2023 TESLA MODEL Y Complaints

On September 3/2023 at around 9am I was driving my Tesla Y. I stopped on a traffic light on an intersection and on my green light started to turn left. However my steering wheel was not turning, it has stuck. It was very scary because of the intense incoming traffic. I turned my car on parking and then started again but nothing has changed. Tried this a few times without any success. My car only moved straight forward and backward. Then two drivers stopped and started to help me. They stopped incoming traffic and one of them helped me to turn the steering wheel left to move my car from the middle of the intersection. Two of us barely did this together and moved the car to the side of the road.

We parked the car in parking lot of a grocery store. Someone was able to open the car using his/her phone key and drove off and when realized a mistake, parked the car a mile away. At the same time, there was another car which was responding to my Tesla phone app. I called 911 to report stolen car and using the Tesla app which reported the correct location after 15 min, were able to get the car back. This is safety issue as someone was able to open the car using a different phone key and could have created a lot of trouble if it would not have been just a mistake.

The car was going at the speed limit or maybe 5-9 miles over speed limit when brakes were pumped to stop car as there was stop and go traffic on a bridge in bay area (CA). The car had quite a distance from the car in front of it. Despite brakes being applied, the car seemed to accelerate and brakes had to be applied hard. However, the car did not stop until it hit the honda in front of it. As the driver of the Telsa at the time of the accident, it seems as though car was accelerating despite brakes being applied. A huge sound was heard by me the driver and then the driver eat belt became malfunctioned and the car would not restart. After a few minutes, the car restarted but now the dash board states service needed and I could no longer fasten the seat belt. The front of the car appeared to have minimal bumper damage but the seat has not worked since the accident.

I had an error message that power steering was not available and I was unable to steer.

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving with the cruise control activated and set at 75 MPH, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal with excessive force for the vehicle to continue driving forward. The failure occurred approximately 5 times. There were no warning lights illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 4,000.

I was pulling up to a ticket machine in a parking garage. I had my foot on the accelerator and was using regenerative braking and was essentially stopped. I was short a few inches from the button to get the ticket so applied almost no pressure to the accelerator – more like a tap so I could go forward a few inches. The car went into full acceleration mode, broke through the ticket machine barrier and kept accelerating. As soon as I sensed going forward too fast, I took my foot off the accelerator and put it onto the brake. I did not feel any response from the brake. With my foot. I managed to steer away from a wall in front of the car but hit a parked car. The impact pushed that car into a second car and then that car pushed into a third car and the third car pushed into a fourth car. My car was totaled as well as three others. Fortunately, the impacted vehicles were unoccupied and there were no pedestrians. No warning beeps or emergency braking occurred. One of my passengers had minor injuries (3 fractured ribs). A police report was filed. Previously (3 or 4 weeks prior to crash) I had an incident in an above ground parking lot. I had pulled into a parking space, backed up to straighten out then was pulling forward towards the curb. I took my foot off the accelerator, but the car kept going very slowly instead of regeneratively braking as it had done before. I put my foot on the brake. It was unresponsive. I kept pressing and finally it engaged, and I was able to stop the car about five feet over the curb and into the grass.

I bought Tesla in May 2023. My Tesla Model Y has suddenly accelerated in my garage on 08/29 @8.25pm EST and damaged my garage front door/drywall and broken my stair case in pieces. It was phantom acceleration. I have video from my ring security system camera video which shows clearly that I was parking in my garage extremely carefully, however the Tesla Model Y suddenly accelerated beyond my control (I was not accelerating) and put me under risk and damaged my property. I have auto insurance to cover my Tesla car damage. However, my biggest fear is how can I use this Tesla Model Y when we see this life threatening behavior. This unintended acceleration can put my life and others life into danger. I would like help from NHTSA to ensure my Tesla Model Y is defect free. I just bought couple of months ago. I would like to request NHTSA to help me get this product replaced from Tesla motors. I am afraid to drive this vehicle now. I am currently going through a big shock, trauma and fear that I may have severely injured people on the road or my family members in garage if this unintended sudden acceleration would have happened around them. The damaged vehicle is outside my garage. It is not drivable. Vehicle front bumper is completely damaged and fluid has been leaking. I have filed insurance claim. I don't know what should I do right now. I would like to seek advice from legal sources on my options. My car is covered under my insurance, however I don't know if my car is fixed - I can drive this vehicle with confidence due to this strange unintended acceleration issues. Please help me at the earliest.

This is a report of a RECURRING problem commonly known as "phantom braking." When I take long trips in this vehicle at legal freeway speeds and with the Adaptive Cruise Control and Auto Steer (lane keeping) functions engaged, the vehicle will occasionally reduce speed suddenly and violently (emergency braking) even if there are no vehicles ahead and no visible hazards whatsoever. This occurs without warning and for no reason when cruising on open, straight interstate highways. In a typical 5-8 hour driving day on long trips, this will occur 1-2 times daily. If other vehicles were to be following closely behind, this would certainly cause a serious rear end collision or pile up. The vehicle gives no advance warning and no alarms sound. The car just brakes suddenly and violently scaring the bejesus out of my spouse. I have learned to step hard on the accelerator the moment this occurs which will partially offset the severe braking action so that any vehicles behind do not need to brake suddenly. I do wonder what the heck any drivers behind think when they see the Tesla suddenly brake hard then accelerate immediately back to speed. I worries me too that some aggressive driver behind might think I am doing this intentionally and get into a road rage incident with me. People have been shot and killed for less. I don't understand why this has not yet been addressed seriously by Tesla or NHTSA. This is a SERIOUS and dangerous defect! Thank you.

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact discovered cracks on the front-end structural casting. The contact stated that some cracks went through the structure and were close to the strut mounts, which might lead to a failure with the suspension. The vehicle had been taken to Tesla (2710 S Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22206) and Tesla (8500 Tyco Rd, Vienna, VA 22182) on five separate occasions; however, no repairs were made. The contact was assured that the vehicle was safe to drive. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 2,000.

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while making a right turn into a parking lot, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The contact steered the vehicle to the right and ran over two road barriers before he crashed into a parked vehicle. The air bags deployed upon impact. The contact was temporarily trapped in the vehicle due to the driver’s side door failing to open. The door eventually unlocked as the authorities arrived at the scene. The contact was taken to the hospital via an ambulance and was treated for bruises to his left hand. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to repaired. The failure mileage was 240.