2021 Tesla Model Y 7 Seat
Common Problems
Ranked from 530 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
20 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
Phantom Braking During Adaptive Cruise Control
357complaintsSafety riskBrakesThe vehicle suddenly brakes without warning or detection of an obstacle.
- 2
Unexpected Deceleration Without Obstacles
105complaintsSafety riskBrakesThe car suddenly decelerates without any visible obstacles or warning, posing a risk of rear-end collisions.
- 3
Phantom Braking
81complaintsSafety riskBrakesThe car suddenly and unpredictably applies the brakes, even when there are no obstacles or cars in front of it.
- 4
Power Steering Assist Failure
28complaintsSafety riskSteeringThe power steering assist system intermittently fails, leaving the driver with no steering assistance.
$200–$1,500est. power-steering / eps repair · 1–6 hrs laborGet local quotes - 5
Service brakes failing
22complaintsSafety riskBrakesThe service brakes fail to function properly, leading to unexpected deceleration.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 6
Door latching and unlocking failures
8complaintsMedium severityOtherMultiple instances of doors failing to open or close properly, trapping occupants inside the vehicle.
$200–$600est. door lock/latch repair · 1–2.5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 7
Electrical system failures leading to vehicle inoperability
7complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle’s electrical system fails, causing the car to become inoperable, often leaving the driver stranded.
- 8
Electrical System Issues
5complaintsMedium severityElectricalElectrical system components, such as USB ports and battery management systems, malfunctioned, leading to unexpected shutdowns and charging issues.
- 9
Back Over Prevention System Failure
3complaintsHigh severityOtherBackup cameras and sensors stopped functioning, preventing proper detection of obstacles during reverse maneuvers.
- 10
Brake system failures
3complaintsMedium severityOtherBrake system failures, including sudden acceleration and brake failure, pose a significant safety risk.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 11
Steering system failures
3complaintsMedium severitySteeringIssues with the steering system, including sudden locking and unexpected steering wheel movements, compromising control.
- 12
Suspension Failure
3complaintsHigh severitySuspensionSuspension components, such as control arms and bushings, failed, causing the vehicle to become non-drivable.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 13
High-voltage battery charging issues
2complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe high-voltage battery experiences repeated failures, preventing charging while the vehicle is parked.
- 14
Lane Departure Warning Malfunction
2complaintsMedium severityOtherLane departure warning systems are frequently malfunctioning, causing lane departure warnings to appear without actual lane departure.
- 15
Power Steering Issues
2complaintsMedium severitySteeringPower steering system experienced reduced performance or failure, requiring immediate attention to ensure safe operation.
$200–$1,500est. power-steering / eps repair · 1–6 hrs laborGet local quotes - 16
Seat Belt Malfunction
2complaintsMedium severityOtherSeat belts fail to latch properly, putting occupants at risk during collisions.
- 17
Service Brake Malfunction
2complaintsHigh severityOtherUnexpected brake failures lead to unintended acceleration and loss of vehicle control.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 18
Steering Rack Failure
2complaintsHigh severitySteeringInternal electrical/mechanical steering rack failure resulted in loss of steering assist and difficulty controlling the vehicle.
$900–$2,000est. steering rack replacement · 4–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 19
Unintended Acceleration
2complaintsHigh severityOtherThe car accelerates uncontrollably without driver input, risking collisions and injury.
- 20
Unintended Vehicle Movement
2complaintsHigh severityOtherVehicle moved unexpectedly without driver input, posing a significant safety risk.
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.