RoadVitals

2026 Tesla Model Y Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
55
Latest Sep 20, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
15%
of 370 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
12
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
7

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2026 Tesla Model Y submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 55 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.

Owner reports naming electrical

The 25 most recent of 55, in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Sep 20, 2026

While I was driving on the highway in rainy weather, my electric vehicle suddenly made a very loud blast or popping sound and immediately stopped working. The vehicle lost power, and all electrical functions became inoperative while I was in the middle of the highway. This created a serious safety hazard because I was unable to continue driving or operate the vehicle normally. There was no visible damage to the exterior of the vehicle. The tires were intact and appeared to be in normal condition, with no tire damage or other external damage that could explain the sudden loss of power. The vehicle stopped unexpectedly while driving in wet conditions, without any apparent external impact or physical damage.

NHTSA ID
11765714
Incident
Sep 20, 2026
Electrical
Filed Sep 18, 2026

Every time the driver takes over from Full Self-Driving (Supervised), a mandatory "Why did you intervene?" feedback dialog appears on the center touchscreen. The dialog cannot be dismissed: it does not time out, and the driver must either tap one of the on-screen options (Preference / Discomfort / Navigation / Critical) or record a voice note using the steering-wheel microphone button before it goes away. This forces the driver to look at and interact with the touchscreen immediately after a takeover, exactly when full attention should be on the road. Earlier software versions dismissed this prompt automatically after a few seconds; recent updates made it mandatory and it even blocked other screen controls. It is a driver-distraction safety hazard caused by the UI design. The prompt appears on every single FSD disengagement, i.e. daily. Software version 2026.26.6.5.

NHTSA ID
11765419
Incident
Sep 18, 2026
BrakesElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Sep 14, 2026

Water entusion in the tail light bar. After time causes corrosion of the circuit board on the turn rear turn signal making it inoperable. tesla doesn't have an open document nor a recall. Was quoted over $1300 to replace the assembly. I did a teardown of the root cause. Glue sealing the through hole for the clip that holds the badge of the car on the rear didn't adhere. Water entered the assembly and dripped onto the circuit board, over time corrosion occurred. My rear left turn signal went out on a car that just turned a year. I have documented the location of the fault with pictures

NHTSA ID
11764041
Incident
Sep 8, 2026
Electrical
Filed Sep 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in Full Self-Driving (FSD) Mode, while reversing into a parking space, the vehicle initially stopped while approaching a pillar on the driver's side; however, the vehicle then proceeded to park and scraped the driver’s side of the vehicle against the pillar. The contact was concerned about the vehicle failing to stop while approaching an object. The contact stated that the failure might have been reported to the manufacturer through the steering wheel voice recorder. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

NHTSA ID
11761722
Incident
Aug 17, 2026
Mileage
10,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 27, 2026
Crash reported

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while his wife was pulling into the driveway at an undisclosed speed while using Full Self-Driving mode, the vehicle came to a complete stop and unexpectedly crashed into the garage. The dealer was notified of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact attempted to reach the manufacturer, but was unable to make contact. The failure mileage was approximately 30.

NHTSA ID
11760028
Incident
Aug 21, 2026
Mileage
30 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 18, 2026
Crash reported

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. While the vehicle was parked and attempting to shift into drive(D), the brake pedal was depressed, and the driver attempted to select the gear, but the gear display icon appeared semi-transparent. The driver was able to select the intended gear after several attempts; however, upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle unintentionally accelerated at a higher speed and struck a tree. The air bags did not deploy. No injuries were reported, and a Police report was not filed. No warning light was illuminated before or after the crash. Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode was not activated during the failure. The vehicle was driven to a collision repair center to repair the damage. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure and requested assistance retrieving data from the Event Data Recorder (EDR); however, no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired for the unintended acceleration. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.

NHTSA ID
11757772
Incident
Aug 16, 2026
Mileage
2,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Aug 17, 2026
Crash reported

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the Full Self Driving Mode activated, the vehicle struck the garage wall, damaging the rear passenger’s side door. No injuries were sustained. The contact stated that the dealer had previously provided mobile service to replace the camera and that a second dealer, Tesla White Plains (250 Tarrytown Rd, White Plains, NY 10607), had performed a hard reset on the vehicle due to phantom braking; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was made aware of the failure but canceled an upcoming appointment and informed the contact that there was no failure found. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,001.

NHTSA ID
11757495
Incident
Jul 18, 2026
Mileage
13,001 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 4, 2026
Crash reported1 injury reported

The contact owned a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 16 MPH with the self-driving feature activated the vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign. Seconds later the contact's daughter attempted to disengage the self-driving feature and then depressed the brake pedal to stop from entering a right-turn-only minor road stop-controlled intersection. However, the front passenger’s side of the vehicle was struck by another vehicle, before striking another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags on the passenger’s side of the vehicle deployed. The contact's daughter sustained minor leg injuries. Medical attention was not needed, and the contact was not sure whether occupants of the other vehicle required medical attention. A Police report was filed. The contact stated that the vehicle had not detected the oncoming traffic and that the crash could have been prevented. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where it was deemed a total loss. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,986.

NHTSA ID
11754808
Incident
Jul 30, 2026
Mileage
13,986 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Jul 30, 2026
1 injury reported

My tesla model Y was driving on FSD (full self driving) and just did hard full stop brake at a traffic light and brought the car to a complete stop even when the light was green. Both of toddler kids in the back got pulled jolted forward where the seat belt hurt them. This stopping was random was unnecessary as no threat of other cars or the light was present. Luckily no one was behind us or they would have rear ended our car causing a serious accident. This really left my children in shock.

NHTSA ID
11753870
Incident
Jul 30, 2026
Electrical
Filed Jul 30, 2026

Center brake light fails intermittently when outside temperature is hot (115). Tesla is aware of the issue and has no fix. Side brake lights still seem to work when center fails.

NHTSA ID
11753834
Incident
Jul 30, 2026
Electrical
Filed Jul 22, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID
11752088
Incident
Nov 30, 2025
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 21, 2026

The vehicle's Indirect TPMS showed a "Pressure Sensor Fault (may clear next drive)" without issuing any "Low Tire Pressure" alert. On July 20, 2026, while driving, the rear right tire lost pressure and disintegrated over a 10-minute drive. Despite severe tire failure that triggered multiple safety system alerts (Traction Control, Stability Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Lane Departure Avoidance disabled), the vehicle software FAILED to issue a critical "Do Not Drive" command or explicit "Flat Tire" warning. Furthermore, the official Tesla App automated response advised that "Most alerts may resolve automatically on your next drive," encouraging continued driving. This total absence of critical emergency alerts and misleading system guidance created an extreme, life-threatening road hazard and resulted in severe tire and wheel destruction.

NHTSA ID
11751866
Incident
Jul 20, 2026
Electrical
Filed Jul 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed without the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature engaged, the steering wheel suddenly jerked to the right. While the FSD was engaged, the vehicle made erroneous turns at 51 MPH, forcing the driver to take control of the vehicle. The contact received several warnings about the brakes and other safety features. The steering wheel jerked to the right while driving with the FSD engaged. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla Service Center on July 9th. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 303.

NHTSA ID
11750033
Incident
Jul 9, 2026
Mileage
303 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 2, 2026
Crash reported

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH with the Full Self-Driving mode engaged, the vehicle suddenly swerved into the left lane, and the rear passenger’s side door struck the right side of another vehicle. The vehicle stopped after the impact. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle did not need to be towed. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the Forward Collision Avoidance feature was not activated during the failure. A Police report was filed. There was no injury reported. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 3,609.

NHTSA ID
11748001
Incident
Jul 2, 2026
Mileage
3,609 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 27, 2026

The high volatage heat pumps stopped working after 3 months and they left me without a loaner or credit for transportation

NHTSA ID
11746948
Incident
Jun 24, 2026
Electrical
Filed Jun 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system engaged, the vehicle unexpectedly made a left turn toward a tree and a light pole. The contact manually took control of the vehicle to avoid a crash. There were no warning lights illuminated, or messages displayed prior to the failure; however, after the failure, the contact was prompted to take control from the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,800.

NHTSA ID
11746774
Incident
Jun 26, 2026
Mileage
11,800 mi
ElectricalFuel systemSteering
Filed Jun 26, 2026

While driving my 2026 Tesla Model Y in June 2026, the vehicle suddenly applied steering input on its own and began swerving left and right even though there were no obstacles in the road. I was driving on a straight section of roadway, centered in my lane, when the steering wheel started moving by itself as if the lane keeping system and steering were confused. I had to fight the wheel in both directions to keep the car from veering toward the curb and toward the adjacent lane. It felt like struggling against another person at the wheel. Fortunately there were no vehicles directly beside me at that moment, so I was able to avoid a collision, but this behavior could easily cause an accident for a typical driver. This incident is part of an ongoing pattern of safety issues with this vehicle. Since late 2025, I have experienced multiple events where the car fails to respond to the accelerator after shifting into Drive and behaves as if it is in neutral until I shift back to Park and then into Drive again including a complete loss of propulsion while driving in moderate traffic. Tesla has already performed recall repairs on the battery/battery contactors and multiple diagnostic visits for intermittent loss of propulsion and steering concerns, but the problems continue. I am filing this complaint because I believe there is a serious defect involving the steering, propulsion system, and lane keeping driver assist systems that could cause loss of control and a crash.

NHTSA ID
11746596
Incident
Jun 17, 2026
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 23, 2026
Crash reported1 injury reported

I am writing to bring to your immediate attention a serious safety incident involving our brand‑new 2026 Tesla Model Y (Juniper), equipped with FSD version 14.2.2.5 and Software Version 2025.45.10. We purchased this vehicle as our dream car, and for nearly six months it delivered exactly what we hoped for—innovation, safety, and an exceptional driving experience. That trust was the foundation of our decision to choose Tesla. On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] in Frisco, TX, that trust was shaken by a sudden and alarming event. After coming to a stop and while making a routine right turn at under 10 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated on its own, causing an immediate loss of control. The entire incident unfolded in seconds, leaving no opportunity to react or correct the vehicle’s behavior. The incident happened at the intersection of [XXX]. The "Autopilot" feature in Tesla was on at the time of the incident. The impact was severe. The airbags deployed, the vehicle was declared a total loss by insurance, and first responders—including the Frisco Police Department—were required to clear the wreckage. My wife sustained injuries in the crash and continues to recover. Witnesses at the scene confirmed that the acceleration was abrupt and not driver‑initiated. The emotional and physical toll has been significant. More importantly, the nature of this incident raises serious concerns about a potential safety issue that could affect other Tesla owners. We feel compelled to ensure this incident is thoroughly examined. If there is a systemic issue—software‑related or otherwise—it is critical that it be identified and addressed to protect other drivers and uphold the integrity of the Tesla name. We truly miss our vehicle and the confidence we once had in it. We hope Tesla will treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves and provide a transparent path forward. Thank you for your time, attention, and commitment to safety. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11745911
Incident
Mar 15, 2026
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 20, 2026
Crash reported

This is Reference my existing ODI number 11742309. On June 4, 2026, while driving slowly into a parking space, the vehicle experienced a sudden and unintended acceleration. I applied the brake, but the vehicle did not respond as commanded, resulting in a collision. The vehicle was approximately 3 months old at the time of this incident.

NHTSA ID
11745374
Incident
Jun 4, 2026
BrakesElectricalSteering
Filed Jun 6, 2026

I purchased a new 2026 Tesla Model Y Standard and took delivery on approximately 30 May 2026. Within the first week of ownership, the vehicle displayed multiple safety-related warnings, including: * Steering Assist Reduced * Power Braking Assist Reduced * Automatic Emergency Braking Unavailable * Lane Departure Avoidance Features Unavailable * Automatic Vehicle Hold Disabled The warnings have occurred more than once. They initially disappeared and then returned on a later drive. Both incidents occurred while the vehicle was operating with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged. During the most recent occurrence, while parking at less than 3 mph, the vehicle’s braking assistance appeared reduced and the brake pedal required significantly more effort than normal. As a result, I nearly struck a curb because the vehicle did not slow as expected. The warnings indicated that increased steering and braking effort may be required. Because the vehicle is brand new and these warnings involve steering, braking, and collision-avoidance systems, I believe this creates a significant safety risk. I no longer feel the vehicle is safe to drive until it is inspected and repaired. Tesla has been notified and a service request has been initiated.

NHTSA ID
11742507
Incident
Jun 1, 2026
Driver assistanceElectricalFuel system
Filed Jun 5, 2026

On XXX at approximately 9:30am, my 2026 Tesla Model Y suddenly accelerated without driver input while parking at The Center at [XXX], [XXX]. Vehicle surged forward unexpectedly. I immediately applied brakes. No warning messages appeared before or during the incident. Vehicle struck parking lot curb. Police responded and vehicle was towed. Physical evidence including tire drag marks and vehicle debris remain at scene. Requesting full EDR data log preservation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11742309
Incident
Jun 4, 2026
Electrical
Filed Jun 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, with the autopilot feature engaged, the vehicle approached a lane closure as big, metal arrow road signs where on the road indicating the road closure. The contact, who was distracted at the time, expected the vehicle to acknowledge the road closure and switch lanes. The vehicle failed to recognize the Chevron barricade lights on the highway and the vehicle ran through the road signs without warning. The contact was forced to take over and stop the vehicle due to the failure. Due to the failure, the front, driver side mirror detached from the vehicle. The contact exited the highway and inspected the damage to the vehicle. Despite the failure, the contact managed to drive the vehicle home. The service center was notified of the failure and an appointment was made to have the damages repaired. The cause of the failure had yet to be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

NHTSA ID
11741614
Incident
May 28, 2026
Mileage
21,000 mi
ElectricalSuspension
Filed May 27, 2026
Crash reported

Tesla 2026 Model Y was involved in a severe motor vehicle accident directly caused by a critical software and/or hardware malfunction of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. At the time of the incident, the vehicle’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software suite was actively engaged and driving the vehicle. While navigating, the system suffered an abrupt and uncommented control malfunction. Despite prompt attention, the autonomous system executed an erratic, uncorrectable maneuver that overrode human intervention thresholds, completely failed to respond safely to the immediate driving environment, and directly caused a collision.

NHTSA ID
11740400
Incident
May 18, 2026
Electrical
Filed May 20, 2026

This is the opposite of a complaint. Somebody may have already submitted a blurb about their Tesla Y traveling on a highway with the speed limit of 60 giving an extra foot of room to a motorcyclist that was passing their vehicle. This happened to me today for the first time while I was in full self driving mode . My car was aware of the motorcyclist wanting to pass me and the car in the next lane.  Sensing this it moved over about a foot in my lane to allow the motorcycle passage  more room. A few minutes later, it did it again for a different motorcyclist. It did this all while in full self driving mode. Kudos to this safety technology. 

NHTSA ID
11739136
Incident
May 20, 2026
Body & structureElectricalInterior & seats
Filed May 18, 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

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.

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