Assist problems of the 2023 Tesla Model Y - part 1

36 problems related to assist have been reported for the 2023 Tesla Model Y. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2023 Tesla Model Y based on all problems reported for the 2023 Model Y.

1 Assist problem

Failure Date: 08/07/2025

Las luces son demaciado fuertes y el aire conducionsdonen florida no funciona.

2 Assist problem

Failure Date: 06/22/2025

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—June 17 and June 22, 2025—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.

3 Assist problem

Failure Date: 05/31/2025

We experienced an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation with Tesla y model on Saturday, may 31st around 3:48pm and would like to report to NHTSA. We were driving on rt 3 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 assit 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, rashida and luvai motiwalla (978)996-9535.

4 Assist problem

Failure Date: 05/10/2025

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.

5 Assist problem

Failure Date: 03/13/2025

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.

6 Assist problem

Failure Date: 11/06/2024

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.

7 Assist problem

Failure Date: 10/24/2024

Tesla fsd v12. 5. 4. 1 tried to run a red light without stopping. Although fsd has a multitude of other issues when it comes to breaking traffic laws running red lights shouldn't be one of them. Luckily I was able to override the system and no one was in the area to get hurt and no property damage.

8 Assist problem

Failure Date: 09/28/2024

On [xxx] , south of austin, north of [xxx] , on both directions, there are many turn lanes on either side. These turn lanes fork from either of the two highway lanes and do not have clear lane markings (by design, not due to fading) until the lane width is full. Tesla autopilot with lane assist will, at multiple times along this route, center the car between the current lane and the emerging turn. Once the lane markings begin , the car will violently jerk back into a lane. Avoidance of these situations requires a takeover. Along this route, this is particularly dangerous on banks, hills, and in traffic (even with max following distance configured) due to reduced visibility of the start of the lane markings. One example of this is at [xxx] , although there are many others along this route in both directions. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

9 Assist problem

Failure Date: 08/01/2024

We were on the freeway with cruise control on and the car slammed on the brakes. It automatically slowed 15mph while in front of another vehicle. The cause was that it hallucinated a person in the lane of the road, I could see the "person" on the screen of my car. However there was no person or hazard in the way.

10 Assist problem

Failure Date: 07/30/2024

Since the recall earlier this year on for the autopilot, I now have a car that is actually more dangerous as it emits a very jarring audible warning when I engage the autosteer option. This has actually caused me to jump in my seat and cause me to turn the wheel creating a dangerous situation. Not only is this a potential accident waiting to happen, it is also superfluous as the driver is the one who pulls in the turn signal stall to engage the autopilot and the autosteer functionality. I do not need a very loud and startling tone to sound advising me that the autosteer function is engaged. Please remove this as it is creating a dangerous driving environment. I have friends who also have Teslas and they confirm this hazardous condition exists in their cars as well. Thanks.

11 Assist problem

Failure Date: 06/01/2024

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.

12 Assist problem

Failure Date: 05/12/2024

On Sunday may 12, 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 highway 820 west, 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.

13 Assist problem

Failure Date: 04/15/2024

I used the full self driving software Tesla provided us in April. On April 15th, the car did not detect a curb therefore the car went right over the curb which popped both right side tires and the front rim. Damage was $1,800. I brought this up to Tesla and they informed me that it was my fault for not taking over and refused to help with the repairs. I understand taking over if there was a 3-foot shoulder, but on roads with no shoulder such as this one I found it impossible to correct in time. Also, at the very last split second, the torque on the wheel was too tight too correct (not enough time anyways). This is a busy state maintained road in the middle of columbia, missouri near a college campus and my safety was put at risk while I had to find the next side street to pull over. This is dangerous software that is not ready yet.

14 Assist problem

Failure Date: 01/27/2024

The new safety requirement for Tesla to update its autosteer to be more stringent and align to safety regulations is a complete disaster. This requirement results in multiple false alarms and creates more distractions than prior to the update. Furthermore. . . It's upsetting that this department has an apparent obsession with Tesla's technology. Rather than promote and work with Tesla to create a future where technology can meaningfully assist drivers on the road and reduce fatalities and car crashes, this department is doing its best to ensure that no progress is made. Lastly - it would be nice to see some actually meaningful and relevant statistics regarding Tesla autopilot incidents. Rather than reporting a meaningless number of incidents with 0 context, instead try comparing the number of Tesla incidents to non-Tesla incidents. And analyzing if there's a statistically significant difference between those two groups.

15 Assist problem

Failure Date: 01/15/2024

The NHTSA changes that forced the Tesla update as part of campaign #23v-838 do not make the vehicle’s autopilot system more safe. Moreover, the car is actually now more unsafe and distracting with disruptive beeping and alerts. The NHTSA should have Tesla reverse the changes to basic autopilot in this update. Furthermore, the NHTSA should pivot its focus to other manufacturers’ autopilot-equivalent software features, as many of them are even less restrictive or even more dangerous. For example, the blue cruise can disengage without any warning to the user. There have been no recalls relating to this.

16 Assist problem

Failure Date: 12/21/2023

Received the new ota recall update. The driver monitoring is now too sensitive and I cannot check the cross traffic when approaching intersections without receiving alerts to pay attention to the road. The car then requires me to apply varying amounts of turning force to the steering wheel, which sometimes can cause accidental disengagement, which also disengages tacc and auto braking. This is dangerous.

17 Assist problem

Failure Date: 12/20/2023

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).

18 Assist problem

Failure Date: 12/20/2023

The updated autpilot nag requires too much steering whel torque often to the point of diengaging the steer assist making the car jerk sideways. This I believe makes the interaction less safe.

19 Assist problem

Failure Date: 12/20/2023

Upon use and observation, the latest recall ota update has caused the opposite effect that NHTSA was attempting to address. By making this update, it has caused the autopilot/lane keeping feature too easy to disengage with the steering wheel weight based presence notification/reminder. This can lead to an mis-input by the driver, causing an accident or collision. Please work to ensure that this is addressed or taken back for further evaluation.

20 Assist problem

Failure Date: 12/01/2023

Tesla software updates aren't transparent on the changes to the cars behavior they will cause. They hide behind the vague terms "minor fixes" with no way to find out what that means. They are changing how the adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist feature work without specifying it. The only way to find out if something changed is to re-read the whole manual every time there is an update and look for changes. The erratic behaviors these updates are causing are mostly unpredictable braking. The unpredictable braking would be predictable if it were disclosed what the updates are actually doing. I believe they are slowly moving enhanced autopilot features to regular auto pilot without disclosing it. The car will now early and aggressively slow down before a turn if navigation is turned on. Also it will randomly slow down if traffic in the other lane is going slower than the speed limit. There is one thing my car hasn't done before that isn't disclosed in the manual. When driving past semis on the interstate the autopilot feature will cause the car to nearly drive on the road line opposite of the semi. Their unwillingness to have full transparency of what the updates are doing is making the cars unsafe an will cause an accident in my opinion. There have been several updates that have been especially bad about adding new functionality without disclosing it.

21 Assist problem

Failure Date: 11/29/2023

My vehicle beeps liberally when parking in tight spots, anywhere near a line of any sort, etc. A few weeks after getting my vehicle in late November (I don’t remember the exact date), I was driving through construction at night and without warning, the steering “corrected” itself and I hit a cone causing 2 scuffs on my new vehicle. The steering locked, but thankfully I was able to get the vehicle back into the lane. When I called Tesla a few weeks later they asked for a specific date and time which I didn’t have. They said they were unable to help without that. Thankfully there was nothing more serious, but I would like my scuffs and steering fixed.

22 Assist problem

Failure Date: 11/25/2023

These are observations over the past couple of months that I have owned the car. They have been consistently observed and have occurred at speed between 35-70 mph. There are four main issues I’m having with my Tesla. 1) I cannot use cruise control because it requires automatic windshield wipers. The automatic windshield wipers cannot sense when it’s raining and just turns on randomly when it’s not raining. 2). The car breaks on its own randomly on both the highway and city streets. I have almost been rear ended several times because of this. 3) the car thought another car was coming in my lane on interstate 95 and violently switched lanes without warning causing me to oversteer and almost wreck. I had my family in the car with me and it was terrifying. 4). The two times I used full self driving the car actually accelerated to make it through a yellow light. I know these are all beta features of the car but in my opinion they are all dangerous to use on the roads and should be disabled until they are ready for prime time.

23 Assist problem

Failure Date: 11/02/2023

My Tesla Model Y has been braking while on autopilot out of nowhere and very, very hard. I have noticed this has been happening more when I am next to a semi truck or other large vehicle where the Tesla will for whatever reason slam on the brakes even though there is no vehicle or objects in front of me and there is not a vehicle merging. This is a major safety issue and can lead to a loss of property and worst of all, life. Please do a recall on these vehicles and make Tesla fix these issues before it leads to further accidents and injuries/deaths. Thank you.

24 Assist problem

Failure Date: 10/26/2023

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.

25 Assist problem

Failure Date: 10/20/2023

The facts of the incident: on October 20, 2023, at approximately 3:54 pm, I, howard, was driving our 2023 Tesla Model Y on arizona state route 64 (sr-64), 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.

26 Assist problem

Failure Date: 10/16/2023

During the week of October 09 2023, I started receiving two failure alerts on my 2023 Model Y. The first is that lane keeping assist was unavailable. In spite of this alert, the system continued to function properly. The second warning was a steering assist reduced warning. At first, this also seemed to not corollate to a noticeable issue with the vehicle. On the evening October 15, when leaving a supercharger station, I noticed a momentary stutter in the steering wheel that accompanied the above mentioned alert. No other issue was observed. On the afternoon of October 16, when leaving from work, after putting the vehicle in gear, I had no steering ability at all, it was a similar feeling to the steering wheel lock on older vehicles. The wheel would move approximately 1" in either direction. I immediately shut the vehicle down and performed a reset by holding in both scroll wheels on the steering wheel. This did not clear the code, but did return steering ability. Since I could not predict when the steering might go out again, I contacted Tesla and had the vehicle towed to the nearest service center.

27 Assist problem

Failure Date: 10/01/2023

My Tesla Model Y is installing the same updates multiple times. The updates installing multiple times is causing erratic functionality issues with the car's software. Tesla has been unwilling to resolve the issue and claim the car is working just fine. When I asked the local service tech I was told the car shouldn't be installing the same update multiple times. I don't feel safe in my car when I don't know when it is going to act up next.

28 Assist problem

Failure Date: 08/17/2023

While I was driving my car earlier today, my Tesla Model Y experienced an unexpected steering freeze right in the middle of the freeway. This incident occurred while I was accompanied by my 2-year-old son. Initially, I was quite alarmed and attempted to exert force to guide the car towards the slower lane, but unfortunately, the steering remained unresponsive. After trying the brakes a few times and executing forceful maneuvers, I was fortunate that the steering finally began to respond. Thanks to these actions, both my son and I are safe and well today. It's worth considering the safety implications of Tesla vehicles on the road, and some individuals believe that the NHTSA should intervene by imposing fines and addressing the use of the autopilot feature promptly. Thanks dr. Sujata mathur.

29 Assist problem

Failure Date: 07/14/2023

I was in Tesla charging station when I noticed this steering issue happened. I wasn’t be able to turn the steering as usual and had to make call to Tesla and had it towed to their repair shope. It took four days to replace the rack and pinion. I am not happy having just three month and this happened. Shape on Tesla. Thank god I was not in the free way.

30 Assist problem

Failure Date: 07/07/2023

We were driving on a 2 lane highway, when we came to an intersection with a center turn lane the car panicked and swerved left and then braked and disengaged the autosteer/cruise control. This was not with autopilot, just autosteer.

31 Assist problem

Failure Date: 05/08/2023

The cruise control for keeping the car in the lane never worked correctly . The car had to be towed to 1805 n pepper ln, liberty lake, wa 99019. Tesla had our new Tesla for two days and fixed the problem. When the car steering when out I was in restaurant parking lot and only drove less than a mile to our spokane hotel . Waiting two extra days in spokane was a major pain and loss of two days of work .

32 Assist problem

Failure Date: 05/05/2023

On two separate trips on 5/5 and 5/7, multiple times the adaptive cruise control initiated a hard braking response for no reason. There were no cars, objects, animal, etc in front of me. Some of these incidents occurred when the road turned or there were rolling hills. However there were at lease two occasions where the road was straight and level. One of these times the hard braking incident almost caused a rear end collision with the person behind me. Additionally the lane keep assistance violently tried to over correct when the car couldn't determine where the road was during a slight turn.

33 Assist problem

Failure Date: 04/21/2023

Tesla purposely disabled sensors to warn when close to objects (curb, other vehicles, garage door opening & wall). I wasn’t informed that there will be no parking assist feature indefinitely when I spoke to sakes dept. Tesla says it is still developing cameras to replace sensors. I had a 2015 Tesla, which had these warnings. Before that I had a2002 Jaguar with park sensors. It is not new. Because of lack of reliable sensors, I am afraid to use any of Tesla’s driver assistance features. I was told by service manager that sensors only “see” a few feet, while cameras can see infinitely. This is doubtful. But at this point, I have neither. In fact, when parking in tight places, “infinite” camera vision would be useless. Seeing that I’m inches away from an obstacle is useful. I have been told that when a car comes in for Tesla service and still has sensors, the sensors are removed without the owner’s knowledge.

34 Assist problem

Failure Date: 02/11/2023

Car braked aggressively and unexpectedly on highway in full traffic with autopilot (lane keeping cruise control) for no reason. Car in front was over 10 car lengths away and not slowing. Almost caused collision with car behind me but I took control immediately and hit accelerator. Night time driving - approximately 530pm on route 64/1 headed west in raleigh nc. My car is “vision only”. Extremely unsafe.

35 Assist problem

Failure Date: 01/27/2023

On the freeway with auto steer and adaptive cruise control on. I experienced 3 phantom breaking incidents over the last two weeks. The car suddenly drops in speed about 10-20 mph before I can catch it and turn off cruise control and accelerate back to the right speed. It’s super dangerous. We live in wa where it rains a lot and our car was delivered without any ultra sonic sensors. This was a big issue for me because we didn’t get a lot of the features I was expecting and they told me it would be fixed with full vision eventually. I think it’s false advertising since the test drives and a lot of things that sold me on the car were not there when I got mine. The breaking problem could easily cause crashes for us and is a big safety risk.


Other Lane Departure related problems of the 2023 Tesla Model Y


Model Y Service Bulletins
Model Y Defect Investigations