2023 Tesla Model Y Visibility Problems

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11766342

Incident

Aug 27, 2026

The windshield fogs up in front of the front facing camera. It can get dirty such that it is not just a matter of waiting for it to defog. During this time the self driving feature is impaired. The camera should be sealed to the window such that it can not fog up on the inside. The date of incident is the day tesla technician cleaned my camera and I learned how fragile this system is.

NHTSA ID

11765732

Incident

Sep 14, 2026

The car is providing an error message while driving with FSD that the glass in-front of the forward-looking cameras used for full self driving have become obstructed by a film building up between the interior glass and the camera housing. I have opened a repair ticket with Tesla and they replied that they expect this area will need to be cleaned every 6 to 12 months at my own expense. The car is never exposed to smoke or vape fumes, but instead humidity appears to be causing the issue since the compartment is not fully sealed. The first time this happened Tesla offered to clean the compartment for free and indicated they sealed it in a way that would keep this from happening in the future that turns out not to be true and their technician now says the cost will be $60 per cleaning every 6 to 12 months their documentation further recommends against attempting to clean this area without their professional assistance.

NHTSA ID

11762581

Incident

Sep 6, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11738713

Incident

May 11, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11734091

Incident

Apr 27, 2026

We were driving and had the circulation on to make sure that no outside air was being circulated in so that condensation does not build up on the inside of the cabin. The circulation button auto turned off without us knowing. We then had all four windows, and our windshield and back window completely covered in condensation and it would not resolve. I had to manually wipe it away. We were traveling down a highway going 70mph when this happened. This is extremely dangerous and that circulation button should not have been auto shut off.

NHTSA ID

11707358

Incident

Dec 28, 2025

On November 16, 2025, my Tesla Model Y experienced a complete and dangerous failure while driving. The touchscreen went totally blank and stopped responding. All essential driving information and safety functions were lost, including speedometer, gear selection, turn signals, HVAC/defrost, and vehicle controls. At the same time, the car made a continuous loud humming/buzzing sound and displayed a low coolant warning. This made the vehicle unsafe to operate because I could not see my speed, cannot shift properly, and could not access any safety controls. This is the second time my vehicle has experienced a critical malfunction. The first major incident occurred on July 28, 2025. A complaint has been filed with the NHTSA under tracking number 11676662. Both failures involved sudden loss of essential functions, raising serious concerns about electrical, cooling system, or display system defects. I am reporting this because it is a serious safety risk and could lead to vehicle loss of control, inability to signal, or inability to see speed or gear position. The problem has been reported to Tesla and is pending evaluation at a Tesla service center. Warning messages and symptoms appeared at the moment of failure with no prior signs.

NHTSA ID

11699973

Incident

Nov 16, 2025

First cold day of the year and the heater stopped working. With the heater not available the windshield couldn’t be cleared it would always fog and cover the windshield blocking the view infront of the vehicle. Next couple days it was even cooler and the windshield was frozen with no way of heating and clearing the view. Yes the issue was reproduced by the service center upon taking the vehicle there once the vehicle was a little warm. Tesla service center mentioned there was an internal fault in the compressor which they can’t be clear so have to replace a compressor, exv valve, pressure temperature sensors and coolant. Vehicle was parked when I tried to turn the heat on in the morning it would just blow cool air. No warning before the failure. Once the compressor faulted it would give a warning “vcfront_a447” cabin climate control system requires service. And just blow cold air everytime the vehicle is started. If turning on heat from the phone app or inside the cabin it would blows cold air for about 10 mins then it will show the warning lamp.

NHTSA ID

11699265

Incident

Oct 31, 2025

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? HVAC heat pump and defrost/defog system failure. The failure caused immediate fogging/condensation on the windshield and door windows. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request and no parts have been removed. [Tesla Model/Year, VIN last 8]. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Sudden loss of forward and side visibility made it impossible to see lane markings, surrounding traffic, or mirrors, preventing a safe lane change or pull-over to the shoulder. This created a risk of collision with vehicles ahead or beside me. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes but they are not covering it. This is a very common issue reported by many owners Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Tesla, law enforcement, insurance, or third parties. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps or messages appeared. The fogging occurred suddenly while driving on [date, approx. time], immediately after the cabin heat pump failed to clear the glass and visibility dropped to near zero.

NHTSA ID

11695990

Incident

Oct 27, 2025

Summary of Complaint: My 2023 Tesla Model Y has had two roof glass failures in three months (two glass roof replacements). Both times, the glass cracked from small road debris while driving under normal city conditions. Safety Concern The roof glass appears unusually fragile and prone to cracking, raising concerns about whether it meets industry standards for impact resistance and occupant safety. The rapid failure rate (two roof glass panels in three months) suggests a potential design or materials defect rather than isolated incidents of road damage. If roof glass panels cannot withstand normal road debris, this presents a safety risk for drivers and passengers, as well as for other motorists if large shards detach while driving. The roof glass seems unusually fragile. Two failures in such a short time suggest a design or material defect. If the glass cannot withstand normal road debris, it may not meet durability or safety standards. There is also risk to occupants and other drivers if roof glass fails while in motion. Request: Please investigate whether the 2023 Tesla Model Y roof glass meets required safety standards, and whether this issue is affecting other owners.

NHTSA ID

11687537

Incident

Aug 23, 2025

Front wipers stoped during use on windscreen, returned to functionality and then minutes later shut down. No ability to manually or via rain sense to get arms to move. Performed soft, hard, and thired suggested Tesla reboot. Not resolved. Service scheduled for 15 days rendering vehicle unsafe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11681257

Incident

Aug 17, 2025

Las luces son demaciado fuertes y el aire conducionsdonen Florida no funciona

NHTSA ID

11678960

Incident

Aug 7, 2025

The tesla computer freezes. Sudden there is no information from the car, no miles per hour, no navigation, no side view cameras. I can drive the car but that's is all. Since the navigation is entirely dependent on the computer I can't tell where I am going. It has happened more than 30+ times in the car.

NHTSA ID

11676373

Incident

Jul 26, 2025

car has a improperly installed windshield, it got cracked while sitting in a covered parking lot on June24th,2025. the hottest day of season with 100 + degrees temperature,Crack was very small in the middle of windshield size3” x 3” and got bigger waiting for Tesla’s appointment.When i went to Tesla today for replacement of windshield they just gave me the run around and denied to replace under warranty. This is a manufacturing defect as there is nothing else but a crack . Tesla should be fined for big time and ordered to fix it under warranty. There are so many customers who have the same problem.The crack never happened with any outside influence .

NHTSA ID

11672022

Incident

Jul 8, 2025

My wife was driving the car on March 7th 2025. Before she leaves the house, she had her front defroster on and the windshield was clear before she leaves the house. 5 minutes later, the front windshield became so foggy to the point she could not see anything in front of her and the front defroster was still on. And because of that so foggy windshield she moved out of her lane with no lane departure warning or anything and then she hit the railway pole without any emergency brakes going off or any warning signs letting her that she is about to hit something. The whole front of the car was gone and the car was totally lost but no airbags deployed at all and that was also concerning. Also there was no issues or any warning lamps or messages before the loss. The car was taken to a body shop and was inspected by the body shop and I believe a representative from my insurance company went to inspect the car at the body shop. So these are the parts I felt faulty or causing the safety concern: - front defroster - automatic emergency brakes - lane departure warning - forward collision warning

NHTSA ID

11654625

Incident

Mar 7, 2025

I noticed that the car window glass broke without any external impact, and there are no signs of external damage. I suspect this may have been caused by stress fractures due to improper assembly. From what I understand, stress fractures often occur at the edges without any signs of external impact, which matches this situation. But Tesla service refused to admit this is a flaw of installation and refuse to replace it under the warranty coverage. After exploration, I found there are plenty of similar cases happened on the internet. And some of them were treated as flaw, some not. How Tesla identify this kind of case as flaw or not? They didn't even check my out in person. I cannot accept that!

NHTSA ID

11617563

Incident

Sep 26, 2024

The automatic windshield wipers will not turn on during rain and mist. Also the wipers will not turn on when there is water and visibility is very poor. For unknow reason the car jammed the brake almost bringing the car to a stop on the freeway on cruise control and nearly caused a pile up.

NHTSA ID

11606106

Incident

Jul 7, 2024

I have a complaint about the wiper system. The wiper settings include "Off", "Auto", and numbers 1-4 corresponding to different wiper speeds. The "Auto" detection is based on the front facing camera rather than any rain sensors, and is incredibly inconsistent. It regularly turns on the wipers in completely clear and dry conditions and often fails to turn on the wipers even in heavy rain. This would be more of an annoyance than an issue if it were possible to adjust the wiper speed manually, but it seems that the wipers still utilize some form of auto detection even when set to numbers 1-4. In this particular incident, I was driving in heavy rain, and had the wipers set to "4", the highest setting. Even in this setting, the wiper speed would often slow down regardless of the weather conditions, drastically reducing visibility in an unpredictable manner. At one point, the wipers, still manually set to the highest setting, stopped altogether, and I instantly lost all visibility and I had to emergency brake, as I could not see the road. On the highest setting, the wipers stopped for well over a second, and did not start again until I pressed the wiper button, restarting the wipers. It is one thing to rely on a proprietary and unreliable detection system when wipers are set to "Auto", but I feel it is a major security issue to deceptively allow this unreliable rain detection to override manual wiper settings set by the driver to the extent that the wipers may stop moving entirely in the middle of a downpour on the highest setting.

NHTSA ID

11605643

Incident

Jul 14, 2024

Small particles of chips has been causing windshield cracks I had 2 incidents of above scenario, second incidence caused entire windshield to crack across the windshield, Tesla does not replace quickly due to lack of appointments on their end, drivers driving with such issue could get into accidents I would like to report 2 incidents, not sure how NHSTA investigates (prevention vs fixes in reasonable time) 1. Windshields are too thin resulting in cracks very easily than compared to other similar cars 2. Inability of Tesla service to fix the windshield replacement quickly, I have to wait till August 2024 to get replacement done, which means i have to ground the car or drive it with cracked windshield (this is clearly safety issue) it cost be 1500$ estimated amount to get it repaired Please work with Tesla to investigate if windshield is thick enough compared to other standard cars

NHTSA ID

11599575

Incident

Jun 27, 2024

Yesterday, 6/21/2024, something strange happened while I was driving my 2023 Tesla Model Y on the westbound 210 highway. The car was in autopilot mode, cruising at around 65 mph at approximately 11:20 AM. Suddenly, I heard a loud shattering (or explosive) sound. The next thing I knew, my front passenger window was completely shattered. Initially, I thought a rock or some object might have hit my window, but I couldn't find any remnants inside the car. Once I got home, I examined the window from the outside. The glass was almost completely smooth, as if it had exploded. Fortunately, since my windows are tinted, the shattered glass remained mostly intact. Can anyone help me figure out what might have caused this? The exterior side is smooth like butter with no visible impact. Could it be a defect?

NHTSA ID

11595932

Incident

Jun 21, 2024

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wiper was activated; however, the windshield wiper blades to function as intended. The contact stated that the wipers were set on automatic; however, the wipers failed to activate as needed. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle was almost involved in a crash. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11593674

Incident

Dec 11, 2023

While driving on a freeway during very heavy rain, the windshield wipers were working in auto mode. All of a sudden the wipers stopped working. Even though the visibility was almost non existent due to windshield wipers not working, I managed safely to pull over to the curb of the freeway. Upon further investigation, I realized that the auto mode of windshield wipers was not working, but manual mode was working. With the manual mode I was able to get home safely. At home in my driveway I tried the auto mode again and it worked for a few seconds and stopped. Two days later my wife contacted Tesla about the issue and was informed by service representative that it`s a known problem to Tesla for the vehicle, but as of now they do not have a fix for the problem and there is no known expected time for the fix.

NHTSA ID

11591605

Incident

May 26, 2024

Windshield wipers put in manual maximum sensitivity mode. During the trip they stopped working multiple times. They just froze. When a manual one time wipe button was pressed wipers menu showed “II” manual sensitivity and started working. Selected back manual III sensitivity. Wipers worked for a while and stopped again. SW version: 2024.14.6. Autopilot was not engaged.

NHTSA ID

11591139

Incident

May 28, 2024

The "auto" setting of the windshield wipers does not work 90% of the time. It cannot sense rain properly. My grandmother's 2002 Lexus had better rain-sensing wipers than my 2023 Tesla. This is extremely hazardous in the sense that at medium speeds, when water from rain does NOT quickly evacuate the windshield, it causes a massive block to the view of all patrons in the car. Do you think it is important for the driver to see the road in front of them? It is also very dangerous because when this does not work, the quickest way to change the setting is to tap the end of the left stalk with your left hand, and then QUICKLY use your right hand to select the desired wiper speed on the car's screen. This is a dangerous task to have to do quickly when you cannot see what is in front of you.

NHTSA ID

11586896

Incident

Jan 2, 2024

Auto steer in city which is the free software unnecessarily distracts with warnings, so much that I was almost in an accident 3 times. This doesn’t happen with full self service driving in the exact same scenario because it’s a paid service, essentially forcing owners to subscribe and pay for full self service driving. Furthermore, if you don’t react to unnecessary and distractive warnings you get a warning that auto steer (which is paid for as part of the car purchase) will be disabled.

NHTSA ID

11585576

Incident

Mar 3, 2024