Tesla Model Y Complaints (2021)

1,061 consumer complaints on file.

#11684568September 2, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The main vehicle computer (MCU) failed. The problem first appeared in May 2024 with intermittent rear camera malfunctions. It has since worsened. Most recently (08/28/25), the center display went completely black and the vehicle became inoperable — I could not start or move it. This left me stranded in a dangerous neighborhood late at night and required the car to be towed. When the display fails, I lose access to the rear camera, climate controls (including defrost), and turn signal indicators. These are safety-critical systems, and in this case the failure also disabled the ability to drive the vehicle entirely. The problem has been reported to Tesla. They inspected the vehicle but claimed the earlier camera malfunction was unrelated to the current computer failure. No independent mechanic has inspected it. The failures are ongoing and reproducible. No warning lights or alerts appeared before the system shut down. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Being that this issue originally arose back in May, 2024- it should fall under Tesla’s warranty which expired in December 2024.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683388August 27, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Immediately after an over-the-air (OTA) update on Aug 8, 2025, my vehicle began showing camera connection errors and disabled multiple safety/ADAS features. Over the following days, I repeatedly received alerts that AEB was unavailable. The vehicle remained drivable, but AEB and related safety functions were inactive. Chronology: Aug 8, 2025: OTA software update to 2025.26.6 completed. Right after completion, the touchscreen displayed camera connection errors and disabled AEB / Autopilot / cruise control. Aug 11, 2025: While driving, I again received an “AEB unavailable” alert. Similar alerts appeared intermittently throughout the week. There was no water intrusion, impact, or external damage. Cameras were clean and unobstructed. I scheduled the earliest available Tesla Service appointment and reported the AEB failure as a safety issue. Service diagnosis: Tesla diagnosed a failure of the Autopilot computer (HW3) and ordered a replacement. Cost/coverage: I requested that the repair be covered by Tesla because the failure started immediately after the OTA update and I am a paid Full Self-Driving (FSD) purchaser. My request was denied; I was charged ~$1,600 (slightly discounted) for the computer replacement. Safety risk description: The failure disabled AEB and other forward-collision mitigation features without an external cause, beginning minutes after the OTA update. I consider this a safety defect because an advertised crash-mitigation system became unavailable during normal use, increasing crash risk. The timing suggests a possible software–hardware interaction (software change triggering or revealing a hardware fault) that could affect other vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683010August 25, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Summary of Issue: The vehicle has experienced intermittent drive disconnections without warning. This occurred multiple times on August 9–10, 2025, during trips between Palo Alto and Monterey. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection? The suspected component is the drive unit (covered under Tesla’s 8-year Drive Unit & Battery warranty). The vehicle and its systems remain available for inspection by NHTSA or Tesla. How was safety put at risk? The intermittent drive disconnections can result in sudden loss of propulsion without warning while the car is in motion. If this occurs at highway speeds, it creates a serious safety risk of collision or loss of vehicle control. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center? Tesla Service has attempted to inspect the vehicle but reported “no fault found.” Because the issue is intermittent, Tesla did not reproduce it during their inspection, though I documented it on August 9–10, 2025. Has the vehicle/component been inspected by the manufacturer or others? Yes, the Tesla Service Center inspected the vehicle 25 August 2025. However, Tesla has refused to provide a detailed record of what diagnostic steps were actually performed (log review, physical inspection, or drive unit stress testing). Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms? No warning lamps or messages appeared at the time of the failures. The vehicle resumed propulsion after several seconds, clearing the condition without leaving an active customer-facing alert. Concern: Because the failure is intermittent and leaves no persistent alerts, Tesla has returned the vehicle without resolving the problem or providing adequate documentation. This leaves a potential safety-critical drivetrain failure unaddressed. Requested Action: I request that NHTSA investigate potential drive unit intermittent disconnection failures in Tesla Model Y
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11682933August 25, 2025
SEAT BELTS
I have an alert that says Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Issue and Service is required. This is a major safety issue and the Tesla Service Center says I need to pay $800 to fix it. This is a manufacturer issue and the cost should not be incurred by the vehicle owner. This issue puts my family safety at risk and the light is coming up everytime I drive. I need TESLA to review it and fix this at no cost.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11682579August 23, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Brake line failed at the left rear tire. Corroded line. The line is corroded on the right rear also. These are my observations. The brakes failed when driving locally at lower speeds so the car was able to eventually stop due to the regenerative braking. Will be towed to the dealer for inspection/repair. Inspection/repair will occur on Sept.15, 2025. No warning until after the failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680546August 14, 2025
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I’ve had to replace the steering rack, upper and lower control arm for the left wheel, entire computer motherboard. I drove the car for less than 70k miles and zero accidents and zero modifications. Yes I am open for inspection. While driving with fsd lane keep failed causing the car to veer to other lane. The tesla repair shop said the steering rack was sending errors and the whole rack needs to be replaced. They said it was both electrical and mechanical failure. Previously I’ve had the control arms replaced because it was making clicking noise when I turn the wheel. They said it was due to front compliance link and lateral link issues. Also had entire computer board replaced previously. The error message after the incident was lane assist disabled, steering assist reduced. In the maintenance mode it said “ The drive interface (DI) or drive inverter (DIx) electronic control unit (ECU) detects a low voltage (LV) battery undervoltage event.”
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678430August 5, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There is a latch sensor open kept Coming on. I have been to the Tesla dealership twice and nothing has been resolved.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678397August 5, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The GPS and camera functionality went out on the same day several days ago. The car thinks it is at Tesla’s headquarters in CA and so you cannot find a charging station near your actual location, and no cameras work meaning the additional safety features for collisions do not function at all. This is a widespread issue based on Tesla user forums.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675732July 23, 2025
STEERING
The power steering became reduced and diminished while driving. Tesla is stating that there is corrosion on the wiring harness ports on the power steering rack. There was no warning until after the incident, but now a “reduced power steering” annunciation appears in the screen. The Tesla repair station has confirmed the condition.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675542July 23, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
All cameras went blank on vehicle 4 year and 7 months old. All driver assistance systems became suddenly disabled. Tesla service diagnosis established that computer needs to be replaced for a cost of $2,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675200July 21, 2025
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, STEERING
The vehicle lost steering at 10 mph as a bolt from the front suspension's upper control arm and lateral link fasteners became loose and detached rom the vehicle. The wheel was completely misaligned, and the vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle could not be moved to the side of the road, putting my safety and the safety of other drivers at risk. I fear that this could have been a fatal accident had I been on the highway. This issue has been confirmed by Tesla Service Center, and they acknowledged that this is a known issue. There were no warning indicators or recall notices sent to warn of this known issue. My vehicle should have been recalled. Tesla is making me pay $3,000 for repairs despite knowing this is a manufacturer defect, and they are continuing to put lives at risk by not issuing a wider recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11674803July 19, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
8k miles after warranty expired, I got this notification in my Tesla. BMS_u018 Maximum battery charge level reduced OK to drive - Schedule service Car won’t charge anymore, Tesla says it’s a High voltage battery issue and are charging $14,000 out of warranty. Online it says others have the same issue of it not working sometime after warranty expires. Tesla states batteries should run from 200-300k miles? Wanted to make this complaint since I don’t do anything to cause the battery to have a malfunction this early. No supercharging or charging to 100%.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671580July 7, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that his wife drove to a nearby park and while attempting to leave the park, the vehicle was started, and after his wife put her son and daughter in the vehicle, the vehicle shut off unintendedly and all the doors locked. The doors failed to open with the mobile card or the manual key. The contact stated that the manual card was inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the temperature control was off inside the vehicle and the screen was inoperable. There were no reported injuries. The contact broke the window to enter the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. The contact called a tow truck, and the vehicle was jumpstarted. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as designed the following day. The contact stated that an unknown local dealer was contacted. The dealer informed the contact to send the data pool. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact to complete a report form. The failure mileage was approximately 88,070.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11670843July 2, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Plugged a charger cord for a Garmin watch into the center console USBC right side port. Overnight the USBC port, while connected to the cord but not to the watch or any other device, overheated and melted. It burned the cords male connection into two pieces and melted plastic into the center console. The male end of the cord is now fused into the USBC port of the car. No messages/alerts on the car. Manufacturer inspected and invoiced $970.00 for parts and labor. From forums online this is not the first instance a similar situation has occurred. Assuming paper or another flammable substance was in the console, it would have caught fire
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11670740July 2, 2025
STEERING, SUSPENSION
Upper control arms wear out and start making sounds
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11670270June 30, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle: 2021 Tesla Model Y VIN: [XXX] Date of Incident: [XXX] On the afternoon of Sunday [XXX], while my Tesla Model Y was parked at home and charged to approximately 80%, both my wife and I attempted to enter the vehicle to attend an important appointment. Upon approach, we found the car completely unresponsive — no power, no screen activity, and we were unable to start the vehicle or release the charging cable. Despite this, both front doors could still be manually opened. However, the frameless windows did not automatically lower as they normally would when opening and closing the doors, As a result, when we attempted to close the doors, both front door windows shattered, as the glass was unable to lower and collided with the door frame. This incident clearly resulted from a critical system failure that disabled essential safety and design functions. The vehicle was not damaged prior to this event, and there was no impact or external force involved. This malfunction rendered the vehicle inoperable and directly caused costly damage. I am requesting the following: A full investigation into the root cause of the power system failure Immediate replacement of both shattered front windows at no cost A written explanation of what caused the vehicle to become unresponsive This issue raises serious concerns about vehicle safety and reliability, especially when essential functions like glass auto-drop are disabled without any warning, leaving the glass vulnerable to breakage. [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
#11669709June 27, 2025
STEERING
My 2021 Tesla Model Y experienced a sudden loss of steering assist, resulting in an extremely heavy steering and loss of steering ability, at highway speed. I needed extreme efforts to push the steering wheel to go off highway to avoid accident. This happened on 6/14/2025 around 3PM. Tesla service diagnosed "internal electrical/mechanical steering rack failure", but no recall was issued for my VIN. I've reviewed NHTSA Recall SB-25-00-004 (2025) for 2023 Model Y involving EPAS/steering assist failure. The symptoms in my car appear identical. I believe the issue may affect more model years than the recall currently covers and request HNTSA investigate further.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667991June 19, 2025
SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The bolts connecting the front upper control arm and steering knuckle may not have been tightened properly, potentially leading to detachment. This causes the car to have squeaky, leaking noises when going over bumps and making turns.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667408June 17, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTESTATE HWY I-70 EAST BOUND ON THE LEFT LANE AND I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE EXIST 62. I WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL AND IT WAS RAINING AND THE ROAD WAS WET. WHEN I TRIED TO CHANGE THE LANE THE CAR AUTO BRAKED AND CAR SKID AND ROTATED 360 DEGREES AND HIT THE RAILING. THE CAR GOT DAMAGED FRONT AND BACK. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO VEHICLE NEAR US SO MY FAMILY WAS SAFE. BUT I DONT KNOW WHY THE CAR AUTO BRAKED AND ONE SHOULD NOT HARD BRAKE WHEN THE ROAD IS WET. I CALLED 911 AND TESLA INSURANCE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE BODY SHOP AND THEY ARE DEEMING IT TOTAL LOSS. PLEASE TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS SO IT DOESNOT HAPPEN AGAIN
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667345June 17, 2025
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, SEATS
“Front passenger Safety restraint system fault, service required” RCM2_a636 message keeps appearing on the screen. It happened right after I bought the car, so I took it to Tesla to fix. It went away for a few months and now it’s back again. According to Tesla, this fault, “ Based on the airbag system's self-diagnostic checks, a persistent fault has been detected in one or more safety restraint components. This could involve seat belts, impact sensors, occupant sensors, or related safety components. • If the airbag warning indicator stays on, the vehicle should not be driven until inspected. • Recurring faults require immediate Tesla service attention. • Pre-tensioner or sensor damage can compromise proper seat belt functionality.” This is a serious safety issue that should be addressed in a recall as it could jeopardize occupant safety of the seat belts or air bags do not work. It also appears to be somewhat widespread and persistent. Tesla also does not appear to have a permanent fix as the first time I took it in they made a comment about one repair already having been done on this before I got the car as a certified used one from Tesla.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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