Tesla Model Y Complaints

4,325 consumer complaints on file.

#11688313September 19, 2025
SUSPENSION
Hi, I have 2024 model Y rear wheel drive and wheels are so bumpy. They’re charging over $45,000 for the car. How come you guys approve this vehicle? The suspension is so bad. The car bounced whenever you drive that is big recall to fix this issue when you’re spending $45,000 on a vehicle how did you approve that the car is so bouncy whenever you drive that’s a major major issue with Tesla…….
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688228September 18, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR
- Open rear passenger door and secured child in car seat. - Try to open driver side rear passenger door - which would not open. - Tried to open rear passenger door where child was in, and the door would not open. - Car was powered off and none of the doors opened. - After approximately 5 minutes, front passenger door opened, and child was removed form the car through the front door. - Requested roadside assistance with the diagnosis of 12V battery failure. - No warning that 12V battery was near end of life - Software updated the previous night.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688226September 18, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Our 2026 Tesla Model Y could not stop at a traffic light and rear ended the vehicle in front of it. Pumping the brake peddle had no effect. The incident did show up in the vehicles app. The front end was damaged (hood, drivers side fender and bumper). I contacted a Tesla representative and was instructed to make an appointment at a collision repair center to have the body work done prior to having the brake system diagnosed. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle at this time. I feel that Tesla should bear the cost for the collision repairs.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688217September 18, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I am writing to formally lodge a complaint against Tesla, Inc. regarding multiple critical safety failures that occurred with my Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ) during a collision on Saturday, [XXX], while I was traveling eastbound on [XXX] from the [XXX] exit to the [XXX] exit in Pennsylvania. At approximately [XXX], I was driving in the left lane when a BMW SUV abruptly cut into my lane ahead of me, accelerated briefly, and then suddenly braked. I immediately applied the brakes multiple times in an effort to stop my car. Even though there was sufficient space to stop safely, the braking system failed to respond, resulting in a collision with the BMW in front of me. Despite my efforts to avoid the impact, the following dangerous and unacceptable failures occurred at the time of the accident: 1.Failure of Regenerative Braking / Deceleration: When I lifted my foot from the accelerator, the vehicle did not decelerate as expected under Tesla’s regenerative braking system. 2.Failure of Braking System: Despite pressing the brake pedal twice—including a heavy application—the braking system failed to prevent collision, contrary to Tesla’s advertised safety performance. 3.Failure of Collision-Avoidance Features: Critical safety systems—including Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, and Obstacle-Aware Acceleration—did not engage to mitigate or prevent the impact. 4.Failure of Airbag Deployment: Despite the severity of the crash, none of the airbags deployed, exposing me to serious risk of injury and raising grave concerns about the integrity of the Model Y’s occupant protection systems. 5.Post-Collision Failure of Regenerative Braking: Following the accident, when I attempted to drive the vehicle, the regenerative braking system was completely non-functional, creating a continuing safety hazard and rendering the vehicle unsafe to operate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688207September 18, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
Finding random screws coming off the vehicle in various compartments. Two screws found laying in glove compartment that came off the assembly holding the inside of the glove box. A hex screw found in rear passenger arm rests storage compartment, after further look up, this screw became lose and fell off the arm rests storage compartment assembly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688047September 18, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
A [XXX] child could not open the left rear passenger door due electrical failure. This is a known safety failure for Teslas. 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
#11687980September 17, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR
On [XXX], the car was parked at my regular parking garage. The valet entered to the car to bring it down for pick up. After he entered, the power on the vehicle went out and the door would not open. He did not know about the manual door release. I walked up to see what the delay was and found him locked inside. The car was parked on an upper floor and the it was over 100 degrees in the car. We contacted 911 but eventually found the door release. Tesla was notified and towed the car several hours later. They jumped the car to get it open. It seems that the 12V battery had died without warning. Notes from Tesla Concern: Car won't power on/enter drive - Case MergedCustomer States : vehicle will not power on or drive Originating Phone Number : [XXX] IVR Context - No Results. Please check AutoDiag. | Repair Notes: Verified customer concern. Diagnosed and Found An internal short in the 12v battery: One or more of the six internal series cells has been bridged, resulting in five or less cells now being in series, reducing the voltage by at least 17%. This resulted in the e-fuse for the VCLEFT to trip and shut down the left side of the vehicle. Replaced 12V Battery. Proactively Perform 12v Disconnect procedures. Update vehicle software to the latest available firmware. Performed Validation Test Drive. Vehicle operating currently within Tesla Specifications. Verified Proper Operation. No further action is needed at this time. Correction: General Diagnosis Correction: Battery - 12V (Lead Acid) (Remove & Replace) - Remove and Replace 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
#11687884September 17, 2025
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt locked up on my son(8yr old) on the back of passager seat. he can't unbuckle. It got tight. I have to drove to fire department ask for help. We had 3 fire fighters helping him to get out of it. they can't. so the fire fighters have to cut the seat belt.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687747September 16, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR
Vehicle shut down and individual was locked in the car. Unable to release the doors. Incident occurred on June 23rd with a temp of 95 degrees and higher heat index. Individual was Stuck in the car in a parking garage with no one around to hear screams for help. Called home for assistance to come to the parking garage to help free them. Informed by online article about the Model Y 2021 model having other incidents of the same. We thought it was just a freak occurrence of our vehicle until reading about the probe. No warning indications that the auxiliary battery needed replacing that controls such functions. Tesla's Repair Notes: "The vehicle was unable to power on when parked, which was verified by the technician's inspection and the customer's report. The issue was caused by a failing 12V battery. The technician replaced the 12V battery to resolve the problem. After the replacement, all systems were checked and confirmed to be running properly"
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687741September 16, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I was provided a Tesla Model Y Juniper demo vehicle for a test drive on August 3, 2026 and the incident took place in it around 6:00 pm (±45 min). Full Self-Driving (FSD) was engaged. I had placed an order for a new Model Y on August 2 and took delivery on August 10 (different VIN). During the demo, FSD initially performed well: it autoparked into an apartment parking spot and exited once correctly. However, the second time, the system made a dangerous maneuver. It activated the left indicator and accelerated rapidly as if entering a roadway, but instead turned left directly into a pole. The pole struck the rear door. I braked, but the system’s sudden move left no time to react. A reasonable human would have exited slowly and cautiously, but FSD acted abruptly and unsafely. My pregnant wife was in the passenger seat, and both of us were frightened. This incident raised serious concerns about FSD’s ability to handle low-speed, high-precision situations. The car should have detected the pole and stopped, yet it did not. If a child or pedestrian had been nearby, the consequences could have been severe. This also makes me question whether FSD could make dangerous high-speed maneuvers. At the Tesla showroom, we were told FSD drives “better than a human,” which misled us as new customers. This was the first car I purchased, and I was unfamiliar with FSD’s limits. Only after the incident did I realize how risky it can be. In my new Tesla, although offered a free FSD trial, I have chosen not to use it. Tesla’s claims administrator, Fleet Response, has since sent me a repair bill of $7,611. I was never asked to sign any waiver, never shown liability terms, and was told demo drives are insured. This incident shows serious safety concerns and misleading sales practices regarding FSD at Tesla.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687672September 16, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR
on July 19, 2025 my 10-year old daughter entered the back seat and shut the door. When I (her mother) went to get into the drivers door the electricity in the car completely shut down locking my daughter in the vehicle. There were no visible icons or labels showing where the emergency/manual latch was. She was hystercial and heating up quickly. We called Tesla roadside assistance and the agent spent 10-15 minutes explaining how to get out of a Model 3 (we had a model Y). He then proceeded to tell us that he did not know how to advise her how to get out. He told us not to break the window and to search it on Google. when we asked for his name he would not provide it and he displayed hesitation and resistance to connect us with his superior. We explained that he was dealing with a potentially fatal situation and he displayed ZERO sense of urgency or compassion for the situation. We were able get her out of the vehicle after researching it online. But Tesla did not provide any guidance to help. Our car was at 80% charge and we did not get any low voltage notification or warning that the auxiliary battery was dead or low. My daughter was dehydrated and is forever traumatized by this situation and could have been seriously harmed. Tesla does not provide a standard vehicle delivery process when you purchase or lease a vehicle from them. They do not provide any tutorial or notification on what to do in the case you lose electrical power. The manual emergency latch is not labelled at all. You would never know it was there unless you search online. We sent an email to Tesla notifying them of the situation and they never responded. We even shared this with the service manager who replaced the battery and he said it is a common occurrence and brushed it off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687653September 16, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system has repeatedly demonstrated unsafe behavior in my 2021 Model Y (VIN [XXX] , ~60,184 miles). The issues involve Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assistance, and Forward Collision Warning. FSD frequently follows vehicles too closely, leaving insufficient distance. When I disengage, I am left with no safe option: braking hard risks being rear-ended and triggers a hard-braking event, while lifting off the accelerator leaves me dangerously close, still flagged as unsafe following. FSD often waits until less than a mile before highway exits to attempt lane changes, causing last-second darting, missed exits, or unsafe maneuvers. It also performs excessive and unnecessary lane changes that add risk without improving efficiency. Merges are frequently unsafe, forcing me to brake hard to let others pass or accelerate aggressively to avoid being cut off. On several occasions, FSD has jerked or swerved into adjacent lanes without signaling, seemingly triggered by shadows or changes in the road surface. These phantom maneuvers are unpredictable and hazardous. On [XXX] at about [XXX], at a T-shaped intersection, FSD failed to yield to a vehicle traveling straight with the right of way while I was making a left turn. I had to slam on the brakes to disengage, narrowly avoiding a collision. This was the second such incident in the same intersection in one week. These repeated failures—unsafe following, late exit attempts, failed merges, phantom swerves, and failure to yield—create significant risks for me, my passengers, and surrounding drivers. The problem has been reported to Tesla multiple times via in-car voice reports and a written service request, and logs from my vehicle should confirm these events. No warning lamps or system alerts appeared before or during the failures. 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
#11687633September 16, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR
In December 2023 I strapped my [XXX] son into his carseat in our Model Y and walked around to the front to get into the car as well. In those few seconds the 12v car battery died (I did not get any notification in my app) and I was unable to open any doors, so my infant son was trapped. We live in Florida and this was an 80 degree day. With no other recourse I was forced to call 911 to have my son removed from the vehicle. 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
#11687538September 16, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR
[XXX] , my [XXX] son, was strapped in his car seat, wide-eyed and confused, as we sat trapped in our Tesla for thirty agonizing minutes. The battery had died without warning, leaving us locked inside our own garage. No power, no way to open the doors. I tried to keep [XXX] calm, singing his favorite songs, but my heart raced as I called for help. A tow truck finally arrived and jumped the car—not enough juice to start the engine, but just enough to unlock the doors. Freedom at last. Tesla’s response? No roadside service; they insisted the car be towed to their service center. Easier said than done—the tow truck couldn’t maneuver it out of the garage. Frustration mounted as I realized I’d have to miss work. Days later, I drove to the service center, where they replaced the battery. But the ordeal wasn’t over. The trim was damaged during the chaos, and now every drive is accompanied by relentless wind noise, a constant reminder of that day. [XXX] still talks about being “stuck in the car,” and I can’t help but feel let down by a system that left us stranded. 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
#11687537September 16, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER, STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Summary of Complaint: My 2023 Tesla Model Y has had two roof glass failures in three months (two glass roof replacements). Both times, the glass cracked from small road debris while driving under normal city conditions. Safety Concern The roof glass appears unusually fragile and prone to cracking, raising concerns about whether it meets industry standards for impact resistance and occupant safety. The rapid failure rate (two roof glass panels in three months) suggests a potential design or materials defect rather than isolated incidents of road damage. If roof glass panels cannot withstand normal road debris, this presents a safety risk for drivers and passengers, as well as for other motorists if large shards detach while driving. The roof glass seems unusually fragile. Two failures in such a short time suggest a design or material defect. If the glass cannot withstand normal road debris, it may not meet durability or safety standards. There is also risk to occupants and other drivers if roof glass fails while in motion. Request: Please investigate whether the 2023 Tesla Model Y roof glass meets required safety standards, and whether this issue is affecting other owners.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687532September 16, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR
I saw that the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the Tesla Model Y (2021 and over) due to the electronic door handles becoming inoperative. I am happy and relieved to see this is being looked into since this recently happened to my vehicle a couple of months ago. The rear passenger side door unlocked initially for me to put by [XXX] old into the car seat but when I went to open the driver's side door, the handles would not open. I tried all other door handles and all were locked. Luckily, I had not shut the door next to my child's car seat yet, otherwise it would've locked my child inside the vehicle. I opened a ticket with Tesla and they sent a technician out. He said the low voltage battery needed to be replaced and when this happens all electric door handles will be unresponsive and locked. However, the vehicle never showed any warning or notification leading up to this. He said when the 12V battery fails, the only way to unlock the unresponsive doors is to use the manual release inside the car or jump the 12V battery under the frunk (assuming you have the right jumping cables outside of the car). The Tesla technician said it is a flaw in the Model Y design and he said I would've had to break a window to get my child out if they are not old enough to locate and release the manual door release inside the vehicle. This poses a huge safety risk to parents with young children. I really hope Tesla implements another emergency way to release the doors from outside the vehicle to avoid young children from being locked inside. 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
#11687493September 15, 2025
WHEELS
The front driver’s side wheel came off of the axel while parking. Lug nuts/studs appear intact, suggesting a suspension component failure. This is a serious safety hazard that could have caused loss of control and injury.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687450September 15, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Vehicle Autopilot settings with default settings, 1) traveling marked highway speed of 75 mph, vehicle detects something in either the lane to the right or left will slam on the brakes possibly causing a rear end collision, 2) traveling at marked highway speed of 75 mph, vehicle detects curve signs either to the right or left will slam on the brakes possibly causing a rear end collision, 3) traveling in town at marked speed of 40 mph, vehicle detects a vehicle turning at a safe distance for the speed either right or left will slam on the brakes possibly causing a rear end collision. Vehicle Autopilot settings: Forward Collision Warning “OFF”, Lane Departure Avoidance “OFF”. Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance “OFF”, Automatic Emergency Braking “OFF”, Obstacle-Aware Acceleration “OFF”, will remain set for the current drive without any of the above safety issues. Next drive the Automatic Emergency Braking “ON” and the above safety issues can happen. Tesla must make immediate software improvements in the Automatic Emergency Braking system and/or allow continual “OFF” setting disabling of the Automatic Emergency Braking system.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687384September 15, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
This started at about 65000 miles in my 2023 Model Y. The rear camera first lost picture and I received a warning that it may be intermittent. It has progressed now to the point that autopilot, navigation, all cameras, cruise control, auto headlight, and auto wipers are all nonfunctional. The car does not know its location. All safety features such as lanekeeping, cross traffic alert, auto braking are disabled. The rearview camera no longer functions. Software updates no longer complete downloading. While there are numerous reports of computer short circuits in hardware 4 cars, the only solution I am offered is to have the computer replaced at my own cost of just under 3000 dollars. And that would be warranted only for one year or 12500 miles. Reviewing the submissions on the NHTSA website as well as searching online, this problem is not infrequent. I do not feel safe letting my wife or daughter drive the car. Certain 2024 and 2025 models with this problem have been recalled for new computers. This must be expanded to include 2023 models as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687281September 15, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, AIR BAGS
24 hour after taking delivery, operating on Full Self Driving on a residential street at 25-30 mph, the car struck a landscaping trailer parked on the right.The tailgate of the trailer was down and the car struck the left rear upright post of the trailer causing significant damage to my car. No automatic breaking occurred: the car struck the trailer at full speed. The collision alarm sounded just as the vehicle struck the trailer, not before. I requested vehicle status info form Tesla, but the video stops well before the collision and I can't decipher the rest. But I can send it to you if it would be helpful,.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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