Tesla Model Y reliability by year
88 recalls and 655 owner complaints across 7 model years. Best year to buy: 2026. Year to avoid: 2020.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 2 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2025 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 7 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Model Y aggregated across 7 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Tesla Model Y?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2026 Tesla Model Y scores 7.2/10 — the strongest in the 2020–2026 range. 294 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Tesla Model Y year should I avoid?
The 2020 Tesla Model Y scores 2.8/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 272 owner complaints with NHTSA, 23 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2020 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Tesla Model Y should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2020 (avoid — the cruise-control — cruise-control: 27 complaints, classified severe); 2026 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 37 complaints, classified severe). The cleaner years on the data are 2025. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Tesla Model Y are tracked?
7 model years (2020 through 2026) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 88 recalls and 655 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Tesla Model Y?
electrical is the most-reported category — 72 complaints across 3 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.