2026 Tesla Model Y owner complaints

I have no front hood (Frunk) emergency release button. Seems like it should have one.

The rear door releases contain no easily accessible mechanical back up for releasing the door. In an emergency during a loss of power rear passengers would either have to know how to access the hidden door releases cable or would be trapped.

The frunk emergency release switch/button is not present on brand new purchase.

Missing frunk emergency release. This compartment is definitely large enough for a child to fit and be trapped in. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 401 mandates an interior release mechanism for enclosed trunks to prevent entrapment.

When in self driving mode, which activates the adaptive cruise control, it is not possible to set the following distance. The following distance automatically selected by Tesla self driving is much too close to the vehicle in front of me. Tesla has removed the ability to set the following distance. It follows at approximately 2 seconds behind the car in front of me, regardless of my vehicle speed .... at 80 MPH 2 seconds is not enough time for a driver to react. Following distance should be controllable by the driver. Taking away this ability deprives a driver of driving within their own limitations.

While driving on a residential street at night with Full Self-Driving (Supervised) engaged, the vehicle suddenly applied Automatic Emergency Braking without any visible obstacle, vehicle, pedestrian, or hazard present. The braking was abrupt and unexpected and did not correspond to traffic, road conditions, or driver input. No collision occurred, but the sudden stop caused a whiplash effect to occupants, creating a risk of injury despite the absence of an external hazard. The driver immediately disengaged the system after the event. Tesla later reviewed vehicle data and confirmed that an Automatic Emergency Braking event occurred while FSD (Supervised) was active. Tesla identified the software version as FSD v14.2.1 and documented the incident as unexpected emergency braking, with the da

While Full Self-Driving (Supervised) was fully engaged (blue steering wheel icon active), the vehicle approached an uncontrolled intersection, selected the wrong path, hesitated severely (camera shaking violently), provided ZERO visual or audible warnings, and completely ignored driver's emergency brake input (pedal depressed >90% approximately 1.5 seconds before impact). The vehicle continued forward by inertia and collided with a roadside curb, resulting in wheel damage. Attached dashcam video clearly shows: • FSD active throughout the event • No alerts or chimes • Violent steering oscillation/hesitation • Driver's foot slamming brake pedal with no deceleration • Impact despite timely braking This incident matches the ongoing NHTSA investigation PE25-012 regarding FSD intersection hesi

Per Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 401 an emergency release in any enclosed trunk compartment large enough to hold a person (generally defined as having a volume of at least 1.2 cubic meters or similar dimensions that could pose an entrapment risk). My 2026 Tesla Model Y DOES NOT have an emergency release in the front trunk (frunk) area and it appears Tesla Model Y’s manufactured after on and or after September 2025 no longer have this included. I assume this is because Tesla came out with the Standard Model Y which has a smaller frunk and are using that labeling to get away without putting the button in the Premium Model Y’s which have a larger frunk and are required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 401 to have an emergency release button.

Very scary! Heading west on [XXX] , my 2026 Tesla model Y ran 2 red lights! It stopped at the first red light that sits back about 100 feet from [XXX] , and then just sped ahead, went through that light and the one directly on [XXX] and made a right turn. Crazy! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The front trunk (frunk) on my 2026 Tesla Model Y Juniper lacks both internal lighting and an emergency safety release mechanism. This design flaw creates an unnecessary and severe safety risk, as a small adult or child could easily become trapped in the frunk with no way to signal for help or escape. In low-light conditions—such as at night or in a garage without adequate illumination—the absence of a light would exacerbate disorientation and panic for anyone trapped. Without an internal release latch or glow-in-the-dark handle (standard in many vehicle trunks to prevent entrapment deaths), this could lead to a life-threatening suffocation or injury situation, especially if the frunk is accidentally closed on a person during loading/unloading. I discovered this issue while inspecting the f

I am reporting a significant safety defect on my 2026 Tesla Model Y (delivered in October 2025). The vehicle is missing the lighted interior emergency release button inside the front trunk (frunk). Upon inspection, not only is the button missing (replaced by a blank plastic panel), but the necessary wiring harness to support a release mechanism is also absent. This appears to be a deliberate design change that violates FMVSS No. 401, which requires an interior release mechanism to prevent entrapment. A child or small adult could potentially be trapped in this compartment with no way to exit from the inside, creating a life-threatening entrapment risk.

There is a SERIOUS safety-related FSD (full self driving) fundamental design flaw with stop sign behavior. On previous versions AND on the latest and best version of FSD (currently that is v14.2.1.25) when FSD approaches a stop sign AND there is no white painted stopping line, FSD will make its full initial stop (also called the zero-speed stop) directly at or behind the stop sign instead of making the initial full stop beyond the stop sign at a location where the driver can see cross traffic. Sometimes the FSD initial full stop is 20, 30, 40, even 50+ feet back away from the edge of the road. At these distances from the edge of the road, most of the time, there is NO VISUAL of cross traffic left and right. The FSD stop then turns into the FSD "creep" where FSD, after stopping 30 feet b

On several occasions, my Tesla Model Y has braked for no reason while using Traffic Aware Cruise Control as well as when using Autopilot. I can re-create this situation on the same parts of the highway. The sudden, uncommanded stopping creates a hazardous situation with the cars being me as I may get rear ended. At this point, I do not feel safe using Autopilot or TACC. I submitted a ticket to Tesla but they declined to work on it.

The model Y performance wheels make it really hard to remove the valve stem caps on the tires. Similarly, trying to unscrew the air pump form the valve stem is difficult due to very small clearance between the wheel cover hole. I see this as a safety related issue. Having a hard time doing this while on the side of the road is the last thing you want to happen when you're repairing a flat.

Tesla self driving detects and sets a speed limit and displays it as a speed limit icon. I used self driving to exit my driveway, which turns onto a dirt road with a speed limit of 15 MPH. Near the bottom of the driveway self driving suddenly reset the speed limit from 10 MPH to 55 MPH. The car then accelerated abruptly shortly before the turn onto the dirt road. There is no mechanism for overriding the speed limit the Tesla self driving automatically selects. It is clear that the speed of the vehicle is adjusted according to the speed limit that Tesla self driving selects. Before I could regain control of the vehicle I was almost into the field opposite the driveway. The inability to re-set the automatically selected speed limit is dangerous. The speed limit has spontaneously rese

A structural chassis component (V-brace) was permanently removed from my vehicle by Tesla Service during a service visit. The removal was performed under a Tesla-described engineering retrofit (Tesla Service Article 9188600). The component was not reinstalled or replaced, and Tesla stated that once removed it cannot be reinstalled. The service visit was originally initiated due to a persistent rattle/noise from the vehicle The safety concern arises from: •A permanent modification to a structural chassis component, performed without my authorization. •Removal of a component originally installed for structural reinforcement and stability, creating uncertainty regarding vehicle rigidity, crash behavior, and handling. •The continued presence of an unresolved structural noise/rattle, which can

Date of Incident: December 8, 2025 Mileage at Failure: Approx. 580 miles Vehicle Status: At Tesla Service Center since December 9, 2025 (no repairs started; status shows “Preparing”) Failure Summary While driving 40–45 mph on a busy three-lane road in California, approaching a signalized intersection, the vehicle suddenly displayed multiple red warnings, a “Reduced Speed” alert, and numerous fault messages. Within 3–5 seconds, propulsion was completely lost. Incident Details Using residual momentum, I steered across two lanes into a nearby retail parking lot. The vehicle stopped at an angle, partially obstructing traffic. Towing Delay & Safety Risk The vehicle remained stranded for 4 hours. A flatbed tow arrived 2 hours later but could not load the vehicle due to inoperative Tow Mode. A

1) full supervised drivingd entered 3 lanes of on coming traffic. A truck avoided broad siding the drivers door of my vehicle by entering on coming traffic driving in the opposite direction. Luckily the on coming traffic stopped for the truck. The navagation system seemed to be lost as well. 2) the driver's seat belt alert alarm began to continually go on stating that the seat belt was not fastened. It was brought into the shop twice for repair. The seat was replaced. A few weeks later the front passenger seat belt alert started doing the same thing with no one or objects on the seat. It was brought to the shop. 3) upon delivery of the vehicle the low windshield washer fluid warning came on. I supplied more fluid twice with no resolution. The shop replaced a faulty hose and reservoir.

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 injurie

I recently purchased a new Tesla Model Y in July 2025 . The vehicle has a loud clunking/creaking noise coming from the front suspension at low speeds, especially when driving over small bumps, turning into driveways, or when the road surface is uneven. The noise is noticeable inside the cabin and feels like a mechanical component is shifting. I brought the vehicle to Tesla Service twice the first time they could not replicate the sound, the second time they noticed it right away and replaced the front right and left dampers which did nothing at all, I think the noise is much worse after they did this. Then they said the noise is normal characteristic for this vehicle, I am sorry they should not be saying this in normal, especially for a brand new car. I am concerned that this may be relat