Tesla Model Y Complaints (2021)

1,096 consumer complaints on file.

#11680546August 14, 2025
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I’ve had to replace the steering rack, upper and lower control arm for the left wheel, entire computer motherboard. I drove the car for less than 70k miles and zero accidents and zero modifications. Yes I am open for inspection. While driving with fsd lane keep failed causing the car to veer to other lane. The tesla repair shop said the steering rack was sending errors and the whole rack needs to be replaced. They said it was both electrical and mechanical failure. Previously I’ve had the control arms replaced because it was making clicking noise when I turn the wheel. They said it was due to front compliance link and lateral link issues. Also had entire computer board replaced previously. The error message after the incident was lane assist disabled, steering assist reduced. In the maintenance mode it said “ The drive interface (DI) or drive inverter (DIx) electronic control unit (ECU) detects a low voltage (LV) battery undervoltage event.”
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678430August 5, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There is a latch sensor open kept Coming on. I have been to the Tesla dealership twice and nothing has been resolved.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678397August 5, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The GPS and camera functionality went out on the same day several days ago. The car thinks it is at Tesla’s headquarters in CA and so you cannot find a charging station near your actual location, and no cameras work meaning the additional safety features for collisions do not function at all. This is a widespread issue based on Tesla user forums.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675732July 23, 2025
STEERING
The power steering became reduced and diminished while driving. Tesla is stating that there is corrosion on the wiring harness ports on the power steering rack. There was no warning until after the incident, but now a “reduced power steering” annunciation appears in the screen. The Tesla repair station has confirmed the condition.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675542July 23, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
All cameras went blank on vehicle 4 year and 7 months old. All driver assistance systems became suddenly disabled. Tesla service diagnosis established that computer needs to be replaced for a cost of $2,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675200July 21, 2025
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, STEERING
The vehicle lost steering at 10 mph as a bolt from the front suspension's upper control arm and lateral link fasteners became loose and detached rom the vehicle. The wheel was completely misaligned, and the vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle could not be moved to the side of the road, putting my safety and the safety of other drivers at risk. I fear that this could have been a fatal accident had I been on the highway. This issue has been confirmed by Tesla Service Center, and they acknowledged that this is a known issue. There were no warning indicators or recall notices sent to warn of this known issue. My vehicle should have been recalled. Tesla is making me pay $3,000 for repairs despite knowing this is a manufacturer defect, and they are continuing to put lives at risk by not issuing a wider recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11674803July 19, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
8k miles after warranty expired, I got this notification in my Tesla. BMS_u018 Maximum battery charge level reduced OK to drive - Schedule service Car won’t charge anymore, Tesla says it’s a High voltage battery issue and are charging $14,000 out of warranty. Online it says others have the same issue of it not working sometime after warranty expires. Tesla states batteries should run from 200-300k miles? Wanted to make this complaint since I don’t do anything to cause the battery to have a malfunction this early. No supercharging or charging to 100%.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671580July 7, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that his wife drove to a nearby park and while attempting to leave the park, the vehicle was started, and after his wife put her son and daughter in the vehicle, the vehicle shut off unintendedly and all the doors locked. The doors failed to open with the mobile card or the manual key. The contact stated that the manual card was inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the temperature control was off inside the vehicle and the screen was inoperable. There were no reported injuries. The contact broke the window to enter the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. The contact called a tow truck, and the vehicle was jumpstarted. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as designed the following day. The contact stated that an unknown local dealer was contacted. The dealer informed the contact to send the data pool. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact to complete a report form. The failure mileage was approximately 88,070.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11670843July 2, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Plugged a charger cord for a Garmin watch into the center console USBC right side port. Overnight the USBC port, while connected to the cord but not to the watch or any other device, overheated and melted. It burned the cords male connection into two pieces and melted plastic into the center console. The male end of the cord is now fused into the USBC port of the car. No messages/alerts on the car. Manufacturer inspected and invoiced $970.00 for parts and labor. From forums online this is not the first instance a similar situation has occurred. Assuming paper or another flammable substance was in the console, it would have caught fire
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11670740July 2, 2025
STEERING, SUSPENSION
Upper control arms wear out and start making sounds
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11670270June 30, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle: 2021 Tesla Model Y VIN: [XXX] Date of Incident: [XXX] On the afternoon of Sunday [XXX], while my Tesla Model Y was parked at home and charged to approximately 80%, both my wife and I attempted to enter the vehicle to attend an important appointment. Upon approach, we found the car completely unresponsive — no power, no screen activity, and we were unable to start the vehicle or release the charging cable. Despite this, both front doors could still be manually opened. However, the frameless windows did not automatically lower as they normally would when opening and closing the doors, As a result, when we attempted to close the doors, both front door windows shattered, as the glass was unable to lower and collided with the door frame. This incident clearly resulted from a critical system failure that disabled essential safety and design functions. The vehicle was not damaged prior to this event, and there was no impact or external force involved. This malfunction rendered the vehicle inoperable and directly caused costly damage. I am requesting the following: A full investigation into the root cause of the power system failure Immediate replacement of both shattered front windows at no cost A written explanation of what caused the vehicle to become unresponsive This issue raises serious concerns about vehicle safety and reliability, especially when essential functions like glass auto-drop are disabled without any warning, leaving the glass vulnerable to breakage. [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
#11669709June 27, 2025
STEERING
My 2021 Tesla Model Y experienced a sudden loss of steering assist, resulting in an extremely heavy steering and loss of steering ability, at highway speed. I needed extreme efforts to push the steering wheel to go off highway to avoid accident. This happened on 6/14/2025 around 3PM. Tesla service diagnosed "internal electrical/mechanical steering rack failure", but no recall was issued for my VIN. I've reviewed NHTSA Recall SB-25-00-004 (2025) for 2023 Model Y involving EPAS/steering assist failure. The symptoms in my car appear identical. I believe the issue may affect more model years than the recall currently covers and request HNTSA investigate further.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667991June 19, 2025
SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The bolts connecting the front upper control arm and steering knuckle may not have been tightened properly, potentially leading to detachment. This causes the car to have squeaky, leaking noises when going over bumps and making turns.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667408June 17, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTESTATE HWY I-70 EAST BOUND ON THE LEFT LANE AND I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE EXIST 62. I WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL AND IT WAS RAINING AND THE ROAD WAS WET. WHEN I TRIED TO CHANGE THE LANE THE CAR AUTO BRAKED AND CAR SKID AND ROTATED 360 DEGREES AND HIT THE RAILING. THE CAR GOT DAMAGED FRONT AND BACK. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO VEHICLE NEAR US SO MY FAMILY WAS SAFE. BUT I DONT KNOW WHY THE CAR AUTO BRAKED AND ONE SHOULD NOT HARD BRAKE WHEN THE ROAD IS WET. I CALLED 911 AND TESLA INSURANCE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE BODY SHOP AND THEY ARE DEEMING IT TOTAL LOSS. PLEASE TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS SO IT DOESNOT HAPPEN AGAIN
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667345June 17, 2025
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, SEATS
“Front passenger Safety restraint system fault, service required” RCM2_a636 message keeps appearing on the screen. It happened right after I bought the car, so I took it to Tesla to fix. It went away for a few months and now it’s back again. According to Tesla, this fault, “ Based on the airbag system's self-diagnostic checks, a persistent fault has been detected in one or more safety restraint components. This could involve seat belts, impact sensors, occupant sensors, or related safety components. • If the airbag warning indicator stays on, the vehicle should not be driven until inspected. • Recurring faults require immediate Tesla service attention. • Pre-tensioner or sensor damage can compromise proper seat belt functionality.” This is a serious safety issue that should be addressed in a recall as it could jeopardize occupant safety of the seat belts or air bags do not work. It also appears to be somewhat widespread and persistent. Tesla also does not appear to have a permanent fix as the first time I took it in they made a comment about one repair already having been done on this before I got the car as a certified used one from Tesla.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11666886June 14, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving slowly at a parking lot of a supermarket and preparing to park on my right. When I saw a car on my left front backing up, I pressed on the brake pedal immediately and turned the wheel slightly to the right. All of a sudden, the Tesla accelerated on its own with a very strong force and high speed, with the wheel turned sharply on its own toward the right. The Tesla then run through the steel fence of the parking lot, flying past the sidewalk, and finally settled on top of a big rock on the ground (which is placed there to protect the supermarket building). All of these happened so fast with such a strong force and all in an unintended manner. I was not injured and luckily no other persons or vehicles were involved. However, the vehicle was totalled and there were damage of the supermarket property.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11665380June 6, 2025
SUSPENSION
Upper and lower control arms failed, and front suspensions bushings became torn. The car did not present any warning lamps or warning messages. The issue became apparent when a loud creaking/squeaking sound started coming from the front of the vehicle, and could be reproduced by turning the steering wheel, or by accelerating or braking. Control arm and suspension failures have been a frequent issue amongst Tesla owners, and the NHTSA should consider a recall for the design flaw.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664697June 3, 2025
TIRES
A little background information, on Dec 2023 I installed 4 new Hankook Ion Evo AS (255/45R19) for my Tesla model Y at the Correa Tire shop in Dorado Puerto Rico and the manufacture date on those tires was 4422 and at the time the car had close to 30k miles. On April 2025 one of the tires broke and I replaced it at the same place with the same tire model. Less than a month after the new tire was installed, while riding on the highway at close to 65mph the recently replaced tire completely broke off leaving only the sides and the rest of the tire flew off the car (see pictures attached). This happened suddenly with no previous indication or car notification of any issue with the tire. Fortunately, I was able to stop the car without losing control and apparently the tire did not hit other oncoming cars. This was a very scary situation, which could have resulted on a serous and even fatal accident. When I checked the new tire, or what remained of it, I noticed it had the same manufacturing date (4422) as the tires I had replaced in 2023. The next day I went to the tire shop and explained the incident and they informed I had to buy a new tire while they investigated the situation and if there was any issue with the tire. At that time I also opened a complaint with Hankook US. After waiting various weeks for a response, and expecting reimbursement for the damage tire, I have not received any information from the tire shop and Hankook said they did not receive a claim from the tire shop.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662697May 23, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Low beams are too bright and aimed too high, constantly blinding other drivers. Automatic high beams are always turning on and will not automatically turn off when another vehicle is detected.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662001May 19, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The 12V battery failed unexpectedly, causing a complete shutdown of the vehicle. The car became fully inoperable—doors, windows, touchscreen, and manual override systems were unresponsive. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My young child was inside the car at the time of the failure. Due to the system lockout, I was unable to open the doors or remove them from the vehicle. Emergency responders were called and had to break windows to safely extract my child. This situation posed a serious risk of heat exposure, panic, and injury. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The failure has been documented and attributed to a dead 12V battery, though Tesla has not formally inspected the vehicle as of this writing. I am working to have it evaluated by a qualified technician to confirm the cause. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle was not inspected by Tesla at the time of the incident. Emergency responders did assess the situation on site. I plan to notify my insurance provider, and will make the vehicle available for inspection. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No. There were no alerts, notifications, or warning lights indicating the 12V battery was low or nearing failure. The malfunction occurred without warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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