Tesla Model Y Complaints

3,785 consumer complaints on file.

#11702699December 3, 2025
WHEELS, SUSPENSION
I am reporting a potential safety defect related to premature rear tire wear on my 2024 Tesla Model Y Performance At 15,482 miles, on May 2, 2025, Tesla’s Paramus, NJ Service Center confirmed an alignment issue and performed a four-wheel alignment. At the same visit, they replaced both rear tires with Michelin Pilot Sport AS 4 275/35R21 103W XL and sold me a Tire Protection Plan for those tires (Tesla invoice #XXX). tesla_invoiceXXX The vehicle now has 24,460 miles. The rear tires have worn out in less than 10,000 miles and about 7 months since the alignment and replacement. The tread wear is excessive and uneven compared with the front tires, and is inconsistent with the normal expected life (around 20,000+ miles) of these tires. This appears to indicate an ongoing alignment or suspension issue that is causing abnormal rear tire wear. Rapid rear tire wear on this vehicle could lead to loss of traction, especially in wet conditions, and therefore represents a safety risk. I am requesting that NHTSA review this complaint in case it reflects a broader issue with rear tire wear/alignment on Tesla Model Y Performance vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702670December 3, 2025
STEERING, SUSPENSION
The vehicle exhibits harmonic oscillation in the steering column since the day I drove the vehicle home on the interstate. Even though tires had been balanced out of pocket due to long service center wait times with a road force balancer, balanced again at the service center, match mounted and road force balanced again out of my own pocket, noise reducing foam removed and balanced on an uncalibrated balancer that resulted in a same day bring back and final road force balance. Service center refused to troubleshoot further after lead tech drove vehicle after third attempt of repair. I asked whether the tech felt the vibration and the service advisors face turned red, and fed the line that it is normal NVH from the solid front drive unit mounts and that was Tesla's stance. This issue has been widely reported online to vehicles that are RWD as well. The bad wheel balance exacerbates the harmonic in the column. Exceptional wheel balancing with RVF down to 6lbs on the front wheels only made it less intense. When driving on any uneven road, or crossing bridge expansion gaps for example, the steering oscillation gets worse, as the uneven roads make it worse. Reasonably assumed at this point it is not caused by just a balance issue. Tesla refused to try a set of known good wheels on the vehicle. This is not normal NVH or general road feel; something in the front end of the vehicle gets into harmonic oscillation. I asked if Tesla would like to keep the car for a proper diagnostic and whether they had looked into other components of the front end, and if they were not going to diagnose further I'd request a buyback. The simple response was that a buyback request would be initiated. It could be a myriad of issues, none of which should be my responsibility to try and track down or fix on a vehicle that exhibited the behavior since day one and still does after 1500 miles. I've passed the account to the service center manager and district manager yet to no reply.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#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
#11702617December 2, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, SERVICE BRAKES
SUMMARY OF SAFETY DEFECT: Multiple critical safety systems randomly disengage without warning while the vehicle is in operation, creating an immediate crash hazard. DETAILED DESCRIPTION: For approximately one month, my vehicle has experienced intermittent, unpredictable failures of multiple safety-critical systems while driving. These failures occur randomly during operation and include: Regenerative Braking System Failure (PRIMARY SAFETY CONCERN) Lane Departure Warning System Failure Automatic Vehicle Hold System Failure Traction Control System Failure Automatic Emergency Braking System Failure Electronic Stability Control System Failure SAFETY HAZARD ANALYSIS: The sudden disengagement of regenerative braking while driving poses an acute collision risk. Tesla vehicles are designed with regenerative braking as the primary deceleration method when releasing the accelerator. Drivers develop muscle memory and expectations based on consistent vehicle behavior. When regenerative braking unexpectedly disengages mid-drive, the vehicle's deceleration characteristics change dramatically and without warning, creating a dangerous situation where: The driver expects normal deceleration upon releasing the accelerator The vehicle instead continues at speed, requiring sudden brake application Reaction time is insufficient to compensate for the unexpected behavior change Rear-end collisions or other crashes become likely, particularly in traffic Similarly, the Automatic Vehicle Hold feature unexpectedly disengaging means the vehicle may roll when the driver expects it to remain stationary at traffic lights or stop signs. PATTERN AND FREQUENCY: These system failures occur randomly and unpredictably while driving. The issues sometimes resolve after: Restarting the vehicle Restarting the cent However, the failures recur without warning during subsequent driving. MANUFACTURER RESPONSE: Service Visit Date: November 28, 2024 Diagnosis: Tesla Service Center acknowledged this as a
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
#11702284December 1, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
INCIDENT REPORT – TESLA Y – UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2025, APPROXIMATELY 2:40 PM On the above-referenced date and time, we were returning home with the intention of pulling the car into our garage, an activity performed over a hundred times in the one year we have owned the car. Because of the need to back in to allow the car to be charged, the following procedure is adhered to: 1.Disengage self-driving (if it was being used) in the street prior to entering the courtyard for residence. 2.Pull forward three-quarters of the way into garage (since the residence is the last on the courtyard and the car cannot be pulled beyond the garage opening to directly back in). 3.Place car in reverse and slowly perform K-turn to back into garage. On the date in question. The following anomalies occurred: 1.After placing the car in reverse (action 2), instead of starting to back out, the car lurched forward. The brake was immediately applied and the car stopped about a foot before hitting the garage wall. 2.The brake was applied again to assure self-driving was disengaged and proceed with action 3. 3.Car was placed in reverse and accelerator was lightly pressed to slowly back out of garage. Rather than slowly back out (as was done hundreds of times) the car immediately accelerated and rapidly gained speed. 4.The brake was applied to stop the car but could not overcome the acceleration (pictures of skid marks were taken). 5.In order not to directly hit the wall located across from garage, Car steering wheel was turned to minimize any direct contact ( skid marks will show turn). 6.Car came to a stop when it hit the wall causing significant damage to the car and causing damage to the wall (pictures can be forwarded).
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702152November 30, 2025
SUSPENSION
While backing out of a parking stall, the bolts securing the front right lower control arm fell off. One of the bolts rolled under the car and the other bolt was still in the control arm. This vehicle has never been off road, or in an accident. It was towed to the dealership for repairs. It terrifies me to consider what would have happened to me or my family had the bolts fallen off driving at freeway speeds. "Tesla Technician Notes: The customer reported that the lower front control arm fell off, which was verified by inspection showing extensive damage to the suspension, subframe, and front drive unit. The issue was caused by both bolts falling out of the right front lower lateral link. To address this, technicians replaced the front lower lateral and compliance links, steering rack, RF spring and damper assembly, subframe, drive unit, RF halfshaft, RF wheel arch liner, stabilizer bar links, and aero shield, and performed a four-wheel alignment check and adjust. The repair was validated by ensuring all components were securely reattached and functioning properly."
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
#11702107November 30, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
My 2024 Tesla Model Y hit a parked vehicle on the right side of the street during FSD self driving. The car suddently slanted to the right and hit the parked vehicle. During FSD drive, it did not give any warning before the accident. My dauther was injured on her face. Clearly the new version FSD v14.1 software is very defective. I am located in San Jose, CA.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11702022November 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
When driving on slippery surfaces, if I release the accelerator pedal—even slightly—the vehicle automatically activates regenerative braking to recapture energy. On ice, this sudden deceleration mimics applying the brakes, which can cause an immediate loss of traction and control. This happened to me recently while driving in snowy and icy conditions. As soon as I eased off the accelerator, the car engaged regenerative braking, the wheels lost grip, and the vehicle began to slide, similar to what would happen if hard braking were applied on ice. I momentarily lost control of the car, creating a serious safety hazard. This behavior is not intuitive and can surprise drivers, particularly in winter climates. Unless regenerative braking is manually adjusted or turned off—something not every driver knows to do—the system can unintentionally put the vehicle into a skid. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue. A software modification or warning may be needed so drivers are not placed at risk due to unexpected regenerative braking on slippery surfaces. Thank you for your attention to this safety concern.
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
#11701947November 28, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My vehicle’s auto-high beam system does not properly recognize other traffic. It specifically fails to substantially dim the high beams when approaching oncoming vehicles or when behind other traffic on roadways. I have reported this to the manufacturer and attempted to have the dealership fix this on multiple occasions. The dealerships insist that the vehicle dims the required number of pixels in the headlights to not blind other drivers. However, this does not appear to be effective as other drivers that I have followed behind reported that they were being blinded by my highbeams while I was behind them. There is a notable difference between the highbeams and the low beams which the car fails to substantially adjust for when using this required feature to utilize the self driving/auto pilot feature.
Crash:
No
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
#11701878November 28, 2025
SEAT BELTS
Left rear passenger seatbelt stopped working. There are no visible issues with the belt, metal plug or receptacle, but for some reason the seatbelt will not engage nor click in to secure the belt onto the passenger. This is a safety issue as my daughter typically sits in this seat and she cannot safely sit there now without a functioning seat belt.
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

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