no report yet
Exterior lighting: headlights
NewRisk. Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
2021 Tesla Model YProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,100 owner complaints about the 2021 Tesla Model Y, most often about the forward collision avoidance. It is covered by 23 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-912 the manufacturer reports only 75% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 7, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2021 Tesla Model Y has problems
1,100 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
583Forward collision avoidance35 crash/fire/injury
177Service brakes18 crash/fire/injury
163Vehicle speed control20 crash/fire/injury
155Electrical system15 crash/fire/injury
97Steering
82Suspension
82Lane departure
45Visibility/wiper
34Structure
21518 other systems37 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidance | 583 | 35 |
| Service brakes | 177 | 18 |
| Vehicle speed control | 163 | 20 |
| Electrical system | 155 | 15 |
| Steering | 97 | 12 |
| Suspension | 82 | 5 |
| Lane departure | 82 | 12 |
| Visibility/wiper | 45 | 0 |
| Structure | 34 | 4 |
| 18 other systems | 215 | 37 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
23 recalls
2021 Tesla Model Y recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Back over prevention: software
NewRisk. A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q2
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Risk. Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q2
Electrical system: software
Risk. An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Show 19 more recalls
repaired · 2026 Q2
Front: warning light/devices
Risk. A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q1
Electrical system: software
Risk. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Risk. Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Driver monitoring: software
Risk. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as…
repaired · 2025 Q1
Steering: automated/adaptive steering
Risk. FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a…
repaired · 2024 Q4
Exterior lighting: tail lights
Risk. A taillight that fails to illuminate may reduce the visibility of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q4
Visibility: power window devices and controls
Risk. A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2022 Q4
Driver monitoring: camera/sensor
Risk. Swapped camera views can prevent the vehicle's cameras from detecting crossing objects and high-curvature lane lines, impairing the Autosteer and Automatic…
repaired · 2024 Q1
Electrical system: software
Risk. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Electrical system: software
Risk. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q1
Electrical system: software
Risk. Decreased defrosting performance may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q1
Electrical system: software
Risk. The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
repaired · 2022 Q2
Steering: automated/adaptive steering
Risk. Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q1
Suspension
Risk. Suspension links that separate can reduce vehicle stability and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2021 Q4
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking
Risk. Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q1
Suspension: critical fasteners
Risk. A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Seat belts: critical fasteners
Risk. Improperly attached fasteners may prevent the seat belt retention system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Seat belts
Risk. An improperly attached fastener may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Service brakes, hydraulic: critical fasteners
Risk. Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Tesla.
Mileage at failure
When do forward collision avoidance problems start?
4kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 22 forward collision avoidance complaints. 100% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 9% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
21under 30k miles22under 100k miles0100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Suspension
12 owners mentioned a cost$1,854median
Middle half: $1,585 – $2,153
Electrical system
10 owners mentioned a cost$2,701median
Middle half: $2,502 – $2,980
Steering
9 owners mentioned a cost$3,127median
Middle half: $3,000 – $3,500
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2021 vs. every other Model Y year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Model Y median. How we score
'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
15 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2021 Tesla Model Y, and the recalls they led to.
- Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting RequirementsOpen
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Defect Petition Interlock RequestNo recall
- Sudden Unintended AccelerationOpen
- Autopilot System Driver ControlsLed to recall 23V-838
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsOpen
- Autopilot & First Responder ScenesNo recall
- Tesla Passenger PlayNo recall
- Unexpected Brake ActivationNo recall
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsNo recall
- Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.No recall
- Electronic door handles become inoperativeOpen
- Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engagedOpen
- Lower Lateral Link detachmentOpen
- Recall 23V838 Remedy EffectivenessOpen
In owners' words
What Model Y owners report
Recent forward collision avoidance complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
My 2021 Tesla Model Y (Autopilot Hardware 3) had a malfunction of its camera system and automatic windshield wipers after an over-the-air software update. The update was version 2026.38.5.1, which included FSD (Supervised) v14.3 Lite, and it installed on Oct 17. The vehicle had no problems with…
While driving my Tesla on FSD mode, my Tesla had critical error and warn me to take over. My navigation and GPS froze. I did several reboot and power cycle and nothing worked. I reach out to Tesla and they stated that I will need a new computer hardware replacement. My Tesla was working fine until…
On October 1, 2026 at approximately 7:55 PM, I was driving my 2021 Tesla Model Y with Autopilot/driver-assistance engaged. The vehicle struck a fixed support pole of the canopy at my driveway. The pole was stationary, but the vehicle did not avoid it. The collision caused significant damage to the…
Own a 2021 Model Y?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.