Complaint volume
811 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
811 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.
811 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 76 crash reports, 8 fire reports, 32 injury reports, and 3 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 72 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 16,139 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
811 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | When using cruise control my Model Y will randomly slam on the brakes for no reason. Latest incident was on a two lane highway (HWY 395 in CA) at 1pm. Sunny with perfect visibility. Road condition was no problem. No visual obstacles anywhere that would confuse the cameras. Zero reason for the brakes to be slammed. Luckily there were no cars around me. Especially behind me. This is a common occurrence and very dangerous. This could easily cause someone to rear end me as this happens in spots this shouldn’t and when you least expect it. This has been an issue people have been complaining about for awhile now with no fix. Please help | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The vehicle has suddenly applied automatic emergency braking on numerous occasions when there is no obstruction in the road or potential emergency situation. This often occurs multiple times per trip on longer trips (multiple hours of driving). It seems to happen regardless of whether Autopilot is activated or just cruise control. It seems much more common on hot, sunny days when highway mirages are present but it occasionally happens due to some shadow conditions. None of these situations have resulted in compromised safety but that might have been different if there had been a vehicles immediately behind us. The brakes are applied without warning and the vehicle decelerates rapidly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | STEERING | State UNKNOWN When I was driving in the freeway from (Sacramento to bay area) last Saturday (09/16/2023) around 6:15PM in I 80 with my friend and tried to change the Auto pilot mode/Cruise control, immediately the vehicle severely steered and vehicle about to go left side and right side in a couple of seconds ( I thought almost lost control). Luckily got the control back. It was about to crash into another lane and luckily no vehicles were nearby. I searched the issues and found out that this issue already reported by many people. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | There was an update last night on my Tesla model y. I've noticed two episodes of phantom breaking after this update this morning when I was driving to work. There was a truck in the next Lane but the car hit the brakes all of a sudden on the highway when the autopilot was on active. It was at a curve on the highway. I'm assuming the car thought that the truck was moving into my lane leading to sudden activation of brakes. This could have been dangerous. Fortunately there was nobody behind me and we were safe. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | My dual engine Model Y had bilateral engine failure about 1 month after purchase. While driving on highway, first 1 engine failed, then somehow drove to parking where 2nd 3ngine stopped . Concerned that 2 engines could stop working in 1 month old new Tesla Towed to Tesla repair Correction: Inverter - Front Drive Unit (Remove & Replace) Correction: Pyrotechnic Battery Disconnect (Remove & Replace) Parts Replaced or Added Part Quantity DISCONNECT,BATTERY,PYRO. (1064689-00-J) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Tesla Incident 9/8/2023 My Tesla Y started moving backwards suddenly while I was driving forward after I accidentally flicked the right drive lever, mistaking it rain wipers. I driving on Henry Hudson parkway in NYC. It was back to back traffic on HHP. The Tesla started racing backward despite my foot off the gas, and I barely had time to brake . Luckily, traffic was very slow due to rain and carbehind had stopped and it was not damaged at all. However, my Tesla trunk was damaged. I am very worried that the car could go from moving forward to backward with accidental flick on the drive lever | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Many occurrences of phantom braking have occurred since I purchased the vehicle several months ago. I was driving on I-5 in California with the cruise control set at 70mph, then changed lanes from left lane to right lane with about 5-6 car links from the semi truck to the rear in the right lane. The emergency braking feature engaged with no vehicles in front of me in either lane for at least 500 yards. The semi truck locked up its breaks to avoid rear ending me. I applied the accelerator as quickly as possible and when I did the semi was approximately 3 feet from crashing into the rear of my vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | TIRES | GOODYEAR TIRE, 255/40R20 101W XL I have had to replace 5 tires on my Tesla in 13 months. 3 were from nails, one was from running over a pothole and one was flat from an unknown cause. I have been told by multiple people in the car maintenance field that the tires are not appropriate for the weight of the vehicle therefore are far more prone to imbedded nails and other spontaneous road hazards. I only do basic city driving and avoid industrial/construction zones when able. Also, 2 out of the 5 times I have had a tire with low pressure, the vehicle has indicated the wrong tire. For example, the most recent incident showed my tire pressure at 23 in the front driverside tire, when checked manually the pressure was reading 45 psi in that tire. Went to Tesla and they confirmed the sensor needed to be replaced and made an appointment to have that fixed in 2 weeks when they were available. I continued to drive the vehicle since I was told it “was just a sensor”. The next day, the passenger rear tire was flat but indicated appropriate pressure for that tire on car’s reading. I was horrified that I continued to drive on a low tire for an entire day and did not know because the car was indicating the wrong tire was low in pressure. This could’ve resulted in a blow out or other threat to my safety. Supposedly my sensors have been replaced when I have asked for them to be but the sensors reading the wrong tire pressures is a chronic issue. Tesla is aware the tires are prone to flats, which is why they will not sell you tire coverage. I feel unsafe in this vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | I am writing to formally submit a complaint against the Tesla Service Center in Rockville, Maryland. My concerns relate both to a potential safety issue and the subsequent handling of repairs to my vehicle. 1. **Safety Concern:** On 08/25/2023, the driver-side window of my Tesla vehicle shattered spontaneously without any evident external cause. This sudden malfunction while the car was in use is alarming, representing a significant safety concern for passengers and other road users. I believe that such a defect warrants immediate attention, especially if this is a recurring issue among other Tesla vehicles. 2. **Unsatisfactory Service Post-incident:** After bringing my vehicle to the service above center for repairs, I was relieved that the window issue would be addressed under warranty. However, when my car was under Tesla’s care, another Tesla customer hit and damaged it within their premises. What is profoundly distressing is how the service center addressed this matter. Instead of accepting responsibility for an accident that happened in their domain, they deflected responsibility, advising me to coordinate with the other car owner for repairs. This has not only added to my inconvenience, but it has also cost me additional time off from work to address damages that were not my fault. Moreover, now I am faced with being without my vehicle for an extended period, given that the body shop estimates a 4-5 day repair timeline. In total, I have been without my car for nearly two weeks due to the initial window concern and the subsequent collision. This situation has raised concerns about the structural safety of Tesla vehicles and the integrity and responsibility of their service centers. Such a dismissive approach to customer care is unexpected from a brand of Tesla's stature. I strongly believe that no customer should face such challenges and inconvenience, especially when entrusting their vehicle to a service center. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | SEAT BELTS | Seatbelt mechanism stopped latching and would not buckle. This puts everyone in the car in a very unsafe situation. Only way to request help is through Tesla app but no response from their support team. My seatbelt latch mechanism is still broken. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | The contact rented a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 55-65 MPH, the vehicle started swerving to the left and to the right. The failure occurred while driving towards oncoming traffic. The contact stated that his wife was able to regain control of the vehicle and pulled into the nearest driveway. Hertz Rental Car was contacted and had the vehicle towed. The contact was provided another rental car. The contact was informed that a software update was needed; however, the contact was unaware if the vehicle was diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 33,071. | Crash: No Fire: No | 33,071 |
| Aug 2023 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | While driving with the adaptive cruise control engaged, the car has suddenly braked (hard) when the associate optical system encountered a shadow or some anomaly on the road ahead. This "phantom braking" has occurred numerous times on our vehicle, and speaking with our son who also has a Tesla Model Y, he has experienced the same behavior. To date, I have not contacted Tesla, due to the intermittent nature of the problem, and trouble getting a response from their website. For the time being, I will not use the adaptive cruise control if there is another car within several hundred yards behind me in order to avoid a rear-end collision incident. My understanding is that Tesla removed the radar input component of adaptive cruise control, which would have prevented this type of behavior. A prospective fix is to restore a radar sensor input to the system. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Passenger side lights flashes and flickers on / off after firmware update. This has been confirmed by Tesla Service as a “known issue” of the most recent software update 2023.26.7. I have a video of this flickering. There was no warning prior to the failure. This has been reported to Tesla. Representative said they won’t come out to service the vehicle because “there is nothing for them to fix (physically)” as it is a “firmware issue” and will be fixed with an update. However the fix is currently not available and Tesla is still working it. This renders the car undriveable at night. The flickering lights incite road rage from others who don’t understand the flashing is unintentional and not a sign of annoyance. As a result, we were subjected to road rage from other cars when the light on the car suddenly starts flashing. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | During a recent road-trip we experienced “phantom braking” twice while our cruise control was engaged. The first episode occurred on 8/4/23 when we were on a 4 lane highway (395) just north of Reno. Fortunately no other vehicles were close to us, the car suddenly decelerated from 75 to 40 mph pulling to the right. The second episode, on 8/7/23, with similar road circumstances. the sudden braking occurred while using cruise control, but this time took us from 75-0 pulling us to the right. Our luggage flew forward, tires screeched, and we smelled rubber/brakes?? when we got out to pull back the contents of the cargo space. It was very frightening. I have since read of many similar incidence occurring with Tesla’s tied to self driving and cruise control. After an assessment at the local Tesla dealership (Bend, OR) today they found nothing wrong with the car but acknowledged that the phantom braking is occurring and Tesla engineering is “working on it”. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a way for consumers to opt out of the Autopilot (adaptive) portion of cruise control. We feel this is a dangerous situation. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | Windows fail to roll up and stay closed | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | SEATS,VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Driver seats heat up on its own. Windows go up and down on its own. Front collision sensor beeps with no cars nearby. Wipers issues. Back up camera issues. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Phantom braking multiple times at highway speeds while on a 3840 mile road trip. Autopilot including cruise control were on. The car would suddenly brake very hard. I don't know if it would have stopped completely or not because I always took control immediately. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | During auto pilot or cruise control the vehicle suddenly brakes causing a sudden deceleration with no obstacles or obstruction! Phantom braking! Happens several times during a trip. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While traveling at highway speeds from Colorado to Texas and from Texas back to Colorado my car continuously slammed on the brakes without warning while the autopilot(cruise control) was engaged. There was no visible evidence or object in common for each event. What made this dangerous is any untied objects in the car would shift forward and the vehicles behind me would have to slam on their brakes as well. On a few occasions it changed lanes with no cars in front of me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | SEAT BELTS | The seat belt doesn't work. It buckles in but doesn't lock | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Speed control set to 65MPH car suddenly stops , with nothing in front of it. I needed to step on accelerator to have car move forward. This has happened many times. Safety, I have notified Tesla, They have not corrected problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 74 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking and decelerated to 20 MPH before returning to normal operation. The contact stated that the failure recurred three times. The contact stated that moments later with the cruise control still activated, the vehicle seemed to enter self-driving mode independently, briefly taking control of the steering wheel. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked erratically as if attempting to avoid a crash however, there was no other vehicles or objects nearby. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 14,600. | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,600 |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated after driving approximately 5 MPH through a puddle of water on a rainy day, the contact arrived at the residence and parked the vehicle. The contact became aware that the rear bumper and an unknown part underneath the bumper had detached and were hanging down. The contact also became aware that there was water intrusion into the rear of the vehicle and the floor carpet was wet. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla Service Center to be diagnosed. The Tesla Service Center informed the contact that the vehicle was missing parts that were not in stock. The Service Center referred the contact to a Tesla Collision Center for assistance. The contact was informed there would be a cost charged for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was 7,700. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 7,700 |
| Jul 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The proximity sensor alerts do not work with Tesla vision and resulted in a minor collision with adjacent vehicle while manually parking. With the removal of the ultrasonic sensors from the alert system, Tesla is not reliable anymore for distance warning and is responsible for accidents to to the false sense of confidence provided by that system | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2023 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While on both adaptive cruise control and autopilot the vehicle suddenly and dangerously emergency braked on a clear and open freeway with no visible cars or obstacles in sight. Our safety was compromised as it caused us to almost lose control of the vehicle and terrified the passengers. Had there been any vehicles behind us it would have possibly caused a collision at high speed. Have not taken the vehicle back to the dealership yet but others I know with a Tesla have had similar experiences and the dealer has been unhelpful. The vehicle had only around 1200 miles on it and shows no other signs of issues or warnings. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |