2022 TESLA MODEL Y Complaints

Was driving using Autopilot eastbound on WA State Highway 970 about 10 am on January 15, 2022. The road is a 2 line state highway. We were driving about 55 mph. A semi trailer truck rig approached in the opposite lane headed west. Just before the truck passed by us, without warning, our car began to brake hard. The truck and our car were both well within our respective lanes. It had been wet and there was spray from the truck. I immediately disengaged Autopilot. Fortunately, there was no traffic behind me, so the sudden hard braking did not affect anyone else. I have not taken the vehicle in for any inspection as it was delivered less than a month earlier. Since this appears to be a software issue, I have not had the problem reproduced.

Model Y exhibits "phantom braking" when adaptive cruise control is engaged. This happens every time a large truck is passing in the opposite lane on a two lane road. If another driver is behind our vehicle, they may not be able to stop to avoid a crash. Corrective action is to turn off adaptive cruise control or step on accelerator to override the braking. In addition, the car will also perform "phantom braking" when there is no discernible issue, with no traffic in front of our vehicle or sometimes on a left turn when there is a guard rail on the right.

When on Traffic-aware cruise control, the vehicle suddenly brakes without warning, instantly reducing its highway speed by 7 to 12 mph. It occurs on the interstate, often while passing large vehicles, and on two-lane roads, usually when meeting large vehicles. Recently, as I was moving in front of a vehicle I had just passed, my car slammed on the brakes, causing the other vehicle to brake sharply to avoid hitting me. We have had the vehicle serviced by Tesla twice with no improvement. The service rep indicated it is a known problem that they have not yet been able to solve (unlike the manufacturers of my prior six vehicles with adaptive cruise control). This is a life-endangering fault and needs to be fixed. It is as dangerous as the rolling-stop issue that prompted a recall.

While on auto pilot, phantom braking at high speeds on highway with no cars nearby. No warning on the monitor when this happens. Long wait at the service center for appointment but this issue has been communicated to Tesla. Car resumes the cruise speed almost immediately after phantom braking. Also communicated to Tesla is that the wipers do not always automatically come on with moisture on windshield when set in auto mode.

While traveling east and west on I-8 between San Diego and Phoenix the 2022 Tesla Model Y would suddenly brake. We could not reliably reproduce when or how the vehicle braked. On some occasions, we were near other vehicles. On other occasions there were no other vehicles or obstacles on or near the car. Others at risk. On the highway the vehicle rapidly decelerated and if there would have been a car behind us, there would have been an accident. After the first two incidents, we kept our foot on the gas pedal to accelerate if we felt a rapid deceleration. Reproducing the problem. We rarely drive the car, and have not had the problem in city driving. We tried to reproduce the problem during that trip, but we're unsuccessful. We have not taken the vehicle to Tesla. Inspection. The vehicle is not been inspected by an insurance company or Tesla. Warnings. We did not see any warning lights or alerts concerning the problem. After the first two incidents, we paid attention to the screen to see if any warnings appeared to help us identify the problem.

The car brakes are applied when a truck traveling in opposite lane drives by when the cruise control is engaged. This has also occurred when there was discoloration on the road surface in my travel lane. Fortunately, no auto was following my vehicle or there would have been an accident.

Both the autopilot and regular cruise control system without autopilot engaged are unsafe. The vehicle will brake, often extremely hard, when there is no hazard present. This happens on two lane roads and highways (4 or more lanes). This has nearly caused multiple accidents to the point where I will not use the autopilot feature and use cruise control very sparingly. Most of the time this happens, there are large trucks (semis) present but it has happened when there are smaller vehicles present or no vehicles present at all. I believe that it is only a matter of time before this system causes a major accident hence I choose not to use it often if ever, and if I do use it I use it sparingly and disengage it when other vehicles are present on the road. I haven’t used autopilot since a short while after purchasing the car and again, I use the cruise control sparingly. The inability to use cruise control is a real issue as it not only increases driver fatigue, it drastically reduces the confidence in the other safety mechanisms of the car.

With AutoPilot engaged both during the day and at night, though more frequently at night, and driving on two lane highways, the car automatically brakes sometimes very hard causing your neck to snap forward, whenever it detects oncoming traffic. This is amplified at dusk and at night. There is no warning or time to override this. Making the vehicle dangerous to driver, occupants, or cars travelling behind the Tesla. Tesla claims that this is a known issue, but other brands with similar safety mechanisms do not have this "Phantom Braking' condition.

Phantom breaking. When I am driving my vehicle in both cruise control, and autopilot I experience these very very dangerous symptoms. On 2 lane highways is the worst. When I see a semi truck oncoming my vehicle will go from the 65MPH speed limit and SLAM on the brakes sending me from 65-15 MPH immediately. Have almost been rear ended 10+ times in 3,000 miles of owning the vehicle! This is the most dangerous machine I have ever driven. Tesla needs to fix this. It has to do with them removing the radar and going to camera only autopilot. My other older teslas with radar do not do this. There’s no on at Tesla to talk to other than to tweet at Elon musk on twitter and hope he sees it. Ridiculous.

Model Y consistently slams on the brakes while on standard cruise control mode despite there being no cars or hazards around the vehicle. It happens at highway speeds and is very frightening and it’s worrisome that it will one day cause a major accident if someone is ever following too close.