Table 1 shows one common seat belt related problems of the 2021 Tesla Model Y.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Seat Belt problems |
The back drivers side seatbelt belt does not latch. The manufacturer refuses to fix without a fee.
Left rear passenger seatbelt stopped working. There are no visible issues with the belt, metal plug or receptacle, but for some reason the seatbelt will not engage nor click in to secure the belt onto the passenger. This is a safety issue as my daughter typically sits in this seat and she cannot safely sit there now without a functioning seat belt.
In early Nov 2025 my Tesla Model Y began intermittently showing warnings about the forward collision warning system and multiple sensors being offline. Tesla service replaced a faulty connector on Nov 3. On Nov 15, 2025, about two weeks later, the car had a sudden drivetrain failure while I was parking on a steep hill. I heard a loud bang from the front of the car and the vehicle immediately lost drive power and had to be towed. Tesla diagnosed a failed front motor inverter that blew the high-voltage pyrofuse and damaged the 12v battery; they replaced those parts. The vehicle is available for inspection and the repaired components and records are with Tesla. After that repair the car needed another visit for alignment and has continued to show worrying behavior: “vcfront offline/unable to contact vcfront” in the service menu, repeated “autopilot computer overheating” messages, intermittent loss or reduction of regenerative braking (braking feel changes unpredictably), a rear right seatbelt malfunction warning (later inspected and cleared by Tesla), and what appears to be significantly increased battery drain compared to before the inverter failure. This has now resulted in four service visits within about a month, all at Tesla service centers (no police, insurance, or independent shops involved). Tesla has confirmed the inverter/pyrofuse/12v failure and says the overheating was due to an air pocket in the cooling system, but the vcfront messages, inconsistent regen braking, and increased drain have not been fully resolved or clearly explained. I am concerned that a sudden loss of power, loss of regen, or failure of vcfront/autopilot systems could recur at speed or in traffic, creating a serious safety risk. Please note that I'm only able to view partially-complete paperwork from the latest service appointment in the Tesla app. I have requested this documentation from Tesla and will be able to provide all the service reports and communication as a follow-up.
Both rear seat belt buckles (driver-side rear and center) fail to latch securely. The metal tongue inserts fully into the buckle but does not lock with an audible click and releases immediately upon light tension. This prevents the seat belts from restraining passengers in a crash. - no visible debris, damage, or contamination in either buckle. - issue occurs consistently on multiple attempts and with different seat belt tongues. - vehicle is 2021 Model Y long range with 83,610 miles. - **problem first noticed yesterday (November 2, 2025)**. - Tesla service has refused repair under warranty, stating the vehicle is out of warranty, despite this being a critical safety component governed by fmvss 209. This is a **safety defect**, not normal wear. The rear seat belts are **inoperable**, rendering the rear seating positions **unsafe and non-compliant with federal safety standards**. Similar failures are widely reported by other Model Y owners on NHTSA and Tesla forums. Request: please investigate this recurring seat belt buckle latching failure in Tesla Model Y vehicles. A recall or safety improvement campaign may be warranted.
I have an alert that says front passenger safety restraint system issue and service is required. This is a major safety issue and the Tesla service center says I need to pay $800 to fix it. This is a manufacturer issue and the cost should not be incurred by the vehicle owner. This issue puts my family safety at risk and the light is coming up everytime I drive. I need Tesla to review it and fix this at no cost.
“front passenger safety restraint system fault, service required” rcm2_a636 message keeps appearing on the screen. It happened right after I bought the car, so I took it to Tesla to fix. It went away for a few months and now it’s back again. According to Tesla, this fault, “ based on the airbag system's self-diagnostic checks, a persistent fault has been detected in one or more safety restraint components. This could involve seat belts, impact sensors, occupant sensors, or related safety components. • if the airbag warning indicator stays on, the vehicle should not be driven until inspected. • recurring faults require immediate Tesla service attention. • pre-tensioner or sensor damage can compromise proper seat belt functionality. ” this is a serious safety issue that should be addressed in a recall as it could jeopardize occupant safety of the seat belts or air bags do not work. It also appears to be somewhat widespread and persistent. Tesla also does not appear to have a permanent fix as the first time I took it in they made a comment about one repair already having been done on this before I got the car as a certified used one from Tesla.
Continued failure of the OCS system after repair by Tesla. This is the system responsible for determining if a passenger is in the passenger seat and without this is a safety issue. As it could affect airbag deployment.
I am writing to formally file a complaint against Tesla motors regarding a serious safety issue involving defective seat belts in my vehicle. Despite my efforts to address this matter directly with Tesla, their response has been dismissive, prioritizing an out-of-pocket repair fee over a fundamental safety concern. Recently, my [xxx] son discovered that rear driver side seat belt does not latch onto the buckle. When I contacted Tesla to seek assistance in resolving this issue, I was informed I would need to pay out of pocket to replace the buckle because my warranty had expired as of January this year. During the replacement, the Tesla technician pointed out that the other 2 seat belt buckles in the back seat were also defective and would soon not function properly. The Tesla service center in alhambra, CA was notified but they categorized it as a customer-pay repair. An expired warranty should not absolve Tesla of responsibility for a defect in a critical safety component. Seat belts are essential for driver and passenger protection, and any failure in their function could lead to serious injury or fatality. I am deeply concerned that Tesla does not seem to be taking this issue seriously. Instead of addressing the safety risk posed by the defective seat belts, their response has been to demand payment for a repair that should not be the driver's financial burden. Safety should always be the top priority, and I believe Tesla’s handling of this matter is unacceptable. I urge your office to investigate this issue further to ensure that Tesla is held accountable for addressing potential defects in their seat belts. If Tesla is unwilling to resolve this matter appropriately, I believe regulatory intervention is necessary to protect consumers from similar safety risks. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Rear passenger seatbelt stopped latching.
Seat belt does not buckle and stay attached. Tesla is saying that this is not a warranty issue.
The third row passenger side seatbelt was restricted and bought in for service 2 weeks after purchasing the vehicle. It was serviced. Problem happened again 1 year later, it was then diagnosed and serviced back to position. 2 years later the same problem persist and restricted the seatbelt. The front passenger seatbelt is now sending alerts and asking for service. The seatbelt belt problem was said to be unknown on the first 2 visits to Tesla. The vehicle is now having the seatbelt system replaced with the current 3rd visit.
One of the rear seat belts will not latch. The buckle will go about 3/4 of the way in, but will not latch completely. It feels like there is something preventing the buckle from inserting compeltely. This puts our family at risk because one of our children cannot buckle their seatbelts when riding in the car. This has been present since we bought the car; it was delivered to us on August 11 and was not functioning upon delivery.
The seatbelt latch in the back center seat is not working. I tried cleaning it out and no debris is in there and it still won't latch. Tesla doesn't have availability for a month for this safety issue. I have three young kids.
Seat belt malfunction error was triggered. I reached Tesla service in springfield NJ but can't get an appointment until mid September. Totally unacceptable. . . How am I supposed to use my car?.
Warning popped up for faulty passenger seat belt tensioner. On checking, the seat belt tensioner was broken and the whole seat mechanism had come off. This surprised serious safety incident happened without anyone sitting on passenger side or using the seat belt.
I recently saw there was a recall update issued by Tesla regarding the seatbelt alert. My driver seat does not sense I’m in the seat, and allows me to drive with out a belt on. Even if they send an update to my car, I won’t be alerted. Someone could use the lack of sensor to not remain in their seat. Inflatable doll with sunglasses could take my spot. My question is, is this included in the recall regarding the seat belt notification when not buckled since it’s part of the safety restraint system?.
Front passenger safety restraint system fault? there have been hundreds of people if not thousands who are reporting this common issue on various forms online and its a very common issue.
2 of 3 backseat seatbelts suddenly stopped latching, middle seat, and driver side rear seat. These are the seatbelts we use the least in this vehicle. Yes, the dealer replaced the 2 failed seatbelts, but would not replace all seatbelts in the vehicle. The vehicle was only inspected and fixed by Tesla. No, there were no warnings. This is especially concerning since we use a seatbelt to secure a car seat in the backseat.
Left rear seatbelt is not locking.
Rear seatbelt buckle keeps failing and does not latch. These were replaced by Tesla within the last 6 months and they failed again and refused to cover them under warranty.
•what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the ‘front passenger safety restraint system’ had some unknown ‘fault’ and the car gave a prompt that service was required. This occurred: 6/2022 5/2023 8/2023 •how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? passengers in my vehicle had a ‘safety restraint system. That the vehicle communicated to them was ‘faulty. ’ presumably this put them at mortal risk should the car get into a collision. •has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, on 6/2022, 5, 2023, and 8/2023 my vehicle was taken to Tesla store located at 9140 e independence blvd, matthews, nc 28105. It has yet to receive a permanent fix. •has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? yes, on 6/2022, 5, 2023, and 8/2023 my vehicle was taken to Tesla store located at 9140 e independence blvd, matthews, nc 28105. It has yet to receive a permanent fix. •were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? the ‘front passenger safety restraint system’ had some unknown ‘fault’ and the car gave a prompt that service was required. This occurred: 6/2022 5/2023 8/2023.
On 7/18/2023 - my car reported the following: replace occupant classification system (OCS) of front passenger seat. In essence the seat sensor on the car malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. Tesla charged me $466. 29 to replace this and said that this was not under warranty, even though this was a safety issue on their part.
Front passenger safety restraint system fault intermittently appears and disappears. Might be defect of manufacture of harness squezed. Lots of users are complaining about said and manufacture wants $500 to repair what seems to be a recall. Https://teslamotorsclub. Com/tmc/threads/front-passenger-safety-restraint-system-fault. 161485/page-5#post-7714894.
Rear seat belts do not latch. The male portion of the seatbelt will be able to go in fully, but there's no click or latch to prevent it from coming back out. This is a huge safety issue, but Tesla has refused to service it. There are no warning lamps or messages.
Hi, I just read the news about NHTSA on model x pretensioner recall and found my Model Y may have the same issue. The seatbelt hold on the driver's seat is extended a lot compared to the passages seat.