Tesla Model Y Complaints (2023)

1,136 consumer complaints on file.

#11668616June 23, 2025
SEATS, AIR BAGS
Front Passenger Seat Occupancy Sensor Defect – Tesla Vehicle In March 2025, my Tesla vehicle began displaying a warning message indicating a fault in the front passenger seat occupancy sensor system. I brought the car in for service on March 14, 2025, and the system was reportedly replaced. However, in April, the issue recurred — the seat sensor alarm would activate randomly, particularly after going over bumps, falsely indicating that a passenger was present when the seat was unoccupied. I returned the car to Tesla service, and they again claimed to have repaired the issue. Despite this, the false passenger occupancy alerts continued. In May, I contacted Tesla and submitted several videos clearly documenting the problem. Tesla performed a remote diagnostic and stated that the seat occupancy sensor was functioning as intended. On June 22, 2025, I brought the vehicle back in for in-person inspection. Tesla physically examined the vehicle and acknowledged that the false alarm could be reproduced in a similar model vehicle, effectively confirming a design defect. Despite this, Tesla maintained that the issue did not affect the safety or function of the front seat. I believe this defect presents two significant safety concerns: 1.The frequent false alarms are distracting during driving, increasing the risk of an accident. 2.The defect raises serious concerns about the reliability of airbag deployment and other safety systems, which rely on accurate seat occupancy detection in the event of a collision. I have video evidence and service documentation supporting the timeline and recurrence of this defect. The problem has been reviewed multiple times by Tesla service teams, both remotely and in person. Tesla has acknowledged the issue can be reproduced but has taken no corrective action. I have videos of the defect I can submit and documentation of my conversations with Tesla.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667889June 19, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
I am writing to raise a safety concern regarding the use of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system on my 2023 Tesla Model Y when a rear hitch-mounted bike rack is installed. Numerous users, including myself, have experienced dangerous or erratic behavior from FSD when carrying bicycles on a rear-mounted rack. Specific issues include: False detection of a trailing vehicle directly behind the car. Phantom braking or swerving, including abrupt lane changes or acceleration. Unreliable navigation at intersections (e.g., nearly running stop signs) due to apparent misinterpretation of sensor data. In some cases, tailgating or aggressive following behavior by the vehicle. These behaviors appear to stem from the FSD system misinterpreting the presence or visual signature of the rack and bikes as another vehicle. In several online reports, this has led to unsafe maneuvers. To temporarily mitigate the issue, some drivers have resorted to taping over the rear camera, which is neither safe nor user-friendly. While I recognize Tesla has made improvements such as camera obstruction warnings (e.g., in FSD v12.5.6+), these do not address the core misclassification problem. My requests: That Tesla officially acknowledge and investigate FSD misbehavior in the presence of rear-mounted bike racks. That Tesla provide clear driver guidance on whether FSD should be used when such a rack is installed. That the FSD system include an option for a “Bike Rack Mode” or alternative logic to prevent rear-camera misinterpretation. That this concern be escalated within your safety and AI development teams to ensure user safety is prioritized.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667864June 18, 2025
Carry Handle, Shell, Base
I am writing to formally report a safety concern involving the Cybex Calisto G 360 convertible car seat. The issue pertains to a persistent rattling noise that emanates from the seat, specifically from the area near the child’s footrest, just above the belt tensioner lock mechanism. This sound occurs consistently during vehicle operation, regardless of whether a child is seated or the seat is unoccupied. I contacted the manufacturer, and their response was as follows: “After our Product Team reviewed your claim, it was determined that the amount of rattle you hear is completely normal. It passes our quality review for sound. The specific sound that is heard is from the metal rod inside the belt tensioner door.” While I appreciate their response, I remain deeply concerned. A rattling sound originating from a critical restraint mechanism area warrants a thorough safety inspection. The explanation that it is “normal” does not ease concerns about potential long-term reliability, wear, or failure of a restraint system component. Given that this noise may indicate looseness or internal movement of a part involved in child restraint tensioning, I strongly believe this issue requires further investigation by independent safety professionals. Please let me know if any additional documentation, photos, or videos would help in assessing the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667042June 15, 2025
SUSPENSION
The lower control arm of the passenger front wheel separated from the vehicle entirely while the vehicle was in motion. There are two bolts which attach the bushing to the front sub-frame assembly. These bolts pass through the frame and are secured into nuts which are affixed to the frame. The bolts are not captured; there is no retention device (pins, wiring) which prevent these bolts from backing out of position, other than torque. Blue thread-lock compound was visible on both bolts, which remained present in the bushing after the control arm separated from the frame. When the arm detached from the frame, it dropped to the asphalt and made a loud grinding noise. The passenger side front wheel became directionally unstable and rotated inward and left, out of alignment with the intact driver-side wheel. This misalignment, while the vehicle was in motion, disrupted steering control and forced the passenger front wheel into the fender, causing friction and significant further damage to the frame and the suspension. This damage, combined with the driver's actions, stopped the car immediately. Fortunately, this occurred at low speed. Unfortunately, the cumulative damage left the vehicle immobilized in the middle of public road. Due to the great weight of the vehicle and the unstable front wheel, the vehicle could not be removed from the roadway and thus blocked traffic for several hours. The bolts, frame, and control arm were not visibly damaged. The bolts lost torque and backed out of the frame without noticeable indication that they were doing so. Tesla's characterization of the fault was that the vehicle "ejected" the bolts. Tesla repaired the damage under warranty. Multiple reports of similar (visually identical) events are available: [XXX] [XXX] 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
#11666524June 12, 2025
SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS
While driving, a persistent error appears on the screen with a chime: "Front left safety restraint system issue" (Error Code: RCM2_a128). After researching online, it appears this is a commonly reported issue among Tesla owners and may have serious safety implications. The error code RCM2_a128 indicates a fault in the vehicle’s safety restraint system, specifically related to the seat belt or restraint mechanism on the front left side.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11666057June 10, 2025
AIR BAGS, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
The primary safety restraint system, specifically the driver's side airbag, failed to deploy during a significant frontal impact collision. This severely compromised my personal safety, as my head struck the steering wheel with force, leading to injury and pain. Had the impact been more severe, the lack of airbag deployment could have led to much more serious, potentially life-threatening, injuries. Immediately after the impact, the primary braking system also malfunctioned, and the vehicle's warning and autopilot systems became compromised, posing further safety risks. The specific airbag non-deployment problem has not yet been reproduced or formally confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, vehicle is currently scheduled for its first post-accident inspection at a Tesla Collision Center address 6010 Richmond Ave, Houston TX 77057 on June 11, 2025, and is available for inspection. To date, the vehicle has not been formally inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives for these specific malfunctions. Police responded to the accident scene and filed a report, but no technical inspection was conducted by them. There were NO prior warning lamps, messages, or symptoms indicating a malfunction with the airbag system before the collision. However, immediately after the collision, the primary brakes failed and the warning system and autopilot system showed signs of malfunction/disruption; no specific warning lights related to these post-impact issues appeared prior to their malfunction.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11665422June 6, 2025
SUSPENSION, STEERING
A suspension rod/bolt fell off my car. When I was making a right hand turn my car began screeching and shaking, I lost control for a second and almost hit another vehicle, luckily I was able to stop my car. I had my car towed to a Tesla service station for repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664968June 4, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Description of Incident: I was taking my family on a road trip from Disneyland back home to Chandler, Arizona when our 2022 Tesla Model Y displayed a battery issue. We stopped in Palm Springs to charge, but the battery would only charge very slowly and capped out at 32%. We brought the vehicle to the Palm Springs Tesla Service Center, where they diagnosed a failure in the high-voltage (HV) battery and stated it would need to be replaced — a process that would take about a week. Given that the car is only two years old, I found it concerning that a battery expected to last around 10 years would already need replacement. We were provided a loaner vehicle and returned to Arizona. When the repair was completed, I drove the loaner vehicle back to Palm Springs (a 5-hour trip) to pick up my car. On the return drive home, I stopped at a Tesla Supercharger in Quartzsite, Arizona, but the vehicle would not charge. After spending over 90 minutes on the phone with Tesla roadside assistance, a tow truck was dispatched and took both me and the car to the Glendale, AZ Tesla Service Center. There, I was informed — again — that the HV battery needed to be replaced. I explained that this component had just been replaced two days ago in Palm Springs, and asked for an explanation. I was not provided with any specific technical reason for the repeated failure, other than being told that the battery "just needs to be replaced again." Safety Concerns: At this point, I am deeply concerned that there may be a more significant or systemic issue with the vehicle’s electrical or battery systems that has not been properly identified. The repeated HV battery failures — combined with the lack of a clear explanation — raise serious safety concerns for my family and me, especially given how reliant the vehicle is on this system for power, propulsion, and emergency response.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664227June 1, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
We experienced an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation with Tesla Y model on [XXX] around [XXX] and would like to report to NHTSA. We were driving on [XXX] going towards Nashua and my TESLA-Y car when the steering wheel froze and I got message that front camera was not working. When I tried to steer the car in the lane, the car suddenly braked and took two 360 degree spins (turns) on the highway with cars streaming at high speed around us. We went from the left lane to the right most lane after two 360 degree spins and ended in the right lane. Luckily, no other autos hit us and I was able to take control of the car and pull over in the right lane. The incident is recorded int the Tesla's harddrive which we can make this available to you. the car started working normally so we drove back home. We have had minor control incidents with the lane assist and auto pilot systems of this car in 2023 and 2024. We have complained and showed the problem to Tesla dealer in Watertown, MA. However they said there is nothing wrong with the car. We request you to investigate this incident with Tesla and find out the cause for the car to take this dangerous breaking and spinning incident on a highway. Thanks, [XXX] and [XXX] [XXX] 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
#11663167May 27, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle had a open window during rain storm. Interior got wet. Next day the vehicle was left to dry out. Vehicle caught on fire and engulfed in flames in the backseat. Nobody was harmed fire was contained by the Frisco Fire Department. Vehicle was then towed away.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11663013May 25, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING
I have had Supervised Full Self Driving in the vehicle for well over a year. I have used the Smart Parking feature Monday-Thursday to park the vehicle at work and it has worked flawlessly. On [XXX] around [XXX], I went to [XXX] . After entering the gate to parking on [XXX], I drove slowly. I was able to select a parking spot and tapped on it on the screen for the selection and then started the automatic parking. There were no other cars around as we were all just starting to enter the gate and park. The car began to move in reverse. It then paused turned the wheel a bit, turned it back, tried to decide what it was going to do and started to move forward. The car then drove up the curb on to the walkway and almost drove into the building. I was able to hit the brake quickly to stop the process. There was no damage to the building or the car. I had never had an issue with the Smart Parking until this time. I then backed the car off the sidewalk and parked it myself. 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
#11662916May 24, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
•Incident Date: [XXX] •Location: Dallas, GA – Intersection of [XXX] and [XXX] •Systems Involved: Forward Collision Avoidance, Automated Driving System Description: While operating my 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range Sport in Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode at approximately [XXX] AM on [XXX], when the vehicle failed to yield at a yield sign while heading west on [XXX] at the intersection of [XXX] . A vehicle was already traveling west on [XXX] , and FSD accelerated through the yield rather than stopping or yielding. I had to apply the brakes rapidly to avoid a near side-swipe collision. The road was dry, with partly cloudy weather. Fortunately, no collision occurred. Dashcam footage was saved and can be made available. 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
#11662867May 23, 2025
STEERING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
UNKNOWN I was driving with no Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). My vehicle took control of the steering wheel, swerving uncontrollably, almost hitting approaching cars, and a wooden electricity post. It was diffucult to keep the steering wheel steady. I struggled to pull the vehicle to the side of the road until I made a complete stop. A witness checked on me and was concerned that I had almost crashed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662584May 22, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On [XXX], the vehicle displayed multiple alerts: “Electrical power reduced,” “Climate cabin controller requires service,” “Electrical system may not support all features,” and “Vehicle may not restart.” I scheduled service for May 21, 2024, and dropped the vehicle off at the Tesla Service Center in Fresno, CA. Tesla failed to provide a written invoice for that visit. A service advisor told me “It was a glitch” and that I should check the app, but no documentation appeared. Despite multiple in-person and written requests, I never received a record of the visit. On [XXX], the vehicle failed to start and was towed back to Tesla. A May 24 invoice confirmed a major safety issue—a high-voltage current fault that triggered the Pyrotechnic Battery Disconnect. Tesla later marked the May 21 appointment as “canceled” in their system. I photographed this cancellation screen in July, confirming the visit was erased despite a clear safety-related defect. This raises concerns about Tesla’s compliance with documentation and reporting obligations. I also submitted two reimbursement requests for $470.12 in transportation costs, which Tesla has not honored. These incidents show a pattern of concealment and unfair warranty practices. I respectfully request an investigation into this issue and whether a broader safety recall is warranted. Supporting documents are available upon request. 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
#11661933May 19, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, WHEELS
This is my 7th report. On [XXX] [XXX] pm I was traveling home from Alburquerque and was just past Isleta Resort and Casino heading south on [XXX]. I don't use cruise control very often because of the emergency braking that occurs (and that I have reported several times before). I was on a long drive and decided to try it on a short section of [XXX] on my first day, and found that it was slowing on it's own when I approached a car from behind. Two days later on the way home, when there was no one in front of me, it slowed significantly without needing to and I thought it was better than the past rapid braking...as I was thinking about this, the car abruptly "slammed on the brakes". I was forced forward but had my seat belt on. Stuff fell off back seat onto the floor. The Igloo cooler on the front passenger floor toppled forward. I'm quite sure there would have been a accident had someone been behind me. Additionally, the car is not recording my tire rotation from 16,000 miles, and continually says the last tire rotation was at 8,000. Good thing Discount Tire keeps track, as I am now overdue for another rotation (25k+ miles). 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
#11661462May 16, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My name is [XXX] and I'm a 2023 Model Y owner. My car is completing 2 years on [XXX]. It was delivered on [XXX]. I've about 18000 miles. The tires were all in pretty good conditions. My touch screen did not give any low-pressure warning or any sort of warnings. On [XXX] we were driving from Charlottesville to Centreville, Virginia. After about 25 miles on [XXX], car wobbled a lot and we pulled over and find a flat tire with the side teared as shown in attachments. We called Tesla road side assistance and they said we can tow it to Richmond, VA and then replace tire next day which is Monday. We then called AAA and towed the vehicle in a truck back home to Centreville, VA. Next day Tesla road side tire team came. They checked the tire and found no nails and he mentioned that the tire still has good over 50% thread life. I asked him how this could have happened and it is bizarre and totally strange this happened as we don't have any damage on our rims or wheels. I paid 365$ to replace the tire as the technician told replacing is the only choice. A brand-new tesla that came with 4 tires - how can this happen when we have maintained and we have rotated and always maintained the recommended pressure. There was not a warning and suddenly tire became like this. We would like Tesla to arrange for reimbursement of the tire that did not last even 2 years and for the towing expenses of 370$ (attached receipt here). Reached tesla with the only email that I found online: [email protected] and got no response in 2 weeks 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
#11661345May 15, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The issue lies with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system 12.6.4 on HW3. While driving on roads with lower speed limits (such as 35 or 45 MPH), the vehicle occasionally brakes abruptly for no apparent reason, even when there are no vehicles or obstacles ahead. This unexpected braking behavior can be dangerous, as it may lead to rear-end collisions if the driver behind is not attentive or prepared to stop suddenly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660814May 14, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
This incident happened on [XXX], I just got the Tesla data and police report. Here are the events as I remembered: - I was driving my 2023 Tesla Y with FSD supervised (v13.2.8) along [XXX] entered from [XXX] and driving close to north of [XXX] without any issue - Noticed a car in front of me braking hard (about 6secs from the recording dashcam footage) - Realized FSD was not braking hard enough (or at least it did not feel like it) - Slammed on the brake for what felt like an eternity (about 2 secs from the dashcam footage) - Rear end collision on the front car at ~25 mph, airbag deployed. I remembered feeling the brake pedal vibrating but did not stop the car at all. By analyzing the raw data provided by Tesla, it is found brake, accelerator, AEB, ABS and TSC were completely messed up after FSD failed, please refer to the attached analysis report. Note: The dashcam video file and the original Tesla data are available for reviewing if any need as I cannot upload along with this report. 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
#11660756May 13, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed with the full self-driving system activated, the message "System Malfunction - Take Over Immediately" was displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable diagnose the vehicle or duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660109May 10, 2025
SUSPENSION
Driving less than 5 mph, upper and lower control arms break off, throwing front driver side body onto front driver side tire. It could’ve been extremely bad if we were driving on the freeway and even caused death.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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