TESLA

Tesla Problems

6,071 owner complaints across 7 Tesla models. Below — what fails first, how often it ends in a crash, and which models draw the most reports.

NHTSA owner complaints · 6,071 reports · 7 models · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Quick answer

Tesla owners have filed 6,071 complaints with NHTSA across 7 models. On average the car was 2.76 years old when the problem happened, and 65.1% of reports fall inside the first three years — while the factory warranty was still running.

What breaks on Tesla

The systems Tesla owners report most, and how often each failure ended in a crash.

FIG.01·Tesla — what breaks
SystemComplaintsShare of TeslaEnded in a crash
Forward Collision Avoidance88214.5%4.2%
Unknown Or Other5619.2%9.3%
Electrical System3916.4%4.6%
Suspension3796.2%11.3%
Vehicle Speed Control,forward Collision Avoidance2484.1%2.8%
Service Brakes,forward Collision Avoidance2464.1%5.3%
Steering2173.6%5.1%
Structure1612.7%5%
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA owner complaints

When Tesla problems show up

FIG.02·Tesla — when problems appear
MeasureValueWhat it means
Average age at failure2.76 yearsHow old the car was when the problem happened
Reported inside 3 years65.1%Share of complaints filed while the factory warranty was likely still running
Complaints describing a crash653Of 6,071 total
Complaints describing a fire42Of 6,071 total
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA owner complaints

A low average age does not automatically mean a fragile car: a brand with a young fleet on the road will always skew early. Read it next to the share reported inside three years.

Which Tesla models draw the most complaints

Volume follows sales, so a bestseller will always top this list. The columns worth reading are age at failure and how many reports ended in a crash.

FIG.03·Tesla models by owner complaints
ModelComplaintsShare of TeslaAvg age at failureCrashes
MODEL 33,99965.9%2.4 yrs390
MODEL S1,13218.6%5.2 yrs98
MODEL Y64710.7%1.4 yrs130
CYBERTRUCK1622.7%1.1 yrs22
MODEL X1262.1%1.3 yrs13
SEMI30%0.0 yrs
ROADSTER20%1.0 yrs
ROWS 7·SOURCE NHTSA owner complaints

Tesla complaints by model year

A bad generation shows up here as a block of years, not as a single spike. Recent years look quiet simply because those cars are young and still under warranty.

FIG.04·Tesla complaints by model year
Model yearComplaintsCrashesFires
2026295591
202587262
2024362422
2023407671
2022998655
2021819567
2020702972
2019584583
20189681004
2017251
2014343456
2013421338
20125841
20111
20081
ROWS 15·SOURCE NHTSA owner complaints

What Tesla owners report

Grouped by the system owners named. Open any row for the full reports, in their own words — one per model so the same fault does not repeat.

Forward Collision Avoidance 15% 882 Read
2026 Tesla Model Y · crash

On June 7, 2026, while Full Self-Driving (FSD) was engaged, my 2025 Tesla Model Y drove itself forward out of a parking spot and struck a stationary landscape rock directly in its path. The vehicle did not slow, brake, or steer to avoid the obstacle before impact. The rock was a fixed object roughly 20 inches tall, clearly visible in the vehicle's forward (windshield) camera from a complete standstill, before FSD began moving the car. It stayed visible as the car advanced and dropped into the camera's near-field blind zone just before contact. The vehicle struck it with no apparent detection or avoidance. This is a serious safety concern beyond the resulting property damage. An obstacle of this height is in the same range as a small child or a crouching person. An automated driving system that fails to detect and respond to a fixed, clearly visible object in its direct path presents a significant risk of injury. The dashcam footage (windshield camera) is available and shows the obstacle visible from a standstill. The vehicle's front bumper camera feed is not saved to dashcam, so only the manufacturer's internal logs can confirm whether the obstacle was detected and how it was classified. I reported this to the manufacturer's service team and requested a log review; they declined to confirm detection and directed me elsewhere. No warning lamps or alerts appeared before the impact. Footage and repair documentation available on request

2023 Tesla MODEL 3 · crash

I am reporting a safety concern involving a Tesla operating with Full Self-Driving Supervised active. On June 5, 2026, at approximately 7:50–7:55 AM Pacific Time, the vehicle was being driven with FSD Supervised engaged. The vehicle was in a turning maneuver when the driver mistakenly applied the accelerator. Vehicle data provided by Tesla appears to show ACTIVE_FSD shortly before the incident, a turning/steering angle, accelerator-pedal input/override, FSD becoming unavailable, and then crash-related/braking/tire-pressure signals shortly afterward. I am not claiming the vehicle accelerated on its own. The data appears to show driver accelerator input. My concern is that while FSD Supervised was active and the vehicle was already turning, the system allowed a strong accelerator override that rapidly worsened the situation. In this case, the vehicle went over a curb/sidewalk area and sustained significant damage. The safety concern I am reporting is whether FSD Supervised should better limit, warn, or manage strong accelerator override during low-speed turning maneuvers, especially where the vehicle may leave the roadway, cross a curb, or enter a sidewalk area. I believe this involved driver error as a mistake pedal acceleration, but the system design may have allowed that error to create a more dangerous outcome

2026 Tesla MODEL X · crash

Tesla has auto-park in the supervised FSD. My wife was using it to park the car in a public garage and it hit a post. The car was damaged. It was too quick for my wife to intervene. I know it is supervised, but there is no time to intervene when it comes to parking where the spot to park is close to other cars or posts anyway

Unknown Or Other 9% 561 Read
2026 Tesla Model Y · crash

Safety Defect: Uncommanded trunk actuation while the user was asleep inside the vehicle. The vehicle’s proximity-sensing system (Bluetooth Phone Key) triggered a full power-open cycle without any active user input. The system failed to recognize that the vehicle was occupied and failed to detect an external obstruction, resulting in a collision. This poses a severe risk of unauthorized vehicle access or personal injury while a user is sleeping or camping in the vehicle

2025 Tesla MODEL Y · crash

Full self driving (supervised) was active and functioning properly on interstate 70. The self-driving feature decided to move one lane over to the furthermost lane to the left. That lane was half covered with snow. The speed was approximately 65MPH When the front left wheel hit the snow the the car swerved to the right and hit the snow bank against the rail. I immediately steered to the right and could limit the damage Damage was not severe and I could drive the car to destination

2024 Tesla CYBERTRUCK · crash

I am submitting this safety complaint as the vehicle owner of a Tesla that was involved in a collision on November 15, 2025. Although I am the policyholder and registered owner, I was not the driver at the time of the incident. My husband, [XXX] , was operating the vehicle, and Tesla Autopilot/FSD was engaged when the loss of control occurred. At the time of the incident, it was raining heavily, though visibility and road conditions were still within what Autopilot typically handles during normal operation. While driving under these conditions with Autopilot activated, the vehicle suddenly exhibited unexpected and erratic steering behavior, causing it to lose stability and veer out of control. The deviation happened rapidly and without sufficient warning or opportunity for my husband to intervene manually. The resulting collision appeared to be the result of an Autopilot system malfunction, not driver error. Key concerns include: Autopilot’s failure to maintain proper lane position Sudden abnormal steering input originating from the system Possible sensor, perception, or weather-related detection failure Lack of adequate warning or disengagement alert prior to the loss of control Tesla Insurance later determined the driver to be “principally at fault,” but this conclusion did not consider the possibility of Autopilot system failure under heavy rain conditions and does not reflect the sequence of events as experienced by the driver. As the vehicle owner, I am requestin

Electrical System 6% 391 Read
2026 Tesla Model Y · crash · fire

The contact owned a 2026 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 55 MPH, the vehicle made a left turn independently onto oncoming traffic while on autopilot, causing her to collide with another vehicle, and the vehicle caught fire during the incident. The contact stated that air bags deployed. The contact stated his wife sustained major injuries to the spine and spleen, causing her to have surgery, a right shoulder fracture, and multiple fractures to the right side of her face, a concussion to the head, right eye laceration, and both arms, a fractured nose. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed to Owens Body Shop. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire on the scene. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The contact mentioned the seat belt had retracted during the impact. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they informed the contact about a USB drive in the vehicle. The failure mileage was unknown

2024 Tesla CYBERTRUCK · crash · fire

On [XXX], [XXX] was a right rear passenger in a 2024 Cybertruck. The driver lost control and struck a tree with the driver side against a wall. The truck immediately caught fire. The operation of the doors was powered by a small battery pack which was no longer operational after the impact. The passenger side doors operate off of that battery. Without power, the passenger doors could not open, trapping the driver and passengers in the Cybertruck. The fire moved quickly to the passenger compartment and towards the trapped passengers. The design of the electric doors required passengers who are not familiar with the vehicle to find the location of a manual release hidden from view beneath a panel to remove that panel and pull the manual release mechanism. There are no instructions present to explain to a passenger how to access the manual release. The truck has no exterior door handles. The only means to open the door from the outside was a button located at the base of the B&C pillars. When the electric system failed, that door release button became useless. A rescuer arrived but had no way to open the passenger side doors from the outside. The truck’s “armor glass” windows made forcing entry extraordinarily difficult. The rescuer was able to break the passenger side window with repeated strikes and attempted to rescue [XXX] by extracting her through the front passenger window but was unsuccessful due to the heat from the fire. She was forced to retreat back to the rea

2022 Tesla MODEL 3 · crash · fire

Submitted Under 49 CFR §552.3 Request for Defect Investigation & Safety Recall Tesla Model 3 / Model Y: Interior High-Voltage Heater Fire Hazard, Missing Firewall, and Entrapment Due to Electronic Door Failures. My 2022 Tesla Model 3 experienced an interior flash fire caused by a design defect. Tesla placed the high-voltage PTC cabin heater and HV wiring inside the dashboard with no firewall. After a crash, I saw a straight “strip flame” shoot out of the HVAC dash vent, exactly like a gas heater. The fire began INSIDE the dash/HVAC ducting within seconds of impact, not from the battery. This shows an arc-flash failure of the HV heater or wiring inside the cabin. The flame entered the cabin instantly because there is no firewall separating HV components from occupants. During the fire, all electronic door releases failed. Tesla hides the manual front releases and provides NO rear mechanical releases. I was trapped inside a burning cabin and suffered major injuries trying to escape by kicking the rear passenger window before bystander helped me brake out the rear passenger window to get me out. Most people cannot escape this design. This is a dangerous combination of defects: (1) HV heater and wiring located inside the cabin with no firewall; (2) HVAC ducting becomes a flame pathway; (3) Electronic door releases fail during fire/crash; (4) No labeled manual rear-door exits; (5) No backup 12-V actuator power to open doors. Tesla must: relocate the HV heater outside the

Suspension 6% 379 Read
2013 Tesla MODEL S · crash · fire

This is a complaint about a burned out model s in the junkyard. The VIN is unavailable because the car is roasted so I have substituted the VIN of a different wreck in order to promptly file this urgent complaint. Here is the car I am complaining about. Https://www.iaai.com/vehicledetails/36655532?rownumber=4 I have attached a close up photograph of the wreck which shows that the steering knuckle has snapped in half. The steering knuckle on these early teslas is made from hollow die cast monkey metal and it is very common for these to snap in half. Tesla came out with a slightly improved knuckle in about 2014 but those ones also snapped easily. The current version is much stronger. Owners have not been warned about these weak parts. No recall has been issued. More people will die if you do not take action. Thank you. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

2021 Tesla MODEL 3 · crash

Without any warning from feel unstable, wobbly, or noisy, my car began pulling hard to the right as I was going straight on a small street. I was going about 10 m-15 miles an hour. My steering wheel did not respond to my efforts to straighten the vehicle and my brakes did not slow the car’s path. I was only stopped by two parked cars on the side of the road that I bounced off of. When I got out, bystanders pointed to the sheared tie rod on the front passenger side. The witnesses stated it was clear from their view that if I had been going faster on a wider street there would have been severe injury Instead of only three cars being damaged. My car was three years old and had passed its annual inspection one week before. The police were called twice but did not come within three hours so the car was towed without a police report

Vehicle Speed Control,forward Collision Avoidance 4% 248 Read
2026 Tesla Model Y · crash

I picked up brand ne tesla 2026 model y after test drive I was trying to park the car in the garage. The car suddenly accelerated and hit cabinets in garage, the cabinets crashed and broke the entry door and the debris the the heating and AC blower unit. Extensive front damage to the car front end. No personal injury. I [xxx] was driving my wife was in the drive way. No personal injury information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

2022 Tesla MODEL 3 · crash

My family and I were in my Tesla Model 3 2022 and heading from Charlotte to Orlando on [XXX]. The car was in Full Self-Drive (FSD) mode while commuting through Daytona Beach. The rain was heavy in the area. While driving in Daytona Beach, FSD caused the car to change lanes and go to a lane that had standing rain puddles on [XXX]. After FSD caused the lane change, the car immediately hydroplaned out of control. The car's short clearance from it's bottom and the ground which traps water that exacerbates hydroplaning, along with its generative breaking feature made matters worse and uncontrollable. The car spun into the median three times and settled in the middle of danger interstate. The car is totalled. My family and I require medical attention and counseling due to the trauma. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2020 Tesla MODEL Y · crash

On Tuesday, [XXX], around [XXX] returning home and in my driveway when the following happened. Pulling into the left side of the driveway because a utility van was parked on the right side of the driveway with the rear door and driver’s side door opened with no one in the vicinity. There was not enough room to go forward into the garage. I was almost at a complete stop with the intention of getting out of the car to shut the drivers side door. That was when the car sped up at full speed and turned to the right into the van and continued in the right direction into the garage. The car was headed to the right back corner of the garage smashing into paint cans, a freezer, sink and cabinets. I had no control over the car from the time the car sped up and smashed into the back of the garage and it all happened in a matter of a few seconds. The vehicle has been totaled by the insurance company. This incident was recorded in the vehicle’s computer. The police department was called the same day and a police officer came to the house to record the incident. The car was towed to Gerber Collision & Glass, 10491 Corkscrew Commons Dr., Estero, FL 33928, phone (239) 947-6050. The car computer system should have recorded the event. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Service Brakes,forward Collision Avoidance 4% 246 Read
2025 Tesla MODEL Y · crash

On November 10, 2025 while my 2025 Tesla Model Y was being driven, in Miami, Florida, around 2:55–3:05 PM, the brakes failed completely. Despite firm brake pedal pressure, the vehicle did not slow down or stop as expected and continued forward until a collision occurred. The brake pedal felt normal with no loss of resistance, but the car did not decelerate as expected. No forward collision warning (FCW) or automatic emergency braking (AEB) activated prior to impact. There were no audible or visual alerts displayed before or during braking. After the collision, the vehicle’s screen displayed messages stating “Airbags Deployed” and “Automatic Emergency Braking is unavailable. Feature may be restored on next drive.” However, the airbags did not deploy. A burst of white particulate dust, consistent with airbag propellant or deployment powder, was released inside the cabin. None of the vehicle’s cameras recorded the incident; there is no Dashcam or Sentry Mode footage from that time. At the same time, the cell phone, which was actively linked to the vehicle through Bluetooth and the Tesla app, stopped transmitting location data through the Life360 app for a few minutes. This may indicate a coinciding electrical or data interruption affecting both the vehicle and connected devices. This incident placed my families safety and that of others at serious risk. Multiple safety systems appear to have failed simultaneously, including the braking function, forward collision warning, au

2021 Tesla MODEL 3 · fire

I drove into my neighbor’s driveway to drop her off. As I slowed down and applied the brakes to stop, the car failed to respond. It continued forward, running over the flower and plant pots at the edge of the driveway, crossing the backyard, and finally colliding with the trees and bushes at the rear of the property. All airbags deployed, and the vehicle was damaged beyond repair

Steering 4% 217 Read
2023 Tesla MODEL 3 · crash

While making a right turn from a near-stopped position, the steering wheel became stuck or extremely difficult to turn. The vehicle initially turned right normally, but when I attempted to steer back left/counterclockwise to complete the turn and straighten the vehicle, the steering wheel did not respond as expected. This caused the vehicle to continue in the wrong direction and resulted in a collision. I believe the electronic power steering assist system malfunctioned or failed. My concern is that the power steering assist experienced an overstress condition, causing a loss of power steering assist after the vehicle almost reached a stop and then accelerated again. This put my safety and the safety of others at risk because I was unable to steer the vehicle as intended during a low-speed turning maneuver

2020 Tesla MODEL Y · crash

A 2018 Ford Explorer, marked police vehicles, was operating with lights and siren when it proceeded through a red traffic light at an intersection. The subject vehicle, 2020 Tesla Model 3, was proceeding through a green traffic light at the intersection and struck the Ford

2014 Tesla MODEL S · crash

The contact owned a 2014 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the highway, the vehicle exited into a tunnel. The contact stated that his hands were on the steering wheel and that the steering wheel did not move; however, the vehicle inadvertently made a sharp left turn, and the passenger-side headlight struck the tunnel wall. The vehicle spun rapidly, and the contact's head snapped to the right. The air bags did not deploy. The contact received medical attention for whiplash. Police were made aware of the crash but did not arrive on the scene. There was no police report filed. The contact pulled over on the shoulder of the road and then restarted the vehicle. The vehicle had driven for a mile when the tire pressure dropped to zero. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then to a tow yard, where it was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000

Structure 3% 161 Read
2024 Tesla MODEL 3 · crash

On two separate occasions, June 4 at approximately 5:35pm and July 2 at approximately 3:40pm, the vehicle backed into a carport pole at my home while a Tesla driver assistance feature was engaged. I reported both incidents to Tesla and filed complaints with NHTSA

2026 Tesla Model Y · crash

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Make/Model: Tesla [Y] Rear Body got significant dent While attempting to reverse into a parking space at a Tesla Supercharger station, the vehicle—operating with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged—collided with a stationary pole located behind the designated parking spot. FSD failed to detect the tesla supercharger and tried to park in EVgo charging station despite of plenty of vacant Tesla supercharger spots nearby. No other vehilcle was involved netiher any property damage. We would like to make sure tesla FSD takes full responsibility of damage. As their FSD system malfunctioned. Tesla should bare all charges for repair

2022 Tesla MODEL S · crash

I was driving on the highway utilizing the full self-driving mode. There was traffic and I was behind an 18-wheeler. The 18-wheeler turned into the right lane, but because of the traffic, it couldn't completely clear the lane so the rear was slightly sticking. The Tesla stopped because it couldn't clear the lane while the 18-wheeler was sticking out. I didn't intervene because it had stopped. Then all of a sudden, it surged forward causing the Tesla's right side mirror to be hit by the 18-wheeler's back. The right side mirror's paint job was completely taken off. I didn't have time to intervene because of the sudden surge

Unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA. Percentages are shares of all 6,071 Tesla complaints.

Tesla against the rest

FIG.05·Tesla versus other brands
MeasureWhere Tesla sitsOut of
By complaint volume#2529 brands with 3,000+ complaints
By age at failure (later is better)#2929 brands
Complaints ending in a crash10.8%across all 6,071 reports
ROWS 3·SOURCE NHTSA owner complaints + ForCar

Ranking by volume says more about how many cars a brand sells than about how they hold up. Age at failure is the fairer of the two.

Tesla problems by model

6 Tesla models have owner complaints on file. Pick one for its worst years, failing systems and what owners actually wrote. Another 1 Tesla models have no complaints on record at all.

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How we count

Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.

A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.

Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.

Frequently asked questions

How reliable is Tesla?

Owners have filed 6,071 complaints across 7 Tesla models. On its own that number reflects how many Tesla cars are on the road — compare the average age at failure (2.76 years) instead.

What breaks most often on a Tesla?

The most reported system is Forward Collision Avoidance with 882 complaints.

Do Tesla problems show up under warranty?

65.1% of Tesla complaints describe something that happened in the first three years, while the factory warranty was likely still running.

Which Tesla model has the most complaints?

See the model list above — each card shows its complaint count, and the model page breaks it down by year and by system.

Owner complaints from NHTSA, published as filed and unverified. Age at failure computed by ForCar from incident date and model year; production series grouped by the first 11 VIN characters. Last updated Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.