Tesla Model Y Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 561 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the Tesla Model Y across 7 model years. The 2021 model year has the most (177). The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (37% of reports).
- 561service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 98mention a crash
- 45mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 80%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Cruise control: mentioned in 207 of 561 complaints (37%)
- Phantom braking: mentioned in 128 of 561 complaints (23%)
- Rear ended: mentioned in 48 of 561 complaints (9%)
- Auto pilot: mentioned in 42 of 561 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 28 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 561 complaints, 98 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 45 an injury.
Tesla Model Y service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model Y | 26 | 6% | 4,900 |
| 2025 Model Y | 15 | 14% | 7,213 |
| 2024 Model Y | 25 | 8% | 26,000 |
| 2023 Model Y | 151 | 13% | 6,180 |
| 2022 Model Y | 131 | 15% | 21,222 |
| 2021 Model Y | 177 | 16% | 1,850 |
| 2020 Model Y | 36 | 13% | 3,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:critical fasteners; service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Model years: 2020, 2021
Problem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles. The brake caliper bolts may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate and contact the wheel rim.
Risk: Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and tighten, or replace the caliper bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service online by visiting www.tesla.com/support/contact or by calling 1-877-79-TESLA (or 1-877-798-3752). Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-33-002.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Repeated Unexpected Braking / Suspected AEB Activation My 2026 Tesla Model Y has repeatedly experienced sudden unexpected braking at the same location near my home over the past several weeks. The incidents have occurred both while Full Self-Driving (Supervised) was engaged and, importantly, while…
Component Involved: Full Self-Driving (FSD) / Uncommanded Vehicle Movement DESCRIPTION OF SAFETY DEFECT & INCIDENT: While using Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, the vehicle navigated into a driveway sloped on an uphill incline and came to a stop. Immediately after the front passenger…
2020 Model Y developed a parking-brake/braking system failure. Vehicle displayed "Steering & Braking - Parking brake functions degraded/parking brake may not apply or release." This resulted in the vehicle being unable to drive for extended periods of time. Tesla diagnosed a rear-right brake…
On September 13, 2026, my 2023 Tesla Model Y (13,300 miles) displayed a High Voltage System alert stating the vehicle may not restart and service was required. I brought the vehicle to the Tesla Service Center for diagnosis. The technician found the alert occurred when the brake pedal was applied…
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and jerked. The contact stated that after shifting into reverse(R), the vehicle failed to reverse as intended. The vehicle was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Tesla Model Ys have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 561 owner complaints about service brakes for the Tesla Model Y. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Tesla Model Y service brakes?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the Tesla Model Y?
The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 207 of 561 complaints, followed by “phantom braking” (128).
Other Tesla Model Y problems
See all Tesla Model Y problems.