2022 Tesla Model Y Reliability Report

Repeated sudden acceleration is the leading theme. Cars lunge forward at lights, in traffic, in parking stalls, and in car wash mode even with the brake pressed, and service often reports nothing wrong. Smart Summon collisions with cars and walls recur. Other reports include FSD veering into a construction barrier, a sudden steering jerk in rain that spun the car, and a power liftgate closing on someone's head. The driver-assist computer failed just past warranty at 64,000 miles, a $2,800 repair. Some filings describe lemon law disputes and missing dashcam footage after crashes.

Unexpected hard braking dominates, mostly with cruise control or Autopilot on and occasionally with no driver assist active. Oncoming traffic, overpasses, and hills seem to set it off, and some drivers report neck and head pain from the jolt. A smaller group of crash reports describes the pedal failing to stop the car while it moves forward on its own, automatic emergency braking not stepping in, and brakes skipping on snow. One higher-mileage complaint describes shuddering during regenerative braking downhill that three service visits did not fix.

The wheel jerks or turns on its own, often with Autosteer or FSD engaged, and sends the car into walls, trees, or the next lane. Several reports describe steering locking up for seconds or becoming impossible to turn at highway speed in rain. With 12 crash-related complaints and 12 injuries, this is a high-risk category, and one report describes a post-crash fire and a passenger death. Some cases followed a software update the night before. A non-crash pattern is clicking near the steering column from worn front link bushings at 38,000 miles.

A recurring "Front passenger safety restraint system fault" warning is the main complaint. Repairs to connectors, the seat harness, and the occupant sensor seat often fail, and the warning returns months later. Some owners were denied warranty coverage once they passed the 50k basic warranty. The occupant sensor also leaves the passenger airbag off for many adults over 100 pounds, and service has called this normal. Crash reports describe airbags not deploying in side impacts and severe collisions, including cars that were totaled.

Bolts on the front lower control arm or lateral link back out, and the arm drops so the wheel collapses. Most cases happen while backing out of parking spaces, often after a clicking noise, and some recur after earlier repairs. Similar reports describe a rear camber nut coming off, play in the rear upper control arm on a car not covered by recall 21V-912, and a loose tie rod jam nut. Uneven tire wear and cupping are common, sometimes within 7500 miles on Performance models. Tesla has refused coverage, calling it wear or impact damage.

Autosteer and Autopilot swerve without warning into turn lanes, toward walls, or into a passing car, and one complaint describes a sideswipe. Lane departure avoidance can overcorrect or pull the car back during driver lane changes. A separate pattern involves "camera blocked or blinded" alerts caused by condensation or dirt behind the front camera glass. These alerts shut off Autopilot, and one service center called it a known issue with no repair. Smart Summon hitting a parked car and phantom braking after software updates also appear.

The rearview camera goes blank, sometimes on and off, and drivers back into parked cars at low speed. Other reports describe the backup prevention system not reacting before a collision and the car moving forward on its own with the brake pressed. All but one of the 5 complaints involve crashes. Repairs are slow: one car sat in the shop for three months while the dealer waited for parts and gave no explanation, and another owner heard nothing back after service sent the case to engineers.