Table 1 shows one common seats related problems of the 2023 Tesla Model Y.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Seats problems |
Front passenger seat occupancy sensor defect – Tesla vehicle in March 2025, my Tesla vehicle began displaying a warning message indicating a fault in the front passenger seat occupancy sensor system. I brought the car in for service on March 14, 2025, and the system was reportedly replaced. However, in April, the issue recurred — the seat sensor alarm would activate randomly, particularly after going over bumps, falsely indicating that a passenger was present when the seat was unoccupied. I returned the car to Tesla service, and they again claimed to have repaired the issue. Despite this, the false passenger occupancy alerts continued. In may, I contacted Tesla and submitted several videos clearly documenting the problem. Tesla performed a remote diagnostic and stated that the seat occupancy sensor was functioning as intended. On June 22, 2025, I brought the vehicle back in for in-person inspection. Tesla physically examined the vehicle and acknowledged that the false alarm could be reproduced in a similar model vehicle, effectively confirming a design defect. Despite this, Tesla maintained that the issue did not affect the safety or function of the front seat. I believe this defect presents two significant safety concerns: 1. The frequent false alarms are distracting during driving, increasing the risk of an accident. 2. The defect raises serious concerns about the reliability of airbag deployment and other safety systems, which rely on accurate seat occupancy detection in the event of a collision. I have video evidence and service documentation supporting the timeline and recurrence of this defect. The problem has been reviewed multiple times by Tesla service teams, both remotely and in person. Tesla has acknowledged the issue can be reproduced but has taken no corrective action. I have videos of the defect I can submit and documentation of my conversations with Tesla.
Received a sign on my car 4 times- front right safety restraint system fault all 4 times I have taken my car to get serviced for them to fix it but still sign returned 4 times total.
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 mph, the front driver side seat inadvertently adjusted the seat repeatedly; the contact had to pull over and allow the vehicle temperature to cool down for several minutes in order for the vehicle to return back to normal operation. no warning light was illuminated however the "restoring driver position settings" warning message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that his daughter was in a booster seat, seated in the rear driver-side seat and was repeatedly hit by the driver-side seat; the impact of the driver-side seat left no bruises however, the contact along with his wife, his daughter, and his son all experienced emotional distress due to the incident. no medical attention was sought. The vehicle was taken back to the place of residence. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 14,500.
This has happened several times and I am unsure what to do to prevent it. I have small children who have various things in the back seats. Sometimes during sudden braking a water bottle or a toy will roll under the drivers seat and under the pedals which makes for a very scary situation. I’ve read online that this has happened to other Tesla owners as well. I hope that there can be a fix for this as currently there is no barrier between the drivers seat and the back seats.
My vehicle is less than a year old and still under warranty. The dashboard display is showing the following error message: “front passenger safety restraint system fault”. Tesla informed me that the occupant classification safety system filter module has failed and must be replaced. Tesla has agreed to fix the component under warranty, but they informed me they could not schedule a repair until October 31. It is my understanding that damage to this component could prevent the airbags from functioning properly during an accident, so I am concerned that the car is not safe to operate with passengers. I have asked Tesla repeatedly if the vehicle is safe to operate and they refuse to answer the question.
We had our 5 year old son buckled in his forward facing car seat in the back passenger seat. When I started to drive my car, the front passenger seat started to move back, reclined on its own and fully crushed my sons legs in the back seat (fully reclined back). My son started to scream in pain. After securing the seat forward, we noticed our umbrella fell from the front seat and landed where you control the seat alignment in front. We were shocked to see that a 1 lbs umbrella can be heavy enough to control the seat alignment. If I hadn't quickly reacted to the seat moving back, it would have caused a serious fatal injury to my son. I strongly urge the manufacturer to consider fail proof ways to prevent this from happening.
On two occasions, once for me, and once for my wife, when adjusting the seatback, the switch stuck and the seatback shoved me forcefully into the steer wheel. Both times while we were driving. This could have easily caused an accident, or, for a heavier person, caused significant injury.
I’ve received repeated errors of front right safety restraint system needs service with an indication of the airbags being disabled. Tesla has attempted to fix this on two occasions by replacing various wiring and seat belt parts, but the problem returns each time.
Driver seat started to move forward while driving. I had to think quick and pull he powerseat button back to stop the seat from moving forward. I stopped to pull over and readjusted the seat. While driving home the seat again started to move forward, I had to fight with the powerseat buttons to make sure I didn't get pushed too far forward and also not accidentally pull myself back too far that I couldn't reach the pedals. I couldn't even get out of car because the seat would not stop moving forward.
The second row passenger side seat actuator will randomly engage or disengage the seat. This was discovered while a booster seat with a child was using the seat and the seat unlatched itself while driving causing the seat back to flip forward with the child in it hitting the back of the front passenger seat. The seat actuator continued to randomly engage or disengage the seat with or without passenger or when completely stowed flat. Once the initial incidence occurred the manufacturer was notified and a mobile service visit occurred. At the mobile service visit the technician verbally indicated they've seen another similar incident report on a similar make/model with a similar VIN number. The mobile technician was not able to resolve the issue and a follow up service appointment is scheduled. The incident reoccurs randomly with no warning lamps, messages or symptoms prior.
I purchased a [car make, model, year] on [date of purchase] with the understanding that the vehicle was in excellent condition and safe for all passengers. Unfortunately, my experience has been far from satisfactory, as I have discovered multiple issues that were not disclosed to me during the purchase process. First and foremost, the car was misrepresented regarding its safety features and its suitability for passengers riding in the back. Since my purchase, I have noticed significant safety concerns for individuals seated in the back of the vehicle. The lack of proper safety restraints, along with inadequate seat belt functionality, poses a serious risk to the well-being of those riding in the rear seats. I find it deeply troubling that these critical safety aspects were not made known to me prior to the purchase. Moreover, my discontent is further compounded by the fact that, merely two months after my purchase, I discovered that the prices for the same make and model of the car were drastically reduced. This revelation indicates that I paid an inflated price for the vehicle, which is both unfair and unjustifiable. I believe it is only reasonable that I be compensated for this disparity, as it implies a breach of trust and fair business practices. Considering the circumstances described above, I kindly request the following actions to be taken: 1. Conduct a thorough inspection and rectification of the safety issues pertaining to the vehicle, specifically addressing the concerns related to passengers in the back seats. 2. Provide me with compensation for the price discrepancy, reflecting the difference between the price I paid and the drastically reduced prices that were implemented soon after my purchase. 3. Offer an apology for the misrepresentation and lack of disclosure during the sale, which has caused me significant inconvenience and distress. I believe that resolving this matter in an amicable manner is in the best interest of both parties involved.