southeast in the right lane of Amaya Drive from Fletcher Parkway in La Mesa, CA, planning to turn right across the trolly tracks onto Severin Drive. There is an intermittent LED sign indicating NO RIGHT TURN in the southeast corner of the intersection, just below and to the right of the ground-level stoplight, that illuminates when the trolley is passing so traffic going straight on Amaya can still proceed. In the first Street View PDF I uploaded, it is not illuminated. I had FSD engaged, and as I approached the intersection the NO RIGHT TURN LED was illuminated. If I recall correctly, I assumed FSD would stop for the NO RIGHT TURN LED; but instead, it continued to make the right turn. Luckily my son was in the right seat and yelled several times for me to stop, which I did—just a few feet from the crossing arm, which can been seen elevated in the middle of the second Street View PDF I uploaded, and which was just coming down for the approaching trolley. By the time I got stopped, The crossing arm was fully down, and as noted above I ended up just a few feet from it, and would clearly and unequivocally have driven under and through it if I hadn’t braked suddenly. It’s clear that this was completely the fault of FSD either not reading or not being aware of the intermittent NO RIGHT TURN LED sign. Since FSD clearly doesn’t read NO RIGHT TURN signs, particularly intermittent LED signs, the solution seems to make this intersection NO RIGHT TURN whenever the light is green to pass through the intersection on Amaya, although this will hold up the cars who would like to turn right when there’s no trolley approaching.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739136May 20, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS
This is the opposite of a complaint. Somebody may have already submitted a blurb about their Tesla Y traveling on a highway with the speed limit of 60 giving an extra foot of room to a motorcyclist that was passing their vehicle. This happened to me today for the first time while I was in full self driving mode . My car was aware of the motorcyclist wanting to pass me and the car in the next lane. Sensing this it moved over about a foot in my lane to allow the motorcycle passage more room. A few minutes later, it did it again for a different motorcyclist. It did this all while in full self driving mode. Kudos to this safety technology.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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