2023 TESLA MODEL Y Complaints

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)