Complaint volume
1067 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
2023 Tesla Model Y Complaints
1067 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2023 Tesla Model Y, grouped by component category.
1067 Total complaints
137 Crash reports
3 Fire reports
45 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, steering, vehicle speed control,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 137 crash reports, 3 fire reports, 45 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 74 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 13,628 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to forward collision avoidance, steering, vehicle speed control,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 2023 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.
2023 Tesla Model Y
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2023 Tesla Model Y complaints?
137 Crash
3 Fire
45 Injury
1 Fatality
92 Towed
34 Medical attention
What are the most common 2023 Tesla Model Y complaint categories?
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 184
STEERING 97
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 65
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 60
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 54
SUSPENSION 53
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 36
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 34
VISIBILITY/WIPER 32
SEAT BELTS 26
1,067 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | STEERING,WHEELS | While making a left turn at normal turning speed, the steering system became unresponsive. The steering wheel was able to move; however, there was no corresponding movement of the front tires/wheels. The front wheels appeared to remain stuck at approximately a 45-degree left position and did not return toward the straight-ahead position despite steering input. It is also possible that the steering wheel itself became locked or partially locked during this event. As a result, the vehicle could not be corrected and collided with the median and a pillar. The collision caused the airbags to deploy and resulted in severe front-end damage, with an estimated repair cost exceeding $40,000. This steering failure occurred without warning and resulted in a sudden loss of vehicle control, creating a serious safety hazard to the occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle was subsequently declared a total loss. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | STEERING | The front lower lateral links or control arm that is used to steer the wheels has bolts that dropped on the ground causing loss of steering to the car. This happened when parking the car at home and luckily not on the highway or street during faster speeds. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The computer in my car has been undergoing short circuiting, rendering all driver safety features inoperable. This is a known problem with hardware 4 and reported many places. I was backing out of my garage and the read camera and automated braking are not functional and it is nearly impossible to see out the back. When backing out, I struck another car in the driveway, resulting in damage to both cars. Had the system been functional, visibility would have been there and the automated braking would have avoided the collision. The vehicle has been seen by Tesla and I have been told that the warranty has expired and the computer must be replaced at my cost. Tesla has replaced other computers under a recall for the same issue reported. This is a serious safety issue as without a functional computer, features such as software updates, navigation, bilnd spot monitoring, lane keeping, cruise control, all cameras (rear, side, front), autopilot, autobraking etc. are nonfunctional. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | SUSPENSION | While driving my 2023 Model Y Long Range I heard a loud grinding noise. I was able to get home and park. When I further inspected the vehicle, I jacked up the car, removed the front driver side wheel, and immediately what I saw horrified me. The "FRONT LOWER LATERAL LINK ASSEMBLY" was completely disconnected from the vehicle, just hanging with a bolt missing, and another bolt barely hanging on. Upon searching the internet for issues I found several other people who had the same exact issue as me. As of now I have no vehicle to drive due to this mishap, but the bigger issue at hand is how many others are affected by this lack of workmanship, and how many accidents could be caused by the entire wheel disconnecting from the vehicle at high speed. In other vehicles I am used to seeing a Crown Nut, which has slots that allow a pin to cross and lock in place to prevent this from happening, yet here we are. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | STEERING,SUSPENSION | A critical front suspension component failed on my 2023 Tesla Model Y without any accident, misuse, or external damage. While backing out of my garage at low speed, a loud “BAM” occurred — the front lateral link bolt fell off, detaching the lateral link and causing the front body to drop onto the tire. My child was inside the vehicle. Tesla-certified technicians inspected the vehicle and service records confirm the lateral link bolt was loose and missing, directly causing the failure. Multiple suspension components were replaced under warranty, confirming a manufacturing defect, not customer-caused damage. This is a serious safety-critical failure. At driving or highway speed, it could have caused loss of steering, severe injury, or death. The day before, my spouse drove the vehicle on the highway with our younger child — by luck, a catastrophic event did not occur. Before and after the wheel detached, the Tesla monitor did not display any warnings. Even after the lateral link and wheel partially detached, the vehicle remained in driving mode and ready to operate, despite a wheel being unsecured — a basic condition that should trigger an immediate alert. This demonstrates a critical failure in Tesla’s safety systems. There were no recalls listed under my VIN. However, NHTSA records show similar failures, with recall notifications issued under NHTSA Recall 21V-835 in 2021 for 2021 and earlier Tesla Model Y and Model 3 vehicles. The same failure in my 2023 Model Y at 23,641 miles shows the defect was not fully corrected and continues to pose a public safety risk. I am reporting this to NHTSA due to the extreme safety risk and request a full investigation. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | TIRES | I am submitting this complaint to escalate a safety-related concern involving premature and abnormal tire wear on my Tesla Model Y, which has not been adequately addressed by Tesla. I purchased my Tesla Model Y in [Dec, 2023]. Within less than one year of normal driving, all four tires wore out significantly and required full replacement on 08/30/2024. The vehicle has been operated under normal city and highway conditions, and Tesla-recommended tire pressure was maintained consistently. This level of tire wear is well below reasonable tire life expectations and raises safety concerns, including reduced traction, increased stopping distance, and the risk of tire failure. After replacing the prematurely worn tires at my own expense, I reported the issue to Tesla Service and requested that the vehicle be inspected to determine whether alignment, camber, or suspension issues contributed to the abnormal wear. Tesla indicated that an evaluation would only be performed if I agreed to pay for diagnostic services, rather than proactively inspecting the vehicle for a potential underlying defect. As a result, no documented root-cause analysis or corrective action was provided at that time. During a later Tesla service visit for a separate suspension noise concern, Tesla replaced multiple front suspension components (including control arms and lateral/compliance links) and performed a four-wheel alignment under warranty. These repairs occurred after the tires had already been replaced, which created doubt as to whether the suspension condition at the time may have contributed to the earlier premature tire wear. Because the suspension was not evaluated when the abnormal wear occurred, the underlying cause remains unresolved. Replacing tires alone without timely evaluation of possible contributing suspension or alignment issues does not adequately address the associated safety risk. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | SUSPENSION | While driving my Tesla, the front suspension abruptly failed. Two bolts from a critical suspension/control arm component fell out while the car was in normal motion. There was no impact, no debris, no road hazard, and no prior service that would explain missing bolts. The vehicle suddenly dropped, and the chassis collapsed onto the wheel, causing grinding and severe loss of drivability. This failure occurred without warning. Tesla Service inspected the vehicle and confirmed the bolts were missing but could not explain how they came loose or fell out. The bolts showed no damage, and there was no undercarriage damage, indicating a structural or manufacturing defect. This was a life-threatening incident. This type of suspension/separation issue appears to be a known problem with Tesla vehicles. I request that NHTSA review this failure as it poses a significant risk to vehicle occupants and the public. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | STRUCTURE | The contact's dad owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated the owner opened the liftgate, attempting to unload the vehicle after a trip, when the liftgate inadvertently fell on the head near the left ear area, fracturing his skull on the left side, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head on the asphalt. As a result, the contacts dads brain bled within both fractures. The contact's dad was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time of the failure. The vehicle was inspected by Tesla, and advised that a power lift strut replacement part was needed; however, the contact wanted NHTSA to inspect the original part before the replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. A police report was not filed. The vehicle remained at his dad's residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that there was a faulty power lift strut and that the taigate had 1 powered strut, causing the liftgate to close inadvertently. The approximate failure mileage was 17,273. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 Fatalities: 1 Medical attention | 17,273 |
| Jan 2026 | SUSPENSION | Mechanics found that the front passenger side control arm is missing and completely disconnected. Video evidence from inspection is available. How was this found and safety risk- Car lost steering control The component was inspected by my mechanic. No vehicle indicator / warnings. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | BACK OVER PREVENTION | Make/Model: Tesla Year: 2023 Component / System: Autopark system (vehicle’s automated parking feature) Description of Failure/Malfunction: While reversing under Autopark control, the vehicle collided with a parked vehicle whose door was open. No driver input was provided, and the system gave no warnings prior to the collision. The incident appears to result from a failure or limitation of the Autopark system, not driver error. Safety Risk: The vehicle moved autonomously without any driver input, creating a risk of injury to pedestrians or damage to nearby vehicles. Had someone been standing near the open door, they could have been struck. Reproduction/Confirmation: The malfunction has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by Tesla, a dealer, or an independent service center. Inspections Conducted: No inspection has yet been performed by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. Photographs of the incident have been documented and attached. Warning Lamps/Messages/Symptoms: No warning lamps, alerts, or system messages were displayed prior to the incident. The system gave no indication of a failure during the parking maneuver. Incident Details: Date/Time: Saturday [XXX] Location: [XXX] Weather Conditions: Light drizzle Attachments / Evidence: Photographs of both vehicles involved Incident report Request for preservation of vehicle telemetry and Autopark logs Additional Notes/Requests: I request that all relevant vehicle data be preserved in their original form to allow a full investigation. The incident occurred solely under system control without driver input, and I assert that responsibility lies with the system malfunction. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | UNKNOWN | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | SUSPENSION | The front suspension lower 'lateral link' bolts that go into the subframe side of the lateral link fell out. One completely fell out of and was only held loosely in place by the undercarriage plastic. The other bolt (there are two holding the lateral link into the subframe) had backed out about two revolutions. This resulted in a very loud banging noise and the us having to stop the vehicle to inspect. We had to slowly drive the car back to a safe area to diagnose and temporarily rebolt this prior to getting Tesla to inspect. I have photo and video documentation that I can provide showing the incident and how I had to repair this to make the car safe to drive again. There were no warning lamps or messages on the vehicle, just a very loud banding we heard when starting from a stop and or turning the vehicle. Prior to this we heard a faint thump that we could not diagnose. Fortunately the second bolt did not come out and we did not have a catastrophic failure while driving the vehicle. Bolts were not properly torqued and do not appear to have any sort of paint pen marking to document the torqued location. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | SUSPENSION | I am reporting a catastrophic suspension failure on my 2023 Tesla Model Y that matches the description of Recall 22V-895 (Manufacturer No. SB-22-31-002), despite my vehicle being excluded from the official recall population. On [XXX], the front driver-side lateral link separated from the subframe while driving. Tesla Service /confirmed the separation in their repair notes, stating the cause was a "separation in the lateral link and subframe" which resulted in damage to the wheel and halfshaft. Recall 22V-895 was limited to only 26 vehicles due to a "manual torque validation" error on November 2, 2022. My vehicle's failure suggests that this manufacturing defect is not limited to the identified 26 units. I am urging the NHTSA to investigate whether the scope of Recall 22V-895 was insufficient and if a larger population of 2023 Model Y vehicles is at risk of sudden suspension collapse. This is a major safety concern. Luckily I was not on a highway and was driving around 35mph when the bolt fell off. Tesla is not responding to me with the details. They just fixed the issue under warranty and are saying, we do not know what caused the issue. Please investigate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | SUSPENSION | while driving in light city traffic at low speed the right front wheel developed a terrible grinding noise and would not steer properly, pulled off of the road and called a tow truck car is now at a Tesla service center waiting on repair service | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH in light rain, the vehicle suddenly braked and causing the vehicle to lose control. The contact stated that the vehicle was on cruise control and auto drive assist. The contact stated that the vehicle veered to the left, crossed two lanes of traffic, and crashed into the highway divider wall. The contact stated that there were no warning lights. The contact stated that the left front end had crashed first, and then the driver's door and left front fender had crashed into the dividing wall. The contact stated that the driver's front air bag had deployed and burst; there was a large tear starting from the top of the air bag all the way to the steering wheel. The contact stated that he had burns on his hands due to the air bag explosion, bruises on his chest, and right arm. The contact stated that the police and emergency services arrived. A police report was filed. The contact stated that he was transported to the hospital, and the vehicle was towed to a manufacturer's collision center. The contact stated that the manufacturer's collision center downloaded the collision information from the vehicle's main frame and shared the accident report with the contact. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 45,000 |
| Jan 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that a software update (2025.44.25.5) was performed on the vehicle, which was for a temporary free self-driving mode. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated sideways and crashed into the highway's concrete retaining wall. The air bags deployed upon impact. The contact was taken to the hospital by ambulance, where he was treated bruised left knee, cracked ribs, and several other bruises to various parts of his body. No property damage was reported. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene to an independent mechanic, where it was deemed a total loss. Neither the manufacturer nor the service center had been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,500. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 22,500 |
| Dec 2025 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | I have a 2023 Tesla Y. The Curvature Assist function has nearly caused a half dozen rear end collisions. When in cruise control, it kicks in on (1) highways, near exits when I'm not taking the exit (2) regular roads with no curve or intersection, (3) regular roads with departure lanes that I'm not using. The car behind me only see's a sudden brake light with slow down until I press on the accelerator. Please have Tesla install a disable function for Curvature Assist. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I was operating my 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged at low speed in a residential neighborhood. The vehicle took an incorrect turn into a neighboring driveway instead of continuing on the roadway. I attempted to correct the vehicle’s path. At that point, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. I experienced a sudden loss of control and was unable to stop the vehicle before it struck my garage door and entered the garage, causing structural damage to the garage wall. Notably, automatic emergency braking did not activate, and no effective front collision warning intervened, despite an imminent collision with a fixed structure. Tesla’s post-incident vehicle report states that accelerator pedal input was detected, which I believe occurred as a panic response while attempting to regain control after the vehicle took the incorrect turn. However, I am concerned that the vehicle’s software behavior, lack of braking intervention, and failure of safety systems contributed to the incident. This incident raises safety concerns regarding unintended acceleration behavior, FSD path selection errors at low speed, and failure of emergency braking or collision avoidance systems when approaching fixed objects such as garage doors or walls. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | We were driving and had the circulation on to make sure that no outside air was being circulated in so that condensation does not build up on the inside of the cabin. The circulation button auto turned off without us knowing. We then had all four windows, and our windshield and back window completely covered in condensation and it would not resolve. I had to manually wipe it away. We were traveling down a highway going 70mph when this happened. This is extremely dangerous and that circulation button should not have been auto shut off. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | STEERING,WHEELS | While driving approximately 5–10 mph and making a right turn on a local street, the vehicle suddenly produced a metallic pulling sound followed by a loud impact. The vehicle abruptly stopped and became undrivable. Upon exiting the vehicle, the left front wheel was visibly displaced from normal alignment and appeared to have shifted rearward into the wheel well. No collision, curb strike, pothole, or road debris was involved. The vehicle had exhibited a wire-tugging or metallic noise during turning in the days prior. The failure occurred without warning and resulted in a sudden loss of vehicle control at low speed. The vehicle was towed to Tesla, where the left front control arm was found to be disconnected/broken. Tesla has not yet provided a determination and is attempting to route the vehicle to a collision center despite no evidence of impact. This appears to be a suspension component failure that could have resulted in a serious accident at higher speeds. Safety Impact: Loss of steering control, risk of crash, inability to drive vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | STEERING | While traveling at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly veered to the right without driver input. The Autopilot/FSD system was not engaged. It all happened in a matter of seconds. There was no system failure message on the screen. The vehicle airborne and hit a tree. All side airbag were deployed. Was able to open the door and walk away without any major injuries. Software update : 2025.44.25.5 | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My Tesla was unable to access Supercharging due to a payment system error, even though I had just made a payment. The battery level was critically low, and a severe storm warning was active. Supercharging access was blocked, and I could not reach Tesla customer support by phone. This created a potentially dangerous situation and represents a safety risk. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While operating my Tesla Model Y in a commercial parking lot at a T-intersection controlled by a stop sign, the vehicle unexpectedly and automatically accelerated without driver intent. The incident occurred during a low-speed maneuver. Upon the unexpected acceleration, I immediately attempted to regain control by applying the brake pedal repeatedly and firmly. Despite clear manual brake application, the vehicle did not decelerate as expected and continued to move forward. I also attempted to stop the vehicle by pressing the Park button, but this action did not stop the vehicle. The vehicle continued uncontrollably for approximately 150 yards, traveling over curbs, striking a fence, and ultimately colliding with the garage structure of a residential home. Throughout this sequence, the vehicle remained unresponsive to braking and stop inputs. Vehicle data later confirmed that brake pedal application was detected prior to impact, yet braking response was insufficient to prevent continued motion. At the time of the event, the vehicle recorded system fault states, and collision avoidance systems did not activate. Despite significant structural impact and property damage, airbags did not deploy. The incident raises serious safety concerns regarding: •Brake-by-wire system execution during fault conditions •Pedal input arbitration between accelerator and brake •Failure of collision avoidance systems to intervene •Failure of restraint systems to deploy during a severe impact •Vehicle behavior when control systems are in a fault state This event occurred without warning and despite appropriate driver response. Based on vehicle data and system behavior, this appears to be a system-level failure rather than driver error. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS | All in the same day: 1) Odd sound from behind the pedal area of driver side front quarter (sounded like a styrofoam cooler top rubbing against the cooler is the best way to describe - faint though). 2)BANG when in a parking garage turning full right but still able to control without difficulty. Made it home without incident. 3)Later that day, just after getting off of I4 in Orlando I pulled into grocery parking lot and parked. When I returned to my car I again turned right and a loud BANG and the car jerked to a sudden halt. I was able to back into a parking spot but there were 2 large screws in the driving land and the left wheel was toed slightly to the left. Ultimately it was detached when we tried to tow it we had to remove tire and put on a device to allow us to move it. Per Tesla “I have updated that estimate! The vehicle has very heavy damage, and this is the start. Once we replace these components their (sic) could be more damage, and it also could potentially need to go to a body shop!” Thankfully this didn’t happen at speed with my daughter in the car on I4! This is unsafe and a simple internet search revealed it is not an uncommon parts failure at this mileage! This is dangerous. All of this at just 54,000 miles. (4k out of warranty) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | On Sunday evening (12/21) at approximately 6:30 pm, I enabled Self‑Driving while my car was parked in my garage with the garage door open. The vehicle was positioned facing forward. Immediately after activating Self‑Driving, the car began reversing rapidly in an apparent attempt to exit the garage. During this unexpected movement, the passenger‑side mirror struck the garage door trim and cracked. I quickly applied the brakes and disengaged Self‑Driving to stop the vehicle. This was a frightening incident, and I was unable to submit an FSD bug report because the reporting prompt disappeared within seconds. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |