2021 Tesla Model Y Airbags Problems

Description of Safety Incident:The front passenger safety restraint system failed, displaying the warning alert: "Seats - Front passenger safety restraint system fault / Service is required." This alert disables or suppresses the front passenger airbag and seatbelt restraint system, creating a direct safety hazard for front-seat occupants.Service History & Recurring Defect:On February 26, 2025 (at 50,596 miles), Tesla Service Center diagnosed an open circuit in the front passenger seat harness/back frame. Under Service Bulletin / SRS Warranty, Tesla replaced the front seat back, seat harness assembly (PN: 1489060-03-G), occupancy sensor (PN: 1099592-00-F), and SBR sensor clip (PN: 1130363-00-B). On August 1, 2026 (at 63,583 miles)—less than 13,000 miles after the initial replacement—the exact same safety restraint system fault recurred.Safety Concern:The front passenger seat harness and Occupant Classification System (OCS) appear to suffer from design strain, pinching, or premature wiring degradation during normal seat movement. Because this defect disables critical safety restraint components and recurs shortly after replacement, I am submitting this report to request a federal safety review and investigation regarding Tesla Model Y front passenger seat wiring harness integrity.

NHTSA ID

11755028

Incident

Feb 25, 2025

Recurring front passenger safety restraint system fault causing incorrect occupant detection for airbag deployment. Failed and was ‘repaired’ 3 times since 2024, including 2 consecutive failed repairs of the same part within the last 3 months. Tesla service advisor also mentioned informally this is a common issue. Tesla is now refusing further no-cost repair despite both recent repairs remaining under Tesla’s own parts warranty.

NHTSA ID

11749701

Incident

Jul 7, 2026

**What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?** The vehicle experienced a critical failure immediately on the same day of purchase, rendering it not functioning or inoperable. It was deemed to be preexisting from the dealership I bought it from. The battery is malfunctioning affecting the driving capacity and range. --- **How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?** The failure created a significant safety concern, as the vehicle was not operating reliably immediately after purchase. This placed me at risk of being stranded and potentially exposed to hazardous conditions, including loss of transportation in unsafe or uncontrolled environments. Or stopping while driving. --- **Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?** The issue was immediately reported to the dealership, and they acknowledged the problem by agreeing to an exchange of the vehicle due to its defective condition. It was confirmed by a service center of the car's manufacturer. --- **Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?** At this time, the vehicle has inspected by the manufacturer. --- **Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?** Yes, although the manufacturer can't pinpoint when they started but said they had been on since ATLEAST March 10. My purchase was made April 1, undisclosed to me of this huge issue.

NHTSA ID

11730990

Incident

Apr 1, 2026

“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.

NHTSA ID

11667345

Incident

Jun 3, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the message "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" was displayed on the instrument panel. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,400.

NHTSA ID

11654477

Incident

Apr 11, 2025

Mileage

68,400 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH and depressing the brake pedal; however, the vehicle accelerated independently and failed to brake without warning. The contact assured there were no distractions that could have caused the crash. Due to the failure, the contact crashed into another vehicle as the air bags deployed. Despite the air bag deployment, the vehicle continued to accelerate and repeatedly hit the same vehicle. The brake pedal eventually responded after depressing multiple times to the floorboard and the vehicle finally came to a stop. The contact did not sustain any injuries and did not seek medical treatment. The driver of the other vehicle did not report any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene to an independent tow yard. The contact mentioned reviewing the Tesla App on the crash however it was not recorded and there was a recording lag. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 39,264

NHTSA ID

11646831

Incident

Mar 6, 2025

Mileage

39,264 mi

I have a notice that a sensor went out in my passenger seat. I took it into Tesla to get a quote to repay rid and was quoted $2,000 to fix it. When I asked why it is so expensive I was told it is be cause Tesla has to retrofit my car to fit the new sensors because they stopped making my years sensors, my car is only a 2021. This is safety issue that should be a recall, I have several other friends that own teslas that have had the same issue. The sensor that is not working properly is the sensor that registers if a passenger is in the seat or not determining if the airbag needs to deploy when in an accident. so without a working sensor it puts the passenger at risk. This is something I believe Tesla should covering as it is a safety issue & as a consumer I shouldn't have to pay over the fact they discontinued the proper sensor for my vehicle putting anyone that sits in my passenger seat at risk for the airbag to not deploy in the case of an accident.

NHTSA ID

11627236

Incident

Nov 25, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that his wife was driving at 5 -10 MPH and traffic ahead was slowing down, the vehicle in front stopped and the driver depressed the brake pedal however the vehicle then unintendedly accelerated. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of the vehicle in front. No warning lights were illuminated and no air bags were deployed. No police report was filed due to no injuries being sustained and the insurance company would be handling the incident. The vehicle was towed to a body center where it was diagnosed that the front air bag sensors were fractured in half and failed to activate the air bags but did activate the seat belts during the impact. The vehicle was not repaired, and the repair decision from the insurance company was pending. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure via the app however the contact was still waiting for a return call to speak with a live agent. The failure mileage was 18,680.

NHTSA ID

11619375

Incident

Sep 29, 2024

Mileage

18,850 mi

The front passenger safety restrain system keeps switching off and showing an error randomly during driving, especially with younger passengers on the passenger seat. The problem was already fixed by Tesla 4 times and is appearing again.

NHTSA ID

11611757

Incident

Aug 29, 2024

I recently saw there was a recall update issued by Tesla regarding the seatbelt alert. My driver seat does not sense I’m in the seat, and allows me to drive with out a belt on. Even if they send an update to my car, I won’t be alerted. Someone could use the lack of sensor to not remain in their seat. Inflatable doll with sunglasses could take my spot. My question is, is this included in the recall regarding the seat belt notification when not buckled since it’s part of the safety restraint system?

NHTSA ID

11593968

Incident

Jun 12, 2024

The front passenger safety alert system fault warning appears Occupant Classification System (OCS) of Front Passenger Seat is faulty and Tesla said it’s not covered under warranty.

NHTSA ID

11567451

Incident

Jan 4, 2024

The contact owned a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously involved in a crash, and the air bags had failed to deploy. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, in severe stormy weather, the vehicle hydroplaned, and he lost control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the passenger's side quarter panel of the vehicle struck a pole, and the passenger's side of the vehicle crashed into a tree. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The contact stated there were no other vehicles involved. The contact stated he did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where it was totaled. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

NHTSA ID

11545893

Incident

Aug 20, 2023

Mileage

28,000 mi

Front passenger safety restraint system fault intermittently appears and disappears. Might be defect of manufacture of harness squezed. Lots of users are complaining about said and manufacture wants $500 to repair what seems to be a recall. https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/front-passenger-safety-restraint-system-fault.161485/page-5#post-7714894

NHTSA ID

11536136

Incident

Jul 4, 2023

Was hit by a F-250 running a stop sign, estimated speed of F-250 was 45 MPH. The airbags failed to deploy in my vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11494435

Incident

Nov 20, 2022

Airbag is OFF for a 123 lb front seat passenger (adult female). This is an intermittent fault -- the passenger airbag status changes during the drive. Possibly half the time the airbag is OFF, when it needs to be ON. Two Tesla Service Center visits were made. The first Tesla Service Center visit reproduced the fault but did not correct it. The second Tesla Service Center visit did not reproduce the fault and did nothing. The passenger airbag status OFF is displayed on the touchscreen. The faulty component(s) could be the seat occupancy sensor(s). This has been an issue since vehicle delivery. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11475357

Incident

Jul 22, 2022

Often a warning of "Front passenger saftey restrain system fault - Service is required" message comes up. Tesla does not have the parts to do a repair. This has been the case for months.

NHTSA ID

11465056

Incident

Mar 1, 2022

My wife weighs 108lb the manual says the passenger airbag should be on if a person weighs approximately 100lb. About 80% of the time she sits in the passenger seat the seat does not detect she is there and it says the airbag is off. I took this to Tesla to repair and they said the sensor was working as designs. I feel this is a safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11460213

Incident

Mar 6, 2022

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the lane assist feature operated independently as he attempted to merge into the right lane. Due to the failure, the vehicle pulled back into the left lane which caused the vehicle to spin in a circle and crash into a median. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact was not injured as a result of the accident. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was initially towed to the dealer where he was informed that the vehicle would be towed to an independent body shop for repair. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 24,300.

NHTSA ID

11440764

Incident

Nov 14, 2021

Mileage

24,300 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that the safety restraint system alert was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions, but vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified via email but had not responded. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11434002

Incident

Jan 1, 2021

The contact's sister owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while her sister was driving on the highway(speed unknown) with the autopilot engaged, an 18-wheeler drifted into her lane and hit her vehicle. Due to the impact, her sister's vehicle hit another vehicle and bounced back and forth between both vehicles. The vehicle continued to the drive despite the accident and no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The airbags also failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact's sister and her mother, the passenger in the vehicle, were taken to the emergency room where they were treated for various body aches and bruising. The whereabouts of the other drivers involved in the accident were unknown. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer have yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired or destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.

NHTSA ID

11425174

Incident

Jul 13, 2021

Mileage

2,000 mi

I was changing lanes on the highway and my tire flew off the vehicle. Car lost control and slammed between railing and a large truck multiple times. Airbags did not deploy. Defective vehicle!

NHTSA ID

11422282

Incident

Jun 24, 2021

SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED A FEW DAYS AFTER DELIVERY AND TESLA REPAIRED AFTER TWO WEEKS OF REPORIITHE ISSUE.*DT CONSUMER STATED AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS CHANGED.*JB

NHTSA ID

11396220

Incident

Feb 3, 2021

Mileage

250 mi