2026 Tesla Model Y Body & structure Problems

My car was parked in a residential neighborhood and when I was driving home on the evening of July 4th I noticed the windshield had a small line in it. The next day during daylight hours I went to inspect it further and concluded that the hood made contact with the windshield on both sides and there were two distinct impact areas that matched perfectly with small paint damage on the hood. I made an appointment with Tesla and waited about two weeks to get in, and they summized that this is not a defective part issue and that a wind so powerful came along, lifted the hood up, overpowered the gas struts, broke the windshield and closed itself perfectly. They denied any responsibility and refused to cover it under their manufacturers warranty. This is Tesla of Wilmington, DE

NHTSA ID

11753846

Incident

Jul 4, 2026

Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) — control handover protocol. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. WHAT HAPPENED: On June 25, 2026 at approximately 4:17 PM, the vehicle was operating under Full Self-Driving (FSD) navigating into a residential driveway. The driver pressed the gas pedal to take manual control. At the exact moment FSD transferred control, vehicle telemetry confirms the steering wheel was at −299° (nearly 3 full turns of hard left lock). No warning was given. With a ~13:1 steering ratio, approximately 300° of wheel rotation was required before driver input would affect the front wheels — taking 0.4–0.5 seconds during which the front wheels remained pointed left despite the driver turning right. The vehicle struck a tree at approximately 13–15 kph. Secondary failure: FSD re-engaged once during the first override attempt, requiring a second override before full control was obtained, further delaying driver response. Telemetry confirmed: factory crash algorithm (RCM_CRASH_ALGO_WAKEUP_EVENT_ACTIVE), Electronic Stability Control, and Traction Control all activated at impact. Post-impact speed registered −1.67 kph (backward bounce), confirming direct collision. SAFETY RISK: FSD handed off control mid-maneuver at extreme steering lock with no warning, creating an unrecoverable situation in a confined residential driveway. PRIOR WARNINGS: None. No warning lamps, messages, or alerts before or during handover. INSPECTION STATUS: Vehicle photographed. Insurance inspection pending. Not yet inspected by Tesla or dealer. Independently confirmed via vehicle telemetry export (85,776 rows, 300 sensor channels).

NHTSA ID

11746963

Incident

Jun 25, 2026

We just got our new Model Y today (6/21/2026) at Tesla Dealer in Plano. And I noticed the fabric liner in the center console/storage area is shedding fine fibers. The fibers adhere to skin and clothing and continue to release during normal vehicle usage. These fibers can inadvertently inhaled and I am concern that this issue might cause health hazard to me and my family whenever we are using the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11745524

Incident

Jun 21, 2026

My 2026 Tesla model Y frunk (front hood) internal compartment doesn’t has safety release latch and light. And doesn’t has any mechanism to alert me if human or animal accidentally inside the frunk which concerns me so have to report this issue. Thanks

NHTSA ID

11741088

Incident

Mar 14, 2026

I am reporting a recurring and unresolved electrical/safety issue with my new Tesla Model Y. The issue has occurred 5 times within the past 4 weeks and affects multiple systems simultaneously. When the issue occurs: * The air conditioning stops working completely. * The driver-side front and rear windows cannot be rolled down or up. * The driver seat adjustment may not function properly. The problem appears intermittently. It may disappear temporarily and then return hours or days later. Tesla service has inspected the vehicle multiple times, but the issue continues to recur. This creates a significant safety concern because: * The driver window may not function during rain or emergencies. * The AC may fail during extremely hot weather. * The driver seat may not adjust properly, potentially affecting safe vehicle operation and driver visibility. * The intermittent nature of the failure makes the vehicle unpredictable and unreliable to operate safely. The issue has not been permanently resolved despite repeated service visits. I am concerned there may be a broader electrical or control system defect affecting vehicle safety.

NHTSA ID

11738462

Incident

May 18, 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Make/Model: Tesla [Y] Rear Body got significant dent While attempting to reverse into a parking space at a Tesla Supercharger station, the vehicle—operating with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged—collided with a stationary pole located behind the designated parking spot. FSD failed to detect the tesla supercharger and tried to park in EVgo charging station despite of plenty of vacant Tesla supercharger spots nearby. No other vehilcle was involved netiher any property damage. We would like to make sure tesla FSD takes full responsibility of damage. as their FSD system malfunctioned. Tesla should bare all charges for repair.

NHTSA ID

11734205

Incident

Apr 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, while other vehicles were driving beside the vehicle, or when the wind was blowing, the vehicle unexpectedly moved to the left or right. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the vehicle operated as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken back to a different dealer, and the dealer stated that the vehicle was operating as designed. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

NHTSA ID

11733248

Incident

Apr 23, 2026

Mileage

6,000 mi

On April 11 2026, I was involved in a serious accident involving my 2026 Tesla Model Y. At the time of the incident, I was returning home from my daughter’s event in downtown and had just entered my residential driveway. As I approached the driveway, I applied the brakes and slowed the vehicle. While momentarily stationary or near-stationary, I spoke to my wife, who was seated in the front passenger seat, advising her to secure the food she was holding due to the uneven surface of the driveway. Upon removing my foot from the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated without any input . The vehicle proceeded forward and collided with my garage door. Notably, no collision warning alerts were issued, and no automatic emergency braking system engaged prior to or during the impact. Following the initial collision with garage door, the vehicle failed to stop and instead continued to accelerate into the garage, striking a refrigerator. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the refrigerator and caused extensive structural harm to the property, affecting the garage, adjacent living space, floors, and interior walls. The severity of the collision triggered deployment of the front airbags. At the time, my wife was seated in the front passenger seat, and my [XXX] daughter, along with her friend, was seated in the rear of the vehicle. Emergency services were called, I have forehead bruises and a burn on my hand from airbag deployment. My wife is advised physiotherapy for severe back pain and my daughter has since experienced ongoing emotional distress, nightmares.I am dealing with car and home claims issues for damages I am seeking a formal investigation into the cause of this incident, specifically addressing: 1)The unexpected and unintended acceleration of the vehicle 2)The failure of the vehicle to stop after the initial collision with the garage door 3)The absence of forward collision warnings and failure of automatic emergency braking . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFO

NHTSA ID

11732416

Incident

Apr 11, 2026

Forward storage compartment (FRUNK) is in violation of FMVSS 401. There is no emergency release, neither manual or automatic, installed on this vehicle. Previous year models of this vehicle have an illuminated release button that complies with this regulation. Enclosed in images is an example of previous year models versus what is found in my vehicle

NHTSA ID

11731248

Incident

Mar 31, 2026

Upon delivery of the vehicle the passenger door would not open from the outside. Multiple vehicle settings were reviewed, and a repair was scheduled to fix the issue.

NHTSA ID

11730066

Incident

Mar 27, 2026

Timeline of events: Day 1 – Delivery March 13, 2026 • Drove about 10 miles after delivery. • The driver-side window suddenly rolled fully down by itself while I was driving. • Returned immediately to the Tesla service center. They said they cleaned the window and recalibrated it. Later the same day • Drove another ~10 miles. • The window dropped fully again while driving. • Returned to the service center a second time. • I was told a mechanical part would be replaced, but never provided documentation. Day 2 – Today, March 14, 2026 • Left home to go to the store. • Within about 5 minutes of driving, the window dropped fully again and would not close at all. • The wind noise was extremely loud and the vehicle was very difficult to operate safely. I contacted the service center and was told they cannot provide proof of the part replacement from yesterday. When I called another Tesla service location, the earliest appointment available to even investigate the issue is March 31, 2026, despite the fact that the vehicle is essentially undrivable.

NHTSA ID

11724330

Incident

Mar 13, 2026

I am reporting a suspected defect involving the front suspension or steering system of my 2026 Tesla Model Y AWD. The vehicle produces loud popping, knocking, and rattling noises from the front end when turning the steering wheel at low speeds, particularly when the steering approaches full lock in either direction. The issue is most noticeable when entering or exiting uneven surfaces such as sloped driveways or parking lot entrances where the suspension is under load. During these conditions, the front suspension produces distinct mechanical popping or knocking sounds that appear to originate from the front wheel or suspension area. The noise does not occur while driving straight. It becomes significantly more noticeable when turning left or right at low speeds and worsens as the steering approaches full lock. In addition to the noise, a noticeable mechanical jolt or feedback can be felt through the steering wheel when the popping or knocking occurs. This issue began suddenly without any warning signs. One moment the vehicle was operating normally, and the next the popping and knocking noises began. Since that time the issue has continued consistently during turning maneuvers. The vehicle has not been involved in any collision and has been driven under normal conditions. Numerous other 2026 Tesla Model Y owners have reported similar front suspension symptoms, suggesting this may represent a broader pattern of potential suspension or steering component issues. Because the noise and feedback occur through the steering system while the suspension is under load, this raises concern that a suspension or steering component may be shifting, binding, or prematurely wearing. This condition raises safety concerns because abnormal movement or failure of steering or suspension components could affect vehicle control during turning or emergency maneuvers. I request that this issue be investigated for a possible defect trend affecting Tesla Model Y vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11722114

Incident

Mar 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was a loud pop coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact noticed that the glass on the passenger’s side had shattered, and glass had fallen inside the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that there was no impact on the glass to cause it to shatter. The contact returned to the residence and parked the vehicle. The dealer was called, and the dealer stated that the repair was not covered under recall or warranty. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed that the failure was not caused by an impact and informed the contact that the parts were expected to be ordered and should arrive within a week for the repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.

NHTSA ID

11720344

Incident

Feb 18, 2026

Mileage

13,000 mi

The forward trunk also known as the Frunk does not have the legally required interior release. I have children. I train them how to use a trunk emergency release. This car does not have one for the Forward trunk. This is a serious safety hazard.

NHTSA ID

11716167

Incident

Feb 1, 2026

Incident Date: December 11, 2025 Vehicle: 2026 Tesla Model Y Location: DFW Airport, Irving, TX System: Full Self-Driving (Autopilot / FSD) Description: On December 11, 2025, my 2026 Tesla Model Y was operating under Full Self-Driving while exiting an airport when the vehicle struck a gate arm, causing property damage and windshield/body damage. No injuries occurred, but the collision happened while the FSD system was actively controlling the vehicle. Following the collision, I requested the vehicle operational and FSD engagement data from Tesla for the incident timeframe. Tesla provided a CSV dataset; however, the FSD engagement and autonomy decision-layer data were almost entirely missing, despite the vehicle being in motion and presumably under FSD control. On follow-up requests, Tesla stated they are unable to provide additional autonomy data and that “Tesla does not collect all your vehicle data,” despite marketing the system as Full Self-Driving and collecting extensive telemetry. This raises a safety concern because: 1.A collision occurred during FSD operation. 2.Tesla is not providing complete autonomy data for safety assessment. 3.There appears to be no transparency into FSD decision-making, object detection, or control authority at the time of impact. 4.Owners, insurers, and potentially regulators cannot review how FSD behaved during a safety-related event. I am submitting this complaint so NHTSA is aware that: (1) A collision occurred under FSD control, and (2) Tesla refused complete operational autonomy logs for evaluation.

NHTSA ID

11712285

Incident

Dec 11, 2025

The interior of the front trunk (Frunk) does not have an emergency release button or the hardware to support it. In the event that a child or person is inside the front trunk with the hood closed, that person cannot escape the enclosed area without having an outside person finding a key or tool to open the front trunk. Also, there is no light in the front trunk so it is completely dark when closed. This feature (emergency release button) previously came standard in this make and model prior to October 2025.

NHTSA ID

11710114

Incident

Oct 30, 2025

Tesla removed the lighted emergency frunk (front trunk) release button and its wiring from this vehicle and other similar newer builds. The elimination of this key safety feature is a clear violation of the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 401 for Interior Trunk Release; requiring all new passenger cars with trunk compartments (rear and front) to have a way for someone trapped inside to escape. There is currently no method to open a latched front trunk cover from inside this new vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11709521

Incident

Nov 24, 2025

New 2026 Model Ys made after October 2025 no longer have an emergency release/opener for the front trunk. Easily large enough for a child to lay in and be trapped.

NHTSA ID

11708183

Incident

Dec 30, 2025

The front trunk (frunk) on my 2026 Tesla Model Y Juniper lacks both internal lighting and an emergency safety release mechanism. This design flaw creates an unnecessary and severe safety risk, as a small adult or child could easily become trapped in the frunk with no way to signal for help or escape. In low-light conditions—such as at night or in a garage without adequate illumination—the absence of a light would exacerbate disorientation and panic for anyone trapped. Without an internal release latch or glow-in-the-dark handle (standard in many vehicle trunks to prevent entrapment deaths), this could lead to a life-threatening suffocation or injury situation, especially if the frunk is accidentally closed on a person during loading/unloading. I discovered this issue while inspecting the frunk during routine cleaning and noticed that my four-year-old sat very comfortably inside the frunk listening to music while I cleaned the car. No incident has occurred yet, but the potential for harm is clear and warrants immediate investigation, as it violates basic entrapment-prevention standards observed in rear trunks and other vehicles. This defect compromises occupant safety and should be addressed through a recall or a retrofit that includes an illuminated emergency release. Please investigate similar complaints for this model year.

NHTSA ID

11707946

Incident

Dec 30, 2025

I am reporting a significant safety defect on my 2026 Tesla Model Y (delivered in October 2025). The vehicle is missing the lighted interior emergency release button inside the front trunk (frunk). Upon inspection, not only is the button missing (replaced by a blank plastic panel), but the necessary wiring harness to support a release mechanism is also absent. This appears to be a deliberate design change that violates FMVSS No. 401, which requires an interior release mechanism to prevent entrapment. A child or small adult could potentially be trapped in this compartment with no way to exit from the inside, creating a life-threatening entrapment risk.

NHTSA ID

11706020

Incident

Oct 31, 2025

The front trunk (frunk) on my 2026 Tesla Model Y Juniper lacks both internal lighting and an emergency safety release mechanism. This design flaw creates an unnecessary and severe safety risk, as a small adult or child could easily become trapped in the frunk with no way to signal for help or escape. In low-light conditions—such as at night or in a garage without adequate illumination—the absence of a light would exacerbate disorientation and panic for anyone trapped. Without an internal release latch or glow-in-the-dark handle (standard in many vehicle trunks to prevent entrapment deaths), this could lead to a life-threatening suffocation or injury situation, especially if the frunk is accidentally closed on a person during loading/unloading. I discovered this issue while inspecting the frunk during routine cleaning and noticed that my four-year-old sat very comfortably inside the frunk listening to music while I cleaned the car. No incident has occurred yet, but the potential for harm is clear and warrants immediate investigation, as it violates basic entrapment-prevention standards observed in rear trunks and other vehicles. This defect compromises occupant safety and should be addressed through a recall or a retrofit that includes an illuminated emergency release. Please investigate similar complaints for this model year.

NHTSA ID

11701747

Incident

Nov 26, 2025

I am genuinely concerned about the risk of my 2026 Tesla Y catching fire and/or being trapped inside the vehicle leading to death. In the past 30 days, have seen several accidents in Tesla products leading to fires with people trapped inside ultimately perishing. This includes the North Miami crash on 10/01/2025. No one in my family will travel inside this 2026 Tesla Y due to the fires. They have begged me to stop driving. I purchased this vehicle based on the published safety records including by Tesla. My wife just started cancer treatment and the intention purchasing was for a safe vehicle. Due to my very real concerns, I cannot risk my children being orphaned.

NHTSA ID

11692232

Incident

Oct 8, 2025

After I purchased this car I noticed that the steering wheel and whole car including the seats vibrate. They tried tire pressure, alignment and balancing nothing. It still vibrates so much it’s affecting the nerves in my hands and body and make me numb. They say the car is safe and refuse to diagnose or fix it unless I pay. Car is a month old it’s still under warranty!

NHTSA ID

11683645

Incident

Aug 4, 2025

On June 6, 2025, at 5:30 PM MST, I was scheduled to take delivery of a Tesla Model Y at Tesla’s Aurora, CO Delivery Center. Upon inspection, I found visible rear paint damage. Tesla staff verbally acknowledged the defect but refused to provide any written documentation of the issue or the repair plan. I declined delivery due to the defect and the lack of formal repair documentation. I was then told by Tesla staff that if I refused a second delivery — even if the issue remained — I would forfeit my $250 deposit. This was framed as non-refundable and used to pressure acceptance. I also attempted to trade in my leased vehicle (financed by Santander Consumer USA). Tesla and Santander gave me conflicting information about the lease structure, trade-in value, and ownership responsibilities. No formal documentation was offered to clarify. I contacted Tesla’s lease return department, requested written confirmation of the defect, and later filed complaints with the BBB and the Colorado Attorney General. I am seeking CFPB support to investigate Tesla’s and Santander’s leasing practices, use of deposit threats, and lack of transparency in trade-in and vehicle condition handling.

NHTSA ID

11665628

Incident

Jun 7, 2025

The Hood paint thickness looks too thin and painting quality so bad. As soon as it got the stone chip, it makes the body metal part exposed to the air. This defect has hazard of corrosion the Hood metal and it makes that metal get brittle. When the driver get the accident after corrosion, it makes passenger in death or severe danger.

NHTSA ID

11664727

Incident

Jun 1, 2025