2023 Tesla Model Y Problems

Our car phantom brakes when traveling through shadows frequently and occasionally at random. This occurs at high speed as well as low speed.

The FSD failed when it back into garage; the back of passenger side of the car hit the wall of garage. There is no warning before. Beacuse the distance for parking into the garage is small, there is no time to take over the FSD to avoid it happen. It happen around 23:35 on August 07, 2026. We reported as a safety incident to Tesla an hour ago. We updated the the software on August 02, 2026. The car had been succesful back into the garage more than ten times before.

Yes. Here’s a tighter version designed to stay **under 1,800 characters including spaces** while retaining the key safety facts. I am reporting a serious front suspension failure on my 2023 Tesla Model Y. A bolt fell out near the front control arm/lower suspension bushing area. Tesla’s service invoice confirms the vehicle required pickup from my driveway “due to a bolt falling out near the front control arm bushing area.” The vehicle is available for inspection, although I do not know if Tesla retained the replaced parts. This was a serious safety risk because a front suspension failure could affect steering, wheel position, and vehicle control. Fortunately, it occurred on my residential street near my home. Had this happened at highway speed with my family in the vehicle, the consequences could have been catastrophic. Tesla inspected and repaired the vehicle, replacing the front lower lateral and compliance links on both sides and performing an alignment. Tesla’s written diagnosis states the issue “stemmed from a loose component in the front suspension system.” However, I was verbally told the failure resulted from striking a curb or pothole. There was no apparent impact damage to the body, tires, rims, or undercarriage. My insurance adjuster later contacted Tesla and was reportedly told there was NO evidence the vehicle struck anything. My claim was denied as a result. Tesla’s written repair documentation also contains no mention of impact or collision damage. I received no warning lamp or dashboard message before the failure. The significant symptom was the suspension bolt falling out. I am concerned that a critical suspension component became loose without evidence of impact. I ask NHTSA to investigate whether this could be related to a broader Model Y suspension or fastener safety issue.

A FRONT BAR ON THE LOWER FRONT LEFT OF THE CAR COLLAPSED LEAVING 2 SCREWS ON THE GROUNG AND STEERLING WHEEL NOT USABLE

On February 17, 2026, around 4:20 pm, as I was departing my agency's parking garage structure, my 2023 Tesla Y uncontrollably and un-prompted accelerated at a very high speed. I applied the brake and it would not stop. I nearly killed the security guard at the garage who was trying to direct my vehicle to the correct exit lane. The vehicle ran across a sidewalk adjacent to the garage, ran across a street, hit a street parking meter, ran across another sidewalk, ran across and toppled a perimeter fence around a parking lot across from the garage I exited, ran over concrete wheel barriers, and continued running for about 300 feet before it came to a stop on its own. This duration of this terrifying ordeal was 3 to 5 seconds. The air bags did not deploy. I called 911 repeatedly for Police investigation and report but the Police never showed up. I towed the vehicle to a Tesla Collision Center, which inspected and investigated the accident, and the Tesla Center stated that the FSD system was working properly and did not find anything wrong. I informed the Tesla Center that I did not subscribe to the FSD system service and was not using it during the accident, and they stated that they stand by the determination of their engineering division that reviewed the "blackbox", information gathering device of the vehicle. The vehicle was totaled and non-salvageable. Prior to the accident, the Tesla Collision Center, had repaired the vehicle from a previous accident that occurred on September 25, 2025. There were no warnings before the vehicle uncontrollably accelerated at a very high speed. I have copy of the accident videos. Your platform would not allow me to upload the videos.

I was pushed to complete an update on my 2023 Tesla Y with an over the air update. This happened last week. Following the update i have been getting a slew of errors when driving my car related to the parking break, brake functions, automatic energy braking and steering are affected. The wording on the app / car says, Alerts - Steering & Braking - Parking brake functions degraded / Parking brake may not apply or release / Parking brake may not apply or release. This causes my auto brake to not engage, my hold break to not engage, my parking brake to not engage. This causes my car to roll at stop / red lights. I have to physically slam by brakes to stop. This is extremely unsafe and Tesla is trying to charge me $130 to diagnose the car to see why the update caused the issue. My car went from fully drivable without any FSD, normal driving to a runaway trainwreck. This happens roughly 20-30 minutes randomly into driving. Not immediately and it is completely random.

I am experiencing a loud, persistent creaking and groaning noise coming from the front suspension of my 2023 Tesla Model Y whenever the vehicle travels over bumps, uneven road surfaces, or during low-speed steering maneuvers.This structural front-end noise raises immediate safety concerns regarding a potential premature failure of critical suspension components, specifically the front lower lateral links or upper control arm ball joints. I am deeply concerned that this component wear could lead to a sudden detachment of the suspension link while driving, resulting in a sudden loss of steering control and an immediate crash hazard.Tesla is aware of widespread suspension issues in these model years, but there is currently no active safety recall to protect owners from catastrophic part failure. I am filing this to urge a mandatory safety recall before a serious failure occurs. I have just over 63,000 miles

A FRONT BAR ON THE LOWER FRONT LEFT OF THE CAR COLLAPSED LEAVING 2 SCREWS ON THE GROUNG AND STEERLING WHEEL NOT USABLE

I reporting a potential safety-related defect involving my 2023 Tesla Model Y Performance. Since shortly after purchasing the vehicle in April 2026, it has repeatedly been unable to successfully install Tesla software updates. The updates download, but the installation repeatedly fails. I have attempted installation multiple times under appropriate conditions, including adequate battery charge, stable Wi-Fi, vehicle reboot, removal of USB devices, and installation directly from the vehicle touchscreen. The failures continue. Tesla evaluated the vehicle and documented the failed software installation. Tesla also identified a possible issue involving the HW3 car computer and prepared an estimate of approximately $3,000 that included replacement of the vehicle computer, diagnostic work, and labor. I am concerned because Tesla vehicles rely extensively on their onboard computers and software for vehicle operation, safety systems, driver-assistance functions, security updates, bug fixes, and manufacturer-issued corrections. Because this vehicle cannot successfully install software updates, I am concerned it may be unable to receive safety-related corrections or updates that other vehicles are receiving. This is not simply an infotainment issue. The failure appears to involve the vehicle computer itself and has continued despite repeated troubleshooting and Tesla service involvement. I believe NHTSA should evaluate whether defective HW3 computers or related electronic systems can cause repeated update-installation failures and potentially prevent affected Tesla vehicles from receiving safety-related software updates or recall remedies.

I was involved in an accident while using Tesla FSD. Driving down the freeway my car hydroplaned and spun out and hit another car. My son who was with me said to me that it seemed the car was going a bit fast for the conditions.

The full self driving system has malfunctioned and is failing. I was put in incredibly dangerous situations that were near potentially fatal accidents. Had someone been a little bit closer when following me, I would not have had enough time to counter the issue. Yes it has been confirmed but not nearly to the extent that I have experienced it It has been inspected by a local service center from the company. There have been some visibility warnings but nothing else.

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.

A FRONT BAR ON THE LOWER FRONT LEFT OF THE CAR COLLAPSED LEAVING 2 SCREWS ON THE GROUNG AND STEERLING WHEEL NOT USABLE

This issue occurred on August 02, 2026 at around 3pm. I was parked and put my 2023 Tesla Model Y in reverse to give myself enough room to drive forward from being parked on road next to my house. While going into reverse, I heard a really loud bang noise coming from under the front section of the car. I put the car in park and got out to take a look around. At first I thought I had hit something while backing out but did not see any object in the reverse camera. So then I kneeled down and looked under the car and that's when I saw the passenger side front lateral arm of the suspension detached and left hanging down from the wheel. I let Tesla know what occurred using their app to message the company.

The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact experienced a medical emergency and the vehicle crashed into a tree. The air bags deployed as needed. The contact and wife who was seated in the front passenger seat, were transported to the local medical center. The contact was unconscious when transported. The contact sustained injuries, including burns to the face; both eye corneas were burned, lungs infected due to the inhalation of toxic fumes and a broken talus on the right foot. In addition, the contact was continuing to receive medical treatment. The contact's wife sustained burns to the face and inhalation of the toxic fumes. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A Police report was filed. The contact stated that the air bags were defective and unsafe. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving at approximately 58 MPH, the vehicle hydroplaned and the front passenger side crashed into a lamp pole however, the air bags were not deployed. The air bag warning light was illuminated. No injuries were sustained and no medical attention was sought. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was totaled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,577.

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.

Vehicle: 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range Complaint: I am reporting a serious safety issue involving a vehicle sold by Tim Dahle Nissan Murray in Murray, Utah. Approximately three weeks ago, I purchased a 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range from this dealership. After purchase, I discovered that the rear seat belts were not functioning. I have evidence indicating that the dealership was aware of this defect prior to the sale. This is a critical safety issue, as seat belts are required safety equipment under federal motor vehicle safety standards. The vehicle should not have been sold in this condition. Additionally, the vehicle had an issue with the right rear wheel/tire losing air. When I returned to the dealership, they failed to properly inspect or repair the issue. Instead, they reduced the air pressure in the other tires to match the leaking tire, rather than addressing the defect. After leaving the dealership, the tire again lost air. Upon inspection by another service provider, the wheel rim was found to be bent. When the tire was inflated to proper pressure, it began leaking air immediately. This created an unsafe driving condition, as the vehicle could not maintain proper tire pressure. I was forced to have the vehicle repaired by Tesla at my own expense ($1,390). The combination of non-functioning seat belts and an unsafe wheel condition placed my family, including my newborn child, at significant risk. I am requesting that this matter be investigated as the dealership knowingly sold a vehicle with defective safety equipment and failed to properly address additional safety-related issues. Also a police report was filed but I do not know how to get ahold of that it was filed with the Murray police department

The FSD failed when it back into garage; the back of passenger side of the car hit the wall of garage. There is no warning before. Beacuse the distance for parking into the garage is small, there is no time to take over the FSD to avoid it happen. It happen around 23:35 on August 07, 2026. We reported as a safety incident to Tesla an hour ago. We updated the the software on August 02, 2026. The car had been succesful back into the garage more than ten times before.

On XXX I retrieved my 2023 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX]) from Tesla Motors NV, Inc. ([XXX]) after their third attempt to correct a severe panel and component misalignment following a collision repair (Invoice #XXX). The facility replaced major front-end structural components, including the Front Bumper Beam (1687601-00-E), Front Subframe Crush Can (1109193-00-C), and Cast Front Underbody Left Hand Crush Can (1608453-00-D).Tesla's official guidelines require a mandatory 3D structural measurement test whenever these specific cast aluminum underbody and subframe parts are replaced. The repair facility verbally claimed the damage was minor/cosmetic and that only a manual tram measurement was performed. However, a manual tram gauge cannot detect 3D frame twists or height deviations in cast aluminum components, making it wholly insufficient.As a direct result of this unverified structural alignment, the vehicle's front end remains warped. After the first repair, the headlamp shifted and protruded on the right side. After subsequent attempts to fix it, the left headlamp is again protruding outward. Because the structural frame is misaligned, the forward-facing cameras are out of calibration. Under Autopilot, the vehicle exhibits dangerous behavior, including misidentifying a standard bike lane as an extended vehicle lane. Furthermore, the repair facility has since removed or hidden the conversation logs regarding these complaints, and I can no longer find the messages in the Tesla app. Operating a vehicle with unverified structural alignment and compromised driver-assist vision systems poses an immediate, severe safety risk. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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.

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.

I am filing a complaint regarding the low-beam headlights on my Tesla. The headlights emit an excessively bright glare that impairs the visibility of oncoming traffic and surrounding motorists, creating a hazardous driving condition. This issue corresponds to federal safety non-compliance under FMVSS No. 108 and NHTSA Recall Campaign No. 26V507, where the low beams were found to output up to 230.1 candela, nearly doubling the legal federal limit of 125 candela. The excessive illumination creates a 'veiling glare' that threatens highway safety, particularly during inclement weather conditions such as rain, snow, or fog. I request that my vehicle be physically inspected and serviced with compliant hardware components as outlined by federal regulators.

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.

UPDATE to previous complaint – Reference Number: [XXX] VIN: [XXX]a [XXX] UPDATE to my previous NHTSA complaint regarding sudden unintended acceleration in my Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ) I previ[XXX]sudden acceleration incident on [XXX], at [XXX] 4 parking garage ramp. Tesla has now provided the Vehicle Data Report and EDR data (Case # [XXX]). The data shows accelerator pedal position increasing to 100%, with brake input occurring late. However, I am 100% certain that I did not press the accelerator pedal at any time. I have a clean driving record of over 27 years. This discrepancy between the logged data and actual driver input strongly suggests a potential safety defect in the accelerator pedal sensor system (both redundant sensors), drive-by-wire system, or brake override / Automatic Emergency Braking functionality. Attachments included with this update: Tesla Vehicle Data Report (VDR) Tesla EDR Report High-resolution photos of vehicle damage and airbag deployment I request that NHTSA review this additional technical information as part of their evaluation for a possible safety defect investigation. BTW, it is really difficult to contact Tesla to report such incidents. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On Saturday 16th Oct 2026 around 10 AM EST, while driving down the ramp from Parking Floor 2 to Parking Floor 1 in the JFK Terminal 4 Short Term Parking garage (John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York), the Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated forward very fast on its own without any input on the accelerator pedal. Either I was not pressing the gas pedal at the time, or I was slowing pressing as the car was going down on ramp. The car surged ahead with significant force and struck a fence at the bottom/end of the ramp area. There were two passengers in the vehicle. No other vehicles were involved. The impact caused: My Tesla Model Y to sustain severe front-end damage and appear to be a total loss. Injuries to both passengers. Minor scratches on my hands. Sequence of Events: I was driving the vehicle at low speed down the ramp from Parking Level 2 to Level 1 in JFK Terminal 4 Short Term Parking. Without pressing the accelerator, the car unexpectedly accelerated. Braking did not prevent the impact. The vehicle came to a stop only after hitting the fence. Today, I have reported this as a sudden/unintended acceleration event to Tesla and requested a full vehicle data log review. I would like Tesla to investigate following. 1. Why the car suddenly accelerated on very speed? 2. Why the steering got locked when it happened? 3. Since it is the closed parking lot, why Tesla did not stop automatically before hitting fence? I have been driving for more than 27 years, I never had any accident, and I never got any tickets in last 27 years.

Nuna Exec Next car seat. I have the older version of this car seat for my older child and it works great. The new version ("Next") has an issue where the tigthening/loosening strap folds over and gets stuck, thus making it impossible to loosen the straps and remove the baby from the seat which is very dangerous for the child, especially in case of an emergency. This is not the way the item should work. I contacted the company, they sent me a full replacement. The replacement seat acts the same way, they are willing to send me another shell replacement. This is clearly a production/design issue - not a one-off seat issue.

Safety complaint: intermittent uncommanded rear-seat folding while driving; rear (3rd-row) seat belt anchorage integrity. Issue 1 — 2nd-row right seat: Since the purchase, the right-most rear passenger seat in the 2nd row intermittently activates its seat-folding motor while the vehicle is moving. In each event, a passenger was seated in that seat with the seatbelt fastened. The motor engages (audible whirring), and the seat attempts to fold fully forward; the passenger’s body prevents a complete fold, so the seat partially collapses while occupied. This has never occurred when the seat is unoccupied. The most recent documented event times provided to the manufacturer for electronic log review (CST): • Fri Jan 23: 7:40 AM; 7:41 AM • Mon Feb 2: 7:26 AM; 7:29 AM; 7:53 AM; 7:54 AM The manufacturer requested these exact times to check vehicle logs, but reported they could not find evidence in the logs and could not reproduce the issue during service/test drive. Issue 2 — 3rd-row seat belts: During a service visit on Feb 3, 2026, the manufacturer found that the 3rd-row seat belt anchors were not secured to the vehicle (documented as a safety concern) and performed a repair/adjustment to secure the left 3rd-row seat belt, then validated its operation afterward. The manufacturer had also previously documented (March 17, 2025) that the 3rd-row seat belts were not properly mounted and were unsafe/operational for passengers, but took no action in March 2025. No crash, fire, or known injuries to date. Request to NHTSA: Please log and review this as a potential safety defect involving (1) uncommanded activation of a rear seat-folding mechanism resulting in partial seat collapse while the seat is occupied and the vehicle is moving, and (2) rear (3rd-row) seat belt anchorage/installation integrity, based on recurring real-world events and manufacturer service documentation.

A 2023 Tesla Model Y experienced a sudden electrical failure while parked/being prepared for use. Multiple warnings appeared on May 26, 2026, including high-voltage system service required, low-voltage electrical system power reduced/vehicle shutting down, cabin climate control limited, and steering/braking/parking brake functions degraded. The vehicle could not be driven normally and required flatbed recovery. The failure created a safety concern because the vehicle showed high-voltage and low-voltage faults together with steering/braking/parking brake warnings and could have left the vehicle disabled without reliable restart or parking brake function. The manufacturer service center inspected and repaired the vehicle after several days. The component should be available through manufacturer service records, and screenshots of the warnings, tow/recovery, and service records are available.

Pulled into hospital parking garage. Stopped to pull parking ticket. When the parking gate was raised, Tesla immediately took off at very high uncontrolled speed. Basically a runaway vehicle. There was no accerlation on my part. Brakes did not work. Hit parked car in the garage about 300 feet from the parking gate. I was taken to hospital with broken wrist. Car has been totaled.

This is about my tires, follow-up from my previous report ID 11726883 regarding inadequate original tires. Since 1. Tesla was unresponsive to my defective tire issue, 2. Discount Tire insisted on my continuing to drive until all 4 tires reached 4/32" tread depth, and 3. My local tire store, where my Tesla would get towed in the event of a flat while I'm near my home town (since the nearest Tesla dealer is >50 miles away), is unable to access the warranty on the original Continental Contact RX tires. He was originally told that they had to be worn to 2/32", I was advised to call Continental Tires Customer Service and chose the option of Warranty claims. I was immediately advised that Continental does not warranty original equipment tires. I was therefore forced to spend significant extra money at my local tire store, which does not get the volume discounts that Discount Tire gets. It is no longer practical for me to use Discount Tire, an hour's drive down the interstate, for my tire needs. It is further impractical for me to drive on tires that do not provide the safety that I need, despite the fact that Discount Tire would give a credit of approximately $50/tire once all 4 reached 4/32". I also now realize that Discount Tire is providing that credit at their own cost, despite the fact that they told me that the Continental with the TE on it (mine has a T2) is eligible for warranty rebate. They scanned my tires with the hand-held scanner and their computer indicated it was rebate-eligible, though the Warranty was for 40,000 miles instead of the 55,000 that the first Discount Tire person told me on the phone. I bought new tires yesterday at 33,002 miles. Bottom line is that both Tesla and Discount Tire are protecting Continental Tires from the unsafe original tires for (at least) the Tesla 2023 Long-range Y. None of the 3 are responsible to the at-risk public who is paying for their profits.

I am submitting this complaint to escalate a safety-related concern involving premature and abnormal tire wear on my Tesla Model Y, which has not been adequately addressed by Tesla. I purchased my Tesla Model Y in [Dec, 2023]. Within less than one year of normal driving, all four tires wore out significantly and required full replacement on 08/30/2024. The vehicle has been operated under normal city and highway conditions, and Tesla-recommended tire pressure was maintained consistently. This level of tire wear is well below reasonable tire life expectations and raises safety concerns, including reduced traction, increased stopping distance, and the risk of tire failure. After replacing the prematurely worn tires at my own expense, I reported the issue to Tesla Service and requested that the vehicle be inspected to determine whether alignment, camber, or suspension issues contributed to the abnormal wear. Tesla indicated that an evaluation would only be performed if I agreed to pay for diagnostic services, rather than proactively inspecting the vehicle for a potential underlying defect. As a result, no documented root-cause analysis or corrective action was provided at that time. During a later Tesla service visit for a separate suspension noise concern, Tesla replaced multiple front suspension components (including control arms and lateral/compliance links) and performed a four-wheel alignment under warranty. These repairs occurred after the tires had already been replaced, which created doubt as to whether the suspension condition at the time may have contributed to the earlier premature tire wear. Because the suspension was not evaluated when the abnormal wear occurred, the underlying cause remains unresolved. Replacing tires alone without timely evaluation of possible contributing suspension or alignment issues does not adequately address the associated safety risk.