Complaint volume
1019 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2021 Tesla Model Y Complaints
1019 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Tesla Model Y, grouped by component category.
1019 Total complaints
85 Crash reports
6 Fire reports
22 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are forward collision avoidance, vehicle speed control,forward collision avoidance, service brakes,forward collision avoidance. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 85 crash reports, 6 fire reports, 22 injury reports, and 4 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 98 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 16,683 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to forward collision avoidance, vehicle speed control,forward collision avoidance, service brakes,forward collision avoidance?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Tesla Model Y?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Tesla Model Y
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Tesla Model Y complaints?
85 Crash
6 Fire
22 Injury
4 Fatality
63 Towed
14 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Tesla Model Y complaint categories?
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 280
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 72
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 70
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 64
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 44
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 34
SUSPENSION 30
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE 29
STEERING 26
VISIBILITY/WIPER 19
1,019 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | In short: Phantom Braking While driving on single lane highways with Autopilot enabled my car slams on the brakes and alerts whenever a semi is safely approaching. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - I assume the Tesla Vision System + Autopilot are what fail in this scenario. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Immediately this puts us in risk of a rear end collision. Alert fatigue from false alarms creates a long term risk as drivers are trained to ignore / cancel alerts. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not explicitly. We have mentioned it to a dealer and said it was a common complaint. Also it is a well known (under addressed) issue amongst Tesla owners. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No, given the lack of property or personal injury it doesn't seem right to alert those institutions. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, all systems appear to be functioning correctly. That is a large part of the problem - if the Tesla Autopilot is unable to function reliably on one lane highways it should at least warn drivers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | phantom braking, my car have driven 13.6K miles in the last 1 years. It happened once on the city street (early morning with no cars on the road and twice on the freeway, both time I was next to a big trailer truck, and no cars behind me, lucky. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Phantom braking!! It's happening almost everytime I engage autopilot and it's unfortunate because this system would be amazing if it wasn't do this issue. Anytime I'm in a 2 way highway and I have a semi or a large vehicle coming my way on the opposite lane it decides to slow down from the speed limit around 75mph in Texas all the way down to 35mph, which makes for a dangerous condition and puts me at risk of getting rear ended. I have reached out to Tesla Service and they said they can't do nothing about it. I have videos of these incidents but it seems like I can't upload on these Forms. Please reach out to me so I can send you these videos of the phantom braking. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While driving on the freeway at 70 mph with cruise control activated, the Tesla suddenly braked hard. There was no emergency or vehicle entering my lane. This occurs on a regular basis, more so when passing a semi or large vehicle. Vehicles behind me have to brake or swerve to avoid hitting me. I have notified Tesla Service about the issue and their response was they know about the issue. I was told to keep my hands on the steering wheel and pay attention....UNACCEPTABLE! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | On numerous occasions while using cruise control the the Model Y brakes would be suddenly applied in the following situations. While in the inside lane of a curve in the road when several approached from the other direction the brakes would be suddenly applied when the front of the Model Y was pointing at one of the middle vehicles in the line of approaching vehicles. This sudden braking does not happing when traveling down straight sections of roadway or when traveling in the outside lane of a curve. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Driving a 4 lane road with not other vehicles in site the car suddenly braked to the point of locking up the seat belts and throwing items around the cabin. I reported this to the manufacturer and they were able to review logs and confirm that the car mistakenly saw something and applied the brakes. I would have been hot from behind if a car was following. I was told not to use this feature on certain roads. But I asked how to disable it I was told there is no way. This needs to be addressed before there is an accident. I was not using full self driving. I only had cruise control on. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | When using cruise control. My car will phantom brake. Most of the time it is when oncoming traffic is present… but a few times there are no cars around me… a few weeks ago, the car phantom brakes on an ice patch almost causing a wreck. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact owns 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH with the vehicle on auto pilot, a large commercial truck in the opposite lane passed the vehicle, which then applied the brakes and slowed from 55 to 35 MPH. The contact stated that this should not have happened and was an instance of "phantom braking". The contact reported that once the commercial truck passed the vehicle went back up to speed within seconds. The contact stated that he did not notice if a warning light was illuminated, but the contact stated that he heard the vehicle sound an audible beep. The contact did not take the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure; however, the contact went to the dealer to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,000 |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Experienced "Phantom Braking" several times when cruise control is activated on a highway. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Traveling at 70mph on a highway with no cars in front using Autopilot with steering assist. The car suddenly braked hard and came to almost 35mph before quickly regaining speed. Had a car behind me that could have rear ended me on the highway. This was one of many times has happened but this was the most severe. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I was driving north on I-5 in southern Washington on a sunny Sunday morning with low traffic in October 2020. I had only had the car for a few days and was using the autopilot and cruise control for the first time. As I approached an overpass that was casting a shadow across the highway, the car suddenly braked hard. Fortunately there were no vehicles immediately behind me. If there had been, I likely would have been rear-ended. About 15 minutes later, while driving in the middle of the three northbound lanes, a motorcycle passed me on the left and then cut across my lane to get to an exit. Again, the car braked suddenly. When I next stopped to charge the vehicle, I went online and read on various Tesla user chatrooms that this was a widely experienced problem. I immediately stopped using the autopilot and cruise control. I have not used them at all in the past 15 months. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | phantom breaking issues on 2 lane roads. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Each time I'm on a two lane rural road (one lane on each direction with the double yellow line between the lanes) the phantom breaking is unbearable (MYLR vision only). 90% of the time if there is a large truck going on the other side, Autopilot will slam on the breaks and beep like crazy thinking that the truck is going to hit me head on. I don’t think it is the forward collision warning as this never happens when I don't use autopilot. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | (1) My car dangerously and aggressively applies the brake dropping the speed of the car between 3 to 30 mph within a second or two (phantom breaking) EVERY SINGLE TIME I drive the car in adaptive cruise control or auto steer. This happens on 2 lane roads, on divided highway, driving on straight and curvy roads, when there are shadows, frequently when a truck or car is coming toward me, and even on overcast days when driving on a freeway when there are no shadows and no traffic in either direction. The car seems to be sensing an object that is going to cause a collision and applies the brake even when no object, threat, or shadow is anywhere in view in any direction. I frequently have to immediately step on the accelerator to keep from getting rear-ended in what could be a severe or fatal accident. (2) On a 225 mile drive to the Tesla Service Center to correct the phantom braking problem, my car inappropriately applied the brake 40 times, including aggressively dropping the car's speed from 63 mph to 35 mph in a second or two. (3) My car dangerously and aggressively applies the brake whenever a car is turning in front of me that is sufficiently far enough away that there is no absolutely no threat whatsoever of a collision. I then have to quickly step on the accelerator to keep from being rear-ended. (4) I have taken the car into the Tesla Service Center twice to correct this problem. I even gave them a list of dozens of times/dates I experienced phantom braking and the # of mph the car slowed (I recorded this on paper and as "bug reports" on the car's computer). On one visit the technician spent 12 hours reviewing my bug reports and the car’s operation. In both of my Service Center visits the bug reports were sent to a Tesla engineer for review. After both visits to the Service Center I was told the technician and the engineer could find nothing wrong with the car and “it was working as designed.” (5) In conclusion, my Model Y has a SEVERE safety defect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Vehicle will randomly reduce speed when using the adaptive cruise control. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Unexpectedly slamming on my brakes in response to imagined hazards, such as oncoming traffic on two-lane roads. This happens often and I have to shut off this feature to avoid a spin out on icy roads. Very hazardous. overly sensitive to trucks in the opposite lane. Car lurched from 50 mph to a near-stop in response to a large truck. Is this phantom braking? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While using cruise control, aka “Autopilot,” the brakes automatically engage, even with no reason to. It’s happened so many times at high speed, and while passing, that I am now scared to use “autopilot.” While using autopilot, I have to be ready to mash the accelerator peddle at any moment, due to unwanted breaking and it feels very dangerous. It can also be traumatic for passengers when the vehicle suddenly brakes hard at high speed. I’m worried it could also cause an accident if someone were right behind me and also traveling at a high rate of speed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While using adaptive cruise control the vehicle will suddenly brake. I thought it would get better after it’s system learned but still happens when a large vehicle or even a pedestrian is in an adjacent lane. Car has 3940 miles on it now. Last highway trip of 100 miles it happened five times. I don’t know how badly it brakes now because I keep my foot on the gas pedal while in adaptive cruise control so I can react quickly to it. We previously owned a 2018 Tesla 3 with radar enhanced “auto pilot” and did not experience this problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Car randomly breaks while in autopilot mode. Very dangerous since someone can crash into me from behind. There is nothing on the road in the way and no emergency vehicles nearby and no stoplights or stop signs when this happens. The car does not always notify of blind spots when backing the car up. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Automatic Emergency Braking. Known also as "phantom braking." Tesla is aware of the problem. Regardless of whether or not I'm using the standard cruise control or the more advanced full self driving feature, the car routinely hits the brakes even when there is no obvious obstruction in front of it. If the car suddenly brakes on the highway with another car behind it, it risks a rear end collision. No other warnings appear. The car simply brakes for no reason. This automatic emergency braking system should be removed for standard cruise control. It's more of a hazard than a benefit. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Multiple times we have been on empty open roads traveling at 60-70 mph only to have the vehicle slam on the brakes and slow down to approximately 30-50 mph. There are no obstructions on the road or oncoming vehicles when this happens. This has been reported multiple times to Tesla and I have been told their are no issues and the the car “must have seen something on the highway”. This is totally untrue. The vehicle will also slam on the breaks in 2 lane highways if a large truck or semi is traveling in the opposite direction. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I drive on the highway from Dallas to Austin to Houston every week. Every trip I have about 2-4 phantom braking incidents at full speed. It seems to occur at similar points every time. It is incredibly alarming and I have to slam on the accelerator to not cause an accident. This needs to be repaired. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I just want to add my name to list to complain about phantom braking. You can't trust the adaptive cruise control to maintain correct speed as it will at random times brake hard when there is nothing in front of you. Maybe 20% of the times I use it.Sometimes it looks like a shadow on the road will cause it, maybe at night and when the weather is bad. It brakes hard too and you have to be ready to compensate. I think it is from using just cameras and no radar in my newer model | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Sudden, unexpected breaking multiple times while using autopilot cruise control. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | When driving on divided interstate highways using adaptive cruise control the car would suddenly without warning brake heavily. This is happening up to five times a day on long trips. Weather was clear, no other cars in front and no obstacles on the road. The only recourse was to slam the accelerator to the floor and hope no one was tailgating. This has also been happening on two lane roads when a truck or other large vehicle approaches. This was so dangerous we can no longer use the feature on two lane highways. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |