general problems of the 2023 Tesla Model Y - part 1

On the evening of April 8th 2026, my wife was driving our 2023 Tesla Model Y home in san francisco, CA when she noticed unusual noise coming from the front left wheel area. The vehicle was otherwise functioning normally aside from the noise. The following morning, I inspected the vehicle and found a large hex bolt (class 10. 9 grade) on the ground directly beneath the car. The front left wheel was binding and the vehicle was completely undrivable — the wheel felt stuck and made grinding/scraping noises when attempting to move. Based on the bolt size, grade, and location, this appears to be a front suspension lateral link fastener that detached from the subframe. This is the same defect described in NHTSA recalls 21v-835, 22v-895, and 23v-235, involving under-torqued or improperly secured front suspension fasteners on Tesla Model Y vehicles. The vehicle had 28,482 miles at the time of the incident. There was no prior collision, impact, or road hazard event. No warning or alert appeared on the Tesla touchscreen at any point. The vehicle displayed no diagnostic message despite having a compromised suspension component.

While performing a low-speed reverse turn into a driveway, a loud clunk was heard and the driver side front wheel completely separated from alignment. The vehicle became immediately undrivable. Upon inspection, the ball joint retaining nut was found to be absent from the front driver side suspension assembly. No torque verification mark was present on the fastener. The vehicle is currently at an authorized Tesla service center for repair and is available for inspection. Safety risk: complete loss of wheel alignment and directional control. Failure occurred at low speed in a private driveway. Had this occurred at highway speed the consequences could have been catastrophic. Confirmed by dealer: an authorized Tesla service advisor confirmed that a technical service bulletin exists in Tesla’s system for this exact condition. No owner notification was issued prior to failure. The advisor confirmed the retaining nut is installed by an automated robot assembly process with no human torque verification step and no verification mark applied. Prior warning symptoms: none. No warning lamps, no messages, no audible symptoms prior to catastrophic failure. The absence of a retaining nut on a safety-critical suspension fastener with no quality verification process represents a systemic assembly defect potentially affecting all vehicles produced under the same assembly process.

The bolts attaching the front passenger wheel's lower lateral link to the body fell out. Luckily this occurred while pulling into a parking lot. Once both bolts had fallen out the vehicle was not steerable. There have been many instances of this reported online, but usually they occur with far fewer miles and I was not experiencing the symptoms. The day prior there was an alert stating that an alignment was needed but it was still okay to drive. I could tell there was a slight alignment issue while driving. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla service center and is currently being repaired.

I was parking my vehicle in my driveway, turning left to park in front of my garage and heard a loud pop. I got out, looked underneath the car and didnt see anything unusual. I later investigated by moving the vehicle and noticed my steering wheel was turning without any driver input, and heard the tires scrubbing more than normal. I got out of the vehicle and noticed my tires were not aligned, having one tire pointing to the left, and the other tire pointing straight. Then I noticed a large bolt on the ground. I called Tesla and they told me my car was 2000 miles out of warranty and would have to pay for towing and the repair. I feel the steering should still be covered under warranty.

Catastrophic axle failure, I was driving out from my driveway when this happened. Just the day before my wife was driving on the highway, and I was driving with my two boys. I have video of the complete failure of the left driver's side axle. The vehicle was towed by the dealer and is at the dealer as we speak. There has been no inspection by the police or insurance representative. We had reported it to Tesla at our last appointment but they said they could not recreate the noise.

While driving under normal conditions, without any prior impact, collision, or road hazard, the control arm on my vehicle suddenly detached. This occurred during active driving and caused an immediate loss of vehicle stability and control. The failure happened without warning and posed a serious safety risk. At the time of the incident, my children were in the vehicle, which significantly increased the danger. The vehicle had not been involved in any accident or misuse. This appears to be a potential manufacturing or assembly defect involving a critical suspension component. Tesla towed the vehicle and repaired it at no cost. However, a suspension/control arm failure during normal driving is a serious safety concern that could lead to loss of steering control and possible crash. I am reporting this incident for safety investigation purposes, as this type of failure may pose a broader risk to other drivers.

Incident date?March 07, 2026] current mileage, 31625 miles ? I am reporting a catastrophic structural failure of a safety-critical suspension component on my Tesla Model Y. ?upon inspection, I discovered that one of the bolts securing the driver-side lower control arm has completely detached and fallen off. A second bolt is approximately 50% loose. This has caused a significant safety hazard, as the control arm is no longer properly secured to the subframe, leading to a high risk of total steering loss and wheel detachment while driving. ?furthermore, when I contacted Tesla service, they demonstrated extreme negligence by instructing me to drive the vehicle in this lethal condition to their service center. They also initially refused to cover the towing and repair costs, claiming it was not a factory defect despite the clear evidence of fastener failure (improper torque or thread locker application during manufacturing). ?this is a clear manufacturing defect that poses an immediate threat to the driver, passengers, and other road users. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate this batch of Model Y vehicles for suspension fastener integrity issues to prevent potential fatal accidents.

On February 23, 2026, I was driving my 2023 Tesla Model Y under normal city conditions. While parallel parking at very low speed, I suddenly heard a loud metallic bang from the driver’s side of the vehicle. Immediately afterward, the vehicle lost mobility and the steering wheel became unresponsive and would not turn. I exited the vehicle and observed a detached metal suspension component and a bolt on the ground underneath the driver’s side. The vehicle was not drivable and required towing. I contacted Tesla roadside assistance through the Tesla app, and the vehicle was towed to Tesla service center in coral gables, florida. At the time of the incident, there had been no collision, no impact with a pothole, curb, or road debris, and no prior warning signs or noises indicating a developing issue. The failure occurred suddenly during a low-speed maneuver. Tesla service initially indicated that the vehicle was under warranty and that repairs would be covered if no external impact was found. However, after inspection, Tesla attributed the failure to an alleged “external impact” and declined warranty coverage, providing an estimate of approximately $4,000. After involving my insurance company, the vehicle was inspected by a Tesla-certified repair facility, which found significantly more extensive damage to the suspension system, estimating repairs at approximately $11,000. This incident represents a sudden and complete failure of suspension components resulting in immediate loss of steering control. Such a failure poses a serious safety risk, particularly if it were to occur at higher speeds, as it could lead to loss of vehicle control and a crash. I am reporting this issue as a potential safety defect involving suspension component separation and steering loss in a 2023 Tesla Model Y.

Like many have mentioned, the control arm bolt came off or broke. [xxx] / [xxx] / [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

On January 29, 2026 my 2023 Tesla Model Y was serviced by Tesla for windshield repair and routine maintenance. Within a week after the service visit, the vehicle began displaying a service warning message on the dashboard. I contacted Tesla and was advised to bring the vehicle back for inspection. Before I could return to the service center, while slowly reversing out of my garage, a large bolt fell from the vehicle and the front left wheel assembly dropped, causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop. Tesla service later confirmed that a bolt from the front suspension link assembly had detached, resulting in damage to the front halfshaft, steering gear, wheel speed sensor, and other related components. The vehicle had approximately 38,000 miles at the time of failure. This appears to be a critical suspension hardware failure. If this failure had occurred at highway speed it could have resulted in loss of vehicle control and a serious accident. The vehicle had been serviced by Tesla shortly before the incident and had displayed a warning message prior to the failure.

While making a left turn at normal turning speed, the steering system became unresponsive. The steering wheel was able to move; however, there was no corresponding movement of the front tires/wheels. The front wheels appeared to remain stuck at approximately a 45-degree left position and did not return toward the straight-ahead position despite steering input. It is also possible that the steering wheel itself became locked or partially locked during this event. As a result, the vehicle could not be corrected and collided with the median and a pillar. The collision caused the airbags to deploy and resulted in severe front-end damage, with an estimated repair cost exceeding $40,000. This steering failure occurred without warning and resulted in a sudden loss of vehicle control, creating a serious safety hazard to the occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle was subsequently declared a total loss.

While traveling at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly veered to the right without driver input. The autopilot/fsd system was not engaged. It all happened in a matter of seconds. There was no system failure message on the screen. The vehicle airborne and hit a tree. All side airbag were deployed. Was able to open the door and walk away without any major injuries. Software update : 2025. 44. 25. 5.

I was driving on the highway at around 70mph, switched lanes and the steering wheel randomly locked up. Gladly, I was aware of the situation and avoided a huge car crash but the steering started to work a few seconds later. I am very nervous to drive the car now.

All in the same day: 1) odd sound from behind the pedal area of driver side front quarter (sounded like a styrofoam cooler top rubbing against the cooler is the best way to describe - faint though). 2)bang when in a parking garage turning full right but still able to control without difficulty. Made it home without incident. 3)later that day, just after getting off of i4 in orlando I pulled into grocery parking lot and parked. When I returned to my car I again turned right and a loud bang and the car jerked to a sudden halt. I was able to back into a parking spot but there were 2 large screws in the driving land and the left wheel was toed slightly to the left. Ultimately it was detached when we tried to tow it we had to remove tire and put on a device to allow us to move it. Per Tesla “I have updated that estimate! the vehicle has very heavy damage, and this is the start. Once we replace these components their (sic) could be more damage, and it also could potentially need to go to a body shop!” thankfully this didn’t happen at speed with my daughter in the car on i4! this is unsafe and a simple internet search revealed it is not an uncommon parts failure at this mileage! this is dangerous. All of this at just 54,000 miles. (4k out of warranty).

A critical front suspension component failed on my 2023 Tesla Model Y without any accident, misuse, or external damage. While backing out of my garage at low speed, a loud “bam” occurred — the front lateral link bolt fell off, detaching the lateral link and causing the front body to drop onto the tire. My child was inside the vehicle. Tesla-certified technicians inspected the vehicle and service records confirm the lateral link bolt was loose and missing, directly causing the failure. Multiple suspension components were replaced under warranty, confirming a manufacturing defect, not customer-caused damage. This is a serious safety-critical failure. At driving or highway speed, it could have caused loss of steering, severe injury, or death. The day before, my spouse drove the vehicle on the highway with our younger child — by luck, a catastrophic event did not occur. Before and after the wheel detached, the Tesla monitor did not display any warnings. Even after the lateral link and wheel partially detached, the vehicle remained in driving mode and ready to operate, despite a wheel being unsecured — a basic condition that should trigger an immediate alert. This demonstrates a critical failure in Tesla’s safety systems. There were no recalls listed under my VIN. However, NHTSA records show similar failures, with recall notifications issued under NHTSA recall 21v-835 in 2021 for 2021 and earlier Tesla Model Y and model 3 vehicles. The same failure in my 2023 Model Y at 23,641 miles shows the defect was not fully corrected and continues to pose a public safety risk. I am reporting this to NHTSA due to the extreme safety risk and request a full investigation.

While driving approximately 5–10 mph and making a right turn on a local street, the vehicle suddenly produced a metallic pulling sound followed by a loud impact. The vehicle abruptly stopped and became undrivable. Upon exiting the vehicle, the left front wheel was visibly displaced from normal alignment and appeared to have shifted rearward into the wheel well. No collision, curb strike, pothole, or road debris was involved. The vehicle had exhibited a wire-tugging or metallic noise during turning in the days prior. The failure occurred without warning and resulted in a sudden loss of vehicle control at low speed. The vehicle was towed to Tesla, where the left front control arm was found to be disconnected/broken. Tesla has not yet provided a determination and is attempting to route the vehicle to a collision center despite no evidence of impact. This appears to be a suspension component failure that could have resulted in a serious accident at higher speeds. Safety impact: loss of steering control, risk of crash, inability to drive vehicle.

My Model Y experienced a sudden steering assist failure while driving. The wheel became extremely stiff/locked even though autosteer was off. Multiple thermal system faults appeared: vcright_a271_thssensorfault, vcright_a257_thsmia, gtw_w043_thsversionmismatch, and hvacsystemnotnominal this was very scary as I was driving and had no control of steering wheel because it locked.

Currently on the newest Tesla full self driving software v14. 1. 4, it is phantom breaking as well as phantom swearing out of nowhere. It is swerving and using the breaks so hard it actually affects the steering wheel and self disengages it's self (without the big-loud safety alert to immediately take over control), it just does the soft disengage audio notification, like if you wanted to cancel fsd yourself. The serious problem is that the car does not stop like it should, instead it just continues it seems like it just neutrally rolls on its own drive and twice in the last week it would swerve directly into oncoming traffic. It is not supposed to be doing this at all, especially now that the "hands off" approval is enacted. I drive about 450 miles a week and this has happened about twice a week for the last two weeks. Thank god I was paying attention all four times, but I am so worried this is going to kill someone. I have tried to call Tesla but they purposely don't staff their phones and no one answers.

I am writing to file a complaint regarding a safety issue with my 2023 Model Y performance Tesla vehicle. The steering wheel's faux leather covering is peeling and bubbling, causing the material to come off while driving. This poses a significant hazard as it compromises my grip and creates a distraction, potentially leading to loss of control. Additionally, Tesla does not want to repair this, even though I’m still under warranty.

While driving home from a shop, my Tesla Model Y suddenly stopped in middle of busy road and became unable to move forward. I had to press the accelerator hard, which caused a loud noise before the car moved slightly and I was able to pull over to side of road. I narrowly avoided being hit by another car. Upon inspection, it was found that front tire connecting rod and suspension had failed, causing rod to drop off. The tow truck who assisted me mentioned that this is common issue with Tesla vehicle. This was a terrifying experience and I feel extremely fortunate to have escape an accident. My vehicle is less than 24 months old and I am deeply concerned about the safety and reliability of this component . I strongly urge Tesla to issue a recall and investigate this defect. There is no assurance that this failure won’t happen again. And this is scary.

The bolt that holds the front lateral link portion the the lower control arm to the subframe fell out while driving. I lost the ability to steer the car and had to stop immediately and have the car towed. In searching the internet this is a know issue by Tesla but has not been recalled.

During normal driving on sat Sep 27 2025, unusual noises started to come from the front left wheel. There were no warning lamps or messages, and no indication of issues prior to onset of the noise. I had the vehicle towed to a Tesla service center the following day. Tesla's technicians found that the front lateral link bolt on the left hand side had backed out and fallen out of the subframe. They determined that the cause was related to improper torque specification or application of the original bolt. They reached this conclusion in part because the passenger side lateral link to subframe bolts were also under-torqued. Rear bolts were not affected. Tesla has replaced the front lateral links on both sides with new bolts. There was no vehicle accident or damage, so there has been no involvement or inspection by police or insurance. It is fortunate that this issue began when the vehicle was traveling at low speed, and that I chose to have the vehicle towed to the service center rather than driving it. The bolt has loosened when the noise started, and finally fell out at the service center. Had I been driving at highway speeds when the bolt fell out, I could have lost control of the car and injured myself and others. Online research suggests this is not an isolated incident for this model of car.

I picked up my son from school and got home at about 3:30 pm on Sunday 9/21/2025. My son got out of the car and I heard a “clicking” sound when turning my steering wheel to the left to prepare for backing into my garage. There were no warning lights or messages for this issue. I did get out of my car and checked, but did not see anything that hit my car underneath. I got back in my car and continued backing my car into the garage. The nightmare started happening - the bolts connecting the front control arm and steering knuckle fell off that caused the left “arm” disconnected from the steering knuckle. This had resulted a sudden total loss of steering control. Please see attached photos. I could not imagine if this would have happened on the freeway.

Two days ago a warning popped up on the Tesla screen saying to schedule service for something the car had detected. It said the car could still be driven. I submitted a service request in the app, and in the meantime researched the error. Per google, it said this was a potential issue with suspension / steering components that needed to be looked at. The next day, a Tesla technician called and asked what my appointment was for. I told him about the error and that I had found it said it was for a suspension or steering issue. He told me I was wrong, and that it was only for low tire pressure. The car did not have low tire pressure. He said the appointment wasn't needed, cancelled the appointment, and told me to drive 30-40 miles to clear the error. Literally 5 hours later, after my wife driving my kids down the freeway, when parking on the street in front go my house the car made a giant pop and the front left sank. We looked under the car and the front drivers side control arm had completely disconnected, popping straight down towards the road. More concerning, two bolts popped out, not broken, but just clearly loose and had finally unscrewed. You will see them on the ground in the pictures. If this had happened 5 minutes earlier while on the freeway I don't want to even think about what might have happened. These cars should be recalled, this is super dangerous. Not to mention the fact that Tesla explicitly canceled my appointment for this and told me not to bring the car in.

Incident details: • date/time: [xxx]. • location: [xxx] • event: while driving, the front left wheel partially detached without warning, causing an immediate loss of steering control. Findings (third-party technician at the scene): • the wheel/control arm/linkage had come loose/detached. • two major suspension bolts were extremely loose or had detached. • a rotor screw detached easily during inspection. • photos, videos, and witness statements are available upon request. Current status: Tesla has not provided a failure analysis or demonstrated that the issue is resolved. Similar failures have been reported on social media, and recalls between 2021–2023 addressed front suspension lateral link fasteners that could loosen or detach. “a 2021 recall (NHTSA recall #21v835) affected model 3s from January 2019-April 2021 and Model Ys from March 2020-June 2021. A 2022 recall (NHTSA #22v895) was for certain 2023 Model Ys with issues on the left-hand lateral link. “ my vehicle has not been included in any such recall, and I received no prior notification. Supporting documentation (emails, service records, publications) is available upon request. Risk level: extremely high. This defect creates a severe danger to drivers, passengers, and the public. Tesla’s lack of corrective action leaves many customers at risk. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard and abnormal sound emanating from the steering wheel, after which the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 20,000.

While driving on the freeway, I heard an unusual noise coming from beneath the battery of my car. Concerned, I drove to a nearby friend's house and parked there, carefully checking my dashboard for any warning signals but finding none. I decided to resume my journey, but as I backed out of the driveway, I heard a sudden noise indicating something had come loose, followed by a crackling sound. Upon inspecting the car, I discovered that the control arm had become detached, the axle had popped out, and two bolts had come off. During the towing process, I noticed that the steering had become extremely tight. To my surprise, I had never received any recall notice from Tesla addressing this issue. Considering that my car is less than two years old, I was deeply disturbed by the situation. This incident has significantly undermined my confidence in the safety of the vehicle, as it highlights a potential manufacturing defect involving defective parts. I regularly use this car to drive my children to their activities, and knowing that this could have led to a catastrophic failure such as tire separation, loss of steering control, or compromised braking capabilities especially on the freeway, is worrying. The car was towed to a dealer and currently in the queue for evaluation by Tesla technicians. I requested detailed service report from irvine service center. There were no warning indicators in the dashboard while I was driving or after the bolts came loose.

According to Tesla service, my two "lateral links" for the front wheels need to be replaced. They sent us photos of the issue and it looks like one of the fasteners for one of the lateral links was missing (1 of two fasteners) if the other fastener failed/fell out the car could easily steer out of control. The problem of the lateral links was confirmed by Tesla servicing. They are repairing it under warranty. It was only been inspected by the manufacturer, Tesla. There were no warning lamps. The only indication was the thumping sound during turns.

Making a right turn and heard a pop sound. Pulled into a parking lot immediately found the steering arm dropped and shortly after a large bolt fell out. There is supposed to be 2 bolts holding up each side, one bolt was already missing. Event occurred without incident. Normal street driving at a low speed turn.

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to complete a left turn, the contact briefly heard an abnormal clicking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle, after which the steering wheel jerked abnormally. The vehicle quickly returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the front-end suspension bushings. The contact was also informed that a bolt on the driver’s side control arm had loosened. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 54,000.

I am writing to report severe safety concerns involving my Tesla Model Y. Without any accident or impact, my vehicle experienced a mechanical failure on [xxx}, when the front left tire detached, making the car immobile. The vehicle had approximately 31,500 miles and no prior damage or accident history. Tesla towed the car for repairs. However, during the repair process, I discovered that the vehicle was transferred to a body shop in chantilly, va, without my prior knowledge or consent. When I visited the shop to retrieve personal belongings, I was shocked to see that the condition of my vehicle had significantly worsened. The technician informed me that the car now had serious structural damage, including a twisted frame and extensive paint damage. This damage did not exist before and was not caused by an impact. The technician indicated that repairs would take at least a week if only bodywork was addressed. Most concerning, the vehicle was transferred with no visible damage, yet now has severe structural issues. Tesla has suggested replacing the damaged body parts later, which makes no sense given that the car was in a safe condition prior to the transfer. Additionally, the front wheel, which detached earlier, was reassembled without impact, but the vehicle remains unsafe. It has taken over 30 days to attempt repairs, and the vehicle still is not fully fixed. I do not feel safe driving it under these conditions. Furthermore, communication regarding the damage has been poor. I was not informed of any body or structural damage before the transfer. Tesla’s recent message asked me to pick up the vehicle, stating they will order parts later, which is confusing and concerning. Given the extensive damage, delays, and safety risks, I request the NHTSA investigate these issues. I also urge Tesla to buy back my vehicle so I can use the credit toward purchasing a new Tesla, ensuring my safety and confidence. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information.

The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 - 50 mph, the contact lost control of the vehicle. The contact stated that while attempting to regain control of the vehicle and attempting to correct the steering wheel, the vehicle kept going to the right and to the left independently. The contact was unable to regain control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle struck a railing and a concrete divider with the passenger’s side front bumper and then the rear passenger’s side quarter panel, and the vehicle spun around on the highway and came to a stop. The contact pressed the emergency latch to exit the vehicle out of fear that the vehicle might catch on fire. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side tire was pushed back due to the impact. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that all the air bags deployed as designed. The vehicle was towed to a local collision center. A police report was filed. The contact stated that the vehicle was deemed destroyed by the insurance provider. The contact sustained injuries to the upper back, left shoulder, right elbow, and neck; however, there were no broken bones reported. The contact received medical attention for the injuries sustained. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

A suspension rod/bolt fell off my car. When I was making a right hand turn my car began screeching and shaking, I lost control for a second and almost hit another vehicle, luckily I was able to stop my car. I had my car towed to a Tesla service station for repair.

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.

Unknown I was driving with no advanced driver assistance systems (adas). My vehicle took control of the steering wheel, swerving uncontrollably, almost hitting approaching cars, and a wooden electricity post. It was diffucult to keep the steering wheel steady. I struggled to pull the vehicle to the side of the road until I made a complete stop. A witness checked on me and was concerned that I had almost crashed.