Tesla Model Y Complaints (2023)

1,136 consumer complaints on file.

#11737635May 13, 2026
STEERING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Nature of Defect: While operating Full Self-Driving (FSD) at highway speeds, my vehicle exhibits involuntary lateral swerving — sudden, uncontrolled movement to the left and right without driver input. This behavior occurs repeatedly and unpredictably, posing a direct safety risk to the occupants of my vehicle and to other drivers. Tesla Service diagnosed the root cause as a failed FSD computer and recommended full replacement at a cost exceeding $3,000. Crashes or Injuries: None to date, though the behavior described above creates a significant risk of collision at highway speeds. Frequency: Recurring during FSD engagement at highway speeds. Additional Context: This defect was present during my vehicle's original warranty period. Tesla has been aware of this issue since my service visit and has not completed the repair. I have an active goodwill warranty request pending with Tesla that has gone unacknowledged for over two weeks. I am submitting this complaint because I believe this defect may affect other Tesla vehicles equipped with the same FSD hardware, and I want NHTSA to have a record of this failure mode.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737263May 12, 2026
SEAT BELTS
I lease a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The rear passenger side seat belt/buckle assembly had previously experienced issues involving unexpected disengagement/unlatching. The vehicle was previously brought to Tesla for service regarding the restraint system/rear passenger buckle area and Tesla represented that the issue had been addressed. On April 4, 2026, during an emergency braking event to avoid another vehicle that abruptly cut in front of me and slammed on its brakes, I was forced to brake hard and maneuver to avoid a collision. During that braking event, the rear passenger side buckle released/unlatched while my child was properly secured in a child safety seat in that seating position. As a result, the entire child safety seat violently pitched forward and my child’s face struck the seat in front of her. This incident occurred after Tesla had already been given notice of restraint system concerns involving this seating position and after prior service attempts. The issue raises serious concerns regarding rear passenger restraint integrity and child occupant safety during emergency braking situations. Tesla was formally notified again regarding this incident on May 12, 2026. As of the date of this complaint, approximately one week has passed and Tesla has not responded or attempted contact regarding the reported child occupant restraint failure. The vehicle has not yet been reinspected by Tesla following this incident and remains available for inspection. I am requesting preservation of all vehicle telemetry, restraint system data, diagnostic information, and service records related to this vehicle and prior restraint system complaints/repairs.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11737188May 11, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I would like to report a serious safety concern regarding Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) on HW3-equipped vehicles. My vehicle repeatedly performs sudden and aggressive braking while FSD is engaged, even when there are no visible obstacles, vehicles, or hazards ahead. In some cases, the vehicle slows dramatically or comes to a complete stop unexpectedly. This creates a significant rear-end collision risk, especially on higher-speed roads where surrounding traffic does not anticipate abrupt braking behavior. This issue has been occurring for approximately one year and appears to have worsened over time and TESLA hasn't released a single FDS software update for over a year for HW3 vehicles. I recently brought my vehicle to Tesla service, paid for diagnostics/repair, and the issue still remains unresolved. I have also personally experienced the same behavior in another HW3 Tesla vehicle provided as a loaner from a Tesla service center, which suggests the issue may not be isolated to my individual car. Based on my experience, this appears to affect multiple HW3 vehicles operating with FSD enabled. The unsafe braking behavior causes surrounding vehicles to tailgate closely and react suddenly, increasing the likelihood of accidents. In my opinion, the current FSD behavior on affected HW3 vehicles presents a safety hazard for both Tesla owners and other road users. I believe this issue warrants immediate investigation. Until the root cause is identified and corrected, Tesla should consider disabling or restricting FSD functionality on affected HW3 vehicles to reduce the risk of accidents caused by phantom braking and unsafe autonomous driving behavior.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737126May 11, 2026
SUSPENSION
Vehicle brought to Tesla Service Plano TX for front-end rattle on bumpy roads at 49,951 miles. Technician found right front compliance arm split, left front compliance arm tearing, right front aft link starting to wear, left front aft link split at bushing, rear bolt for link loose, and opposite side nut separated from the subframe causing bolt to have zero tension. Tesla replaced entire front subframe assembly, both front lower lateral links, and both front lower compliance links under Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty. During the same visit, the technician performed a Vehicle Health Check (form SC-25-00-016 R2) and documented additional rear suspension defects: rear lower fore links have play and rear upper fore link bushings have excessive travel. Technician marked the suspension section as Repair/Replace. Service center declined warranty coverage on the rear, calling it normal wear despite the technician's findings. This is the second major warranty visit. At 14,928 miles in September 2024, Tesla Austin replaced the Power Conversion System, 16V Li-Ion battery, and pyrotechnic battery disconnect due to a loose harness connector causing vehicle shutdown warnings. Vehicle was manufactured at Tesla Gigafactory Austin TX. A separated subframe nut is a structural safety defect that could result in wheel alignment shift and loss of vehicle control. I drove this vehicle with my family including two children before the defect was discovered. Tesla Service Plano, service number XXX, service advisor Owen V [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
#11737042May 11, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Purchased used 2023 Tesla Model Y from Tesla on April 17, 2026 at ~16,300 miles. Pre-delivery, Tesla notified me by text that the vehicle failed state safety inspection due to front upper ball joint play (a known Tesla Model 3/Y defect). Tesla repaired it at its own service center and certified it as passing on April 8, 2026. No warning lamps or messages. ~12 days post-delivery a family member reported a noise from the left rear; the vehicle was then parked. On May 10, 2026, I removed the left rear wheel and found the left rear brake caliper completely detached from the rear knuckle. Both caliper bracket mounting bolts were missing. The caliper was held only because it had seized on the rotor. Vehicle unsafe to operate. Towed by flatbed to Tesla May 11; available for inspection on request. Properly torqued caliper bracket bolts do not back themselves out in ~800 miles of light use. Realistic causes: (a) bolts installed but not torqued to spec, worked loose in service; (b) bolts missing at state inspection and certified anyway; (c) suspension disassembled during the pre-sale repair, bracket reassembled with bolts omitted. All implicate Tesla's workmanship; (b) and a visibly-loose (a) also implicate the inspection. Tesla previously acknowledged this failure mode in recall SB-21-33-002 ("Loose Brake Caliper Bolts," 2019-2021 Model 3 / 2020-2021 Model Y): caliper bolts "may not be torqued to internal specifications" and "may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate." My vehicle is outside that range but the recall shows this is a known Tesla pattern. Risk: caliper detachment can wedge the wheel, lock the brake, damage tire/wheel, boil brake fluid, or break free at speed — any can cause loss of control. Vehicle driven ~800 miles in this condition. Dealer confirmation pending; Tesla instructed in writing not to repair pre-inspection. State Police ASED complaint filed; formal dispute filed with Tesla Resolutions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736806May 9, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
While reversing my Tesla Model Y, the rear parking sensors failed to alert me to a stationary obstacle (fence). No audible warning or visual alert was triggered. The vehicle had recently received a software update prior to the incident. The failure resulted in collision damage to the rear bumper. I believe this may be a sensor or software defect. I am requesting an investigation into whether recent OTA updates affected rear obstacle detection functionality.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736713May 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On May 8, 2026 at approximately 1:15 PM in [XXX] , my 2023 Tesla Model Y unexpectedly locked with my [XXX] infant inside during approximately 100°F weather. I briefly exited the vehicle while charging to disconnect the charging cable. My authenticated phone key remained inside the cabin. Immediately after unplugging the charger, the vehicle activated Walk-Away Door Lock and locked all doors despite the phone key remaining inside the vehicle. I was locked out without access to my phone and had to ask a stranger to call 911 and contact my husband. Cabin temperatures rapidly became dangerous for an infant. My husband was eventually able to remotely unlock the vehicle using the Tesla app, narrowly avoiding forced entry by emergency responders. The vehicle failed to detect the phone key inside the cabin and improperly initiated locking while a vulnerable child occupant was present. This created a serious risk of heat injury or death. The vehicle also failed to prevent the lockout despite an infant occupant being seated in the second row, raising concerns about whether rear-seat occupancy detection and child safety protections functioned properly during the event. I am requesting investigation into Tesla’s proximity sensing, phone key detection, walk-away lock behavior, and child occupant safety protections during charging/unplugging events. 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
#11736658May 8, 2026
SUSPENSION
I was driving in Topanga Canyon, heard a loud clang. Noticed the steering was off, so pulled over. The front lateral links had failed and it took me 6 hours to get a tow. Had I been at freeway speeds when that happened, I may have crashed and not been able to pull over safely as I was headed towards the 101 freeway before the links failed. Upon researching this, I found online this is a common issue with Tesla’s. If I need it don’t again, I don’t want to have to pay for an issue that’s a manufacturers defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735953May 6, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Recurring camera and Autopilot defect on a 2023 Tesla Model Y (HW3 with in-cabin camera, in scope for NHTSA Recall 23V838). 7 service visits in 13.5 months and ~14,000 miles of my ownership. Tesla verified the camera/Autopilot defect in writing on 12/5/2025 and replaced the upper Quad Camera Cover (P/N 1755687-00-B) and Interior Camera (P/N 1588124-S0-I). Same defect returned by 4/27/2026. On 4/28/2026 Tesla service issued a Could Not Duplicate citing 'no log data showing signs of autosteer having an issue or any camera blocked alerts.' But Tesla's own VIN-linked telemetry, which Tesla provided me via Privacy Portal data request, contains: 28 Autopilot FAULT events on 14 of 27 retained days; 1 ABORTING event matching my report to the minute; and 17 highway-speed (>=50 mph) phantom-brake-class hard decelerations <= -0.20 g. The worst event: 4/28/2026 at 2:12 PM EDT, less than 90 minutes after Tesla returned the vehicle. Autopilot was in ACTIVE_NOMINAL state with cruise engaged at 63.6 mph. System produced an unprompted -0.252 g (-2.47 m/s^2) deceleration. Driver was not braking; system was driving. Additional phantom brakes: -0.297 g at 62.9 mph on 5/2/2026; -0.294 g at 70.0 mph on 5/3/2026. Multiple Take Over Immediately alerts without explanation. Camera Blocked alerts in clear conditions. Driver-monitoring system flagged 'hands NOT detected' on 339 of 684 monitoring detection events during the 27-day window despite hands being on the wheel — the recall remedy mechanism is failing on this vehicle. This vehicle is in scope for NHTSA Recall Query RQ24009 (open), investigating whether the 23V838 OTA remedy actually fixed the underlying Autosteer defect. My data is direct fleet-level evidence the remedy did not work on this VIN. Currently in active New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735720May 5, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
While using Full Self-Driving on my 2023 Tesla Model Y, the automatic high beams repeatedly activate in active traffic conditions, including when following other vehicles and when oncoming traffic is present. The system does not consistently dim the lights, creating glare that could impair visibility for other drivers. The driver is unable to permanently disable automatic high beams while FSD is engaged.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735554May 4, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Safety Defect Complaint – Tesla Model Y FSD v14.2.2.5 I am reporting unsafe speed behavior in Tesla Model Y Full Self-Driving (FSD) software v14.2.2.5. FSD uses selectable driving profiles (Sloth, Chill, Standard, Hurry, Mad Max) to control speed, but provides no definition of how these profiles affect speed or limits. Tesla also removed the ability to manually adjust speed incrementally, reducing driver control. While in Standard mode, the vehicle exceeded the speed limit by 12 mph, resulting in a photo radar citation. This was not driver-initiated. I have experienced at least six incidents where the vehicle exceeded the speed limit by 10+ mph without warning. Two design issues create significant safety risk: The right scroll wheel now controls both microphone and FSD profile selection. Its multi-directional design allows unintended inputs that can change speed profiles (e.g., to Hurry or Mad Max) without driver awareness. There is no audible or visual alert when this occurs. The vehicle can accelerate beyond safe/legal speeds before the driver realizes and disengages FSD. The driver-set speed warning (set to 8 mph over limit) failed to activate during multiple overspeed events, including the citation incident, despite being enabled. This removes a critical safety safeguard. Speed increases have occurred both gradually and rapidly, reducing reaction time. Safety Risk: unintended acceleration, loss of predictable speed control, lack of driver alerts, and failure of safety warnings. These conditions could lead to violations or collisions. I request NHTSA investigate whether this constitutes a safety defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735482May 4, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
While driving on I-95 North in the fast lane at highway speed, my 2023 Tesla Model Y experienced a sudden loss of propulsion and displayed a warning indicating the vehicle was shutting down. The vehicle rapidly decelerated and would not respond to acceleration or drive engagement. Steering remained functional, which allowed me to maneuver the vehicle across lanes to the shoulder to avoid a potential collision. This required an emergency maneuver in active highway traffic with my family in the vehicle. A soft reset did not resolve the issue. After performing a hard reset, I was able to move the vehicle slowly off the roadway to a nearby location where it was later towed. This incident occurred without prior warning and created a significant safety hazard due to sudden loss of propulsion at highway speed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734091April 27, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Washer fluid indicated low washer fluid. Refilled washer fluid, but shortly after washer fluid leaked out underneath the vehicle. Took the vehicle in for repair at an Tesla Service Center and service advisor indicated that the reservoir had cracked at the seam (an obvious defect of the reservoir). They stated it was not considered a defect even though it was obvious the crack was at the seam. Given the age of the vehicle and the fact that the vehicle is constantly garaged when parked this seems to be an abnormal issue. Had I not taken this in to get serviced there could have been an issue with not having any washer fluid in the reservoir when needing to clean the windshield which would pose a visibility hazard and could potentially lead to a collision.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11733914April 26, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
### Summary: Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) from a stationary position. ### Vehicle Configuration: 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD. Battery Type: NMC. ### Incident Details: On April 19, 2026, at approximately 10:00 a.m., the vehicle was stationary on a flat surface at 6722 Vista Del Mar Ave, San Diego. I was in the driver's seat with the vehicle "On" but stopped, conversing with two witnesses. My feet were completely clear of both the accelerator and brake pedals. ### The Event: Without driver input, the vehicle suddenly and forcefully accelerated forward. I immediately slammed the service brake with full force. The vehicle traveled approximately 20 feet before the brakes brought the car to a halt. ### Evidence & Gaps: Two eyewitnesses confirmed the vehicle moved autonomously without pedal interaction. A manufacturer data report was requested, but it showed a specific data gap for the exact seconds of the acceleration event, despite providing second-by-second logs for the rest of the day.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11733045April 22, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I was driving a Tesla Model Y with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged in Standard mode on a wet roadway post-rain. Shortly before the incident, my vehicle had completed a lane change on FSD and was traveling with traffic flow. A vehicle ahead braked suddenly after reacting to another vehicle merging unsafely near a lane split. The stopping occurred quickly, reducing available reaction time. The FSD system did not appear to respond with sufficient braking force or early enough given the conditions. A forward collision warning sounded shortly before impact, but there was limited time to avoid the collision. The vehicle ultimately rear-ended the car ahead. I am submitting this report because of the system’s delayed response in wet conditions, failure to ensure enough space on FSD- especially after a lane change and during a sudden/abrupt traffic slowdown may present a safety concern if experienced by other drivers.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732889April 21, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
On April 16, 2026 around 7:30pm CT, I was driving a Tesla Model Y 2023 on I-35 near downtown Austin. There was an extreme traffic jam, I turned on the Auto Pilot so it can cruise by itself without touching anything. It worked for a while, but suddenly it veered off to a lane on my right side, crashing into a large truck on the front right. This damaged all the front and passenger side fender. The car had to be towed. I used this feature many times in the past, it always stayed within the lane. This time it acted erroneously. This should not be marketed as "auto pilot" that people may lose their lives due to insufficient safety guard in the system. Fortunately the traffic was moving very slowly, no one was hurt in my case. I got all incident data downloaded from Tesla to prove its fault. Based on the data, the Autopilot system had a fault starting at 12:50pm and 14:55pm, and was disabled at 15:59pm, but there were no warning as I turned it on when I drove on I-35 around 7pm. See the attached data file (highlighted rows, the claim system doesn't allow the original Excel file to be uploaded).
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732198April 19, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING
I was driving home with Tesla FSD engaged, and my right turn was approaching. Since the Tesla did not activate the right turn signal on its own, I turned on right indicator manually while FSD was still engaged. But FSD changed the lane to the left and accelerated, and rear-ended the vehicle in front of me.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11731623April 16, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Hello, I am reporting a safety issue with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system on my 2023 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle has been taken in for service four separate times for this issue. During these visits, Tesla service technicians were able to reproduce and confirm the problem. I have been explicitly advised in writing by Tesla service not to use the Full Self-Driving system due to safety concerns and to use standard AutoSteer instead. While FSD is engaged, the vehicle exhibits dangerous and unpredictable behavior, including: Crossing over double yellow lines into opposing traffic, Driving significantly below the speed limit (e.g., ~4 mph in a 25 mph zone), Stopping in the roadway without any traffic or obstructions, Swerving within the lane while attempting to maintain position, Hesitation during turns, stop signs and at intersections. Tesla has attempted multiple repairs, including replacing steering-related components and multiple cameras across separate service visits. These repairs did not resolve the issue. At my last service visit Tesla has since indicated that the problem is likely software or firmware-related and that there is currently no available fix, with a recommendation to wait for a future update of an unknown timeline. If their statement is correct, this issue should be affecting every vehicle out there on the same software. At this time, I have been advised not to use a system that controls steering, braking, and acceleration due to safety concerns, and no timeline or resolution has been provided. I am submitting this complaint because the system behavior presents a potential safety risk to myself, passengers, and other drivers, and the manufacturer has not provided a current fix despite multiple confirmed service visits. I am attaching my last service invoice only in regards to this matter where they indicated to not use FSD, but I can provide other documentation showing the replacement of cameras and steering parts as well as videos if needed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731575April 16, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
The rear subframe wiring harness on my Tesla contains a significant design flaw that creates an unreasonable safety risk. The factory-installed corrugated protective tubing (wire loom) terminates prematurely, leaving approximately 1 inch of critical wiring completely exposed at the connector. This specific harness uses soy-based insulation, which is a known attractant to rodents. Because of the 1-inch gap in protection, rodents have been able to sever the same connector twice within a 30-day period Safety Risk: The exposed wires in the rear subframe harness are responsible for Rear Drive Unit communication / Wheel Speed Sensors / Brakes]. A failure of these wires while the vehicle is in motion could result in a sudden loss of propulsion, unexpected braking, or the loss of stability control systems. This creates a high risk of a collision, particularly at highway speeds.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731343April 15, 2026
WHEELS
Excessive inside tire wear even tough tires are not at tread wear indicator cause dangerous situation. Tesla knows of this problem. And it is designed this way with no camber adjustment to rear suspension
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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