Tesla Model Y Complaints (2023)

1,136 consumer complaints on file.

#11755397August 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I reporting a potential safety-related defect involving my 2023 Tesla Model Y Performance. Since shortly after purchasing the vehicle in April 2026, it has repeatedly been unable to successfully install Tesla software updates. The updates download, but the installation repeatedly fails. I have attempted installation multiple times under appropriate conditions, including adequate battery charge, stable Wi-Fi, vehicle reboot, removal of USB devices, and installation directly from the vehicle touchscreen. The failures continue. Tesla evaluated the vehicle and documented the failed software installation. Tesla also identified a possible issue involving the HW3 car computer and prepared an estimate of approximately $3,000 that included replacement of the vehicle computer, diagnostic work, and labor. I am concerned because Tesla vehicles rely extensively on their onboard computers and software for vehicle operation, safety systems, driver-assistance functions, security updates, bug fixes, and manufacturer-issued corrections. Because this vehicle cannot successfully install software updates, I am concerned it may be unable to receive safety-related corrections or updates that other vehicles are receiving. This is not simply an infotainment issue. The failure appears to involve the vehicle computer itself and has continued despite repeated troubleshooting and Tesla service involvement. I believe NHTSA should evaluate whether defective HW3 computers or related electronic systems can cause repeated update-installation failures and potentially prevent affected Tesla vehicles from receiving safety-related software updates or recall remedies.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755007August 5, 2026
SUSPENSION
The control arms are defective on this vehicle for the second time. I began hearing a clunking sound when I would turned the vehicle in July 2026. When the sound got louder and sharp left turns felt less controlled, I took the vehicle to a local independent tire repair shop immediately. They told me the left control arm was cracking badly, so I made an appointment with Tesla. Tesla is currently replacing my control arms for the second time. They also found additional suspension issues with the sway bar links. Previously, I experienced total control arm failure in November 2024 when the vehicle had less than 14,000 miles and was less than a year old. This resulted in the car being towed to the Tesla service center for complete control arm replacement. This jeopardized the safety of both myself and other drivers as I had no control of the vehicle’s steering. In July 2026, when I started to hear the same sounds indicating control arm failure, I brought the vehicle into a repair facility immediately to get it diagnosed to prevent such a dangerous incident from happening to me again. This is a serious defect in the 2023 Model Y, and upon research I discovered there are numerous control arm complaints, making this vehicle defect a hazard to potentially millions of drivers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754854August 4, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING
A day or two before the incident a warning displayed on the computer that was very vague. I didn't notice any issues with the steering or suspension at the time. I believe I scheduled an appointment but it was two weeks out at the Tesla service center. On June 4 as I pulled into my driveway I heard a noise and then struggled to get the car into the driveway completely and avoided the garage altogether. The driveway is fairly flat. In the driveway I found a large bolt that had fallen out of the suspension. The car was undriveable at this point and had to be towed to the service center. The front lower lateral assembly was replaced. If this had happened while driving at any rate of speed I don't know how I would have avoided any obstacles. I have some pictures of the front suspension area but I couldn't tell anything was wrong from them.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754766August 4, 2026
SUSPENSION
While parking my Tesla in my driveway, I suddenly lost the ability to steer the vehicle. After exiting the vehicle, I noticed that the front driver’s side wheel was locked. I looked underneath the vehicle and observed that components of the front suspension had collapsed. The vehicle could not be driven and required towing to a Tesla Service Center. Tesla repaired the vehicle under the manufacturer’s warranty at no cost to me. Immediately before arriving home, I had been driving on the highway with my children in the vehicle. If this suspension failure had occurred while traveling at highway speed instead of while parking, it could have resulted in a loss of vehicle control and a serious crash. I am submitting this report because I believe this represents a significant safety concern. The Tesla service invoice does not accurately reflect the concern I reported. I did not bring the vehicle in because of a noise or vibration. While parking in my driveway, I suddenly lost steering, the driver’s front wheel locked, and the front suspension collapsed, leaving the vehicle undrivable. The vehicle was towed to Tesla. Tesla replaced multiple front suspension components under warranty, including both front lower compliance links, both front lower lateral links, and the left front halfshaft. The attached photos show the vehicle before it was towed. I suddenly lost steering while parking, the driver’s front wheel locked, and the vehicle became undrivable. Although the Tesla invoice lists the concern as “noise or vibration,” the vehicle was actually towed because of this suspension failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754705August 4, 2026
SUSPENSION
Left lower control arm link failure. No collisions had occurred in the history of the vehicle, and small sounds were heard prior to failure, with the total failure sound being obvious. No system malfunction warnings were displayed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754633August 4, 2026
SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On July 9, 2025, while making a right turn at about 15 mph on a standard road, the two front-left bolts fell out, causing the entire bracket and lateral link assembly to detach. The vehicle became inoperable and had to be towed for repairs. Not long after, on September 29, 2025, while making a left turn at 20 mph, the two front-right bolts also fell out, and the bracket and lateral link assembly detached just as before. Once again, the vehicle required towing for repairs. I am now afraid to drive the car; fortunately, neither incident occurred on the highway—where a major accident could have easily happened—since the vehicle becomes completely immobilized the moment these parts fall off. What's more, the Tesla's center console computer doesn't show any issues or trigger any warnings, yet the car simply won't drive—it won't move at all.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754606August 3, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING, WHEELS
This issue occurred on August 02, 2026 at around 3pm. I was parked and put my 2023 Tesla Model Y in reverse to give myself enough room to drive forward from being parked on road next to my house. While going into reverse, I heard a really loud bang noise coming from under the front section of the car. I put the car in park and got out to take a look around. At first I thought I had hit something while backing out but did not see any object in the reverse camera. So then I kneeled down and looked under the car and that's when I saw the passenger side front lateral arm of the suspension detached and left hanging down from the wheel. I let Tesla know what occurred using their app to message the company.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754533August 3, 2026
SUSPENSION
Driver side lower control arm lost two bolts, can not drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754420August 3, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving the car to the parking lot from 5mph to 0 mph , car reversed on its own sped to 10 mph causing accident .
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754360August 3, 2026
SUSPENSION
While exiting a parking space, I noticed a very obvious clunking sound from the front of the car. As I started driving slowly and moving the steering wheel back and forth, there would be a loud clunk and a bump in the steering wheel when moving it from the right back to center. I drove home 30 miles very carefully and called Tesla when I got there. They set up a tow and fixed the car under warranty. They said bolts had loosened on the front lower lateral link assembly. Safety was at risk due to the possibility of my car falling to the ground and not being able to steer. In the right setting, this could have cause a major accident. I did not receive any warning lamps or any warnings of any kind. There was never a clunk until the bolt was fully out. The car didn't steer or drive any differently either so no way to know something was wrong.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754316August 2, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING, WHEELS
I was driving the vehicle and heard a lot crack and felt the steering wheel unstable. Whenever I would turn the steering wheel the car would make crackling noises and I would feel the car go up as I was driving. When I was turning into my driveway the car felt like the whole left wheel had fallen off, according to my spouse she said the wheel looked like it was folding in as a turn and the car was elevating. We made an appointment with Tesla service senter and we had to get our car towed since it was not drivable. I went to speak with the Tesla agent and they had told me there was wear and tear on both lower front arm links and that they had replaced them. My car has only 19,000 miles so that seemed extremely strange and fast. The following day as I was cleaning my driveway I noticed a big suspension bolt on the ground, I took a picture of the bolt and sent it to my agent and he confirmed it was form the suspension bolt. Something they never mentioned until I found the bolt in my driveway. They repaired the issue according to them, we had no messages or indications of something going on. We also noticed that our wheels were getting worn down unevenly due to this. This is a family vehicle which is concerning that we could’ve had a more serious accident if it would’ve happened at a highway or on a trip.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754237August 2, 2026
SUSPENSION
1. Front left suspension system — specifically the suspension control arm bolt — failed and detached while reverse parking. The failure caused the suspension arm to drop and resulted in secondary damage to the fender, wheel‑well liner, and door alignment. The vehicle has been repaired, but all service records, photos, and documentation are available for inspection upon request. 2. The suspension bolt failure caused the front left suspension to collapse suddenly while I was reverse parking. If this had happened at normal driving speeds, it could have caused loss of control and a crash. I regularly transport a [XXX] and a [XXX], and this unpredictable suspension collapse created a serious risk to my family and others on the road. 3. Yes. The failure was inspected and confirmed by Tesla’s Alpharetta Service Center and the Tesla Marietta Collision Center. The Marietta team documented that the front left suspension control arm bolt had detached and that the resulting damage was not caused by any external impact. Tesla ultimately approved the repair under warranty, confirming that the failure was due to a component issue rather than misuse. 4. Yes. The vehicle was inspected by Tesla’s Alpharetta Service Center immediately after the incident, and then by the Tesla Marietta Collision Center. Both locations confirmed that the front left suspension control arm bolt had detached and caused the suspension collapse. The Marietta team documented that the failure was not caused by any external impact and Tesla approved the repair under warranty. No police or insurance inspection was performed because the failure occurred at low speed on private property. 5. No warning lamps or messages appeared. I did hear suspension clunking/creaking before the failure and had a Tesla service appointment scheduled, but Tesla postponed it. The bolt failure happened suddenly with no electronic warnings. 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
#11754141August 1, 2026
STEERING, SUSPENSION
In January 2025, my 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range had approximately 22,000 miles and was only about one year old when a right-front suspension mounting bolt backed out of the front frame/subframe. Before discovering the problem, we heard a popping or knocking sound whenever the steering wheel was turned left or right. Upon inspecting the vehicle, I found that the loosened bolt was dragging across the plastic underbody/skid plate and was close to completely falling out. The photographs show the affected right-front suspension mounting point and bolt. To prevent the suspension connection from separating, I reinstalled and tightened the bolt myself and applied red thread-locking compound. The bolt has remained in place since that repair. However, a major front suspension fastener should not loosen or back out on a nearly new vehicle with only 22,000 miles. I am concerned that if the bolt had completely fallen out while driving, the suspension component could have detached, potentially causing a sudden change in wheel position, steering control, or loss of vehicle control. I am also concerned that the same condition could occur again or could exist on the opposite side of the vehicle. No crash or injury occurred, but this was a serious safety-related suspension failure. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this incident as a possible manufacturing, assembly, or fastener-retention defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754000July 31, 2026
WHEELS, SUSPENSION
2023 Tesla Model Y, only 18,270 miles. While driving with my wife and children in the car, the front suspension/axle control arm disconnected from the wheel assembly. A large suspension bolt failed — it came out bent and heavily corroded (photos available). We heard an abnormal noise, then the steering stopped responding and the wheel splayed out of position. We were at low speed and stopped safely. The car was undriveable and had to be towed. The day before, we drove this same car on the highway at 75 mph. Had this failed then, with my family aboard, it would almost certainly have caused a serious or fatal crash. Critically, Tesla had sent us a notice that the vehicle needed service. We scheduled it per their availability for Aug 6 — but the control arm failed before that date. We were never told the car was unsafe to drive. Had we known we were at risk, we would never have driven it with our children. The vehicle was inspected by a Tesla service center. Tesla did not fully cover the repair — I was charged — and the lateral/structural damage from the failure was not fixed. Insurance was used to tow the car (also at our cost). The failed bolt and suspension components are in our possession and available for inspection on request. Cause: UNKNOWN — I am not a mechanic — but a bent, corroded suspension bolt and a disconnected control arm on an 18,000-mile vehicle indicate a premature failure of a suspension/axle fastener. I request that the manufacturer and NHTSA inspect the component. This is a serious loss-of-steering hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753605July 29, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On February 17, 2026, around 4:20 pm, as I was departing my agency's parking garage structure, my 2023 Tesla Y uncontrollably and un-prompted accelerated at a very high speed. I applied the brake and it would not stop. I nearly killed the security guard at the garage who was trying to direct my vehicle to the correct exit lane. The vehicle ran across a sidewalk adjacent to the garage, ran across a street, hit a street parking meter, ran across another sidewalk, ran across and toppled a perimeter fence around a parking lot across from the garage I exited, ran over concrete wheel barriers, and continued running for about 300 feet before it came to a stop on its own. This duration of this terrifying ordeal was 3 to 5 seconds. The air bags did not deploy. I called 911 repeatedly for Police investigation and report but the Police never showed up. I towed the vehicle to a Tesla Collision Center, which inspected and investigated the accident, and the Tesla Center stated that the FSD system was working properly and did not find anything wrong. I informed the Tesla Center that I did not subscribe to the FSD system service and was not using it during the accident, and they stated that they stand by the determination of their engineering division that reviewed the "blackbox", information gathering device of the vehicle. The vehicle was totaled and non-salvageable. Prior to the accident, the Tesla Collision Center, had repaired the vehicle from a previous accident that occurred on September 25, 2025. There were no warnings before the vehicle uncontrollably accelerated at a very high speed. I have copy of the accident videos. Your platform would not allow me to upload the videos.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753345July 28, 2026
SUSPENSION
Clicking noise in rear suspension upon acceleration and assistive braking. First time I brought it in the Tesla service center lubricated the halfshafts. Clicking went away but returned a little over a month later. 2nd time the Tesla service center adjusted torque on suspension. Looking at thread online this seems to be a common issue with older Tesla Model Y. These are not normal maintenance items. I am worried about the safety of the suspension with this vehicle and how long it will be safe to drive before additional fixes, checking proper torque is required.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753319July 28, 2026
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness
My child does not eat in his car seat. Every day debris dust etc gets under the release mechanism button causing the harness straps to randomly loosen. Huge safety issue that could lead to a fatal accident. Cybex’s solution is to tell you to clean out the mechanism but there’s no telling when or where the straps will stop tightening again. It’s not feasible to clean the strap every time I use the seat. My son’s straps fully loosen just by him leaning forward. This seat needs to be recalled!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752660July 24, 2026
AIR BAGS
The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact experienced a medical emergency and the vehicle crashed into a tree. The air bags deployed as needed. The contact and wife who was seated in the front passenger seat, were transported to the local medical center. The contact was unconscious when transported. The contact sustained injuries, including burns to the face; both eye corneas were burned, lungs infected due to the inhalation of toxic fumes and a broken talus on the right foot. In addition, the contact was continuing to receive medical treatment. The contact's wife sustained burns to the face and inhalation of the toxic fumes. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A Police report was filed. The contact stated that the air bags were defective and unsafe. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11752281July 23, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I want to raise a serious safety concern with a recent Tesla software update related to Full Self-Driving (FSD). When I disengage FSD, a prompt immediately appears on the main screen asking why I intervened, with selectable options. Here is the issue: When I take over from FSD, it is almost always because something requires my full attention in that moment. That is the exact point where I need to be focused entirely on driving, not reading or interacting with a screen. Introducing a pop-up at that precise moment creates a distraction during a potentially critical transition from automated to manual control. From a human factors and safety standpoint, this feels backwards: - The highest-risk moment is the handoff from FSD to driver - The system is adding cognitive load and visual distraction at that exact time - Even if interaction is optional, the visual interruption alone pulls attention This is not just an annoyance—it has real potential to increase risk in already sensitive situations.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751833July 21, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, STEERING
I was pushed to complete an update on my 2023 Tesla Y with an over the air update. This happened last week. Following the update i have been getting a slew of errors when driving my car related to the parking break, brake functions, automatic energy braking and steering are affected. The wording on the app / car says, Alerts - Steering & Braking - Parking brake functions degraded / Parking brake may not apply or release / Parking brake may not apply or release. This causes my auto brake to not engage, my hold break to not engage, my parking brake to not engage. This causes my car to roll at stop / red lights. I have to physically slam by brakes to stop. This is extremely unsafe and Tesla is trying to charge me $130 to diagnose the car to see why the update caused the issue. My car went from fully drivable without any FSD, normal driving to a runaway trainwreck. This happens roughly 20-30 minutes randomly into driving. Not immediately and it is completely random.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Tesla Model Y