What 1,087 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Tesla Model Y

The car's computer shorts out and disables all safety features including navigation, blind spot monitoring, all cameras, emergency braking, autopilot, lanekeeping, auto headlights and wipers. This is a known issue that Tesla will not repair. This resulted in a collision due to poor rear visibility, lack of cameras, and disabled emergency braking. In addition, intermittently there is loss of power steering. Despite this being a known issue, Tesla will not replace my computer, insisting I pay several thousands of dollars for the repair. I feel they must issue a recall and cover this safety defect. The car software cannot be updated, either. Please intervene. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] I do not have the claim information for the other car involved, but can get from State Farm. I do have the repair costs for my vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11745365

The incident occurred while the vehicle was being operated with Tesla driver-assistance features enabled, including lane assist and cruise control. The driver experienced unexpected vehicle behavior that felt inconsistent with normal steering response. Although the driver maintained hands on the steering wheel, the vehicle appeared to react in a manner that was not anticipated, contributing to loss of control and a collision resulting in total vehicle loss. No bodily injury occurred. After the incident, the insurer assigned fault to the driver but declined to investigate any potential vehicle system or software-related issues, directing us to the manufacturer. When attempting to report a potential malfunction to Tesla, the manufacturer declined to open a report because the totaled vehicle had been removed from the Tesla App, preventing further system or telemetry review. This report is submitted to document the incident and the lack of access to any system-level review following the loss.

NHTSA ODI 11714752

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.

NHTSA ODI 11712901

Statement of Facts Regarding Tesla Accident [XXX] On [XXX], I was involved in an accident with a Tesla that I had rented directly from Tesla’s rental program. The vehicle was equipped with Tesla’s full software capabilities, including AutoDrive and the Smart Summon feature. At no time during the rental process was I given warnings, training, or any overview about how these features work, the risks they pose, or the long history of reported incidents involving Teslas colliding with stationary objects while operating under self-driving or summoning functions. On [XXX], I used the Summon feature for the first time in the parking lot of my business at [XXX] . The car was parked in spot [XXX], where I regularly park. I attempted to use Summon while standing in full view of the vehicle, but the software repeatedly displayed “lost connection.” After disabling Wi-Fi, I held the Summon button again and the car successfully pulled out of the spot, drove forward, and arrived directly in front of me. This demonstrated the feature was functioning properly on that day. On [XXX], while again parked in the same spot, I attempted to demonstrate Summon to my wife. I was standing in clear view, approximately 50–75 feet away, near the complex entrance. As before, the software repeatedly displayed “lost connection.” I attempted to reengage by hitting the summon button to reconnect the command. That did not work. When I walked up to the vehicle, I discovered that the front quarter panel near the wheel had come into contact with the covered parking pole. At no time was I aware that the car had hit anything, nor did the system provide any alert that it had engaged with an object. This stands in stark contrast to the way Tesla’s software consistently warns when the car is being manually driven — giving constant alerts when drifting out of a lane or approaching another vehicle. The absence of such a warning during Summon demonstrates a failure of the software’s sa INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11683445

While attempting to park my Tesla, I accidentally struck another vehicle’s side step with the front passenger side of my car. The other vehicle was not damaged, but my Tesla sustained visible damage. The vehicle’s camera system failed to detect or display the side step, giving the impression that there was sufficient clearance. As a result, I relied on what I believed to be accurate visual guidance from the Tesla camera system. During a follow-up visit to the Tesla Service Center in Gilroy, California, I was told that similar incidents have occurred before. According to the technicians, the camera system has known limitations in detecting low-profile or side-mounted obstacles, such as running boards or side steps. This presents a significant safety concern. Tesla vehicles rely heavily on cameras and sensors for driver awareness, particularly during parking maneuvers. When key blind spots exist in the system—especially in areas the driver may not be able to visually confirm easily—it puts both property and people at risk. Drivers are conditioned to trust the vehicle’s spatial guidance systems, but in this case, that trust may lead to preventable accidents. Given Tesla’s growing market share and the increasing use of its camera-based safety and autonomy features, I believe this issue could affect many other drivers. It may warrant broader review to determine whether a design or software update is necessary to improve detection of low-profile obstacles and better inform drivers in parking scenarios.

NHTSA ODI 11674418

The primary safety restraint system, specifically the driver's side airbag, failed to deploy during a significant frontal impact collision. This severely compromised my personal safety, as my head struck the steering wheel with force, leading to injury and pain. Had the impact been more severe, the lack of airbag deployment could have led to much more serious, potentially life-threatening, injuries. Immediately after the impact, the primary braking system also malfunctioned, and the vehicle's warning and autopilot systems became compromised, posing further safety risks. The specific airbag non-deployment problem has not yet been reproduced or formally confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, vehicle is currently scheduled for its first post-accident inspection at a Tesla Collision Center address 6010 Richmond Ave, Houston TX 77057 on June 11, 2025, and is available for inspection. To date, the vehicle has not been formally inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives for these specific malfunctions. Police responded to the accident scene and filed a report, but no technical inspection was conducted by them. There were NO prior warning lamps, messages, or symptoms indicating a malfunction with the airbag system before the collision. However, immediately after the collision, the primary brakes failed and the warning system and autopilot system showed signs of malfunction/disruption; no specific warning lights related to these post-impact issues appeared prior to their malfunction.

NHTSA ODI 11666057

1. Front Passenger side wheel and auto steering system malfunctioned. Yes it is available for inspection. 2. My car was not drivable and I was stuck on the leftmost lane of highway with fast traffic passing by. Had to call 911 to move myself to safety. 3. Not yet 4. Vehicle has been inspected by the police 5. No warning lamps or message prior to failure

NHTSA ODI 11649052

On [XXX] at [XXX] on [XXX] I experienced a sudden malfunction of steering control of my Tesla Model Y, followed by a rightward movement initiated by vehicle automation and potentially amplified due to the steering malfunction. The vehicle then collided with an 18-wheeler truck on the right lane and came to a stop on the middle lane. I was driving past Tracy CA on [XXX] towards Modesto on a personal trip to Merced with my daughter, [XXX] , in the front passenger seat to drop her off. Fortunately, there was no casualty or injury from this incident. We are fortunate enough to have survived physically unscathed. A difference of few seconds could have led to significant injuries or impairment. Pictures attached show the steering wheel position turned to the left at about 160 degrees, while the front wheels turned to the right at about 20-30 degrees. For a right turn it’s about a 220-degree position, which is not possible by a single swipe of the steering wheel. Please note, the front wheel position in below picture cannot be justified either way. The steering wheel and front wheel remained frozen in this position when high voltage battery supply got disconnected at crash. This proves the turn of the wheel, thereby the movement of my vehicle to the right was not caused by my steering wheel control. Vehicle Automation Engaged related to this safety incident- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems such as Autopilot, Lane Assist, Collision Avoidance Assist and other safety features were active during this incident. There were no audio or visual warnings related to lane departure, forward collision or blind spot on the vehicle dashboard. The vehicle was declared a total loss by the insurance carrier, Tesla Insurance and currently in possession of their salvage vendor Copart, Title Express. Tesla Service refused to do any inspection of the components involved in this failure while the vehicle was at the body shop, Carstar Chilton Autobody, San Carlos, CA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11632525

On Sunday [XXX] I was driving to work, there was a moment where I felt the steering wheel was very stiff to the point where it felt weird and hard to control. I felt the two front wheels a bit odd, but then it went back to normal. I paid no attention to it after. As I was driving on [XXX] , my car started to automatically move to the left and I tried steering my wheel to get back in lane, but the steering wheel got so stiff that even using all my might I could not steer it. Eventually the car slammed against the cement wall three times as it spins. At the end, the police came on site and saw that the two front wheels were pulled inward. I believe it was a software/technology malfunction. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11588991

The Facts of the Incident: On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] PM, [XXX] , was driving our 2023 Tesla Model Y on Arizona State Route [XXX] ), a two-lane highway, enroute from Orange, California, to the Grand Canyon South Rim. The vehicle carried a total of four passengers, including my wife, myself, and another couple from San Diego. During our journey, an alarming and life-threatening situation unfolded. Without warning, our 2023 Tesla Model Y abruptly veered to the left, dangerously encroaching into oncoming traffic. Despite my immediate attempts to regain control by steering the vehicle away from the oncoming traffic, the steering wheel became unresponsive, effectively locking in place. This mechanical or software malfunction prevented me from correcting the perilous situation, resulting in a head-on collision with a large Ford 350 Truck, which was also traveling at a high speed, estimated to be more than 60 miles per hour. Fortunately, while there were injuries, there didn’t appear to be any life threating injuries. Because of the resources required to further investigate and do an analysis of the vehicle, as well as the challenge of dealing with Tesla Inc., law firms have declined to pursue further investigations. Morgan and Morgan initially started an investigation with Knott, LLC, Arizona, but then dropped the pursuit due to costs. The vehicle is still on-hold by my insurance company, USAA, but they may not hold it much longer before placing it on auction. However, it is urgent that NHTSA take possession and complete further analysis of this vehicle. Your assistance and consideration are appreciated, and I look forward to assisting with this investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11572760

I was driving in the left lane of the highway. Just up ahead I saw something sitting on the guardrail to my left which was jutting into my lane, right about eye level. It looked like a long wood 2x4. I swerved to my right to avoid hitting the piece (scared it would shatter my windshield) and the steer correct safety feature (probably wrong term) quickly threw me back to the left and into the guardrail. I turned my steering wheel to the right to get away from the guardrail and it threw me back into the guardrail. It did this a few times. I didn’t understand what was going on. It felt like I had no control over the car. It just kept slamming back into the guardrail. I finally took my foot off the gas and it slowed down and stopped throwing me around. Luckily, there was no one next to me and no one else in the car with me. No one got hurt. If it wasn’t for that “safety” feature, my car wouldn’t have been damaged. I did call the police to let them know about the wood piece that was sitting on the guardrail so hopefully it gets removed and no one gets hurt.

NHTSA ODI 11569385

When their is a car in my blind spot the car does not beep or try to pull the car back unless you are basically hitting the car next to you. It also does not beep or show me space out side my range of view to prevent backing into another car. My car (tesla model Y) has had non-function blind spot warnings and backing up warnings since we purchased it in Feb 2023. There have been multiple times when I have not seen other cars and almost ran into them (they were able to swerve). On this Monday night the other car was not able to swerve because there was someone in the lane next to her (3 lane road) so we crashed. My car is available for inspection upon request but someone would have to come to my home because the car is not drivable and is waiting to get into the tesla body shop

NHTSA ODI 11560122

One month latest Tesla Model-Y owner. Tried all means in last 3 days to submit several concerns, but tesla had made it impossible to file written complains. 1. Automatic Emergency braking was applied with kids in back eat to school on an internal 35mph road in broad day light with a solid cement divider in left and no vehicle around anywhere. Everyone was hurt someway or other due to this phantom braking and would have been much worse on highway as there are many trucks on this side. Seems accelerator was also not working for few seconds. A software fliker is seen, seconds before this, in video. Not sure a hack, bug or intentional. Major safety issue, have video from dashcam. 2. The FSD is not ready, whatever Tesla says, it doesn’t care about road condition, speed or other surroundings. Drives like aggressive kid who just learned driving & doesn’t care about anyone or anything. Thats the reason have stopped using it. 3.The automatic lane departure assistance is very dangerous at the as it takes control of vehicle and tries to move away from lane as soon as you are around the border, without considering speed, other vehicles in side lanes, road condition or road hazards and due to this, several time it happened like tug of war, where other vehicles were too close like a truck in there lane left & right, hence was trying to be on edge of lane and this system was yanking to go away from line, causing shaking & was about to hit other vehicles. This may have caused accidents, had to turn this off as well. 4. The estimated range is so wrong and off my 70-100 miles and this could cause safety issues for family in night or cold getting stuck or anxiety that can cause emotional trauma and safety issues. 5. Other small stuff- Wiper turn on without rain or water, sentry mode don't work if charge is below 65 miles, which could be a security risk, fandom door open notification, bluetooth issue, car don't unlock, costly super charger etc. Sorry but had no other way.

NHTSA ODI 11552002

Backing up in a parking lot with direct sun behind the car, lost sight via the mirrors, dashboard camera and parking assist and collided with parking bollard approximately 3' high causing extensive damage to the left, rear quarter panel and wheel well. Parking assist didn't beep, blare or other as it does and has for our yard waste bins and garden cart at the edges of our driveway (backing up in the dark). I believe the fact that cameras only and sun exposure is a bad mix and was sure glad we weren't in FSD and going forward. I think that removing the radar function via software and or removing the connector plug (at a service visit) is both unsafe and a fraud against the purchaser of such a vehicle and radar systems should be reinstated for the consideration of safety whether going backwards or forwards. Wanted to make the complaint first as we also can't get a service appointment for this incident until the end of July. Happy with the overall vehicle but this safety function is fallible and unsafe.

NHTSA ODI 11530567

Tesla autopilot made a turn into oncoming traffic without warning and caused a collision.

NHTSA ODI 11518309

This 2023 model Y has no collision warning. This was not what I expected when I purchased.

NHTSA ODI 11508675