Table 1 shows one common power train related problems of the 2023 Tesla Model Y.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Power Train problems |
Vehicle had a open window during rain storm. Interior got wet. Next day the vehicle was left to dry out. Vehicle caught on fire and engulfed in flames in the backseat. Nobody was harmed fire was contained by the frisco fire department. Vehicle was then towed away.
Front suspension axel system failed two bolts fell off left wheel arm causing me to lose control of vehicle. I was in the vehicle with my children I was driving out my mothers driveway less than 5mph when the incident occurred I do not even want to imagine what could have happened if I was driving the vehicle on a high way or at a high speed. Tesla representatives I have spoke to over the phone have said them selves this is common and I have read multiple articles online this is a safety issue if this happens on a highway this would and could cause fatalities. The vehicle did not prompt any warnings or messages. Prior to this incident occurring I reached out to Tesla because vehicle had been making a clicking noise and the soonest appointment they had available was not until January. The vehicle has been towed to Tesla van nuys CA and two different tow truck companies did not want to be involved so Tesla road side had to do the tow all 3 tow truck drivers agreed this is definitely a safety issue and common issue with Tesla this needs to be recalled.
Got a new battery for the car due to an accident I had back in Feb 2024. The battery lasted me up to August 2024 before I received an error saying that my car won’t charge any more and it’s at maximum charge. I took my car in and the Tesla service center explained there is no physical damage, and that it’s a mechanical issue.
On [xxx], the vehicle displayed multiple alerts: “electrical power reduced,” “climate cabin controller requires service,” “electrical system may not support all features,” and “vehicle may not restart. ” I scheduled service for may 21, 2024, and dropped the vehicle off at the Tesla service center in fresno, CA. Tesla failed to provide a written invoice for that visit. A service advisor told me “it was a glitch” and that I should check the app, but no documentation appeared. Despite multiple in-person and written requests, I never received a record of the visit. On [xxx], the vehicle failed to start and was towed back to Tesla. A may 24 invoice confirmed a major safety issue—a high-voltage current fault that triggered the pyrotechnic battery disconnect. Tesla later marked the may 21 appointment as “canceled” in their system. I photographed this cancellation screen in July, confirming the visit was erased despite a clear safety-related defect. This raises concerns about Tesla’s compliance with documentation and reporting obligations. I also submitted two reimbursement requests for $470. 12 in transportation costs, which Tesla has not honored. These incidents show a pattern of concealment and unfair warranty practices. I respectfully request an investigation into this issue and whether a broader safety recall is warranted. Supporting documents are available upon request. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6.
Car warned that drivability - acceleration and top speed reduced/performance may be restored on next drive but gave no opportunity for me to pull over safely. Felt like someone pulled the e-brake during regular driving speeds and prevented me from safely slowing down, steering or maneuvering the vehicle into a safe spot. This occurred during a rainy night with my wife and 3 daughters in the vehicle who were terrified and still afraid to drive in the vehicle. Tesla replaced the front drive inverter and about a month later the same issue happened again on a busy road around 1pm in the middle of traffic and this time the rear drive inverter had to be replaced. Myself nor my family have felt safe in the vehicle but feel stuck with it.
I hit a rock at approximately 35 mph that got projected under my car and caused a bad leak in the battery coolant system. Received a low coolant warning about one minute after the incident. The alert indicated that the car was safe to drive but to schedule service ASAP. Tesla instructed me to drive to the local SC that is 15 min away when though enough coolant had leaked to render the user display black. I had no turn signals, no speedometer, nothing except the ability to move the car. Tesla alerted me the next day that the damaged occurred at a poorly protected point where the coolant lines connect to the hv battery and that the battery with less than 20k miles needs to be replaced. As a result, they discharged the energy from the battery to avoid a “thermal event”. In doing some research, I discovered a number of documented cases of similar failure due to the fact that a plastic part is used to protect this critical area and is known to break and not offer ample protection to the coolant lines and front drive system. I’m very concerned that had this occurred on the highway and I continued to drive that a “thermal event” would occur and put me in grave danger of a vehicle fire. This area is too critical for proper vehicle operation and safety around high voltage components to use plastic parts to protect them. I also discovered that earlier model model 3s used a heavy cloth for this role before changing to the plastic version.
I purchased a Model Y performance on October 31, 2023. I was driving the vehicle on 11/1 and I received an error that my rear motor was disabled and my top speed was reduced to 68 mph. This occurred on a high traffic highway. Took the car to the dealership and they replaced the rear motor inverter. Vehicle only had 130 miles on it. This should not occur in a brand new vehicle. I felt unsafe while driving it in this condition.
On August 28, 2023, driving back from golf at tijeras creek, the vehicle noted several faults: cruise control disabled, autopilot disabled, parking brake disabled, and others. We parked in newport beach and the vehicle failed to move—appears the parking brake locked up. The vehicle was taken to Tesla for repair; the vehicle had 4,423 miles on the odometer when it was taken to Tesla for repair. The technician states that they identified the brake fault, removed and replaced the right brake caliper. Its disabled the vehicle from safe operation. September 21, 2023, the vehicle was driven locally 23 miles and the condition returned. This time the vehicle was in a shopping mall and the parking brake would not release, disabling the vehicle. Screen shots of the fault codes were taken to preserve the evidence. Eventually, the operator was able to shimmy the vehicle forward and return to the house. On October 4, 2023, only 90 miles after repair by Tesla, the exact same condition—parking brake function degraded. The vehicle, again, refused to disengage the parking brake. The vehicle suffered again the problem that rendered the vehicle in operable. The vehicle was again towed. On October 13, 2023, the vehicle was picked up from Tesla service for repair of the third defective and dangerous condition; the vehicle was driven locally and, on the freeway, to determine if Tesla had actually corrected the dangerous and defective condition. After about two hours in varying conditions and 90 miles, the vehicle was parked in the garage overnight. In the morning, the vehicle was loaded for an outing, and again the dangerous and defective condition occurred. This time, the vehicle could not be backed out of the garage; the tow truck was called.
Vehicle's rear drive unit failed suddenly while traveling on a highway. Rapid deceleration with only seconds to react has created a hazardous conditions for the driver and those around him. Throttle was unresponsive. Tesla confirmed the failure and replaced the rear drive unit with a "remanufactured" part. Follow warning/fail codes were shown during the incident: app_w009, dif_a062, bms_a170.
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering failed and that there were three error messages displayed on the control panel; however, the contact was able to safely drive the vehicle to his residence. The contact stated that after he the vehicle had sit for a couple minutes, the power steering did return. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,170.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?: I got delivery of my new Model Y and odometer was reading 3 miles, I took the delivery and drove 10 miles and it stuck the steering wheel , "rear motor got disabled alert" and vehicle went to slow speed on freeway all of sudden, I had truck behind me it would ended up very bad for me and family, I had to immediately put emergency signal and stop on road side, I tried to call Tesla road safety helpline and they were totally busy and did not receive call. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? ; this car "rear motor disabled " twice in middle of freeway , has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?: yes they confirmed but unable to give me more details . Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? : no they kept it secret with less info. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?: no warnings, just stopped over in middle of freeway . So scary specially to new car. I would like NHTSA to inspect all new Model Y car which have problems reported please check online and see the percentage of people received this kind of risky issues.
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while pulling into the driveway, the vehicle accelerated at high-speed causing the vehicle to struck a wall to the contact resident. The contact stated the brake assist did not activate. The vehicle had major front-end damages. The contact's resident wall was damages. Both the contact's wife who was driving and the passenger suffered concussion and whiplash. The contact's wife suffered neck injuries but neither the driver or passenger seek medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop. The manufacturer was contacted for the vehicle data. The failure mileage was 3,746.
I was about to park in car space in a parking lot. Instead of stopping in the car space, it has accelerated suddenly into the lawn in front of the car space. Tried to stop and it accelerated again and then hit the tree. The left front part of the Model Y is damaged and is still in the body shop even after more than a month. I thought the only explanation is I have pressed accelerator instead of break. But as I think about it, I don't think I pressed the accelerator. It did sudden intended acceleration twice during that incidence.
My new Model Y has caused numbness and tingling in both myself and passengers of my car while driving. Tesla has stated nothing is wrong with the car. It injures me every time I drive it. They forced me to take the car back and return my Model Y loaner car. The loaner vehicle caused no issues at all.
Location: car wash tunnel symptom: ghost braking/shifting while in car wash mode and neutral, Tesla shifted inexplicably from neutral to park, causing Tesla to be rear-ended by the car behind in the car wash tunnel. My passengers and I could have been injured. Tesla engineers completed a technical review of the safety incident but refused to provide the full report instead directed me to consult lawyers. On the day of the service appointment, they did not even inspect my vehicle but instead told me to request vehicle data online. It turned out to be a waste of time to download vehicle recorded data that only Tesla engineers understand. The service invoice says, “verified proper operation of the vehicle. ” that is false. They did not even admit my car into the service entrance. This crash is preventable, but Tesla is not taking this defect seriously and refuses to share the full report of technical review.
The new Model Y froze in the middle of an interstate highway indicating it was shutting itself down and not driveable. It took only 30seconds from 60 miles per hour to completely inoperable and stopped itself in traffic. Currently the mileage of this car is only 12 miles and I drove only 7 miles about 20 minutes after the we picked up the car. Tesla service told me it was a rear motor inverter issue. There are many incidents of similar occurrences people report online. Luckily we were saved by some quick thinking driver who called 911, while we were anxiously trying to contact Tesla service. The police parked his cruiser to shield us from the fast moving traffic.
1)2 weeks into owning the car had a powertrain error message which was fixed by replacing the front drive unit oil pump. 2)static noise behind the display unit was due to the harness of the circuit not being tightened properly. 3)left hand drive side latherallink bolt was loose and dropped off while making a turn. Right hand latherallink bolt was not tightened to the recommended torque. Lefthand driver side latherallink was replaced and bolts have been tightened. I have updated the invoices, videos and pictures of the 3rd issue. Have requested Tesla to replace my car with a new one as I do not feel safe in the car nor do I feel safe having my family in the car. I have raised this issue with Tesla on Saturday (April 30) and have not heard back from them. I could not upload the video of the issue that I have captured on my phone in this ticket. Please let me know how to share that via an email.
This is the second instance of this issue happening, first at 1800 miles odo, and second at 4690. Both instances, when driving, the vehicle suddenly and violently shuddered to a stop. The first instance happened as I pulled out from a stop sign to take an unprotected left onto a street. In the middle of the intersection, the car shuddered to a stop violently and a lot of warnings and alerts came up on screen. Cars moving both directions had to suddenly stop to not hit my car dead in the intersection. The gear stalk inputs to put the car in drive or reverse and allow function of the vehicle did not work. I pushed the park button on the right stalk and then moved it into drive, which it allowed. I was then able to limp the car out of the intersection (with power vastly reduced and speed reduced) and await a tow. The second instance I had pulled into a parking lot at around the same speed (~15 mph) in which the car again shuddered violently to a stop with no ability to override. Traffic behind me had to brake as to not hit my vehicle which stopped in the middle of the lot. Again the car was inoperable until this time locking and unlocking the car from outside of it and reentering to limp it to a parking spot for tow. Safety of myself and others were put severely at risk suddenly and without warning from the car stopping itself. If this were to happen in other, less fortunate scenarios, risk to human lives is great. Problem has been confirmed by Tesla service center, but not reproduced while in their possession. The vehicle was inspected by Tesla service after the first incident and was explained to have found no faults with any hardware, but found a corrupt line of code in the firmware (no update or firmware change was noted to be available). Warning messages and alerts populated at time of incident and no sooner (no warning is given prior to issue). Alerts include power reduced, rear motor disabled, vehicle shutting down, automatic emergency braking disabled and more.
Vehicle displayed alert “powertrain requires service - vehicle speed and power may be limited” at 1664 odometer miles. Vehicle had to be towed to the service center and the cause was a faulty oil pump.
Driving 70mph on the highway, car abruptly clunked and three warning messages appeared. App_w009 automatic emergency braking is disabled; dif_a062 power reduced; and bms_a170 acceleration and top speed recuded. Car immediately dropped to 40mph and gave me enough time to exit the freeway to the shoulder. After putting in park, the car would no longer shift into any gear. Soft reset and full reset, exiting and re-entering the car didn't fix the issue. Tow required. Failure of rear motor (inverter) was cited in the service center. Seems to be a common issue across model 3 (as far back as 2017), Model Y (deliveries in Nov/Dec 2022) and model s (the last 3-4 years). Very dangerous if someone had hit us when it decelerated hard on the highway. Traveling with a 6yr old in a car seat. Only 500 miles on the car.
I bought this Tesla Model Y in less than a month to be specific February 23th, I was forced to park the car due to rear motor failure. I had barely any time to find a parking lot before the car shot down on me. Until today, I have not gotten the car yet from Tesla due to long delay repair time.
I purchased the car and took delivery on 12/29/2022 where immediately I noticed while driving the car home that there was a high pitch creaking sound from what I think is the front drive unit of the car. I have brought back the car to the service dealer over 8 times to rectify the concern of the noise. There were many service technicians that heard the sound while I test drove before the car went into service and they all acknowledged the sound and said it was not normal. However, the service techs had picked and choose which item they thought on the car that created this sound and this is documented on the service receipts/invoices. They kept taking my car apart and replacing parts on the car and when I would pick up my car the sound was still present int he car. Now I have had the car for 11 months and now the sound is still present and Tesla has no fix for this. The last service I brought the car in for for this high pitch sound and they replaced the front drive unit and still the noise is present.