Complaint volume
827 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
827 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2022 Tesla Model Y, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
827 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
The most common categories are forward collision avoidance, vehicle speed control,forward collision avoidance, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 80 crash reports, 8 fire reports, 35 injury reports, and 3 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 73 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 16,603 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
827 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | Tesla does not provide power to the Aux pin on the standard 7 pin connector for towing. This means that the vehicle will not keep a 12V battery on a trailer charged up at all times. In case of a breakaway situation, there will be no power to the brakes and thus the trailer will not stop safely. Tesla changed to a 16V battery and has refused to step down the voltage for towing purposes. This is extremely dangerous when they advertise the Model Y and X as towing up to 3500 and 5000 lbs respectively and do not advertise the fact (outside the manual, where it must be inferred) that there is no power on the Aux pin. The 7 pin connector is a standard and Tesla is not adhering to it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | ALMOST POOPED MY PANTS - backed up into a parking spot to get food for family gathering. Took two family members with me to pick up the said food. Put collected food in trunk and we all got back in. Placed MYLR in “D” (drive) and sweet baby jesus it was going backwards! My family member in back yelled and I said that wasn’t me it’s in “D” look! And we all looked at each other puzzled. Then I tapped the “go” pedal one more time and sure enough backwards again. I put it in park and I was like “you all saw that right!?” We all agreed. Put it in “D” again and worked fine. Two family members said I had to watch some end of the world movie and they no longer want a Tesla after seeing that. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | Ever since a recent update to my car, it has become far more difficult to keep the ADAS features active. It is incredibly intrusive, even just glancing at the screen to see what message it's telling me leads to the car threatening to cut off all driver assistance features. This is so dangerous. The car is a better driver on the highway than I am. It is better at holding speed, it never veers out of its lane, and it never misses someone attempting to impinge on my lane. I think something needs to be done to make this system more lenient. It used to be better but something changed in late December. People in other cars seem to be able to stare at their telephones with impunity while their car continues on without any issues. All I want is to be able to glance away from the road to see what the screen is trying to tell me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact rented a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH with the Adaptive Cruise Control activated, the vehicle experienced Phantom Braking and abruptly decelerated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice during the trip; after de-activating the Adaptive Cruise Control, the vehicle operated normally. During the failure there were no other vehicles or objects nearby. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer, the local dealer, and the Rental Car Company were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,000. The VIN was not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 32,000 |
| Dec 2023 | STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | Due to NHTSA Recall Number 23V-838, the car has become more dangerous than before. Often making me apply more force on the wheel when constantly alerting me which has inadvertently made me swerve into oncoming lanes. Not only has this mandatory recall made the autopilot experience much worse, but it seems highly politicized by the previous leader of nhsta and should be reinvestigated. This is such a failure of over regulation over biased leadership and should not be tolerated. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | STEERING | I received a power steering reduced notice on the car screen and the power steering failed. Restarting the car resolved the issue. There was a technician present when this occurred and he could not discover why it happened. If I had been driving at high speeds I would have crashed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | To Whom It May Concern at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), I am writing to urgently express my concerns about the latest software update for the Tesla Model Y’s autopilot system, which, in my view, significantly compromises safety. As a Model Y owner for over two years, I have generally found the vehicle and its features to be reliable and safe. However, the recent update has introduced an overly stringent hands-on-wheel detection mechanism that is not only inconvenient but also potentially hazardous. The new update requires frequent and often forceful interaction with the steering wheel to assure the system of driver presence. This change is drastically different from my previous experience, where I received only one hands-on-wheel violation in two years. The current sensitivity of the system disrupts the smooth operation of the autopilot, leading to frequent and abrupt disengagements. I have found myself struggling to maintain the system’s activation, inadvertently causing the vehicle to exit autopilot mode multiple times. This issue goes beyond mere inconvenience; it actively detracts from driving safety. The need for constant and sometimes aggressive adjustments to satisfy the system’s requirements is distracting and can lead to erratic vehicle behavior. The irony is stark: a system designed to enhance driving safety and ease is now a source of potential danger and stress. The unpredictability and over-sensitivity of the updated system could lead to dangerous situations, especially on highways or in heavy traffic, where sudden disengagement of the autopilot can be particularly risky. As a driver, I now find myself more focused on keeping the autopilot engaged than on the actual driving conditions and surroundings, which is surely contrary to the feature’s intended purpose. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this situation and cancel the recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | LANE DEPARTURE | Subject: Safety Concerns Regarding Recent Model Y Autopilot Update To Whom It May Concern at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), I am writing to urgently express my concerns about the latest software update for the Tesla Model Y's autopilot system, which, in my view, significantly compromises safety. As a Model Y owner for over two years, I have generally found the vehicle and its features to be reliable and safe. However, the recent update has introduced an overly stringent hands-on-wheel detection mechanism that is not only inconvenient but also potentially hazardous. The new update requires frequent and often forceful interaction with the steering wheel to assure the system of driver presence. This change is drastically different from my previous experience, where I received only one hands-on-wheel violation in two years. The current sensitivity of the system disrupts the smooth operation of the autopilot, leading to frequent and abrupt disengagements. I have found myself struggling to maintain the system’s activation, inadvertently causing the vehicle to exit autopilot mode multiple times. This issue goes beyond mere inconvenience; it actively detracts from driving safety. The need for constant and sometimes aggressive adjustments to satisfy the system’s requirements is distracting and can lead to erratic vehicle behavior. The irony is stark: a system designed to enhance driving safety and ease is now a source of potential danger and stress. The unpredictability and over-sensitivity of the updated system could lead to dangerous situations, especially on highways or in heavy traffic, where sudden disengagement of the autopilot can be particularly risky. As a driver, I now find myself more focused on keeping the autopilot engaged than on the actual driving conditions and surroundings, which is surely contrary to the feature’s intended purpose. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 60 MPH, a large plastic object was in the roadway causing the contact to crash into the object. The contact stated that there was no warning from the manufacturer's forward collision avoidance system or any other safety system, the cruise control was engaged at the time of the crash. The contact stated that her husband swerved to the left to avoid the object and the front passenger side bumper, passenger corner of the hood and headlight crashed into the plastic object and were fractured and crushed. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated and the air bags had not deployed. The contact stated that there were no injuries and that the police were on the scene and filed a report. The vehicle was drivable and the contact drove back to her residence with her husband. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 26,000 |
| Dec 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | Subject: Safety Concerns Regarding Recent Model Y Autopilot Update To Whom It May Concern at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), I am writing to urgently express my concerns about the latest software update for the Tesla Model Y’s autopilot system, which, in my view, significantly compromises safety. As a Model Y owner for over two years, I have generally found the vehicle and its features to be reliable and safe. However, the recent update has introduced an overly stringent hands-on-wheel detection mechanism that is not only inconvenient but also potentially hazardous. The new update requires frequent and often forceful interaction with the steering wheel to assure the system of driver presence. This change is drastically different from my previous experience, where I received only one hands-on-wheel violation in two years. The current sensitivity of the system disrupts the smooth operation of the autopilot, leading to frequent and abrupt disengagements. I have found myself struggling to maintain the system’s activation, inadvertently causing the vehicle to exit autopilot mode multiple times. This issue goes beyond mere inconvenience; it actively detracts from driving safety. The need for constant and sometimes aggressive adjustments to satisfy the system’s requirements is distracting and can lead to erratic vehicle behavior. The irony is stark: a system designed to enhance driving safety and ease is now a source of potential danger and stress. The unpredictability and over-sensitivity of the updated system could lead to dangerous situations, especially on highways or in heavy traffic, where sudden disengagement of the autopilot can be particularly risky. As a driver, I now find myself more focused on keeping the autopilot engaged than on the actual driving conditions and surroundings, which is surely contrary to the feature’s intended purpose. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this and stop enforcing ridiculous changes to Tesla. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | driving on a clear day, no traffic empty highway. Suddenly stop very hard no reason. Phantom braking. And a few minutes later happen again suddenly violently stop, seems the cameras thinking something is infront of the car which nothing. Like I said empty highway. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Front passenger safety restraint system fault | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | I was stopped at a light, and I as I continued my trip after the green. I had put the car in auto pilot. As I approached the curve there deer to my left that got my attention. The vehicle didn't follow the road, nor did it announce with any warnings, or lane assists that the vehicle was departing the lane. Impact was made into a broken guard rail. Guard Rail impaled the vehcile from the left side into the cabin impacting my left leg causing serious injuries. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | "Phantom breaking" issue. When the vehicle is placed in cruise control the vehicle just randomly slams on the breaks; this typically happens when on the freeway/highway at speeds of 55 mph or greater. My wife and I have experienced this extremely dangerous issue from day 1 of taking possession of our Tesla over a year ago. I've reported it to Tesla and also spoken to the repair technicians that work on the Tesla vehicles. They're aware of the issue and haven't done anything to help or even offered to fix the issue. The technicians advised me that they are fully aware of the issue, and Tesla has no fix at this time. This is totally unacceptable and extremely dangerous. We've nearly gotten into a couple of major accidents because of this uncorrected issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 60-70 MPH, she noticed a burning smell. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then noticed sparks coming from the front passenger's side tire area. Another driver alerted the contact of an issue, and the contact immediately veered to the side of the road. The contact then noticed that the sparks coming from the front passenger's side tire area had become significant and had turned into flames. The front end of the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire; however, a fire department report was not filed. There was no police report filed. The contact sustained minor bruises while exiting the vehicle. Additionally, the contact sustained an emotional trauma and intended to receive therapeutic assistance. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The insurance company then towed the vehicle to another tow lot, where it was totaled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 30,028. | Crash: No Fire: Yes Injuries: 1 Towed | 30,028 |
| Dec 2023 | STRUCTURE | Windshield of my car cracked spontaneously in two different occasions for no apparent reasons. First incident's occurred in June 2023 resulting in replacement of the windshield. Second incident occurred on December 4,2023 & vehicle is scheduled for replacement of the windshield. I thought the first event was due to rock hitting my car while driving on the highway but very likely it’s a spontaneous crack like the second. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I had just parked in a spot 30 feet in front of my clinic building. My foot was not on the brake nor accelerator — the car had stopped and was parked. Tidied my hair and was grabbing my purse placed on the passenger seat, the car seemed to “surge” and suddenly ACCELLERATED QUICKLY straight toward the sliding glass doors toward my medical clinic building! I screamed, dropped everything and stepped as hard as I could on the brake. It stopped suddenly about 5 ft, onto the curb, in front of the doors. No damage (except for the scare!), so no reports. The AAA tow truck driver said he had seen this before in electric cars in his recent 3 months ( 4 out of 5 was Tesla; the other a Volkswagen), and that the black box can’t detect the surge because it’s electrical? Didn’t report it because no damage, no proof. Not looking for compensation, am not hurt (yet), but please look into this. I could’ve mowed down precious babies and children, mothers, doctors in my hospital pediatric clinic. I have heard 2 more incidents from a coworker and a family member (model 3 and S), so although my experts not recent, I cannot with clear conscience not report this. Please, please research this, lives are in your hand. Even if it is just one. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Date: 12/1/2023 Time: Approximately 5:20 AM Location: Intersection of [XXX] and [XXX] Vehicle 1: Type: Tesla Model Y Mode: Full Self-Driving (FSD) Direction: Eastbound on XXX Avenue Speed: Approximately 30 MPH Vehicle 2: Type: Sedan (Make and Model Unknown) Direction: Southbound on XXXX Avenue, turning right Incident Description: While operating a Tesla Model Y in Full Self-Driving mode, I was traveling eastbound on XXX Avenue in Summit at around 30 MPH. The incident occurred at the intersection of XXX Avenue and XXX Avenue. At this intersection, the traffic light for XXX Avenue was flashing yellow, indicating caution, while the light for XXX Avenue was flashing red, signaling a stop requirement for vehicles on that road. As I approached the intersection, a sedan traveling southbound on XXX Avenue initiated a right turn onto XXX Avenue. Despite the flashing red light for the sedan's direction, the Tesla's FSD system, which was controlling the vehicle at the time, appeared to misinterpret the right-of-way. The Tesla continued at the same speed without reducing, shifting lanes, or showing any indication of yielding to the turning sedan. Recognizing the impending risk of collision, the sedan driver executed a sharp right turn, narrowly avoiding an accident but coming close to the curb in the process. Realizing the Tesla's FSD system was not responding appropriately to the traffic situation, I quickly disengaged the FSD mode and manually took control of the vehicle to avert a potential collision. Remarks: This incident highlights a concern regarding the current capabilities of the Full Self-Driving system in complex traffic scenarios, particularly at intersections with flashing traffic signals. It underscores the necessity for continuous driver attention and readiness to assume control, even when FSD is engaged. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | SEAT BELTS | Rear driver side seat belt won’t latch. Passenger cannot properly fasten seatbelt. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I was driving south bound on hwy90 at about 78mph using navigate on autopilot. Without warning the car swerved into a left turn lane and then slammed on the brakes when the turn lane came to an end. This caused a number of personal belongings to be damaged. Thus happened as I was on my way home from a service center visit that stated the autopilot systems were all functioning correctly. Tesla was notified immediately a d has not responded to my complaints. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | On the highway I set my cruise control. It registers as the max speed on the tesla screen. Regularly the max speed changes very suddenly and the vehicle brakes. For my most recent trip drove on the highway and this happened 3 times. The max speed changed from 78 mph (the speed I set it at) to 40 mph. Another time it changed to 45 mph and a third time to 55 mph. Sometimes there are cars directly behind me when this happens. The sudden change in speed on a highway is very dangerous. I have also reported this to Tesla. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE | I was driving at 64 mph utilizing the Adaptive Cruise Control and Autosteer (Beta). I was in the first of a two lane divided highway with no vehicles within 1000 feet in front of me and several cars passing me on my left. Fortunately, I had both hands on the wheel at the 10 and 2 positions and have good arm strength. Suddenly, abruptly and violently the car took over the steering and braking swerving to the left about a foot or so then applying the brakes hard while simultaneously turning the front wheels about 65 degrees to the right. I believe another vehicle without the Tesla's low center of gravity would surly have rolled over. I was now heading across the breakdown lane towards the guardrail. With great effort I took over control of the steering just 1-2 feet from the guardrail pulling hard left and pressing down on the accelerator (to release the brakes) causing a second roll over feeling. I then turned right to straighten the car out and continued down the highway in the same lane without contacting any objects. I felt the violent nature of the swerving in my lower back and left arm. The car did not want to release the steering to me. I have no evidence other than the experience of my wife and me. I was coming off a white concrete bridge deck with a slight left curve without any lane markings. At the moment of the incident the bridge deck was covered with a large area of black tar. I believe these two factors caused the car to go into some kind of avoidance maneuver. I also believe a lesser capable driver may have been killed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | I was driving my tesla model Y on the highway and suddenly the steering wheel turn 90 degrees and crash my driver side with the back of the car in the lane to the right. The night before the accident there was a system update for the car. no warning were made by the car | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | On November 12, 2023, approximately 3PM, my family and I were traveling eastbound on Miramar Road, near Camino Santa Fe Road, San Diego, when we experienced an immediate and sudden braking of our vehicle (2022 Tesla, model Y), for no apparent reason. There were no warning lights or symptoms that would have exhibited any kind of problem with the vehicle. This sudden braking caused my wife, the driver, to panic and swerve. We were traveling at the posted road speed of about 50mph. Fortunately, there was no traffic and no other vehicles in the vicinity or there might have been an accident. We have not yet reported this incident to Tesla, the police, or anyone else. I am conducting my initial research. Coincidentally, my daughter just experienced a similar incident this morning in her 2017 Tesla, Model 3. She will file her own report. After hearing of the problem happening to my daughter I decided we need to file immediate reports and contact Tesla today. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while his wife was parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle collided with a wall and was stopped by a curb. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was diagnosed by the manufacturer and the contact was informed that the accelerator had been depressed inadvertently; however, the contact was adamant that it was brake pedal that was depressed at the time of the failure. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 10,444. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 10,444 |