Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2024 Tesla Model Y submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 25 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
My car will randomly break while I’m driving straight on a road. It seems to happen when I’m going between 30 and 45 mph. It breaks so hard that if a car behind me was following, they could run into me. Whenever it breaks, I have to put my foot on the accelerator to get the car to go back forward.
Component/System: Braking System (Caliper Bolt) and Suspension (Control Arm/Linkage Bolt). Description of Incident: While traveling on a tollway at 70 mph, I heard a faint noise followed by a severe metallic scratching sound coming from the front driver-side wheel. Upon inspection at a tire service center, it was discovered that a brake caliper bolt had fallen out, causing the caliper to displace and score the inner rim of the wheel. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla Service Center, where the caliper and wheel were replaced under warranty. Tesla could not identify a root cause but stated they performed a quality check on all remaining wheels. Subsequently, a second failure occurred on the front passenger-side wheel. A different bolt—this time related to the suspension—loosened or fell out. The vehicle produced a severe grinding noise and felt unstable, as if the wheel was about to dislodge. Safety Risk: Both incidents posed an immediate risk of catastrophic mechanical failure at high speeds. A detached brake caliper can lead to total loss of braking or wheel lock-up, while a suspension bolt failure can cause a complete loss of steering control. Either scenario could have resulted in a high-speed collision, endangering my life and the lives of my two children. Confirmation/Inspection: • Confirmed by Dealer: Yes, Tesla Service Center performed repairs on both occasions. • Available for Inspection: The vehicle has been repaired, but service records and photos of the damage/missing bolts are available. • Other Inspections: Initial driver-side failure was visually confirmed by Discount Tire. Warning Signs: There were no dashboard warning lamps or messages. The only symptoms were a brief "pop" or "click" followed immediately by loud metal-on-metal grinding and vibration.
On November 8, my 2024 Model Y suddenly came to a complete stop from about 40 mph while I was driving with no cruise control or Autopilot active. This was extremely dangerous — my [XXX] was in the car, and we were lucky no one was behind us. It put myself, my child, and others in the absolute risk of collision and injury. When I contacted the service center they said it sometimes happened due to "shadows" or "sun". They refused to run a diagnostic on the car for free and wanted me to pay for it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was driving the Tesla and coming up my circular drive(note I was driving uphill). The car suddenly accelerated and went out of control. I pumped the brake and took my foot off the accelerator but the car kept going and crashed into our house (sunroom) at end of the driveway at high speed > we went through the casement windows and brick foundation and would have gone through the other side window and down a hill and probably been killed if it were not for a heavy cast iron table that brought us to a stop. The airbags never opened.The car was totaled(the insurance company declared it a total lost and refused to repair and paid us a small amount , less than we paid for the car. This was the second repeat incident, the first one very similar was reported to NHTSA by my erhusband ,reported to NHTSA 0n 1/20/2025, 6.19 pm; complaint number 11637163 .after the first crash we tried to get Tesla to pick up the car . they refused. Instead they said they would check it remotely. We gave them the opportunity to inspect and repair the car between the first and second incident . They ignored us , do to their negligence we were almost killed. Please open an investigation. We have names and emails to show who we complained to.
There was a sudden unintended acceleration and the brake did not work, causing a major accident. Car caught fire and door would not open. The car has completely engulfed. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure. Vehicle has been inspected by insurance and police, but not by manufacturer.
Phantom braking happened. This is the 3rd time to my car. This time, my car stopped automatically when I was already decelerating close to 2-5 mph and the car in front was very far away. I was not using FSD nor autopilot. The emergency auto stop sign came up out of nowhere and my car jerked really hard and my child in the back experienced the jerk and this injured his shoulder.
Three different occasions, while utilizing adaptive cruise the car applied all breaks, causing me to lunge forward with the car coming to a complete stop. I did not see anything that would had caused the car to apply the breaks and the camera's did not record any obstacle. This was brought to the Tesla dealerships attention and I was told there is nothing that can be done about it. If I had not been wearing my seat belt, the potential emergency braking could had resulted in me sustaining a blunt force impact to my chest with the steering wheel, not to mention a possible motor vehicle accident with the vehicle behind me. I did look through the manual and there is no way of me turning feature off or lowering to a warning versus a suddent stop.
On [XXX], at approximately [XXX], I was driving westbound on the [XXX], just before the [XXX] and [XXX] off-ramp, with my wife and our [XXX] baby in the car. While in traffic, I noticed the regenerative braking system was not slowing the vehicle down adequately, despite having a clear and sufficient distance from the big rig ahead of us. As the gap closed, I slammed down on the brake pedal, but it felt abnormally stiff and did not respond with the urgency or force expected. The vehicle failed to stop in time, resulting in a rear-end collision with the big rig. Thankfully, we were not injured due to the speed of the accident. The breaks have not been inspected due to it being in the collision center There was an alarm but it sounded off too late and the car ended up colliding. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owned a 2024 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while his son was driving at approximately 38 MPH with his sister inside the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle lost steering and braking functionality and failed to stop as intended, causing the vehicle to drive through a crosswalk. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed to respond while being turned, causing the vehicle to crash into a curb and then into a parked vehicle, which was able to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to a Tesla Collision Center, and between Tesla and the Insurance provider, the vehicle was deemed a total loss. The Insurance Company reviewed the event data recorder (EDR) reports and confirmed the failure which contributed to the crash. The contact stated that the Police was not contacted because it was a single vehicle crash. The other vehicle owner was notified of the crash and was provided the needed information to file a claim. A Police report was not filed. The contact's son was taken to the local medical center in a family vehicle. The contact's son and daughter sustained headaches and concussions, and both received medical attention. The contact drove his son to the local medical center, where he was admitted and remained overnight. Additionally, the contact's son was continuing outpatient treatment for the injuries sustained. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 3,500.
I was driving at a speed of 60 miles per hour in rainy weather when the car’s emergency braking system suddenly activated. At the same time, the steering wheel locked due to the braking, and I completely lost control of the vehicle. The car spun multiple times before crashing into the center divider of the highway and finally coming to a stop. This was an extremely dangerous incident from a safety perspective. This was the first time such a braking malfunction occurred. The incident has not yet been investigated by the insurance company, and no warning or notification was displayed by the vehicle at any point.
The contact owned a 2024 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that it was raining while driving on the highway at 45 MPH when the vehicle began to hydroplane, no warning lights were illuminated, The contact attempted to slow down their vehicle however upon depressing the brake pedal the vehicle would not stop, and the vehicle immediatley spun around 2 times before crashing into a concrete barrier with the rear and front end of their vehicle. No property damage was reported, and the vehicle came to a stop upon impact. The airbags did not deploy. The vehicle did not need to be towed. The hazard warning light was illuminated, and warning messages were displayed stating that cameras had been damaged. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was driven back to the contacts residence, and from there, towed to a local Tesla dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and it was declared a total loss. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 26,000.
The vehicle was operating in Autopilot mode as it approached a right turn but was in the incorrect lane. The vehicle accelerated in an apparent attempt to merge into the correct lane and initiate the turn, but it approached the turn at an unsafe speed. I pressed the brake pedal, which disengaged Autopilot as expected, but the vehicle failed to slow down or stop. I attempted to manually complete the turn, but although I turned the steering wheel, the wheels did not respond. The vehicle continued forward at speed, struck a curb on the opposite side of the road, and then collided with a parked vehicle. The impact with the parked vehicle ultimately brought the car to a stop. Multiple error messages briefly appeared on the screen during the incident before disappearing.
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, I WAS DRIVING IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY AND A MODEST SPEED T15 MPH I HAVE A CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY AND I WAS ASCENDING UP THE CIRCLE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT MY ACTION. i TOOK MYI FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND HIT THE BREAK BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN. IT CONTINUED UP MY DRIVEWAY ON MY LAWN AND ACCROSS MY LAWN THROUGH A FENCE AND I WOUND UP IN MY NEIGHBORS LOT WITH CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. I WAS SHAKEN BUT DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE TIME. MY NEIGHBOR AND MY WIFE ASSISTED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO TESLA CONTRACTOR BODY SHOP -RECON. WHERE IT IS NOW. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT TESLA EVALUATE AND REPAIR THE CAR BEFORE I DRIVE IT AGAIN AND PICK IT UP FROM THE BODY SHOP. I NOTIFIED THE BODY SHOPP(TONI MCCARTHY) AND TESLA SERVICE(RADCLIFFE SERVICE PERSON WORKS FOR DON HADDON SERVICE MANAGER) .SO FAR NOTHING HAS HAPPENED . TESLA ASKED ME TO SEND A PHOTO OF THE ACCELERATOR BUT SINCE THE CAR IS STILL IN THEIR AUTHORIZED BODY SHOP, I AM UNABLE TO DO IT. i AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AND ASKED THEM TO TOW IT FROM THE BODY SHOP TO THE ROCKVILLE TESLA DEALER BUT THEY SEEM RELUCTANT TO DO THIS. MY WIFE HAD A SEPARATE PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION .N HOPING FOR NHTSA INTERVENTION
Here is my draft: Vehicle Information: • Make: Tesla • Model: Model Y • Year: 2024 Description of the Problem: After a software update pushed by Tesla, the AP4 computer in my 2024 Tesla Model Y shorted out, causing a complete failure of all systems controlled by this computer. The following safety-critical and driver-assist features have become non-functional: 1.Cruise Control (adaptive or otherwise) 2.Forward Collision Warning 3.Lane Departure Warning 4.Lane Keeping Assistance 5.Blind Spot Warning 6.Parking Collision Warning 7.Full Self-Driving and Auto Park features 8.Cameras required for Autopilot functionality Additionally, because the GPS system has failed, the vehicle’s Navigation system is inoperable. This impacts Tesla’s unique route planning feature that sets up Supercharger stops during long journeys. Without a functioning navigation system, I cannot properly plan my travel or locate charging stations, which severely affects the usability of the vehicle. Safety Concerns: The failure of these systems, especially safety features like forward collision warning, lane keeping assistance, and blind spot monitoring, puts both the driver and others on the road at risk. Losing access to safety-critical functions after an update is unacceptable and poses a serious danger to vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic. Incident Details: • The issue occurred immediately following a software update. • Tesla pushed the update remotely without providing any warning or indication of potential risks. • The failure appears to be related to a hardware short in the AP4 computer, directly caused or exacerbated by the update. Desired Outcome: • A thorough investigation into Tesla’s software update process and its effect on vehicle hardware and safety systems. • A resolution that prevents similar failures in other vehicles and ensures system updates do not compromise vehicle safety or critical functionality.
My car slammed on the brakes on the highway this morning at 75 mph. A box truck was following me but thankfully he didn't hit me. I was in what Tesla calls Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC) at the time and quickly brought the car out of TACC and hit the accelerator to get me back up to speed so I didn't pose a danger to other drivers on the highway. I dont know exactly how much my car slowed, but it was enough to throw me forward in my seat. There were no vehicles in front of me at the time. This was a classic example of "phantom braking", which is talked about a lot in the Tesla community. This is my 2nd report of phantom braking to the NHTSA.
I was in a parking lot on [XXX] in Mamaroneck, New York waiting in line to get out at approximately [XXX]. Many cars were ahead of me due to the school drop-off rush, with parents and kids lined up in the parking lot waiting to leave. While I was waiting, the Tesla unexpectedly accelerated on its own, but I managed to hit the brakes just in time to avoid colliding with the car in front of me. A few seconds later, my car suddenly accelerated again without any input from me. I tried to steer away from the cars in front while repeatedly pressing the brakes, but they weren’t working. All I could think about was avoiding hitting another car or person, so I swerved the car toward the building in the parking lot. The impact was hard, and the car finally stopped, but the airbags didn’t deploy. I’m deeply shaken by the incident; I could have seriously injured someone or even worse. When I got home, I discovered that this issue is a known problem with Tesla, yet they’re placing the blame on drivers. Having never been in a car accident before, this experience has been overwhelming. As a mother and attorney, I believe it’s crucial to examine this situation more closely. Tesla controls the data, and it’s clear that responsible drivers wouldn’t suddenly veer into a building in a crowded parking lot without cause. I urge you to act on this life threatening defective car and investigate this problem before it is too late. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On multiple ocassions when using adaptive cruise control the vehicles slams on the brakes without warning and for no reason and brings car to a near standstill in the middle of traffic unless I slam the accelerator down and fight the car. Engineers from Tesla inspected the vehicle and said everything was working normally, but it continues to malfunction and almost causes accidents with cars behind in traffic having to slam on their brakes as well.
I was driving on a street at the speed limit there were no cars in front of me and behind me thankfully the car just braked very hard suddenly for no reason and I lost complete control over the vehicle after the car came to a complete stop I was able to continue driving. Thankfully there were no cars behind me because if there were I don’t even want to imagine the accident I could’ve caused aside from this the breaking was so hard that my whole body hurts and I am afraid to drive the vehicle as I do not know when to expect this breaking since it can happen so suddenly at any time.
I was involved in car accident 8/7in which vehicle total. After first impact vehicle did not stop felt like kept going accelerating into 3 additional impacts
During my trip, traveling at speeds ranging from ~30 to ~75mph my car suddenly and with no advance warning braked to a full stop, four separate times. I was not using cruise control or any driver assisted features. There were no obstacles in the road. I did not get in an accident because there were no other cars near me on the two different roads I traveled on.
The Tesla accelerated by itself while I am driving in a heavy traffic. To avoid hitting the front car, I braked several times, which didn’t work at all. It still accelerated, instinctively I steered wheels to the right front and hit a small hill. Airbags are out. I struggled to get off the car and shouted for help. 911 was called and emergency ambulance took me to ER. Luckily I am alive, it could be much worse that I would tremble when thinking of that crash scene again. This happened on [XXX]. I am waiting for the report from the police and the next steps from Tesla Insurance. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The Indicator for the park break is the word "PARK" and not the symbol for the parking break ((P)). This is dangerous because the word "PARK" is ambiguous and could mean the vehicle is shifted into park (without the park break engaged) OR the park break is applied. In fact my spouse was parking the vehicle on a hill and not engaging the park break. He insisted that there was no difference between the two. There is a huge difference. Only after engaging the park break and listening for the rear breaks to electronically engage was I able to convince him that "PARK" was actually ((P)) and that the park break was NOT applied until the button was pressed and the word "PARK" appeared. Please use the correct ((P)) symbol to indicate the parking break is engaged and to clearly differentiate it from the vehicle being shifted into Park.
Front motor of 3-week-old Tesla Model Y became disabled while driving on a highway at 65 mph. This meant the car also lost power steering, traction control, and ABS braking. Car was limited to top speed of around 40 mph on a busy highway with very little room to pull over. Car was difficult to steer and braking was greatly reduced. There was no advanced warning of this. Was finally able to pull over, exit and reenter the vehicle, which temporarily corrected the problem. However, when the car was started the next day, the front motor was disabled again, but resolved when the car was restarted. The car was not driven again until Tesla service center was contacted and car was taken in for repair. On the way to the service center, the issue occurred again. The alerts included “Front motor disabled - OK to drive. Vehicle power may be limited” The vehicle is not safe to drive since this is happening while traveling at high speeds. Tesla service has not addressed the issue or tried to diagnose the cause yet in spite of the car being at their service center for over a week.
Electrical system had 7 alerts/warning scroll on screen. Said vehicle was going to shut down. Regenerative braking system failed. Pulled car into a parking spot. Vehicle would not go into park so I could not take foot off of brake. Started to shift between park and neutral randomly. Was told by Tesla to reboot car. Did this three times, but nothing changed. Tesla dealership reproduced and confirmed. There were no warnings or messages before the incident.
Car decelerated drastically to a low speed when driving on the highway using cruise control.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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