Tesla Model Y Complaints

3,785 consumer complaints on file.

#11739805May 24, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I am reporting a safety‑critical issue with the automatic windshield wiper system on my 2024 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle uses a camera‑based “Auto Wiper” system, and it consistently fails to activate fast enough during heavy rain, spray from passing trucks, or sudden visibility loss. During moderate to heavy rain, the Auto wipers often stay on a slow or intermittent setting even when the windshield becomes fully covered with water. The system does not increase wiping speed quickly enough to maintain visibility. This results in several seconds where I cannot clearly see the road ahead. This problem is made worse because the Model Y makes it difficult to quickly switch to manual wiper control while driving on the freeway. The driver must look down at the touchscreen and navigate menus to adjust wiper speed, which is unsafe at highway speeds. The delay between losing visibility and being able to manually increase the wiper speed creates a dangerous situation. This behavior has occurred multiple times at highway speeds. When passing large trucks or encountering sudden water spray, the wipers do not react, and the windshield becomes momentarily opaque. This creates a serious risk of losing lane position or failing to see vehicles in front of me. This is a safety hazard because: 1.The Auto wipers do not clear the windshield when visibility is urgently needed. 2.Manual override requires taking eyes off the road to use the touchscreen. 3.The delay in response can lead to loss of visibility for several seconds. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue, as it affects visibility and could lead to collisions, especially at highway speeds or during sudden heavy rain.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739798May 24, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I have written several times before about my car's phantom braking in cruise control. When the Santa Fe Tesla dealer, where I bought the car, told me recently that the problem had been fixed, I was disappointed they didn't bother to tell me, but thrilled to hear the news. On May 12-13 I drove over 900 miles. I tried cruise control for significant portions of both drives and did not experience one problem. Finally, I thought, they fixed the problem...and how nice it was to have cruise control for extended drives. Not so soon: on May 19th I was driving 2 friends up to volunteer at the Wildlife refuge on I-25 in northern New Mexico. The phantom braking happened again. My friends were dismayed...one thought I had seen something in the road that she didn't see. The other, in the back seat, tried to understand what happened. Please, this is beyond the pale! Of course I will call and take the car in to the dealer...an hour's drive for me. I will be surprised if they fix it, and if they do it under warranty. I did just buy new tires (see previous report about original tires with multiple flats and not even making it to their 40,000 mile warranty) so I'm no longer worried about getting a flat in the rural areas where I live and drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739795May 24, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Driver used Tesla FSD (supervised) to park. The car (Tesla Model Y 2023) prepared to park and slowed down. Second before full stop, the car suddenly accelerated on its own without driver stepping on the accelerator. It went onto the curb and knocked over the fence and continue to drive full speed before driver braked hard and stopped the car. Video is available upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739778May 24, 2026
SUSPENSION
Component that failed: Front lower lateral link and compliance link suspension bushings. Failed components were removed by Tesla Service and are no longer available for inspection. Safety risk: Failed suspension bushings directly compromise steering precision, vehicle stability, and handling — particularly at highway speeds. A driver unaware of this failure could experience loss of steering control or unpredictable handling without warning. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. Tesla Florida (Tampa, 11945 North Florida Avenue) confirmed the failure in writing on May 22, 2026. Technician repair notes state: “inspection failed due to worn suspension bushings in the front.” Tesla confirmed this was the first time these original components had ever been serviced. Invoice #[XXX]. Manufacturer inspection: Yes, repaired by Tesla Service Center. Cost: $1,669.58. Warning lamps or prior symptoms: None. No warning lights, no alerts through the Tesla app, and no prior symptoms communicated to the owner. Failure was discovered only because vehicle was brought in for an extended service agreement inspection. Assessment: Original factory suspension bushings completely disintegrated at 56,258 miles on a 2021 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ). This is not normal wear — photographic evidence shows full structural disintegration of rubber bushing material. Other Model Y owners may be driving with identical failures without knowledge. 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
#11739597May 22, 2026
SUSPENSION
The car is unstable on the highway when there is a crosswind - either from wind gusts or from large vehicles. The car is easily pushed by wind until lane assist activates to stop it from going outside of the lane. It feels very unsafe to drive on the highway. This is how the car was when it was bought. An alignment was done during the first Tesla service visit and that helped slightly. The second Tesla service visit they said the vehicle was operating as expected and then checked wheel balance after I insisted. They said they fixed wheel balance but it still did not change how the car handles in crosswind. The third Tesla service visit (different service center) they said the vehicle was working as expected and said they could not drive for a significant distance to test. If lane assist ever fails when I'm not ready to instantly react to a gust of wind, it feels like it would easily move into another lane or off the road. When passing large vehicles where wind changes direction, the car sometimes gets pushed left and right which sometimes triggers an alarm and shows an on screen message saying to take control of steering. I test drove another of the same model car for an hour and had the same unstable feeling in the wind but was unable to test long enough to find an area with high crosswind.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739558May 22, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Component or system that failed: The GPS navigation system and cellular connectivity module in my 2024 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ) have intermittently lost signal and become completely nonfunctional multiple times over the past month. Tesla's service documentation indicates this affects the vehicle's connectivity hardware or managing software. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: Loss of GPS navigation while driving creates a safety hazard when traveling unfamiliar routes, in low-visibility conditions, or during emergencies. Loss of cellular connectivity simultaneously disables Tesla's roadside assistance and the vehicle's calling capability. The vehicle acknowledges this risk by displaying a yellow caution alert reading "Poor GPS location accuracy — Additional attention may be required" on the primary touchscreen while in motion, with no advance warning before the failure occurs. Reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center: Yes. On May 22, 2026, Tesla Service Columbia-Two Notch Rd, 6301 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29223, confirmed this as a known issue. The service advisor stated Tesla is aware of the defect but has no repair available and instructed me to submit in-car bug reports each time it occurs. Inspected by manufacturer or others: Yes, by Tesla's service center on May 22, 2026. No independent, police, or insurance inspection has been performed. Warning lamps or prior symptoms: A yellow triangle caution icon with the message "Poor GPS location accuracy — Additional attention may be required" appears on the primary touchscreen during each failure, but only after GPS has already degraded — no advance warning is given. This has occurred four times since April 2026, with each event lasting between 15 seconds and over one minute. UNKNOWN as to specific trigger conditions. Photographic documentation has been retained. 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
#11739544May 22, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING
While driving, a critical heavy-duty front lower control arm / lateral link bolt completely detached from my vehicle and was found intact on the ground with factory green threadlocker still visible on the threads. The undercarriage and chassis show absolutely ZERO signs of external impact, scrape, or road hazard damage. This structural failure caused an immediate, severe safety hazard, rendering the vehicle completely unsafe to drive due to a catastrophic risk of wheel separation and total loss of steering control. This exact component failure is identical to Tesla's historical safety recalls, specifically NHTSA Recall Campaign Number 21V835000 and its expansions, which explicitly state: "the front suspension lateral link bolts may not have been secured to the correct specifications... causing the fasteners to loosen over time and separate from the sub-frame." Because the bolt loosened and fell out over time due to insufficient factory torque, the loose component put uneven mechanical stress on the lower control arm, resulting in the complete failure and damage of the control arm assembly. Tesla Service Center has refused to honor this as a latent manufacturing defect, hiding behind warranty expiration. They have unconscionably misclassified a known, life-threatening production defect as standard "wear and tear," forcing me to pay a $265 diagnostic fee and the full cost of a complete control arm replacement under protest. I am filing this report because Tesla is actively endangering consumers by failing to expand their suspension fastener recall to cover vehicles experiencing the exact same catastrophic manufacturing defect outside the arbitrary warranty period. NHTSA ODI complaint records show multiple substantially similar failures outside Tesla’s recall VIN population, including ODI Nos. 11630487, 11554803, 11494976, 11493354, 11486040, 11689987, 11675200, and 11632785 for Model Y vehicles, and ODI Nos. 11720800, 11705487, 11675676, 11664858, 11637813, etc
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739304May 21, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING
While making a normal right turn at low speed in a residential neighborhood, I heard knocking sounds from inside the vehicle and immediately lost steering control. I had to physically force the wheel back into position to regain control of the car. After the initial incident, every right turn and brake application produced a loud rubber grinding sound accompanied by significant loss of steering control. The vehicle was completely unsafe to drive. Tesla previously issued recall SB-22-31-002 for 2023 Model Y vehicles for improperly torqued front lower lateral link fasteners at the factory which are the exact same components that failed on my vehicle. Tesla confirmed my VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle has been driven normally with no accidents or abuse. Mileage at time of failure was approximately 58,000 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739149May 20, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
At about 2:16 PM on Monday, 5/18/2026, I was driving southeast in the right lane of Amaya Drive from Fletcher Parkway in La Mesa, CA, planning to turn right across the trolly tracks onto Severin Drive. There is an intermittent LED sign indicating NO RIGHT TURN in the southeast corner of the intersection, just below and to the right of the ground-level stoplight, that illuminates when the trolley is passing so traffic going straight on Amaya can still proceed. In the first Street View PDF I uploaded, it is not illuminated. I had FSD engaged, and as I approached the intersection the NO RIGHT TURN LED was illuminated. If I recall correctly, I assumed FSD would stop for the NO RIGHT TURN LED; but instead, it continued to make the right turn. Luckily my son was in the right seat and yelled several times for me to stop, which I did—just a few feet from the crossing arm, which can been seen elevated in the middle of the second Street View PDF I uploaded, and which was just coming down for the approaching trolley. By the time I got stopped, The crossing arm was fully down, and as noted above I ended up just a few feet from it, and would clearly and unequivocally have driven under and through it if I hadn’t braked suddenly. It’s clear that this was completely the fault of FSD either not reading or not being aware of the intermittent NO RIGHT TURN LED sign. Since FSD clearly doesn’t read NO RIGHT TURN signs, particularly intermittent LED signs, the solution seems to make this intersection NO RIGHT TURN whenever the light is green to pass through the intersection on Amaya, although this will hold up the cars who would like to turn right when there’s no trolley approaching.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739136May 20, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS
This is the opposite of a complaint. Somebody may have already submitted a blurb about their Tesla Y traveling on a highway with the speed limit of 60 giving an extra foot of room to a motorcyclist that was passing their vehicle. This happened to me today for the first time while I was in full self driving mode . My car was aware of the motorcyclist wanting to pass me and the car in the next lane. Sensing this it moved over about a foot in my lane to allow the motorcycle passage more room. A few minutes later, it did it again for a different motorcyclist. It did this all while in full self driving mode. Kudos to this safety technology.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738920May 19, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, ENGINE
On Saturday 16th Oct 2026 around 10 AM EST, while driving down the ramp from Parking Floor 2 to Parking Floor 1 in the JFK Terminal 4 Short Term Parking garage (John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York), the Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated forward very fast on its own without any input on the accelerator pedal. Either I was not pressing the gas pedal at the time, or I was slowing pressing as the car was going down on ramp. The car surged ahead with significant force and struck a fence at the bottom/end of the ramp area. There were two passengers in the vehicle. No other vehicles were involved. The impact caused: My Tesla Model Y to sustain severe front-end damage and appear to be a total loss. Injuries to both passengers. Minor scratches on my hands. Sequence of Events: I was driving the vehicle at low speed down the ramp from Parking Level 2 to Level 1 in JFK Terminal 4 Short Term Parking. Without pressing the accelerator, the car unexpectedly accelerated. Braking did not prevent the impact. The vehicle came to a stop only after hitting the fence. Today, I have reported this as a sudden/unintended acceleration event to Tesla and requested a full vehicle data log review. I would like Tesla to investigate following. 1. Why the car suddenly accelerated on very speed? 2. Why the steering got locked when it happened? 3. Since it is the closed parking lot, why Tesla did not stop automatically before hitting fence? I have been driving for more than 27 years, I never had any accident, and I never got any tickets in last 27 years.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#11738872May 19, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING
Bolt fell out of the lateral control arm on the front left wheel. Car was inoperable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738762May 19, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, STRUCTURE:BODY
I am reporting two unresolved safety-related defects on my 2021 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ) that occurred following paid service at Tesla's League City Service Center on 04/16/2026 DEFECT 1 — COMPUTER AND SENSOR SYSTEM FAILURE: The vehicle's onboard computer cuts in and out intermittently. Sensors fail during operation and the problem worsens significantly in high-temperature conditions. Tesla vehicles rely on their computer and sensor systems for core safety functions including collision avoidance, autopilot, and driver assist features. Intermittent failure of these systems while operating the vehicle is a safety hazard to the driver and the public. DEFECT 2 — GLOVE BOX INOPERABLE: The glove box does not open following Tesla service. The glove box in Tesla vehicles houses key vehicle documentation and is integrated into the vehicle's locking and security system. I paid $2,497.50 for service on [06/16/2026]. Both defects were either caused or left unresolved by that service. I have notified Tesla service staff directly and followed up multiple times over more than four weeks. Tesla has not responded, has not scheduled any repair, and has not refunded my money. I am filing this complaint because (1) the sensor and computer failures present an active safety risk during operation, (2) Tesla has ignored all attempts to resolve this, and (3) public reviews indicate this is a pattern affecting multiple consumers. I request that NHTSA investigate and determine whether a safety defect investigation or recall is warranted. 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
#11738758May 19, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car is missing front trunk emergency release. Apparently standard on newer Tesla’s but it violates FMVSS 401 as a child can easily fit in the front trunk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738713May 19, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY/WIPER
The full self driving system has malfunctioned and is failing. I was put in incredibly dangerous situations that were near potentially fatal accidents. Had someone been a little bit closer when following me, I would not have had enough time to counter the issue. Yes it has been confirmed but not nearly to the extent that I have experienced it It has been inspected by a local service center from the company. There have been some visibility warnings but nothing else.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738462May 18, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEATS
I am reporting a recurring and unresolved electrical/safety issue with my new Tesla Model Y. The issue has occurred 5 times within the past 4 weeks and affects multiple systems simultaneously. When the issue occurs: * The air conditioning stops working completely. * The driver-side front and rear windows cannot be rolled down or up. * The driver seat adjustment may not function properly. The problem appears intermittently. It may disappear temporarily and then return hours or days later. Tesla service has inspected the vehicle multiple times, but the issue continues to recur. This creates a significant safety concern because: * The driver window may not function during rain or emergencies. * The AC may fail during extremely hot weather. * The driver seat may not adjust properly, potentially affecting safe vehicle operation and driver visibility. * The intermittent nature of the failure makes the vehicle unpredictable and unreliable to operate safely. The issue has not been permanently resolved despite repeated service visits. I am concerned there may be a broader electrical or control system defect affecting vehicle safety.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738365May 17, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY FINGER WAS AMPUTATED BY THE DOOR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11738360May 16, 2026
STEERING, SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2025/2026 Tesla Model Y Juniper experiences noticeable vibration starting at approximately 75 mph on smooth highways. The vibration is felt throughout the entire vehicle: steering wheel, doors, seats, and pedals/floor. It is not limited to the steering wheel. Tire balancing, alignment, and foam checks have all been performed with no resolution. Tesla service states the issue is ‘normal/within spec.’ Video of the vibration with speedometer visible is attached. This matches a widespread pattern reported by other Juniper owners. Video: [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
#11738266May 16, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The latest Tesla autopilot software forces users to engage in an autopilot product survey after disengaging autopilot while driving in order to gain access to audio/radio controls. The survey is not dismissible without reading a complicated prompt and choosing a response, and it completely obstructs audio controls until you participate in the survey. The driver therefore cannot turn off music to listen for emergency sirens, pedestrians, or other potential safety cues while driving at any speed, unless the driver also takes eyes off the road to participate in the forced product survey. This is by design and affects all Tesla drivers who use the autopilot feature.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738182May 15, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING
The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while the contact's husband was driving at 70 MPH, the self-drive feature failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle aggressively jerked into the merging lane. The contact stated that the vehicle almost crashed into a concrete wall. In addition, the contact stated that the failure was persistent. The contact stated that the failure began after an unknown software update was performed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,800.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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