2022 Tesla Model Y

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 156 complaints alleging a suspension failure in model year (MY) 2018-2020 Model 3 and MY 2021-2023 Model Y vehicles. The suspension failure involves the detachment of the front lower lateral link, which potentially causes a loss of vehicle directional control. In most cases, there was no advance warning or indication that the suspension failure would occur.  Some cases cite noises occurring prior to failure, but note that the vehicle provides no visual warnings. Once the failure occurs, the vehicle may not be drivable, thus requiring a tow. Tesla has previously recalled vehicles for lateral link detachments through two recalls. Recall 21V-835 addressed 2,791 MY2019-2021 Tesla Model 3 vehicles due to a production issue. Recall 23V-235 addressed 422 2018-2019 Tesla Model 3 vehicles that had experienced similar failures to those recalled under 21V-835. The subject failures for this investigation exceed the scope of these recalls and do not appear to be related to the production issue that prompted those recalls. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation to determine the underlying cause, scope, and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening this Engineering Analysis to evaluate Tesla’s Full Self Driving Beta and Full Self Driving (Supervised) (collectively, FSD) degradation detection system. The focus of this investigation will be to assess the system’s ability, when encountering reduced roadway visibility conditions, to detect degradation and alert the driver with sufficient time to respond. ODI will evaluate the performance of FSD in degraded roadway conditions and the updates or modifications by Tesla to the degradation detection system, including the timing, purpose, and capabilities of the updates, and Tesla’s assessment of their safety impact. Tesla’s FSD is an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that relies exclusively on vision-based cameras and the related FSD software to detect and respond to the roadway ahead, projecting a path forward based on traffic control devices, vehicles, pedestrians, and the roadway itself. When Tesla began transitioning away from using both cameras and radars to an exclusively camera-based approach, known as Tesla Vision, in mid-2021, it developed and implemented a degradation detection system that it deployed by a software update to existing and new Tesla vehicles. On June 28, 2024, the day after Tesla submitted the SGO report of the November 28, 2023 fatal crash listed in this document, Tesla began developing an update to the degradation detection system. At this time, ODI does not have information on when the update was deployed and which vehicles have the updated system. ODI discussed individual incidents and its initial findings during the PE phase of its investigation with Tesla. As part of those discussions, Tesla’s post-incident analysis indicated that the update to the degradation detection system, had it been installed on the vehicles at the time, may have affected 3 of the 9 incidents identified by ODI. Tesla also described internal data and labeling limitations that prevented a uniform identification and analysis of crash events with the subject system engaged. ODI believes this limitation could have led to under-reporting of subject crashes over portions of the defined time-period. Available incident data raise concerns that Tesla’s degradation detection system, both as originally deployed and later updated, fails to detect and/or warn the driver appropriately under degraded visibility conditions such as glare and airborne obscurants. In the crashes that ODI has reviewed, the system did not detect common roadway conditions that impaired camera visibility and/or provide alerts when camera performance had deteriorated until immediately before the crash occurred. Review of Tesla’s responses revealed additional crashes that occurred in similar environments and where the system either did not detect a degraded state, and/or it did not present the driver with an alert with adequate time for the driver to react. In each of these crashes, FSD also lost track of or never detected a lead vehicle in its path. In upgrading PE24031 to an Engineering Analysis (EA), ODI will gather further information on the updated degradation detection system, including the status of updating vehicles and scope of compatible vehicles, the system’s visibility degradation detection capability, and alerts or warnings to the driver. Lastly, ODI will conduct analysis on six recent potentially related incidents. These incidents can be found at NHTSA.gov under the following SGO report identification numbers: 13781-11937, 13781-13211, 13781-13569, 13781-13633, 13781-13693, 13781-13788. The crashes included in the failure report summary can be found at NHTSA.gov under the following SGO report identification numbers: 13781-8004, 13781-7181, 13781-7381, 13781-7767, 13781-7964, 13781-8977, 13781-9267.

The Office of Defects Investigation (“ODI”) is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety consequences of FSD executing driving maneuvers that constitute traffic safety violations. This investigation concerns versions of FSD that Tesla has labeled as "FSD (Supervised)" and "FSD (Beta)." Tesla characterizes FSD as an SAE Level 2 partial automation system requiring a fully attentive driver who is engaged in the driving task at all times. Level 2 partial automation systems are designed to support and assist the driver in performing certain aspects of the driving task, requiring a driver to supervise and intervene as necessary.  The driver remains fully responsible at all times for driving the vehicle, including complying with applicable traffic laws. ODI’s investigation will therefore focus, in particular, on whether certain driving inputs within the control authority of FSD forestall the driver’s supervision when they are unexpectedly performed. ODI has identified a number of incidents in which the inputs to the dynamic driving task commanded by FSD induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws. Although reports of this nature span a variety of behaviors, the reports appear to most commonly involve two types of scenarios. The first type of scenario involves a vehicle operating with FSD proceeding into an intersection in violation of a red traffic signal. The second type of scenario involves FSD commanding a lane change into an opposing lane of traffic. With respect to the first type of scenario, ODI has identified 18 complaints and 1 media report alleging that a Tesla vehicle, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface. Some complainants also alleged that FSD did not provide warnings of the system's intended behavior as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal. ODI has identified six Standing General Order ("SGO") reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection. Of these incidents, four crashes resulted in one or more reported injuries. At least some of the incidents appeared to involve FSD proceeding into the intersection after coming to a complete stop. ODI's pre-investigative work, including coordination with the Maryland Transportation Authority and State Police, indicated that the problem may be repeatable, given that multiple subject incidents occurred at the same intersection in Joppa, Maryland. NHTSA understands that Tesla has since taken action to address the issue at this intersection. With respect to the second type of scenario, ODI has identified 2 SGO reports, 18 complaints, and 2 media reports alleging that a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, entered opposing lanes of travel during or following a turn, crossed double-yellow lane markings while proceeding straight, or attempted to turn onto a road in the wrong direction despite the presence of wrong-way road signs. Likewise, ODI has identified 4 SGO reports, 6 complaints, and 1 media report alleging that a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, proceeded straight through an intersection in a turn-only lane or executed a turn at an intersection in a through lane despite the presence of lane markings or signals. Complaints also alleged that FSD did not provide warnings of the system's intended behavior. Some complaints alleged that more than one of these failures occurred and, as such, the numbers are not cumulative. Some of the reported incidents appeared to involve FSD executing a lane change into an opposing lane of travel with little notice to a driver or opportunity to intervene. ODI’s review will assess whether there was prior warning or adequate time for the driver to respond to the unexpected behavior or to safely supervise the automated driving task. This review will assess any warnings to the driver about the system's impending behavior; the time given to drivers to respond; the capability of FSD to detect, display to the driver, and respond appropriately to traffic signals; and the capability of FSD to detect and respond to lane markings and wrong-way signage. NHTSA's review will also consider any updates or modifications to the system(s) that may affect the performance of FSD with respect to obeying traffic safety laws and signals. This assessment will focus, in particular, on the types of traffic safety violations described above, as most reports identified thus far have centered around those behaviors. While the behaviors under investigation appear to occur most frequently at intersections, NHTSA’s investigation will encompass any other types of situations in which this behavior may arise, such as when traveling adjacent to a lane of opposing traffic or when approaching railroad crossings. If other evidence received during this investigation involve other types of traffic safety violations, those may be considered as part of this assessment as well. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov. The SGO reports cited in this Resume are listed below by report ID and are available for download at NHTSA.gov/laws-regulations/standing-general-order-crash-reporting. 13781-8739-1, 13781-8995-1, 13781-9623-1, 13781-10333-1, 13781-10872-1, 13781-10930-1, 13781-10939-1, 13781-10941-1, 13781-11069-1, 13781-11305-1, 13781-11579-1 Media reported allegations included as a separate attachment.

The Office of Defects Investigation (“ODI”) has identified numerous incident reports submitted by Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”) in response to Standing General Order 2021-01 (the “SGO”), in which the reported crashes occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports. The majority of these reports involved crashes in which the Standing General Order in place at the time required a report to be submitted within one or five days of Tesla receiving notice of the crash. When the reports were submitted, Tesla submitted them in one of two ways. Many of the reports were submitted as part of a single batch, while others were submitted on a rolling basis. Preliminary engagement between ODI and Tesla on the issue indicates that the timing of the reports was due to an issue with Tesla’s data collection, which, according to Tesla, has now been fixed. NHTSA is opening this Audit Query, a standard process for reviewing compliance with legal requirements, to evaluate the cause of the potential delays in reporting, the scope of any such delays, and the mitigations that Tesla has developed to address them. As part of this review, NHTSA will assess whether any reports of prior incidents remain outstanding and whether the reports that were submitted include all of the required and available data. The SGO reports cited in the Opening Resume, can be found at NHTSA.gov/SGOCrashReporting under the following SGO 2021-01 report IDs: 13781-11020-1 13781-10844-1 13781-10843-1 13781-10530-1 13781-10160-1 13781-10159-1 13781-10157-1 13781-10146-1 13781-10122-1 13781-10098-1 13781-10097-1 13781-10096-1 13781-10095-1 13781-10094-1 13781-10093-1 13781-10023-1 13781-10022-1 13781-10021-1 13781-10020-1 13781-10017-1 13781-10016-1 13781-10015-1 13781-10014-1 13781-10013-1 13781-10012-1 13781-6047-1 13781-9930-1 13781-9917-1 13781-9928-1 13781-9925-1 13781-9924-1 13781-9923-1 13781-9922-1 13781-9835-1 13781-9834-1 13781-9833-1 13781-9832-1 13781-9831-1 13781-9830-1 13781-9829-1 13781-9827-1 13781-9818-1 13781-9780-1 13781-9779-1 13781-9778-1 13781-9777-1 13781-9775-1 13781-9774-1 13781-9773-1 13781-9772-1 13781-9771-1 13781-9770-1 13781-9728-1 13781-9688-1 13781-9715-1 13781-9714-1 13781-9713-1 13781-9712-1 13781-9711-1 13781-9710-1 13781-9709-1 13781-9696-1 13781-9695-1 13781-9694-1 13781-9693-1 13781-9692-1 13781-9691-1 13781-9690-1 13781-9687-1 13781-9686-1 13781-9342-1 13781-9319-1 13781-9019-1 13781-8910-1 13781-8732-1 13781-8712-1 13781-8310-1 13781-7897-1 13781-7895-1 13781-7835-1 13781-7798-1 13781-7797-1 13781-7758-1 13781-7757-1 13781-7756-1 13781-7755-1 13781-7667-1 13781-7399-1 13781-7398-1 13781-7397-1 13781-7396-1 13781-7395-1 13781-7394-1 13781-7393-1 13781-7389-1 13781-7388-1 13781-7387-1 13781-7386-1 13781-7385-1 13781-7383-1 13781-7187-1 13781-7186-1 13781-7185-1 13781-7184-1 13781-7181-1 13781-7023-1 13781-6399-1 13781-6389-1 13781-6388-1 13781-6387-1 13781-6386-1 13781-6379-1 13781-6378-1 13781-6377-1 13781-6375-1 13781-6214-1 13781-6172-1 13781-6155-1 13781-6154-1 13781-6122-1 13781-6120-1 13781-6118-1 13781-5800-1

I brought my Tesla Model Y to a Tesla Service Center after noticing an abnormal noise while steering the vehicle at low speeds. During the inspection, Tesla technicians discovered significant damage to the front suspension components. The driver's-side lower control arm bushing had cracked and shifted substantially out of position, with the bushing pushed outward toward the driver side of the vehicle. The lower control arm bushing on the opposite side was also found to be severely cracked. Due to the extent of the damage, both lower control arms and both upper control arms required replacement. The suspension failure also caused severe damage and abnormal wear to the driver's-side front tire, which resulted in the replacement of all four tires. This condition involved critical steering and suspension components and raises serious safety concerns regarding vehicle handling, suspension durability, tire wear, and the potential for loss of vehicle control. The severity of the component failures was discovered only after the vehicle was inspected for the steering noise. I am submitting this complaint because I believe this may represent a safety-related defect that could affect other Tesla Model Y vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11776099

Incident

Oct 29, 2026

I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding an incident involving my 2022 Tesla Model Y while operating in Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode. While Full Self-Driving was engaged, my vehicle encountered a large piece of road debris in its travel path. The vehicle did not appear to recognize or avoid the obstruction, resulting in a collision. I am concerned that the Full Self-Driving system failed to identify and respond appropriately to a significant roadway hazard. I am requesting the following: 1. A formal investigation into this incident by Tesla’s FSD safety and engineering teams. 2. A review of the vehicle’s telemetry, camera footage, collision data, and FSD operating logs from the time of the incident. 3. An explanation of why the vehicle did not detect or attempt to avoid the obstruction. 4. Confirmation of whether this incident represents a known limitation or potential safety issue with the current FSD software. 5. A written response documenting Tesla’s findings and any corrective actions or recommendations. Please preserve all available vehicle data and telemetry associated with this incident. I am not simply reporting vehicle damage. I am reporting a potentially significant safety issue involving a driver-assistance system that I expected to identify and respond to a substantial obstruction in the roadway. I would appreciate confirmation that this complaint has been escalated to the appropriate safety and engineering personnel. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11775811

Incident

Nov 4, 2026

Dear Tesla Customer Resolution Department, We are submitting this formal manufacturer-level complaint and request for complete, Tesla-funded replacement of the original windshield on our 2022 Model Y Long Range. Our request concerns persistent optical distortion in the factory installed windshield, observed during the original warranty period and now significantly interfering with forward visibility. Given the vehicle's repeated quality and corrective service issues since delivery, Tesla's own published glass inspection criteria, federal vehicle-glazing requirements, and documented similar consumer complaints, we expect this matter to receive a substantive manufacturer level review and full replacement authorization. Our requested resolution is a complete OEM windshield replacement at Tesla's expense, with $0 customer responsibility. WINDSHIELD CONDITION, TIMELINE, AND SAFETY The windshield is original factory installed glass and has never been replaced. We first noticed horizontal, wavy distortions extending across the windshield after August 2025, while the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty remained active. We initially believed the appearance resulted from dirt or residue. Thorough cleaning of both the interior and exterior glass did not eliminate the irregularities, which remain visible under certain lighting conditions even while the vehicle is stationary. I am the primary driver and approximately five feet tall. The distortion falls directly within my normal forward field of vision. Sunlight shining directly ahead produces intense glare that interferes with my view of the roadway. At night, approaching headlights appear enlarged with pronounced starburst effects, further complicating visibility and depth perception. I also have established medical conditions affecting my vision and depth perception, making additional interference especially concerning. The issue is not simply cosmetic, it affects my ability to see clearly through the windshield under ordinary

NHTSA ID

11775704

Incident

May 1, 2022

I had recently needed to get new tires for my Tesla Model Y after around 30,000 miles. The car is a 2022 and when Costco installed the new tires they said there was inside wear on the tires and to get an alignment. I took the car to Discount Tire and they provided me with a sheet showing the tires needed and alignment but they couldn't do it all because the Camber was off and they said Tesla needed to do that adjustment. I took the car to Tesla for an alignment and they ended up telling me I needed to have the Correction Links-lateral lower front pair removed and replaced as they were torn. The car was just past my three year warranty and so it was not covered. The total cost was $1942.90 which seemed extreme for such a relatively new car and this seems to be a know problem.

NHTSA ID

11775536

Incident

Nov 3, 2026

I discovered a completely detached bolt underneath my vehicle. The bolt had fallen off the FRONT LEFT suspension assembly. Tesla Service inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the bolt originated from the lateral link assembly. Tesla also determined that the lateral links require replacement. Tesla further confirmed in writing that, after reviewing my vehicle's service history, it could not identify a clear cause for why the component became loose. The proposed repair includes replacing the lateral links and performing a wheel alignment. The estimated repair cost is approximately $1,500-. The repair has been approved but has not yet been completed. Safety Concerns: A completely detached suspension lateral link bolt is a serious safety concern. Failure of this suspension connection could compromise suspension integrity, wheel alignment, vehicle stability, and directional control. I am concerned that this failure occurred without a clearly identified cause and could potentially affect other Tesla Model Y vehicles. I understand that NHTSA has opened Preliminary Evaluation PE26-006 concerning front lower lateral link detachment in certain Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. My vehicle is a 2022 Model Y, and the failure occurred at the front left suspension. I request that NHTSA review this incident as a potentially related safety defect and determine whether the failure is associated with the same lateral link fastening system under investigation. I can provide photographs of the detached bolt, Tesla's written confirmation, inspection records, and the repair estimate. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this issue to determine whether other Tesla owners may be exposed to a similar safety risk.

NHTSA ID

11775356

Incident

Oct 31, 2026

I have noticed a warning sign and heaviness to steer wheel, also unable to use autosteer, full self driving feature. I tried to reset to see if it could fix the issue but wasn't able to. I contacted Tesla service to see if the repair would be covered by warranty but they said my car's warranty has expired. I feel like this is unfair, and it should be handled as defective issue. My car is 2022 model which it has less than 50k miles on it. I feel unsafe to drive it since the issue, electrical issue can be dangerous while on the road and Tesla should be responsible for the repaire. Please help me with this issue!

NHTSA ID

11774701

Incident

Aug 18, 2026

I am reporting a safety defect on my 2022 Tesla Model Y (VIN [XXX], 70,856 miles). On XXX, I brought the vehicle to Tesla Service in [XXX] for a tire pressure alert. While performing its own service-bulletin inspection of the front and rear chassis, Tesla found that BOTH front lower lateral link assemblies require replacement and presented me with a $1,173.56 estimate, classifying the required wheel alignment as "Customer Pay." The front lower lateral link is the exact component under ODI's open Preliminary Evaluation PE26006 for 2021-2023 Model Y, involving detachment and potential loss of vehicle directional control. Both links failing simultaneously, discovered through Tesla's own bulletin inspection with no accident or impact damage, indicates premature component failure of a safety-critical steering/suspension part, not ordinary wear. Tesla has not agreed to cover this repair. The vehicle was promised back on XXX and is still not repaired. I am filing this report so the condition is documented within PE26006, and I request that NHTSA consider this case when evaluating whether the lateral link defect on 2021-2023 Model Y requires a recall. I have asked Tesla to preserve the removed parts for inspection. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11772838

Incident

Oct 17, 2026

On October 18, 2026, at approximately 3:15, I was opening the driver’s door of my 2022 Tesla Model Y, using the exterior door handle in the normal way. My left thumbnail became trapped inside the handle mechanism as it operated. The handle tore the entire thumbnail off at the nail bed, and the nail remained lodged in the handle. I had to pull the detached nail out of the handle myself. I lost consciousness briefly from the pain and blood loss. I went to the emergency room at Kaiser Permanente, where the nail bed was cleaned and the detached nail was reinserted and splinted. No stitches were required. The nail will take approximately 6-8 months to regrow. The vehicle was parked and undamaged. The handle did not malfunction in an obvious way; the injury occurred during ordinary operation. I believe the design of the recessed handle allows a fingernail to be caught between the moving handle and the door, and I am reporting this as a safety concern.

NHTSA ID

11772124

Incident

Oct 18, 2026

On some Model Y vehicles built before February 28, 2026, the design of the HVAC inlet duct may lead to water ingress into the air filter and/or vehicle interior. If the vehicle is brought into Service for cabin air filter replacement due to a musty or moldy smell from the HVAC system, water dripping from the vents or water pooling into the RH footwell carpet, inspect the vehicle for symptoms related to the condition. If symptoms are present, replace the HVAC inlet duct with an updated part or rework the existing HVAC duct, and replace the cabin air filters.

A firmware diagnosis feature is being introduced on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that monitors wheel alignment over time. This feature detects changes in wheel alignment that may be related to incorrect tire pressures, degraded ball joints, bushings or damaged suspension links. If the feature determines that an inspection at a Tesla Service Center is required, a customer-facing alert will appear on the touchscreen.

On certain Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles, the interior camera requires replacement to mitigate reduced driver attentiveness detection performance in low-light conditions.

On certain Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles, the interior camera requires replacement to mitigate reduced driver attentiveness detection performance in low-light conditions.

On certain Model Y vehicles, the LH and/or RH rear primary body seals might cause wind noise in the cabin.

Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software version installed, is displayed on its touchscreen. This file contains all available owner’s manual content for the vehicle converted to PDF format, and given the distribution method and NHTSA’s submission format requirements, it is the best available representative copy of owner’s manual content. However, a customer who accesses the owner’s manual via their vehicle’s touchscreen would only see the parts of this PDF file that are relevant to their vehicle.