Tesla Model Y Complaints (2026)

327 consumer complaints on file.

#11702619December 2, 2025
SUSPENSION
Obviously Tesla accepts the very serious problem that it is presenting in the vast majority of Model Y juniper 2026 specifically in the RWD line, they are making deliveries of these vehicles without having gone through a rigorous quality control that determines that the noise actually exists and that over time they could affect too many components of the suspension and end up compromising the stability of the vehicle, violating road safety issues, it is something unprecedented and absurd that they do not even take the task of checking the cars exhaustively and determining the root failure that this suspension problem implies, it is a noise as if the front shock absorbers did not work and were totally dislocated, out of their normal location.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702579December 2, 2025
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Approximately one month after purchasing a new vehicle, the steering system suddenly failed without any warning. While the car was parked at home and started normally, the steering wheel became extremely heavy, hot, and then completely locked. The vehicle could not be steered at all and became entirely non-drivable. Multiple warning messages appeared, including warnings related to reduced steering assist effectiveness and lane departure avoidance being unavailable. This occurred at approximately 1,000 miles. The failure happened suddenly with no prior symptoms. This defect created a serious safety risk. If this had occurred while driving, it could have resulted in loss of vehicle control and a potential crash. The vehicle was not drivable and had to be towed to a Tesla service center. The issue has been reported to Tesla and is currently under inspection. The exact cause of the failure is UNKNOWN at this time. A sudden and complete loss of steering control on a nearly new vehicle is extremely dangerous and indicates a potential defect in the steering system or related electrical components.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702553December 2, 2025
STEERING, SUSPENSION
Severe lateral swaying / side-to-side swaying (“boat-like” or “floaty” motion) at highway speeds (65–80 mph) on any concrete-surface interstate, especially grooved or slightly uneven concrete (typical on Illinois highways such as I-90, I-294, I-55, etc.). Description of safety concern: The vehicle continuously rocks side-to-side in a pronounced, pendulum-like motion that requires constant steering corrections to stay in the lane. The motion is severe enough to cause motion sickness in passengers within minutes and makes the driver tense and fatigued. In crosswinds or when passing trucks the swaying becomes even worse and feels unstable. I no amount of lane centering or driver input fully eliminates the sensation. Service history: December 2025 – Schaumburg, IL Tesla Service Center • Technician test-drove with me on I-90 and immediately felt the exact swaying I described. • Service advisor and service manager both stated this is a “normal characteristic of the 2025 Model Y Juniper” and that no repair or adjustment is possible. • Loaner 2025 Model Y Juniper provided exhibited identical swaying behavior. I do not believe constant, pronounced lateral instability at normal highway speeds is an acceptable “characteristic” in any passenger vehicle. It impairs control, increases driver fatigue, and creates a legitimate safety risk, especially in adverse weather or emergency maneuvers. Tesla refuses to acknowledge this as a defect. I am therefore requesting NHTSA investigate whether the 2025 Tesla Model Y suspension calibration and/or damper tuning creates an unreasonable safety risk due to excessive lateral instability on typical U.S. concrete highways
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702140November 30, 2025
STEERING
AFTER STARTING THE CAR IN A PARKING LOT, I ATTEMPTED TO NAVIGATE FROM THE PARKING SPACE. I SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE BACKED UP BUT I WAS UNABLE TO STEER IT. THE STEERING WAS LOCKED. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE. I CONTACTED TESLA ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO DO SEVERAL DIAGNOSTICS AND EVENTUALLY ORDERED ME TO DO A RESET OF THE ELECTRONICS ON THE VEHICLE. ONCE COMPLETED, IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. TESLA ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEIR REPAIR CENTER. THEIR DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED A STEERING RACK INITIALIZATION ERROR. THEY REMOVED AND REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY- LEFT HAND DRIVE (21888333-00-B). THE OPERATING SOFTWARE IS V12 (2025.38.9.6 10bd3d61eE72) FSD (Supervised) v14.2.1
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702119November 30, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My car does not have a front trunk emergency release button
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701975November 29, 2025
STEERING
We recently bought Tesla Model Y. Last week of October 2025. Last week we had visited our friend who lives in Pineville. Less than a mile from our place. We were at his place for an hour, as we decided to leave and as we put the car in park to drive we get a warning that “steering assist is not available.” I was unable to move the steering even with all my strength. The steering had become very hard to steer the car in any direction. We had to leave the car there and get back the next day to check on it. There was a software glitch that got resolved however the situation was scary as if this would have happened anywhere else or if this would have happend when my wife is alone it could have had different consequences. I would like to report this to the Authorities to see if other Tesla people have been facing similar issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701959November 28, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I [XXX] ) was driving my Tesla Model Y (2026) with Full-Self-Driving engaged while leaving the parking lot of the Flower Mound Community Activity Center (1200 Gerault Rd., Flower Mound, TX, 75028). After exiting the parking area and entering the roadway, the car came to a stop between two lanes and unexpectedly began reversing, even though there was another vehicle behind me. The system failed to detect the car behind, and a collision occurred before I could even understand what was happening. I have all the video recordings of the incident. 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
#11701917November 28, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Incident date 11/27/25 Incident Location: CA State highway 101between San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles. Driving Conditions: Daylight/dry roadway. Description of Safety Defect / Complaint: During a single approximately 400-mile highway road trip, while using Tesla’s Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) feature enabled, the vehicle abruptly and forcefully applied the brakes on at least six (6) separate occasions without any apparent cause. On each occurrence: • No vehicle ahead was braking or decelerating, • No vehicle was merging or cutting in front of my vehicle, • No stationary or moving obstacles (including overpasses, road signs, or debris) were present in or near the travel lane, • The forward roadway was clear and unobstructed for a considerable distance. These sudden, un-commanded braking events were severe enough to cause significant deceleration, requiring me to immediately intervene by pressing the accelerator pedal to override the system. Due to the frequency and unpredictability of these phantom braking events, I no longer feel safe using Traffic-Aware Cruise Control or any Tesla advanced driver-assistance features that rely on the same sensor suite and software. I am filing this report because repeated uncommanded braking in highway traffic constitutes a serious safety hazard that could lead to rear-end collisions, particularly when closely followed by other vehicles or commercial trucks. Additional Information (if applicable): • Software version at time of incident: v12 (2025.38.9 fe 714a33a545) • Full Self-Driving Capability package: No. Enhanced Autopilot: No. • Any dashcam or Sentry Mode footage available: No I request that NHTSA investigate this recurring phantom braking issue in Tesla vehicles equipped with Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autopilot systems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701889November 28, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
In my 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range, there is no emergency release in the frunk (front trunk). I do believe there is a law that requires this. What if the unthinkable happens and someone gets stuck inside of it? I have seen others post about not having it as well, so it is definitely not limited to a small number of vehicles. I do not even see the harness for the emergency release inside of the panel. This is a huge safety issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701792November 27, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Front Trunk on my Model Y is missing emergency release button. there is not way of to exit if kids get trapped in it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701747November 26, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The front trunk (frunk) on my 2026 Tesla Model Y Juniper lacks both internal lighting and an emergency safety release mechanism. This design flaw creates an unnecessary and severe safety risk, as a small adult or child could easily become trapped in the frunk with no way to signal for help or escape. In low-light conditions—such as at night or in a garage without adequate illumination—the absence of a light would exacerbate disorientation and panic for anyone trapped. Without an internal release latch or glow-in-the-dark handle (standard in many vehicle trunks to prevent entrapment deaths), this could lead to a life-threatening suffocation or injury situation, especially if the frunk is accidentally closed on a person during loading/unloading. I discovered this issue while inspecting the frunk during routine cleaning and noticed that my four-year-old sat very comfortably inside the frunk listening to music while I cleaned the car. No incident has occurred yet, but the potential for harm is clear and warrants immediate investigation, as it violates basic entrapment-prevention standards observed in rear trunks and other vehicles. This defect compromises occupant safety and should be addressed through a recall or a retrofit that includes an illuminated emergency release. Please investigate similar complaints for this model year.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701703November 26, 2025
STEERING
Car seemed to have no power steering when I tried to leave this morning, brand new car less than 5000 miles and it’s glitching.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701582November 25, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The front trunk (frunk) on my 2026 Tesla Model Y Juniper lacks both internal lighting and an emergency safety release mechanism. This design flaw creates an unnecessary and severe safety risk, as a small adult or child could easily become trapped in the frunk with no way to signal for help or escape. In low-light conditions—such as at night or in a garage without adequate illumination—the absence of a light would exacerbate disorientation and panic for anyone trapped. Without an internal release latch or glow-in-the-dark handle (standard in many vehicle trunks to prevent entrapment deaths), this could lead to a life-threatening suffocation or injury situation, especially if the frunk is accidentally closed on a person during loading/unloading. I discovered this issue while inspecting the frunk during routine cleaning and noticed that my four-year-old sat very comfortably inside the frunk listening to music while I cleaned the car. No incident has occurred yet, but the potential for harm is clear and warrants immediate investigation, as it violates basic entrapment-prevention standards observed in rear trunks and other vehicles. This defect compromises occupant safety and should be addressed through a recall or a retrofit that includes an illuminated emergency release. Please investigate similar complaints for this model year.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701470November 25, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On the day of the incident, I drove my vehicle into the charging station and activated the Tesla FSD autonomous driving and automatic parking functions. During the automatic parking attempt by the vehicle, the system exhibited the following severe loss of control behaviors: 1. The vehicle automatically collided with the vehicle in front without any human operation. 2. It paused for about 1 second after the collision. 3. Then, the vehicle suddenly accelerated in reverse at high speed, again without any driver operation. 4. It directly hit another Tesla that was charging behind my vehicle. The entire process is fully executed automatically by the vehicle system. I cannot intervene or stop the system through the steering wheel or brakes. II. Severe Security Risks When the accident happened, my friend was sitting in the passenger seat. If the vehicle had moved a few more inches, it could have caused serious injury or even a life-threatening situation. This system failure is a combination of Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) and the loss of control in autonomous driving decision-making, posing a significant systemic risk to public traffic safety. I immediately contacted Tesla and sent a complaint letter to the North Carolina Consumer Center. They accepted my complaint and sent an email to Tesla, but it has been over twenty days and I have not received a response from Tesla.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701417November 25, 2025
STEERING, SUSPENSION
Hi, its not really an incident but I found what have happened suspicious. I got my tesla from the delivery zone at the Giga factory in Austin, TX last Wednesday. Right after the delivery i found an issue with steering wheel alignment. Steering wheel was tilted right and car was pulling right in the road. I addressed this issue to Tesla and visited service center last Saturday Nov-22nd. Technician confirmed an issue. Wheels alignment was performed on the vehicle and it was returned to me on the same day. As soon as I got the the road I found that issue wasn't fixed. It went better but not fully fixed. I came to the service center again. Senior technician took a ride with me and confirmed the issue again. She also told me that they will probably will have to look into suspension because alignment didnt help last time and it could be more serious issue. The car was taken care of and returned to me in 90 min or so. Service advisor told me that suspension and steering were torqued and another alignment performed. When I took it to the road and I found that issue was fixed and I'm happy now but ifter that i recieved a message from the Service Center that I found suspicious. Despite the communication in person in the message afterwards was stating that no issues were found (See attach). I found this suspicious and decided to let you know as that may look like an attempt to hide some serious safety concern with steering. Please find screenshot in the attachment
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701021November 22, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
We were coming home from a local restaurant and a rain storm started and the wipers would not come on. We were able to pull in to a parking lot and went through all Tesla reset procedures and could not get them to work. There were no error codes and it was scary trying to find a safe place to stop when we could hardly see.During a break in the rain we were able to make it home. We are over 100 miles from the nearest service center and tried to schedule an appointment but the closest opening was 22 days away. We called and spoke to Teslas customer service and after much checking they said there was nothing they could do and told me to call the service center Monday morning. We have a trip scheduled starting Monday and I do not feel safe driving a car with no wipers Some of the other electronics would not work. The lights were on bright and would not dim and could not adjust temperature. The car is a few months old with 2901 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700778November 21, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
My car installed update v12 (2025.38.8.7) last night. This morning I was driving to work using autopilot when alarms sounded, the hazard lights turned on, and the screen flashed a warning that I had to take over immediately. The message included a note that autopilot had failed due to a "systems error." The navigation and visualization screen froze, went blank, and took 10 minutes to come back on. I asked Tesla to roll back the update and they have told me that they cannot do that. I came very close to crashing into a concrete guard rail as the car was going around a turn when the system failed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700663November 20, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
When using cruise control (traffic aware cruise control and autosteer) the car acts dangerously and stops for no reason. I've been driving on open roads with no traffic in front of me on regular roads, the car will slam on the brakes and it causes the people behind me to need to slam on their brakes as well. I feel like I'm going to get into an accident constantly... I was on the freeway and no one around in front of me and the car slammed on the brakes to almost a stop on a 70 mph speed limit road. Today the same thing occurred in high traffic on a 55mph road, luckily the driver behind me wasn't to close and was able to stop in time ... There is no option to use regular cruise control or disable enough features to prevent this from occurring... It's incredibly terrifying. If they can't do traffic aware cruise, there should be the option to do regular cruise... And it shouldn't require passing Tesla $8000 for full self driving to be able to drive your car at a speed without the that of being rear ended. This feels like extortion... I've submitted feature requests to Tesla, talked to their bot about fixing this and I've currently been on hold for almost an hour without any response. This dangerous tech is unacceptable!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700335November 19, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The latest version of Tesla FSD software does not let me fully control my speed. You can switch profiles or stop using Full Self-Driving, but you cannot set the speed to what you want. In the last version, you could use the right scroll wheel to increase or decrease the speed. Now that shifts profiles but even that does not give you control over what exact speed you are driving
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699671November 16, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
While driving in rain at night, the vehicle’s automated driving system attempted to make a turn at an intersection near active train tracks. Instead of remaining on the roadway, the system steered the vehicle directly onto the train tracks, where the vehicle became stuck between the tracks and the paved road surface. All four tires were damaged, and the vehicle could not return to the travel lane under its own control. If a train had been approaching, this situation could have resulted in a severe or fatal collision. I had to manually reverse the vehicle a significant distance to return to the roadway. The malfunction appeared to result from the automated driving system misidentifying the roadway under rain and low-visibility conditions. This suggests a recurring risk for any vehicle using the system at this location in similar conditions. The safety issue has not yet been inspected or confirmed by the manufacturer. No warning lights or alerts were displayed prior to the incident. The affected components and system are available for inspection upon request. I also have dash-cam video of the incident documenting the event.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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