Air Bag Problems of Tesla Model Y - part 1

**what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?** the vehicle experienced a critical failure immediately on the same day of purchase, rendering it not functioning or inoperable. It was deemed to be preexisting from the dealership I bought it from. The battery is malfunctioning affecting the driving capacity and range. --- * was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?** the failure created a significant safety concern, as the vehicle was not operating reliably immediately after purchase. This placed me at risk of being stranded and potentially exposed to hazardous conditions, including loss of transportation in unsafe or uncontrolled environments. Or stopping while driving. --- * the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?** the issue was immediately reported to the dealership, and they acknowledged the problem by agreeing to an exchange of the vehicle due to its defective condition. It was confirmed by a service center of the car's manufacturer. --- * the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?** at this time, the vehicle has inspected by the manufacturer. --- **were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?** yes, although the manufacturer can't pinpoint when they started but said they had been on since atleast March 10. My purchase was made April 1, undisclosed to me of this huge issue.

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On [xxx] 1512pm. Drive on [xxx] with auto pilot driving. Seen on construction and hit some object driver side by front bumper , fender, side mirror,door and wheel. Couldn't avoid crash by control handle. There is none of airbag action. All deployed. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

We live on a road with a steep embankment. My wife backed across our driveway and when she put the car from reverse to drive it accelerated uncontrollably. She hit our mailbox, then a power pole across the street, a driveway across the street then over the embankment where she hit a retainer wall another wooden railing and finally came to rest against our neighbors house. If she wouldn’t have caught the edge of the house she would have went down approximately 150 foot embankment. Not only the car accelerated on its own it is supposed to automatically brake, it didn’t and the airbags never deployed. This all this happened right after it went through an automatic update. The car was totaled, with my wife getting a concussion and a lot of muscle injuries. There was no warning lights prior to event and we reported it to Tesla and all they did was send camera images which we had. The car is now in possession of wawanesa insurance because it was a total loss.

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Rear-end collision. My Tesla impacted the rear of another vehicle at approximately 15–18 mph. No forward collision warning observed. Owner-provided data shows aeb status as sna. Impact is such that the car is totaled.

I am requesting an urgent review of the airbag non-deployment for my 2023 Tesla Model Y involved in a front-impact collision on [Jan 19th 2026]. Because the vehicle has been declared a total loss and may be released to salvage at any time, I urgently request that Tesla preserve and review the vehicle’s crash data (edr/srs) and confirm whether the restraint system performed as designed.

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On January 12, 2026, I was involved in a multi-vehicle collision on I-4 west near us-27 off ramp in polk county, florida. My vehicle was struck on the left rear quarter panel causing me to lose control, hit a second vehicle, and travel off the road to the hazard lane. The vehicle was declared a total loss by the insurance company. Despite the severity of the impact, none of the airbags deployed. The florida state crash report confirms airbags were marked as not deployed. The vehicle is currently at a salvage yard and is available for inspection. No warning lamps related to the airbag system were present prior to the crash. The failure of the airbag system to deploy in a total loss collision put the driver at significant risk of serious injury. ”.

I am writing to formally report a serious safety incident involving a Tesla vehicle and to document multiple critical system failures that occurred during an accident, resulting in physical injuries to me. On the 12/24/2025, while operating Tesla under rainy conditions, I experienced a sudden and dangerous malfunction of the vehicle. During the event, the steering system became unresponsive and appeared to lock, preventing me from maintaining control of the vehicle. Simultaneously, the braking system failed to respond as expected despite my attempt to apply the brakes. These failures significantly impaired my ability to avoid or mitigate the collision. Most concerning, the vehicle’s airbag system did not deploy during the impact. Given the severity of the collision and the resulting injuries, the lack of airbag deployment represents a serious failure of a critical safety system designed to protect occupants in such events. As a direct result of this incident and the apparent malfunction of multiple safety systems, I sustained physical injuries that required medical evaluation and treatment. Beyond the physical harm, the incident caused significant emotional distress and raised serious concerns about the safety and reliability of the vehicle. I am submitting this complaint to formally document these safety failures and to request a thorough investigation into the performance of the steering, braking, and airbag systems involved in this incident. I believe this matter presents a significant safety concern not only for myself but also for other drivers and passengers who rely on these systems to function properly in emergency situations. Please confirm receipt of this complaint and advise me of the next steps in your investigation process. I am prepared to provide additional documentation, including medical records, photographs, vehicle data, and incident details, upon request. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.

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The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 mph in light rain, the vehicle suddenly braked and causing the vehicle to lose control. The contact stated that the vehicle was on cruise control and auto drive assist. The contact stated that the vehicle veered to the left, crossed two lanes of traffic, and crashed into the highway divider wall. The contact stated that there were no warning lights. The contact stated that the left front end had crashed first, and then the driver's door and left front fender had crashed into the dividing wall. The contact stated that the driver's front air bag had deployed and burst; there was a large tear starting from the top of the air bag all the way to the steering wheel. The contact stated that he had burns on his hands due to the air bag explosion, bruises on his chest, and right arm. The contact stated that the police and emergency services arrived. A police report was filed. The contact stated that he was transported to the hospital, and the vehicle was towed to a manufacturer's collision center. The contact stated that the manufacturer's collision center downloaded the collision information from the vehicle's main frame and shared the accident report with the contact. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

Passenger side airbag did not deploy. Emergency auto brake did not seem to work. The passenger side of the vehicle was struck by other car at high speed and sustained significant damage.

The contact is a police officer from the simi police department, who called on behalf of the owner of a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated the owner was driving at 30 mph with full autopilot mode with direction destination set, the vehicle increased in speed to make a u-turn on the opposite side of a driveway; therefore, the driver attempted to disengage the autopilot and depressed the brake pedal. The vehicle failed to stop and instead increased in speed, causing the driver to crash into a curb, a Dodge ram truck, a light pole, and an occupied Nissan maxima vehicle, where the vehicle came to a stop. Both vehicles that were crashed into were occupied by 1 occupant each. The contact stated the owner's air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the owner did not sustain any injuries. No medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed to an auto collision center; however, the vehicle looked drivable. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000.

I keep getting alerts that there is a front right safety restraint system issue and service is required. Repair note Nov. 14 2024 stated: safety restraint alert has been intermittent over at least the past year. Customer has had previous service visits for same alert (rcm2_a136_sideab1strowropen). Issue seems to be somewhere within the harness affecting the passenger side airbag. Replaced the front right (passenger) seat harness. Alerts are currently cleared. Feb 15, 2024 repair notes: technician verified customer concern. Tech found the alert was for the 1st row passenger side airbag. Tech checked the connector in the seat and it was softset. Tech plugged it back in and made sure it was secure. Tech test drove and verified no alerts present.

Bought a brand new Model Y and I less than a week I received the below two error message warnings and the airbag light comes on. Cabin occupancy radar obstructed. Front passenger safety restraint system issue. Also to engage the fsd, I have to double tab 2-3 times in order for it to engage.

24 hour after taking delivery, operating on full self driving on a residential street at 25-30 mph, the car struck a landscaping trailer parked on the right. The tailgate of the trailer was down and the car struck the left rear upright post of the trailer causing significant damage to my car. No automatic breaking occurred: the car struck the trailer at full speed. The collision alarm sounded just as the vehicle struck the trailer, not before. I requested vehicle status info form Tesla, but the video stops well before the collision and I can't decipher the rest. But I can send it to you if it would be helpful,.

We were t-boned in a serious accident that totaled the car, but none of the airbags deployed and the seat belts did not lock.

“front passenger safety restraint system fault, service required” rcm2_a636 message keeps appearing on the screen. It happened right after I bought the car, so I took it to Tesla to fix. It went away for a few months and now it’s back again. According to Tesla, this fault, “ based on the airbag system's self-diagnostic checks, a persistent fault has been detected in one or more safety restraint components. This could involve seat belts, impact sensors, occupant sensors, or related safety components. • if the airbag warning indicator stays on, the vehicle should not be driven until inspected. • recurring faults require immediate Tesla service attention. • pre-tensioner or sensor damage can compromise proper seat belt functionality. ” this is a serious safety issue that should be addressed in a recall as it could jeopardize occupant safety of the seat belts or air bags do not work. It also appears to be somewhat widespread and persistent. Tesla also does not appear to have a permanent fix as the first time I took it in they made a comment about one repair already having been done on this before I got the car as a certified used one from Tesla.

I was driving the Tesla and coming up my circular drive(note I was driving uphill). The car suddenly accelerated and went out of control. I pumped the brake and took my foot off the accelerator but the car kept going and crashed into our house (sunroom) at end of the driveway at high speed > we went through the casement windows and brick foundation and would have gone through the other side window and down a hill and probably been killed if it were not for a heavy cast iron table that brought us to a stop. The airbags never opened. The car was totaled(the insurance company declared it a total lost and refused to repair and paid us a small amount , less than we paid for the car. This was the second repeat incident, the first one very similar was reported to NHTSA by my erhusband ,reported to NHTSA 0n 1/20/2025, 6. 19 pm; complaint number 11637163 . After the first crash we tried to get Tesla to pick up the car . They refused. Instead they said they would check it remotely. We gave them the opportunity to inspect and repair the car between the first and second incident . They ignored us , do to their negligence we were almost killed. Please open an investigation. We have names and emails to show who we complained to.

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While driving, a persistent error appears on the screen with a chime: "front left safety restraint system issue" (error code: rcm2_a128). After researching online, it appears this is a commonly reported issue among Tesla owners and may have serious safety implications. The error code rcm2_a128 indicates a fault in the vehicle’s safety restraint system, specifically related to the seat belt or restraint mechanism on the front left side.

The primary safety restraint system, specifically the driver's side airbag, failed to deploy during a significant frontal impact collision. This severely compromised my personal safety, as my head struck the steering wheel with force, leading to injury and pain. Had the impact been more severe, the lack of airbag deployment could have led to much more serious, potentially life-threatening, injuries. Immediately after the impact, the primary braking system also malfunctioned, and the vehicle's warning and autopilot systems became compromised, posing further safety risks. The specific airbag non-deployment problem has not yet been reproduced or formally confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, vehicle is currently scheduled for its first post-accident inspection at a Tesla collision center address 6010 richmond Ave, houston TX 77057 on June 11, 2025, and is available for inspection. To date, the vehicle has not been formally inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives for these specific malfunctions. Police responded to the accident scene and filed a report, but no technical inspection was conducted by them. There were no prior warning lamps, messages, or symptoms indicating a malfunction with the airbag system before the collision. However, immediately after the collision, the primary brakes failed and the warning system and autopilot system showed signs of malfunction/disruption; no specific warning lights related to these post-impact issues appeared prior to their malfunction.

I was driving my 2026 Tesla Model Y when another vehicle pulled out from a driveway and struck the front/side of my car. The Tesla failed to initiate automatic emergency braking (aeb) and no airbags deployed. This raises serious concerns about the functionality of Tesla’s safety systems in real-world scenarios. The vehicle has not been modified in any way and was in standard driving mode. I have contacted Tesla support requesting a diagnostic and explanation, but I believe this incident should also be reviewed as a potential safety defect.

The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving at 45 mph, occupied with his with son in the vehicle, another vehicle collided into the front center of the vehicle causing the vehicle to merge into another line. The air bags did not deploy.  the contact sustained injuries to his neck, shoulder, and low back. The contact son sustained injuries to the neck. No medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed to al's towing yard. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The contact mentioned the seat belts did retract. The contact stated that the failure was not diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they informed the contact to call his insurance company. The approximate failure mileage was 30,491.

The vehicle was operating in autopilot mode as it approached a right turn but was in the incorrect lane. The vehicle accelerated in an apparent attempt to merge into the correct lane and initiate the turn, but it approached the turn at an unsafe speed. I pressed the brake pedal, which disengaged autopilot as expected, but the vehicle failed to slow down or stop. I attempted to manually complete the turn, but although I turned the steering wheel, the wheels did not respond. The vehicle continued forward at speed, struck a curb on the opposite side of the road, and then collided with a parked vehicle. The impact with the parked vehicle ultimately brought the car to a stop. Multiple error messages briefly appeared on the screen during the incident before disappearing.

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the message "front passenger safety restraint system fault" was displayed on the instrument panel. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,400.

Front passenger seat occupancy sensor defect – Tesla vehicle in March 2025, my Tesla vehicle began displaying a warning message indicating a fault in the front passenger seat occupancy sensor system. I brought the car in for service on March 14, 2025, and the system was reportedly replaced. However, in April, the issue recurred — the seat sensor alarm would activate randomly, particularly after going over bumps, falsely indicating that a passenger was present when the seat was unoccupied. I returned the car to Tesla service, and they again claimed to have repaired the issue. Despite this, the false passenger occupancy alerts continued. In may, I contacted Tesla and submitted several videos clearly documenting the problem. Tesla performed a remote diagnostic and stated that the seat occupancy sensor was functioning as intended. On June 22, 2025, I brought the vehicle back in for in-person inspection. Tesla physically examined the vehicle and acknowledged that the false alarm could be reproduced in a similar model vehicle, effectively confirming a design defect. Despite this, Tesla maintained that the issue did not affect the safety or function of the front seat. I believe this defect presents two significant safety concerns: 1. The frequent false alarms are distracting during driving, increasing the risk of an accident. 2. The defect raises serious concerns about the reliability of airbag deployment and other safety systems, which rely on accurate seat occupancy detection in the event of a collision. I have video evidence and service documentation supporting the timeline and recurrence of this defect. The problem has been reviewed multiple times by Tesla service teams, both remotely and in person. Tesla has acknowledged the issue can be reproduced but has taken no corrective action. I have videos of the defect I can submit and documentation of my conversations with Tesla.

My wife was driving the car on March 7th 2025. Before she leaves the house, she had her front defroster on and the windshield was clear before she leaves the house. 5 minutes later, the front windshield became so foggy to the point she could not see anything in front of her and the front defroster was still on. And because of that so foggy windshield she moved out of her lane with no lane departure warning or anything and then she hit the railway pole without any emergency brakes going off or any warning signs letting her that she is about to hit something. The whole front of the car was gone and the car was totally lost but no airbags deployed at all and that was also concerning. Also there was no issues or any warning lamps or messages before the loss. The car was taken to a body shop and was inspected by the body shop and I believe a representative from my insurance company went to inspect the car at the body shop. So these are the parts I felt faulty or causing the safety concern: - front defroster - automatic emergency brakes - lane departure warning - forward collision warning.

I have an intermittent warning message "front passenger safety restraint fault" which started about 1. 5 years ago. Tesla added a "filter" which sorta resolved the problem, but as I mentioned its an intermittent problem. I submit another service reqyest for the same issue January 2024 at 51k miles but they denied my warranty claim because it is past their 50k basic warranty. I resubmitted a service request around September 2024 to look at the issue but they said they will look into my request for warranty but never got back to me. Fast forward to 2025 I submit another service request because the warning message keepings popping up more frequently and I read that Tesla srs warranty is up until 60,000 miles which as of January 2024 I was still within. Now they are denying my claims because I didnt request a service within warranty period. I wasn't aware of the srs warranty and Tesla employee saying I am outside the warranty and deny my warranty claim which was either incorrect, a lie or both. I have tried explaining to them multiple times but every time they say its outside of warranty now.

The contact owns a 2025 Tesla Tesla Model Y. The contact stated the while driving at approximately 30 mph, the vehicle crashed into a tree impacting the front of the vehicle, but the air bag did not deploy. The contact did not sustain injuries. The vehicle wa towed to a body shop. A police report was taken. The vehicle has not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 4,444.

Accident report [xxx] I was driving on [xxx] fort smith ar to bentonville car was on autopilot, it was raining on and off and with all other cars we were driving around 70-80 mph all the sudden it started a short slip on the right then second after that it started spinning and took us out of the road car totaled car. I believe problem is autopilot did not disengage when car started to slip but instead it was still on until the car got out of the road and hit a large tree. This is 3rd time for me to have this type of accident with same situation slip then spin then out of the road. I believe autopilot is the problem here 100%. This autopilot system is very dangerous. I had enough of this and im hoping national highway traffic system will step in. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My car was hit by another car in front left corner and side door at very high impact. Car has severe damaged and it is totaled now. Air bags on the driver side did not deploy even at such high impact. No air bags were deployed. There was only one person, myself driver, in the car. Police came and investigated the accident and filed report. I have also submitted the air bags issue to Tesla.

Several malfunctions: all cameras including rear cameras were disabled, high beams would flash on and off continuously when in auto mode. Front passenger safety restraint failure alert message that eventually turned off. The car continuously has a humming noise even after turned off. Navigation system was not operable.

I have a notice that a sensor went out in my passenger seat. I took it into Tesla to get a quote to repay rid and was quoted $2,000 to fix it. When I asked why it is so expensive I was told it is be cause Tesla has to retrofit my car to fit the new sensors because they stopped making my years sensors, my car is only a 2021. This is safety issue that should be a recall, I have several other friends that own Teslas that have had the same issue. The sensor that is not working properly is the sensor that registers if a passenger is in the seat or not determining if the airbag needs to deploy when in an accident. So without a working sensor it puts the passenger at risk. This is something I believe Tesla should covering as it is a safety issue & as a consumer I shouldn't have to pay over the fact they discontinued the proper sensor for my vehicle putting anyone that sits in my passenger seat at risk for the airbag to not deploy in the case of an accident.

Received a sign on my car 4 times- front right safety restraint system fault all 4 times I have taken my car to get serviced for them to fix it but still sign returned 4 times total.

I was in a parking lot on [xxx] in mamaroneck, new york waiting in line to get out at approximately [xxx]. Many cars were ahead of me due to the school drop-off rush, with parents and kids lined up in the parking lot waiting to leave. While I was waiting, the Tesla unexpectedly accelerated on its own, but I managed to hit the brakes just in time to avoid colliding with the car in front of me. A few seconds later, my car suddenly accelerated again without any input from me. I tried to steer away from the cars in front while repeatedly pressing the brakes, but they weren’t working. All I could think about was avoiding hitting another car or person, so I swerved the car toward the building in the parking lot. The impact was hard, and the car finally stopped, but the airbags didn’t deploy. I’m deeply shaken by the incident; I could have seriously injured someone or even worse. When I got home, I discovered that this issue is a known problem with Tesla, yet they’re placing the blame on drivers. Having never been in a car accident before, this experience has been overwhelming. As a mother and attorney, I believe it’s crucial to examine this situation more closely. Tesla controls the data, and it’s clear that responsible drivers wouldn’t suddenly veer into a building in a crowded parking lot without cause. I urge you to act on this life threatening defective car and investigate this problem before it is too late. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving 5 -10 mph and pressing the brakes with the intention to decelerate when the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The vehicle ended up rear-ending the vehicle in front. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. No medical attention was needed. There was no police report. The vehicle was towed to a body shop which diagnosed that the air bag sensors for both the driver and passenger front end failed. The vehicle had not been repaired due to determining which party should be held accountable. The dealer had not been contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,850.

The contact owned a 2024 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was involved in a t-bone crash. The contact stated that the driver's side of the vehicle crashed into it while the vehicle was stopped at a four-way intersection. The contact stated that none of the driver's side air bags deployed. The contact stated that only the passenger's side air bags were deployed. The fire department and police department arrived on the scene. The fire department had to cut the driver's door off to remove the contact's wife from the vehicle. The contact's wife was transported to the local hospital. The contact's wife was severely injured. The contact's wife sustained injuries to the head and the neck along with other injuries. In addition, the contact's wife has continued treatment with a chiropractor, physical therapy, and continued medical appointments. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

I am reporting a recurring safety restraint system fault error in my 2020 Tesla Model Y. The issue manifests as an alert on the vehicle's dashboard, warning of a problem with the safety restraint system. This error began appearing at approximately 75000 miles. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the safety restraint system in my Tesla Model Y is giving errors. Yes, the component is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? this malfunction affects critical safety features, including the airbag system and seatbelt functionality, potentially preventing proper deployment of airbags in an accident. Additionally, when the fault occurs, it disables key driving safety features like autopilot and cruise control, which increases the risk of accidents, particularly in scenarios where these features are expected to function. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, the problem has been reproduced and confirmed by Tesla. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? inspection by Tesla is scheduled were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? yes, the "front passenger safety restraint system fault" warning appeared on the vehicle's display prior.

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