general problems of the 2023 Tesla Model Y - part 1

I was park and then I could feel the Tesla is shaking and went to Tesla because I have a service that day and they told me the suspension to change but I learned for 2023 Tesla Model Y there’s a problem in suspension.

During normal operation, the driver-side front lower lateral link connection became unsecured. There was no collision, curb strike, pothole impact, accident, or other known impact associated with the failure. The vehicle had been operating normally. When I reversed into my driveway, I heard a loud abnormal noise from the driver-side front suspension and the vehicle became effectively undrivable. Inspection underneath the vehicle showed that a bolt securing the lh front lower lateral link to the front subframe had backed substantially out of the mounting connection. The bolt appeared intact and had not fractured. I photographed the vehicle and suspension before repair or manipulation and had the vehicle transported to a Tesla service center. Tesla inspected the vehicle. Tesla's written diagnosis on the repair estimate states: “lateral link became unsecured and damaged. ” Tesla is proposing replacement of the front lower lateral links, associated bolts/nuts, and a wheel alignment. Tesla also confirmed that campaign bulletin sb-25-31-004 r2 applies to the inspection of my vehicle. That bulletin specifically includes inspection of the two bolts attaching the lh front lower lateral link to the front subframe and provides procedures for inspecting associated components for damage and replacing fasteners/components when necessary. My safety concern is that a critical front suspension bolted connection became unsecured during normal vehicle operation without a collision or known impact. The failure rendered the vehicle undrivable. If this connection had progressed to this condition at highway speed, it could potentially have resulted in loss of vehicle control. The vehicle and affected components are currently at a Tesla service center and are available for inspection. I have photographs of the failed connection, Tesla's written diagnosis and repair estimate, and Tesla service communications available.

During a highway drive, I heard a loud noise from the front of the car, as if something had fallen off. It turned out that the fasteners for the front suspension lateral link had loosened and fallen off. I was really scared and went to dealer service center right away. Technician found the front lower lateral link bolts on the passenger side have become unsecured and required updated hardware with thread lock applied to bolts. Recommending replacement of lower lateral link and hardware. This was really scary moment in my life.

I am reporting a front suspension mechanical failure on my 2023 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle developed a clunking/clicking noise from the left-front/front suspension area, most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at low speeds or while stationary. The noise was first noticed around December 2025. It was intermittent, more pronounced in colder temperatures and after the vehicle had been parked for an extended period. It sometimes also occurred during larger steering inputs after driving straight for a while. The vehicle had previously needed wheel alignment correction, including abnormal left-front alignment values. I took the vehicle to a Tesla service center. A Tesla technician reproduced the noise and inspected the front suspension. The final repair record states: "technician verified a clunk from the front when steering back and forth at low speeds. Inspection of the front suspension indicated loose lateral links or worn bushings, and subframe nuts were broken. " Tesla replaced the following parts under the basic vehicle limited warranty at no charge: - front subframe assembly (p/n 1044531-00-c) - front lower lateral link assembly, pair (p/n 1188341-00-c) - front lower compliance link assembly, rh (p/n 2188359-10-b) and lh (p/n 2188354-10-b) - associated bolts and nuts Tesla also checked and adjusted the four-wheel alignment, followed by a post-repair validation test drive. This was not a subjective noise complaint. The fault was physically reproduced by the technician and confirmed by disassembly and inspection, which found broken subframe nuts and loose/worn lateral link bushings, requiring replacement of the entire front subframe and both front lower suspension link pairs. No crash, fire, injury, or component separation occurred. I am concerned that had this connection continued to deteriorate, it could have affected front suspension geometry and vehicle control. I request that NHTSA include this case in any related safety defect investigation.

While driving and making a left turn the wheels pulled hard to the left and a major grinding noise started and at the same time the steering wheel locked up. I was just shy of crashing into a curb area and sitting in oncoming traffic lane. I pulled on the steering wheel and it broke free but still had a grinding noise and this happens a handful of times. I took to Tesla service and they said the lower steering link was completely hanging free. No advance notice just major failure.

I began hearing a squeaking noise coming from the front of my 2023 Tesla Model Y. While pulling out of a parking lot at a low speed, the front left control arm failed and the bolts came out. When the failure occurred, the vehicle suddenly steered to the left. Fortunately, I was traveling at a very low speed when this happened. I am concerned that if the same failure had occurred while traveling at freeway speeds, I could have lost control of the vehicle and potentially been involved in a serious accident. Tesla has since repaired the vehicle. After this incident, I researched similar failures and found multiple reports from other Tesla Model Y owners describing control arm/suspension components or associated fasteners coming loose or separating. I am reporting this because I am concerned this may represent a broader safety issue with the Model Y suspension system.

Repeated creaking from the front suspension over bumps, speed bumps, and railroad tracks on nearly every drive. The noise was present by about 66,800 miles; exact onset unknown. No warning lights or messages appeared; the noise was the only symptom. On 09/14/2026, at 68,092 miles, a Tesla service center inspected the steering and suspension and found worn ball joints on both front lower lateral links, torn bushings on both front lower compliance links, and worn ball joints on both rear knuckles. Tesla recommended replacing these parts plus a 4-wheel alignment. The parts are still on the vehicle and available for inspection. The front lower lateral link is the component under NHTSA investigation pe26-006 (lateral link detachment on 2021-2023 Model Y). Worn ball joints on that link at under 70,000 miles raise the risk of it separating while driving, which could cause a loss of directional control. No detachment, crash, or injury has occurred. I asked Tesla to cover the front lateral link repair because of the open investigation. Tesla declined, calling these wear-related items outside warranty or campaign coverage, so the repair will be at my own expense. I believe this premature wear may be an early stage of the detachment NHTSA is investigating.

At approximately 62,600 miles, my 2023 Tesla Model Y developed a creaking noise from the front suspension during low-speed turning, especially when turning right. Tesla inspected the vehicle and found that the front suspension bushings were cracked and torn. Tesla recommended and performed replacement of the front lower lateral links and front lower compliance links. The vehicle was repaired at my expense. Tesla advised that the worn suspension components could have been the source of the noise.

The driver's side lower lateral link assembly and half shaft failed and made the car undrivable. The front driver's side wheel turned in and would not straighten out. My wife drove the car on the highway where she could have seriously injured herself or someone else when the car started to show signs of distress. The Tesla dealer confirmed this problem and fixed the hazard. The car has only 52, 327 miles at the time so Tesla refused to cover the failure. I know this is a known issue and Tesla didn't help with the expense. There was zero warning messages prior to failure. The car started to make a knocking sound in the late afternoon and finally broke down that same night.

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while the babysitter was attempting to park the vehicle, the front driver’s side control arm detached from the vehicle with a loud pop. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and sent the tow service. The approximate failure mileage was 32,000.

Front lateral control arm bolt spontaneously loose and about to fall out causing front tire noise and unstable drive/steering. May have caused severe damage/accident if happened at high speed but fortunately we discovered this while driving at low speeds. Car only has 33k miles. No warning lights. Upon inspection other front control arm bolts loose and not tight. Dealer inspection scheduled and pending.

Driver-side front suspension is creaking and popping when turning the steering wheel, particularly at low speeds. Noise appears to be coming from the left-front suspension. Vehicle needs inspection of the driver-side front upper control arm/ball joint, lateral and compliance links, bushings and associated suspension components for wear or excessive play. ”.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the front driver-side control arm came loose after two bolts fell out. The vehicle had no prior accidents, and the failed area can be inspected if needed. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the front driver side of the car suddenly dropped onto the wheel while I was backing into a parking spot. If this had happened at highway speed, it could have caused a very serious accident, loss of control or potential death. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? the problem was confirmed after the vehicle was inspected and the two missing control-arm bolts were identified. The car was not safe to drive after the failure. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? the vehicle was inspected after the incident by a service center or mechanic. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance unless otherwise noted. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? there were no warning lights, messages, or noticeable symptoms before the failure. It happened suddenly while I was backing into a parking spot.

Both the right (April 2024) and now left (Aug 2026) upper control arm bolt became loose. The left created damage. Now I routinely check the bolts and now on a check on the right it loosen naturally freely spinning by hand. Caught the right bolt early before damage and serious safety issue. Note this is a wide issue and NHTSA should issue a wider recall as Tesla argues about repairs and doesn’t take this seriously. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Defect summary: front suspension lower lateral link bolt backing out / stripped internal subframe weld-nut threads. Incident description: while driving, the vehicle developed front-end suspension instability / clunking. Upon inspection by Tesla service, technicians determined that the lateral link attachment bolt stripped the internal subframe threads, requiring a complete $4,599 subframe assembly replacement. Safety risk: lateral link bolt separation causes a complete loss of suspension alignment and wheel control without prior warning or dashboard alerts, creating an immediate crash hazard at highway speeds. Manufacturer response: the defect manifested immediately prior to logging the ticket at 20 miles past the basic vehicle limited warranty limit). Tesla refused warranty coverage, treating a known structural fastener defect as customer wear-and-tear and demanding $4,599 for subframe replacement.

A front bar on the lower front left of the car collapsed leaving 2 screws on the groung and steerling wheel not usable.

I experienced issues with the handling and suspension of this vehicle beginning in September 2024. I made an appointment and took it to Tesla in October 2024 at 10,484 miles, and the Tesla service center refused to look at the suspension because they were “unable to replicate” the crunching noise I was hearing on their test drive. In November 2024, I had a total control arm failure resulting in the vehicle needing to be towed to the Tesla service center. The repair was a retorque, but I still experienced issues I was told were “normal” because of the vehicle’s weight. The issue became worse in July 2026. Please see August 2026 invoice for very concerning notes regarding the vehicles state after Tesla told me it was “normal. ” invoice indicates “the right hand lateral link bolt was held by a few threads and the top nut was no longer welded on the subframe. ” this could have caused a deadly accident when steering at highway speeds, but Tesla said the noises I was hearing when turning were normal. I urge NHTSA to investigate this as it seems to be a common issue with 2020-2023 Model Y’s suspensions. How many others have been turned away by Tesla because they were unable to replicate an intermittent sound that they deemed as “normal” that could ultimately lead to essential components being held onto by “a few threads?”.

Yesterday, my Tesla Model Y 2022 suffered a catastrophic failure. The front lower forward control arm completely detached from the subframe due to a missing/fallen-out factory bolt. For the past couple weeks leading upto last night's incident, I've been hearing a "small thump/thud" sound whenever I accelerate the vehicle. I reported this issue to Tesla and arranged a service appointment for coming wed Aug 12 2026 but unfortunately the catastrophic failure occured last night 5 days before the scheduled service appointment.

My 2023 Tesla Model Y suffered a critical factory safety defect: under-torqued front suspension lateral link bolts, causing dangerous clunking noises under autopilot. The official Tesla invoice verified the defect and noted it was re-torqued to spec. Crucially, a close friend owning an identical 2023 Model Y in [xxx] experienced the exact same suspension noise. Upon inspecting his car, the littleton facility attempted to exploit his lack of information by issuing a deceptive out-of-pocket diagnosis estimate of $240. 00 instead of honoring the active bumper-to-bumper warranty. Tesla only backed down and waived the fee to $0. 00 after being confronted with my personal repair invoice as leverage. This proves Tesla is actively executing predatory billing and hiding a systemic batch safety hazard from uninformed consumers. Regulatory investigators can verify this pattern by auditing the littleton service center's internal torque check logs and warranty waiver histories for 2023 Model Y vehicles. Furthermore, after touchless app-pickup on xxx, Tesla staff omitted any key card communication. Two weeks later, after discovering my physical key cards were missing, I initiated a brand-new service request to inquire, and agent tony admitted they were left at the front desk, exposing that advisor luis rodriguez falsified records on xxx by logging that the vehicle was retrieved on xxx. This constitutes bad-faith warranty denial, record alteration, and predatory consumer deception. I formally reported this severe failure directly to Tesla global compliance on xxx, but have received absolutely zero response to date. Full pdf report of my personal logs provided. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Driver side lower control arm lost two bolts, can not drive.

This issue occurred on August 02, 2026 at around 3pm. I was parked and put my 2023 Tesla Model Y in reverse to give myself enough room to drive forward from being parked on road next to my house. While going into reverse, I heard a really loud bang noise coming from under the front section of the car. I put the car in park and got out to take a look around. At first I thought I had hit something while backing out but did not see any object in the reverse camera. So then I kneeled down and looked under the car and that's when I saw the passenger side front lateral arm of the suspension detached and left hanging down from the wheel. I let Tesla know what occurred using their app to message the company.

I am getting a creaking and clunking sound in my front passenger side suspension. It happens when I turn and go over bumps.

2023 Tesla Model Y, only 18,270 miles. While driving with my wife and children in the car, the front suspension/axle control arm disconnected from the wheel assembly. A large suspension bolt failed — it came out bent and heavily corroded (photos available). We heard an abnormal noise, then the steering stopped responding and the wheel splayed out of position. We were at low speed and stopped safely. The car was undriveable and had to be towed. The day before, we drove this same car on the highway at 75 mph. Had this failed then, with my family aboard, it would almost certainly have caused a serious or fatal crash. Critically, Tesla had sent us a notice that the vehicle needed service. We scheduled it per their availability for Aug 6 — but the control arm failed before that date. We were never told the car was unsafe to drive. Had we known we were at risk, we would never have driven it with our children. The vehicle was inspected by a Tesla service center. Tesla did not fully cover the repair — I was charged — and the lateral/structural damage from the failure was not fixed. Insurance was used to tow the car (also at our cost). The failed bolt and suspension components are in our possession and available for inspection on request. Cause: unknown — I am not a mechanic — but a bent, corroded suspension bolt and a disconnected control arm on an 18,000-mile vehicle indicate a premature failure of a suspension/axle fastener. I request that the manufacturer and NHTSA inspect the component. This is a serious loss-of-steering hazard.

The control arms are defective on this vehicle for the second time. I began hearing a clunking sound when I would turned the vehicle in July 2026. When the sound got louder and sharp left turns felt less controlled, I took the vehicle to a local independent tire repair shop immediately. They told me the left control arm was cracking badly, so I made an appointment with Tesla. Tesla is currently replacing my control arms for the second time. They also found additional suspension issues with the sway bar links. Previously, I experienced total control arm failure in November 2024 when the vehicle had less than 14,000 miles and was less than a year old. This resulted in the car being towed to the Tesla service center for complete control arm replacement. This jeopardized the safety of both myself and other drivers as I had no control of the vehicle’s steering. In July 2026, when I started to hear the same sounds indicating control arm failure, I brought the vehicle into a repair facility immediately to get it diagnosed to prevent such a dangerous incident from happening to me again. This is a serious defect in the 2023 Model Y, and upon research I discovered there are numerous control arm complaints, making this vehicle defect a hazard to potentially millions of drivers.

While exiting a parking space, I noticed a very obvious clunking sound from the front of the car. As I started driving slowly and moving the steering wheel back and forth, there would be a loud clunk and a bump in the steering wheel when moving it from the right back to center. I drove home 30 miles very carefully and called Tesla when I got there. They set up a tow and fixed the car under warranty. They said bolts had loosened on the front lower lateral link assembly. Safety was at risk due to the possibility of my car falling to the ground and not being able to steer. In the right setting, this could have cause a major accident. I did not receive any warning lamps or any warnings of any kind. There was never a clunk until the bolt was fully out. The car didn't steer or drive any differently either so no way to know something was wrong.

I am experiencing a loud, persistent creaking and groaning noise coming from the front suspension of my 2023 Tesla Model Y whenever the vehicle travels over bumps, uneven road surfaces, or during low-speed steering maneuvers. This structural front-end noise raises immediate safety concerns regarding a potential premature failure of critical suspension components, specifically the front lower lateral links or upper control arm ball joints. I am deeply concerned that this component wear could lead to a sudden detachment of the suspension link while driving, resulting in a sudden loss of steering control and an immediate crash hazard. Tesla is aware of widespread suspension issues in these Model Years, but there is currently no active safety recall to protect owners from catastrophic part failure. I am filing this to urge a mandatory safety recall before a serious failure occurs. I have just over 63,000 miles.

While driving, the front lower suspension lateral link (fore link) completely detached and separated from the subframe. The aluminum arm dropped down, pulling entirely free from its mounting bushing and shredding the plastic underbody aero shield. The failure caused a sudden and immediate loss of wheel alignment and camber control, making the vehicle entirely unsafe to drive and requiring an emergency tow. There was absolutely no impact, collision, or external road hazard that caused this failure; the component separated entirely due to structural or fastener failure.

Power steering is giving difficulty while driving on the highway, stiffens up and hardens and makes it difficult to steer to the left or the right. Took it to the dealer, they confirmed needed a new steering rack, checked online quite some people with the same issue especially with their cars coming from the same year. No warning lamps doesn’t show up on the screen, took to Tesla dealership and they ran a diagnostics and then confirmed.

My 2023 Tesla Model Y experienced a serious front suspension/control-arm fastener failure while I was driving on a road trip from phoenix, az to los angeles, CA. The incident occurred in riverside, CA. The vehicle has approximately 40,000 miles and is still within Tesla’s basic vehicle limited warranty. One front a-arm/control-arm bolt came completely out, and another related front suspension bolt was found loose. The tire and wheel are not damaged and are not flat. The vehicle became unsafe and undrivable. Tesla’s app initially categorized the issue as a flat tire, but this is not a tire issue. It is a front suspension fastener failure that could have caused loss of control, especially at highway speed. I am aware Tesla previously issued service bulletin sb-22-31-002, also associated with NHTSA recall campaign 22v895000, involving certain Model Y vehicles where front suspension lateral link fasteners may not have been properly attached. Tesla reportedly limited that campaign to a small affected population, and my VIN was not included. However, my vehicle appears to have suffered a very similar front suspension fastener failure. I am asking NHTSA to review whether this issue may affect vehicles beyond the originally identified population. Tesla should inspect the front suspension fasteners, control arm/lateral link mounting points, torque condition, threads, steering components, and alignment, and should determine whether the failure was caused by improper torque, defective fastener retention, assembly issue, or another safety defect.

I was driving the vehicle and heard a lot crack and felt the steering wheel unstable. Whenever I would turn the steering wheel the car would make crackling noises and I would feel the car go up as I was driving. When I was turning into my driveway the car felt like the whole left wheel had fallen off, according to my spouse she said the wheel looked like it was folding in as a turn and the car was elevating. We made an appointment with Tesla service senter and we had to get our car towed since it was not drivable. I went to speak with the Tesla agent and they had told me there was wear and tear on both lower front arm links and that they had replaced them. My car has only 19,000 miles so that seemed extremely strange and fast. The following day as I was cleaning my driveway I noticed a big suspension bolt on the ground, I took a picture of the bolt and sent it to my agent and he confirmed it was form the suspension bolt. Something they never mentioned until I found the bolt in my driveway. They repaired the issue according to them, we had no messages or indications of something going on. We also noticed that our wheels were getting worn down unevenly due to this. This is a family vehicle which is concerning that we could’ve had a more serious accident if it would’ve happened at a highway or on a trip.

Clicking noise in rear suspension upon acceleration and assistive braking. First time I brought it in the Tesla service center lubricated the halfshafts. Clicking went away but returned a little over a month later. 2nd time the Tesla service center adjusted torque on suspension. Looking at thread online this seems to be a common issue with older Tesla Model Y. These are not normal maintenance items. I am worried about the safety of the suspension with this vehicle and how long it will be safe to drive before additional fixes, checking proper torque is required.

A day or two before the incident a warning displayed on the computer that was very vague. I didn't notice any issues with the steering or suspension at the time. I believe I scheduled an appointment but it was two weeks out at the Tesla service center. On June 4 as I pulled into my driveway I heard a noise and then struggled to get the car into the driveway completely and avoided the garage altogether. The driveway is fairly flat. In the driveway I found a large bolt that had fallen out of the suspension. The car was undriveable at this point and had to be towed to the service center. The front lower lateral assembly was replaced. If this had happened while driving at any rate of speed I don't know how I would have avoided any obstacles. I have some pictures of the front suspension area but I couldn't tell anything was wrong from them.

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle on the highway at an undisclosed speed, she heard a loud noise and suddenly lost control of the vehicle. The contact was able to pull off to the side of the road while the vehicle made a loud squealing noise and swerved simultaneously. The contact stated that her passenger side wheel had came off and a bolt. The vehicle was towed three separate times: first to a nearby parking lot, then to the contact's residence, and finally to the dealership. The vehicle was not officially diagnosed, but the contact noted that the lower suspension component was completely separated from the front passenger side wheel and touching the ground. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,844.

While parking my Tesla in my driveway, I suddenly lost the ability to steer the vehicle. After exiting the vehicle, I noticed that the front driver’s side wheel was locked. I looked underneath the vehicle and observed that components of the front suspension had collapsed. The vehicle could not be driven and required towing to a Tesla service center. Tesla repaired the vehicle under the manufacturer’s warranty at no cost to me. Immediately before arriving home, I had been driving on the highway with my children in the vehicle. If this suspension failure had occurred while traveling at highway speed instead of while parking, it could have resulted in a loss of vehicle control and a serious crash. I am submitting this report because I believe this represents a significant safety concern. The Tesla service invoice does not accurately reflect the concern I reported. I did not bring the vehicle in because of a noise or vibration. While parking in my driveway, I suddenly lost steering, the driver’s front wheel locked, and the front suspension collapsed, leaving the vehicle undrivable. The vehicle was towed to Tesla. Tesla replaced multiple front suspension components under warranty, including both front lower compliance links, both front lower lateral links, and the left front halfshaft. The attached photos show the vehicle before it was towed. I suddenly lost steering while parking, the driver’s front wheel locked, and the vehicle became undrivable. Although the Tesla invoice lists the concern as “noise or vibration,” the vehicle was actually towed because of this suspension failure.

While driving, a critical heavy-duty front lower control arm / lateral link bolt completely detached from my vehicle and was found intact on the ground with factory green threadlocker still visible on the threads. The undercarriage and chassis show absolutely zero signs of external impact, scrape, or road hazard damage. This structural failure caused an immediate, severe safety hazard, rendering the vehicle completely unsafe to drive due to a catastrophic risk of wheel separation and total loss of steering control. This exact component failure is identical to Tesla's historical safety recalls, specifically NHTSA recall campaign number 21v835000 and its expansions, which explicitly state: "the front suspension lateral link bolts may not have been secured to the correct specifications. . . Causing the fasteners to loosen over time and separate from the sub-frame. " because the bolt loosened and fell out over time due to insufficient factory torque, the loose component put uneven mechanical stress on the lower control arm, resulting in the complete failure and damage of the control arm assembly. Tesla service center has refused to honor this as a latent manufacturing defect, hiding behind warranty expiration. They have unconscionably misclassified a known, life-threatening production defect as standard "wear and tear," forcing me to pay a $265 diagnostic fee and the full cost of a complete control arm replacement under protest. I am filing this report because Tesla is actively endangering consumers by failing to expand their suspension fastener recall to cover vehicles experiencing the exact same catastrophic manufacturing defect outside the arbitrary warranty period. Nhtsa odi complaint records show multiple substantially similar failures outside Tesla’s recall VIN population, including odi nos. 11630487, 11554803, 11494976, 11493354, 11486040, 11689987, 11675200, and 11632785 for Model Y vehicles, and odi nos. 11720800, 11705487, 11675676, 11664858, 11637813, etc.