Complaint volume
276 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
276 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2024 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.
276 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, unknown or other, back over prevention. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 53 crash reports, 4 fire reports, 29 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 21 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 14,501 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
276 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | Vehicle experienced PCS (Power Conversion System/DC-DC converter) failure, rendering it completely undrivable—no 12V power, cannot charge or start. PCS is physically integrated inside high-voltage battery pack per service manuals. High-voltage battery warranty active (8yr/120k miles). Tesla service denies coverage citing "associated component" in vague emails—provided only general warranty table, no specific exclusion language despite repeated requests for exact quote/formal written denial. Escalated to managers: Offered "view-only" internal service bulletin on screen at meeting—no print/copy/photo allowed. Explicitly refused formal written denial letter. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | STEERING,WHEELS,LANE DEPARTURE | On [XXX], while operating my 2024 Tesla Model Y in Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode, the vehicle experienced an Uncommanded Steering Input leading to a collision. The vehicle was traveling at a very low speed of approximately 5 mph in a clear, simple environment. Despite this walking pace, the FSD software failed to identify a visible concrete curb and initiated a sudden, sharp turn directly into the obstacle without any prior warning or driver input. The fact that the system executed such a violent and erroneous maneuver at 5 mph indicates a fundamental failure in the Neural Network's object detection and path planning logic. If this logic failure had occurred at higher speeds or near pedestrians, the results could have been catastrophic. The local Tesla Service Center (Watertown, MA) refused to conduct a physical inspection or a log review of the steering torque. They issued a Repair Estimate of $1,217.26 while claiming 'no hardware fault codes' were present, thus ignoring the documented software malfunction. As a leaseholder of this vehicle with only 15,489 miles, I am reporting this as a significant safety defect that the manufacturer refuses to investigate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Incident Description (in my own words): We were driving southbound on [XXX] from New Hampshire back to Boston in our Tesla Model Y. Traffic became increasingly congested and slowed to a crawl. My wife was driving, and I was in the front passenger seat working on my laptop. As traffic built up, my wife became momentarily distracted and did not apply the brakes in time. I noticed, in my peripheral vision, the vehicle ahead of us—a truck—suddenly filling the windshield. At that point, I heard the forward collision warning alert, but it activated extremely late, essentially at the moment of impact. The vehicle did not automatically brake or stop, despite the low speed, close proximity, and clear visibility of the truck ahead. We collided with the truck in front of us. Damage was minimal (license plate damage and a small dimple on the front of the vehicle), but the safety concern is significant. Both of our Teslas are configured with forward collision warning set to “Early.” Under normal circumstances, this alert triggers frequently, sometimes conservatively. In this incident, however, the warning activated far later than expected, and there was no automatic braking intervention prior to impact. The front camera appeared clean and unobstructed. I am filing this complaint because this behavior undermines my confidence in the vehicle’s collision avoidance and automatic emergency braking systems. I am also filing a similar complaint for our Tesla Model 3. I am now anxious about whether the software will perform as expected in situations where driver attention lapses briefly—precisely the scenario these safety systems are designed to mitigate. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue, as the system did not behave in a manner consistent with its intended safety function. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Center console USB component part#1522264-00-B, available for inspection. USB-C charging port that had been plugged in for more than a year, started smoking and wire melted while vehicle was parked. If this would have happened while my wife was on the highway on the way to work and smoke suddenly appeared, it would have cause her to be startled and degrade her ability on a busy highway. This would have most likely have created a traffic incident in Memphis on highway 240. I asked the dealer if there were any reports of defective part and I was told no. I brought the components in to show but the parts manager or service staff were not interested in the details or my concerns that smoke had been detected and that it melded the metal piece of USB-C charger to that TESLA part. I bought another replacement part from TESLA, but I am not utilizing the charging port for fear of smoke/fire. There were no warning lights or indication prior to the day of event where my wife observed burnt plastics and visible smoke. On November 26th called me in a panic that the car was smoking. She went out to our vehicle during her break and she smelt burnt plastic and observed smoke from the middle console. Shortly after she called me at my work, and after making sense of what she was telling me, I told her to unplug the USB-C but the parts manager melted of and the metal piece was stuck in the charging port. I left my work and after 30 minutes got to the vehicle, the burnt plastic was still evident but smoke no longer visible. I detached the panel with the part unplugged from power source, thank you YouTube for the DIY video. Pictures will be included with this report, but format doesn’t allow for video upload. Video will be provided upon request. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Autopilot was engaged and active at the time of the incident. The vehicle failed to detect a stationary piece of road debris (appearing to be a dropped vehicle part) located in the driving lane. The system did not provide any warning, slow the vehicle, or attempt an avoidance maneuver. The vehicle drove directly over the debris, resulting in damage to the lower exterior/body panel. Road and traffic conditions were normal. This raises concerns about Autopilot’s object detection and hazard response capabilities. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | Date & Time: December 25, approximately 6:00 PM Location: Northbound I-880 between the Mowry Avenue and Thornton Avenue exits, Fremont, CA Weather & Road Conditions: Heavy rain at the time of the incident. Road surface was wet with reduced visibility. Vehicle & System State: Tesla Model Y. Driver assistance / self-driving functionality was active at the time of the incident (traffic-aware cruise control / Autopilot functionality). Description of the Incident: While driving northbound on I-880 in heavy rain, the vehicle had been operating normally. Without warning, the vehicle appeared to incorrectly detect that it was drifting out of its lane and attempted to correct this perceived drift. Instead of a minor lane correction, the vehicle abruptly applied heavy braking and initiated a sudden and aggressive left steering maneuver. The car crossed approximately four lanes of traffic in the same direction of travel and continued rotating, ultimately performing an unintended U-turn while remaining on the northbound side of the highway. As a result, the vehicle came to a stop oriented against the direction of travel, facing oncoming northbound traffic. Immediately afterward, the vehicle unexpectedly began reversing at high speed without driver input, creating an additional imminent risk of collision with the outer highway wall (noise barrier separating the highway from adjacent residential areas). During this entire sequence of events, I was unable to regain control of the vehicle despite attempting to intervene. There were no vehicles immediately surrounding us at that moment. Had there been nearby traffic, this incident would likely have resulted in a severe or fatal multi-vehicle collision. Occupants: My wife and two young children were in the vehicle. The children were asleep in the back seat, secured in car seats. Outcome: No physical collision occurred. However, the incident caused extreme fear and distress, and we remain shaken by the event. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | SEAT BELTS | The rear seat on the left , seat belt off from the mount while my 7 years old son trying to fasten seatbelt. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The right rear taillight and turn signal on my Tesla Model Y became dim and intermittently flicker, and the turn signal does not function properly. This issue began immediately after a Tesla software update. The malfunction significantly reduces rear visibility and signaling to other drivers, especially at night, creating a safety risk. I contacted Tesla Service and provided photos/videos. Tesla have scheduled a repair which is 1 week later but declined to confirm whether the vehicle is safe or legal to drive with this lighting malfunction. Tesla also declined to provide a loaner vehicle or alternate transportation and advised me to use my own judgment. Rear lighting and turn signals are safety-critical components required by law. Operating the vehicle in this condition poses a risk of rear-end collision or failure to signal lane changes or turns. I am filing this complaint due to safety concerns and Tesla’s inability to provide written guidance confirming safe operation until repair. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,WHEELS | The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the TPMS displayed that the PSI of the tires was low. Additionally, a notification advising that the vehicle was experiencing low voltage and drainage and would shut down was displayed. The contact called towing services. The contact stated that the towing agent who assisted in towing the vehicle informed the contact that the tires were losing air, and the front passenger's side tire or wheel was defective. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla Service Center, where the power converter system(PCS) was corrected. Additionally, the technician informed the contact that the passenger's side tire was leaking air due to a rim defect, but the vehicle was not repaired, and the contact was advised to pick up the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle could not be driven at 20 MPH due to the failure. The contact had not retrieved the vehicle from the Service Center. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V935000 (Tires), but the Tesla Service Center informed the contact that the recall repair was completed. The contact stated that NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V554000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages, Electrical System) and 24V935000 (Tires) were marked as complete on the Manufacturer's website; however, the NHTSA VIN tool displayed that the recalls were incomplete. Additionally, the contact stated that the driver's seat was not adjustable. The contact stated that while attempting to move the seat higher and forward, the seat turned inward towards the right. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 100,000 |
| Dec 2025 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | The car spontaneously accelerated while approaching a stop sign. I was able to hit the brake to stop it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I’m reaching out to document and summarize an incident that occurred in Sanford, Florida, and to ask for the appropriate next steps and any documentation you may need from me. Incident summary (Sanford, FL – Appaloosa Court – Dec 2, 2025): In the early morning on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 (around 5:00–5:15 a.m.), a fire occurred at a residence located on [XXX] . A Tesla located in the garage was reported as being involved, and the fire spread to the garage that totaled the house The vehicle was reportedly charging in the garage when smoke/fire was noticed. Emergency responders (Sanford Fire Department and Sanford Police) responded to the scene. The incident resulted in property damage and at least one injury reported as non-life-threatening (per local reporting). Fire forensics stated that the fire started and caused by the TESLA around the charging plug area by the rear left passenger door. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: Yes Injuries: 2 Medical attention | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The heating system in my 2024 Tesla Model Y failed after only one winter season. Under normal HVAC operation, the vehicle blows cold air and does not provide cabin heat. Heat only intermittently works when defrost mode is selected. This failure affects the vehicle’s ability to safely operate in cold weather, including proper windshield defogging and defrosting. A loss of heating presents a safety risk to occupants and reduces visibility. Tesla diagnosed the issue and provided an estimated repair cost of approximately $3,235.00. The vehicle is just outside the warranty period, and this appears to be a premature failure of the heating or heat pump system, not normal wear and tear. Given the age of the vehicle and prior reports of Tesla HVAC and heat pump failures in Model Y vehicles, I believe this may indicate a design or component defect that warrants investigation. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While exiting a parking area, the vehicle’s Autopilot/driver-assist system engaged during a tight right-hand turn. At the time of the maneuver, my hands were not actively controlling the steering wheel, as the system appeared to be managing the turn. The vehicle failed to properly account for curb proximity and steered too close to the curb, resulting in the wheel striking the curb and causing visible rim damage. The system did not provide adequate warning or disengage in time to prevent the curb impact. This raises safety concerns regarding Autopilot behavior during low-speed, tight turning scenarios such as parking lot exits, where precise steering control is critical. I contacted Tesla to request that they review vehicle logs to determine whether this was a system error. Tesla did not adequately address the issue or take responsibility for reviewing or acknowledging a potential defect in the automated driving system. This incident presents a broader safety concern, as similar behavior could result in more serious damage or injury in different circumstances (e.g., pedestrians, cyclists, or roadside objects). I am reporting this to NHTSA so the agency can evaluate whether Tesla’s automated driving technology performs safely in tight-turn, low-speed environments. I request that NHTSA review this issue as a potential defect in Tesla’s automated driving or driver-assist systems. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | STEERING | Steering locked at 75 MPH on freeway. Model Y suddenly jerked left and locked, then jerked right and locked again. Loss of control and near-crash event. No road debris, no rain, no warnings on screen. Steering temporarily becomes unresponsive, requiring fight to correct. Tesla refuses repair because no alert code stored. Vehicle unsafe to drive. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | SUSPENSION,WHEELS | I am reporting a potential safety defect related to premature rear tire wear on my 2024 Tesla Model Y Performance At 15,482 miles, on May 2, 2025, Tesla’s Paramus, NJ Service Center confirmed an alignment issue and performed a four-wheel alignment. At the same visit, they replaced both rear tires with Michelin Pilot Sport AS 4 275/35R21 103W XL and sold me a Tire Protection Plan for those tires (Tesla invoice #XXX). tesla_invoiceXXX The vehicle now has 24,460 miles. The rear tires have worn out in less than 10,000 miles and about 7 months since the alignment and replacement. The tread wear is excessive and uneven compared with the front tires, and is inconsistent with the normal expected life (around 20,000+ miles) of these tires. This appears to indicate an ongoing alignment or suspension issue that is causing abnormal rear tire wear. Rapid rear tire wear on this vehicle could lead to loss of traction, especially in wet conditions, and therefore represents a safety risk. I am requesting that NHTSA review this complaint in case it reflects a broader issue with rear tire wear/alignment on Tesla Model Y Performance vehicles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | My 2024 Tesla Model Y hit a parked vehicle on the right side of the street during FSD self driving. The car suddently slanted to the right and hit the parked vehicle. During FSD drive, it did not give any warning before the accident. My dauther was injured on her face. Clearly the new version FSD v14.1 software is very defective. I am located in San Jose, CA. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My vehicle’s auto-high beam system does not properly recognize other traffic. It specifically fails to substantially dim the high beams when approaching oncoming vehicles or when behind other traffic on roadways. I have reported this to the manufacturer and attempted to have the dealership fix this on multiple occasions. The dealerships insist that the vehicle dims the required number of pixels in the headlights to not blind other drivers. However, this does not appear to be effective as other drivers that I have followed behind reported that they were being blinded by my highbeams while I was behind them. There is a notable difference between the highbeams and the low beams which the car fails to substantially adjust for when using this required feature to utilize the self driving/auto pilot feature. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | While the car was in operation a message popped up with flashing red light and said drive unit issue car powering down. It went into neutral. Turns out the inverter and rear drive unit had to be replaced | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | I would like to report a significant incident involving the auto-corrective steering in my vehicle. While driving on the highway, the steering wheel experienced a strong jolt, which I believe was caused by the auto-corrective steering system. This resulted in the vehicle spinning three times and ultimately coming to rest on the grassy center divider. Fortunately, no damage occurred at that time, and I initially attributed the incident to road conditions. I continued driving for approximately 30 minutes in rainy weather without further incident. However, a few hours later, during my return journey, the same forceful jolt to the steering wheel recurred about 20 minutes into the drive. On this occasion, the car spun 1.5 times and subsequently collided backward with the concrete center divider. It is fortunate that no other vehicles were involved, given the heavy traffic and rainy conditions at the time. During both of the incidents, I had both hands on the steering wheel and was not able to correct steering due to the strong force from the steering wheel jolt. I did have a Police Report filed, but have to get number when I return home. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When there is sustained rain, horn fills with water becoming inoperable. Tesla confirmed this is the normal operation of the horn. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Vehicle appears to be giving off toxic fumes causing medical symptoms like headaches for multiple drivers over last 2 months since vehicle was purchased used, fumes have a sweet smell but source of fumes was unable to be identified by Tesla service center. Fumes appears to be coming from front vents of vehicle. Suspecting there is a coolant leak but source of leak is unknown. Tesla had indicated that coolant reservoir was slightly below expected levels. Tesla replaced cabin air filters but that did not resolve the issue, cabin air filters had already been replaced prior to tesla replacing the filters. Tesla service centers indicated they do not have the equipment needed to test what chemicals are in the fumes and have no idea what they could be. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | SEATS | The driver’s seat material is deteriorating prematurely on the left bolster area. The damage affects the structural support of the seat edge, which causes the driver to shift position unexpectedly during turns, braking, and lane changes. This instability can delay reaction time and reduces secure seating posture. The deterioration is progressive, and if it continues, the driver may not remain firmly supported, which creates a safety risk under normal driving conditions. This also suggests a potential materials or manufacturing defect for this model year. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I am writing to report critical safety issues I’ve experienced while using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software version 14.1.3. The recent update has introduced several dangerous behaviors that were not present in previous versions. One issue occurs frequently on neighborhood roads: the vehicle performs sudden emergency braking for no valid reason. For example, during one drive, it abruptly stopped because a few leaves blew across the road. There were no pedestrians, vehicles, or real obstacles present. These false-positive braking events are alarming and could easily cause a rear-end collision. An even more concerning issue arises during highway driving. The car now repeatedly swerves partially into adjacent lanes—without signaling—and then abruptly returns to its original lane. This happens constantly, even in light traffic, and it did not occur in previous versions of the software. This erratic behavior is incredibly dangerous and could easily cause sideswipe accidents or create confusion for surrounding drivers. It is clear that version 14.1.3 is a regression from earlier versions. The system’s decisions are more erratic, less confident, and frequently unsafe. I no longer trust the FSD to operate reliably in environments where it previously performed well. I urge your agency to investigate this software update as it presents a real and growing hazard on public roads. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While driving ~40 mph with no Autopilot or cruise control active, my 2024 Model Y suddenly braked itself from 40 → 0 mph for no reason. The road ahead was clear. I did not touch the brake. My 3-year-old was in the car. We were nearly rear-ended and could have been seriously injured. When I went to Tesla Service, the manager insisted I must pay a $270 diagnostic fee unless they “find a problem,” while also saying the incident was likely caused by “shadows.” This makes me believe they will simply say “no issue found” and charge me despite this being a severe safety malfunction. When I reached out to Tesla Customer Support, they stated it was a known issue. This poses a serious risk of rear-end collisions, injuries, or fatality, and Tesla is not addressing it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | On November 8, my 2024 Model Y suddenly came to a complete stop from about 40 mph while I was driving with no cruise control or Autopilot active. This was extremely dangerous — my [XXX] was in the car, and we were lucky no one was behind us. It put myself, my child, and others in the absolute risk of collision and injury. When I contacted the service center they said it sometimes happened due to "shadows" or "sun". They refused to run a diagnostic on the car for free and wanted me to pay for it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |