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

My Tesla has repeatedly exhibited dangerous behavior while Full Self-Driving (FSD) is engaged. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has stopped for a red light and then proceeded through the intersection while the traffic signal was still red. This has put my family and others at risk on a public roadway and creates a serious safety concern. One documented incident occurred on June 21, 2026, while my family was in the vehicle. During that event, the car stopped at a red traffic light and then proceeded to attempt to run intersection even though the light remained red. This was alarming and dangerous, and it required close driver supervision because the system did not behave in a safe or reliable manner. This was not an isolated incident. My Tesla has run red lights in this same manner on multiple occasions while FSD was engaged. In addition, the vehicle will suddenly stomp on its brakes on a public roadway, which is another serious and unpredictable safety issue. I have taken the vehicle to Tesla regarding these issues, and I was told that this behavior is considered normal and that nothing would be done about it. Tesla’s response was that the software is still being developed, and that this is essentially part of the risk of using the software. These repeated failures involve traffic signal compliance and erratic vehicle behavior that could easily result in a crash or injury. My family has been placed in danger by these events, and I believe this is a serious safety defect that needs to be investigated immediately. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate Tesla’s FSD system for repeatedly stopping at red lights and then proceeding through the intersection while the signal is still red, as well as for sudden unnecessary braking events on public roadways.

NHTSA ODI 11747141

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

While driving in FSD the car is ping ponging between the lane. It didn't used to do this but now does it on any road. Highway, city, turns, etc. The oscillation causes me and my passengers to be sick and it looks like a drunk driver on the road.

NHTSA ODI 11744110

Safety Defect Complaint – Tesla Model Y FSD v14.2.2.5 I am reporting unsafe speed behavior in Tesla Model Y Full Self-Driving (FSD) software v14.2.2.5. FSD uses selectable driving profiles (Sloth, Chill, Standard, Hurry, Mad Max) to control speed, but provides no definition of how these profiles affect speed or limits. Tesla also removed the ability to manually adjust speed incrementally, reducing driver control. While in Standard mode, the vehicle exceeded the speed limit by 12 mph, resulting in a photo radar citation. This was not driver-initiated. I have experienced at least six incidents where the vehicle exceeded the speed limit by 10+ mph without warning. Two design issues create significant safety risk: The right scroll wheel now controls both microphone and FSD profile selection. Its multi-directional design allows unintended inputs that can change speed profiles (e.g., to Hurry or Mad Max) without driver awareness. There is no audible or visual alert when this occurs. The vehicle can accelerate beyond safe/legal speeds before the driver realizes and disengages FSD. The driver-set speed warning (set to 8 mph over limit) failed to activate during multiple overspeed events, including the citation incident, despite being enabled. This removes a critical safety safeguard. Speed increases have occurred both gradually and rapidly, reducing reaction time. Safety Risk: unintended acceleration, loss of predictable speed control, lack of driver alerts, and failure of safety warnings. These conditions could lead to violations or collisions. I request NHTSA investigate whether this constitutes a safety defect.

NHTSA ODI 11735554

Hello, I am reporting a safety issue with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system on my 2023 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle has been taken in for service four separate times for this issue. During these visits, Tesla service technicians were able to reproduce and confirm the problem. I have been explicitly advised in writing by Tesla service not to use the Full Self-Driving system due to safety concerns and to use standard AutoSteer instead. While FSD is engaged, the vehicle exhibits dangerous and unpredictable behavior, including: Crossing over double yellow lines into opposing traffic, Driving significantly below the speed limit (e.g., ~4 mph in a 25 mph zone), Stopping in the roadway without any traffic or obstructions, Swerving within the lane while attempting to maintain position, Hesitation during turns, stop signs and at intersections. Tesla has attempted multiple repairs, including replacing steering-related components and multiple cameras across separate service visits. These repairs did not resolve the issue. At my last service visit Tesla has since indicated that the problem is likely software or firmware-related and that there is currently no available fix, with a recommendation to wait for a future update of an unknown timeline. If their statement is correct, this issue should be affecting every vehicle out there on the same software. At this time, I have been advised not to use a system that controls steering, braking, and acceleration due to safety concerns, and no timeline or resolution has been provided. I am submitting this complaint because the system behavior presents a potential safety risk to myself, passengers, and other drivers, and the manufacturer has not provided a current fix despite multiple confirmed service visits. I am attaching my last service invoice only in regards to this matter where they indicated to not use FSD, but I can provide other documentation showing the replacement of cameras and steering parts as well as videos if needed.

NHTSA ODI 11731623

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

FSD tried to pass on the shoulder multiple times and brake checked people multiple times. The FSD is unsafe and getting worse. Speed cannot be controlled. NO WAY TO CONTROL SPEED!!!?? Did you know this? Did you approve it? Did elon convince you it is ok?

NHTSA ODI 11695125

The Full Self Driving (Supervised) ADAS in this vehicle will react to shadows on the road and can put the car or other cars at risk. We have had multiple instances where, on a sunny day, the car will react to shadows cast on the road and take evasive action like braking or switching lanes abruptly. This can be hazardous due to the random nature of the of the occurrences and them happening at times when a driver may be lulled into a false sense that the car seems to be driving itself well. So far we have been lucky that no other vehicles were traveling too close behind or to the side of us. We have experienced this behavior multiple times and there are other people online who have reported this. The car gave no warning indicators either before, during, or after the occurrence. Note that our car uses a Hardware 3 computer. I believe that this issue may have been fixed on newer Tesla cars that use Hardware 4.

NHTSA ODI 11688524

This started at about 65000 miles in my 2023 Model Y. The rear camera first lost picture and I received a warning that it may be intermittent. It has progressed now to the point that autopilot, navigation, all cameras, cruise control, auto headlight, and auto wipers are all nonfunctional. The car does not know its location. All safety features such as lanekeeping, cross traffic alert, auto braking are disabled. The rearview camera no longer functions. Software updates no longer complete downloading. While there are numerous reports of computer short circuits in hardware 4 cars, the only solution I am offered is to have the computer replaced at my own cost of just under 3000 dollars. And that would be warranted only for one year or 12500 miles. Reviewing the submissions on the NHTSA website as well as searching online, this problem is not infrequent. I do not feel safe letting my wife or daughter drive the car. Certain 2024 and 2025 models with this problem have been recalled for new computers. This must be expanded to include 2023 models as well.

NHTSA ODI 11687384

This is a complaint regarding intermittent camera blindness, driver assistance failure, and dismissed diagnostics on a 2023 Tesla Model Y. These issues have impacted critical safety systems including: •Pillar and rear-view cameras •Autopilot and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) •Park assist and visualization systems Despite multiple service visits and clear documentation, Tesla has failed to diagnose or remedy the malfunction, attributing the issues to external weather factors despite my repeated statements that the problems occurred in clear conditions. The vehicle has also generated camera blocked/blinded alerts, even when the lenses were clean, and service technicians confirmed the B-pillar camera was blocked during 8.7% of the drive cycle — a serious figure given that Tesla’s driver-assist systems depend entirely on vision-based processing. The vehicle has shown alerts related to Automatic Emergency Braking being disabled, which Tesla attributed to a “false trigger.” Regardless, the vehicle may have operated without key crash-avoidance systems enabled at unknown times. I live near Santiago Canyon, a winding road I specifically raised concerns about in relation to Tesla’s camera-only system. A recent fatal crash in that same area involving a Tesla with severe post-collision fire damage has made this complaint more urgent. My concerns appear predictive and ignored. Timeline of Complaints •12/20/2023: Rear camera issues begin. •12/22/2023: Initial service request opened. •12/31/2023 – 1/4/2024: Repeated documentation of pillar camera blindness and system failures. Tesla dismisses as fogrelated. Invoice #3000S0008955083 issued (Irvine, CA). •1/4/2024: I confirm continued camera blindness after service. •1/5/2024: I formally tell Tesla I believe the issue is due to a software update and is broader than one sensor. •7/11/2024: New concerns about GPS failure and power trunk documented in invoice #3000S0010537222 (Lake Forest, CA).

NHTSA ODI 11685474

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

Tesla has a bug with their basic Autopilot software that they refuse to fix and that I believe is causing a safety issue. They advertise Autopilot as standard on all Tesla's as an active safety feature that helps reduce driver stress and improve safety on the road. Here is the issue. Basic Autopilot has a feature built into it that limits the speed to 5 mph over the speed limit. This is a great idea! However, since a software update that was released early last summer, the car struggles to read the proper speed limit. For instance, many roads in my area are posted at 65 mph. The car doesn't read these and defaults the speed limit to 50 mph, meaning I can only use Autopilot at 55 mph max. When most people are driving 70 mph, this causes a safety issue. Tesla is aware of the problem. I have filed MANY bug reports, and even contacted a service center about the issue. The service center claims to be aware of it, and said that they escalated the problem to the software team, but no fix has been issued in over a year. Either they just don't care about this issue and are too busy trying to work on FSD and Robotaxi to fix it, or they are purposely not fixing it to force people to subscribe to FSD as FSD doesn't have this issue.

NHTSA ODI 11683536

Las luces son demaciado fuertes y el aire conducionsdonen Florida no funciona

NHTSA ODI 11678960

-As a regular driver in the DC area, I have repeatedly experienced the Lane Departure Avoidance system disabling itself mid-drive. This is particularly troubling in city driving conditions marked by unpredictable traffic, unclear lane markings, and frequent distractions—scenarios where these safety features are most essential. Lane Departure Avoidance helps prevent accidents by alerting drivers or gently correcting steering if the vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane. -I don't know if there was a specific concern about the safety of others, but it may have. -Unknown -Not needed -No - just happened

NHTSA ODI 11677444

The tesla computer freezes. Sudden there is no information from the car, no miles per hour, no navigation, no side view cameras. I can drive the car but that's is all. Since the navigation is entirely dependent on the computer I can't tell where I am going. It has happened more than 30+ times in the car.

NHTSA ODI 11676373

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 Tesla “self driving” features are inconsistent, at best, and frequently fail. I can not believe that the government approves these capabilities or the Tesla is accepting liability for road use. If these features are not reliable under supervised conditions, why would they be considered safe for robo taxi release? I have repeatedly tried to report this to Tesla and they say the systems are operating as designed.

NHTSA ODI 11670031

My 2023 Tesla Model Y has produced concerningly loud mechanical noises while parked, plugged in, and not being driven. I’ve experienced this on two separate occasions—[XXX] and [XXX]—after the vehicle had been parked for several hours in a garage. Upon waking the car (without driving it), it emitted a very loud and persistent mechanical sound, both while plugged in and even after unplugging. The volume and intensity of these sounds were far beyond normal operation and raised immediate concerns of overheating, component failure, or an underlying safety defect. The experience felt unsafe enough that we considered exiting the vehicle both times. We attempted to schedule a service appointment through the Tesla app, but received no response, and the request appears to have disappeared with no record remaining in the app. Based on the nature of the sound, we’re unsure what it could be, and may indicate a malfunction in the cooling system or battery thermal management. I have video documentation of both incidents, along with video from other nights with similar temperatures where this did not occur, for comparison. I’m submitting this report out of genuine concern for vehicle safety and reliability, especially given Tesla’s known issues with thermal and battery behavior in high-heat conditions. These noises began recently, and we have owned the car since 2022 and have driven it consistently in high Texas heat every summer. This suggests a new or developing malfunction, not a feature of normal operation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11669421

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

We experienced an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation with Tesla Y model on [XXX] around [XXX] and would like to report to NHTSA. We were driving on [XXX] going towards Nashua and my TESLA-Y car when the steering wheel froze and I got message that front camera was not working. When I tried to steer the car in the lane, the car suddenly braked and took two 360 degree spins (turns) on the highway with cars streaming at high speed around us. We went from the left lane to the right most lane after two 360 degree spins and ended in the right lane. Luckily, no other autos hit us and I was able to take control of the car and pull over in the right lane. The incident is recorded int the Tesla's harddrive which we can make this available to you. the car started working normally so we drove back home. We have had minor control incidents with the lane assist and auto pilot systems of this car in 2023 and 2024. We have complained and showed the problem to Tesla dealer in Watertown, MA. However they said there is nothing wrong with the car. We request you to investigate this incident with Tesla and find out the cause for the car to take this dangerous breaking and spinning incident on a highway. Thanks, [XXX] and [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11664227

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

There is a steering malfunction, with my Tesla Model Y it completely locks up and the steering is disabled. The steering doesn’t move at all the following warning and codes appeared on the dashboard. DI a223 Traction control disabled Drive with caution DL a222 Stability control disabled Drive with caution GTW_w074 Steering assist reduced Steering may require increased effort Ul_a020 Steering assist reduced Steering may require increased effort. Now this is the second time it has happened within few months. It was taken to the dealership with the same complaint this was their diagnoses Concern: Customer states: Feature Availability & Settings - Steering is disabled, park assist disabled , stability control disabled, traction control disabled, vehicle hold disabled Repair Notes: Confirmed customer concern. Removed and replaced steering rack, after replacement all systems operating as designed Correction: General Diagnosis Correction: Steering Rack (Dual Motor) (Remove & Replace) - Remove and Replace Parts Replaced or Added Part Quantity STEERING GEAR - LEFT 1.00 HAND DRIVE(1188832-00- A) NUT&WSHR[SW],M14X1.5, 2.00 [10],ZNFL,PTP(1109263- 00-B). There is a serious and unsafe issue with this car. A potential disaster waiting to happen.

NHTSA ODI 11630772

Model Y s/w version 12.5.4.1 The model Y can be made to oscillate in the travel lane at highway speeds I think I experienced this at 70-75, it would seem to apply at any capable speed. Proper behavior: 1) driving on the highway in FSD 2) trigger the left or right turn signal to initiate a lane change by automation. What actually occurs: 1) driving on the highway in FSD 2) hold the turn signal in the desired up or down position to initiate a lane change. 3) the Tesla begins to switch lanes, and will continue to further its lane change provided you continue to hold the turn signal (up/down). 4) If you release the turn signal input "early", that is prior to the Tesla determining that the new lane is the current lane, it will immediately begin reverting to the original lane that you attempted to leave. 5) It begins to over correct, requiring maybe 5 damped oscillations. Its very uncomfortable, and exposes a vehicle on the edge of control - the vehicle is not traveling neutrally on its suspension. To be clear, it is damped, but I don't see how it could be described as stable at highway speeds.

NHTSA ODI 11624394