2023 Tesla Model Y: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 997 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the automatic emergency braking, steering, and acceleration and cruise control. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023- Owner complaints
- 997
- Recalls
- 15
- Crashes reported
- 128
- 63 injuries
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2023 Tesla Model Y: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Walk-around and cabin
Engine off, key in hand0/3
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Which Model Y is it?
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Tesla Model Y. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | AWD | 330 mi range |
- With a full charge, the range estimate on the dash should land near the EPA figure of 330 miles. A much lower number on a mild day can mean a worn battery; ask for a battery health report.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Loose front control arm bolts
19,200–33,008 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Tesla Model Y, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Automatic emergency braking20612 crashes
Automatic emergency braking fails in two opposite ways. Some cars do not brake or warn before hitting stopped traffic, a turning car, or a deer, including in fog and rain. Others slam on the brakes for nothing, such as glare on an empty road, and passengers report whiplash. There are 12 crash reports and 4 injuries. A separate pattern near 65000 miles starts with an intermittent rear camera and spreads until every driver aid shuts off. One owner was quoted just under 3000 dollars for a computer replacement.
Steering17124 crashes
Cars suddenly veer left or right, and the wheel locks, stiffens, or stops turning the front tires. Many cases happen during low-speed turns or on residential streets. Others happen at highway speed, with or without Autopilot engaged. Drivers describe hitting parked cars, trees, poles, medians, and oncoming traffic. This is one of the most dangerous categories for the car, with 24 crash reports and 16 injuries. Few drivers saw a warning beforehand. Several reports mention a replaced steering rack or a damaged front control arm.
Acceleration and cruise control13017 crashes
The car surges forward or backward on its own, mostly at walking speed. Typical spots are garages, driveways, parking-gate ticket machines, car washes, and parking spaces. Drivers say the brakes did not respond and the car hit walls, posts, or other vehicles. There are 17 crash reports and 4 injuries, including a broken wrist. Many cars were nearly new, some only days or hours from delivery, with one at 1,800 miles. Owners say Tesla and insurers often blamed the driver, and no warning lights came on beforehand.
Electrical7319 crashes
Unintended acceleration while parking or at a stop accounts for most of these reports, along with Autopilot engaging or swerving without being asked. There are 19 crash reports and 11 injuries. Some highway reports describe sudden power loss with hard braking that led to rear-end crashes. Two fire reports involve the car burning, one while parked in a garage after rain soaked the interior. One driver was briefly trapped when the door would not open after a crash. Calibration warnings sometimes appear before incidents.
Brakes6411 crashes
Pressing the brake hard does not always stop the car. It keeps creeping or rolling forward, which leads to rear-end crashes when traffic stops suddenly, sometimes with adaptive cruise control on. There are 11 crash reports and 4 injuries. Phantom braking on interstates is also common: the car drops from 75 to 55 mph with no obstacle ahead, sometimes a dozen or more times on one trip. Service centers called it a software issue. A few reports describe the car stopping on its own in car wash mode and being rear-ended.
Suspension521 crash
Front lower control arm and lateral link bolts back out or fall out. Clunking, popping, or creaking over bumps and in turns comes first, along with loose steering. Then the arm separates, the wheel jams, and steering is lost. Reports cluster between about 19,200 and 33,008 miles, and some cars were still under warranty. Owners cite a recall covering only 26 vehicles and say their cars were excluded. Other reports describe torn control arm bushings and inner tire wear on Performance models from camber that cannot be adjusted.
Airbags2515 crashes
Serious frontal, head-on, and T-bone collisions end with no bag deployed, and drivers report hitting their heads on the steering wheel. One report describes white powder and a burning smell with no bag deployed. Another describes a front bag that burst and tore. There are 15 crash reports and 11 injuries. Many filings here actually describe the crash itself, such as unintended acceleration, Autopilot spins in rain, or a broken wheel joint, and mention the air bags only as a second failure.
Transmission194 crashes
The car loses drive power at speed. It shows power-reduced and emergency-braking-disabled warnings, slows sharply, and sometimes will not shift or restart, leaving it stopped in traffic. Repairs usually replace the rear motor inverter or rear drive unit, sometimes on cars with 12 or 130 miles. One family had the front and then the rear inverter fail about a month apart. Other reports cover a parking brake that locked up repeatedly, a rain-soaked interior that caught fire, and unintended acceleration crashes.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints Model Y owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
It is known as phantom braking that many other people have reported. I bought this car for about two months and has drived for about 2000 miles. It has happend 3 threes to me. In all three cases, the car was on adaptive cruise control at about 70 miles per hour. There was no car within 200 yards. The car suddenly braked and the speed went down to 30 miles per hour in a couple of seconds. I had to intervene and cancel the adaptive cruise control.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2023
Adaptive cruise control changes speed without warning, often when passing a truck clearly in another lane, but also for no apparent reason. This occurs an average of approximately once every 5 miles, but at irregular intervals. It slows quickly enough to be a hazard. This occurs in all modes (set by speed limit or manual).
Filed with NHTSA, May 2025
I got the dreaded ul_a020 error - "Steering assist reduced" today while driving our model Y - barely 3 months old with 2K miles. The steering became very stiff and I could barely move it, had to use all my forrce to rotate the steering wheel and move the car to the side. it very scary, I parked, got out and then drove again, it happened again. Thankfully I was not too far away from home, so somehow got back. The steering is not smooth anymore now.
Filed with NHTSA, September 2023
2 weeks old car. 350 miles. Coming out of the shopping center, suddenly steering wheel did not steer. It was hard and saw the alert. Went to very close to opposite side of traffic and some how made it to across the road inside the shopping center
Filed with NHTSA, June 2023
Phantom braking at highway speed. Maybe a shadow or line on the road confuses the system and slams on brakes. Is more common if the cruise is engaged. Happens every day. My commute is about 30 miles happens once or twice every drive. Increases risk of being rear ended. The car is not FSD enabled.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2023
Intermittent braking while in cruise control for no reason. Nothing in the way, no cars around. Reduces speeds from 10 t0 50 miles per hour. At time it reduces speeds almost to a dead stop. If another car was behind us, could cause a serious crash. Happens at random times.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2023
Power conversion unit failed with 400 miles on the car. It is being repaired now. The first replacement also failed and they are in the process of trying a second replacement. Car has now been out of service for more than a week.
Filed with NHTSA, May 2023
Problem: unintended acceleration On 05/30/23, the Tesla Model Y was parked in a parking spot, southbound facing a building. The car suddenly began to drive forward on its own and struck the curb, an AC unit, and a business office wall. No injuries, but the driver and people in the building (a dental clinic) panicked.
Filed with NHTSA, July 2023
How the 2023 compares with other Model Y years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 has the most owner complaints of the 6 Model Y years we cover, about 2.1 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Automatic emergency braking206134
- Steering17132
- Acceleration and cruise control13061
- Electrical7352
- Brakes6440
- Suspension5213
Where the 2023 fits in the Model Y's history
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2023 is the fourth model year of the Model Y's first generation (2020–2025).
Tesla updated the Model Y for 2025, so a 2023 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2025 (not on a 2023)
- Full-width light bar as daytime running lights and tail light
- Touchscreen for rear passengers
- Sleeker front design
- Redesigned wheels and rear diffuser
Recalls to confirm (15)
Recall repairs are free at any Tesla dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
25V092000SteeringFeb 2025
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating software prior to 2023.38.4. The printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist may experience an overstress condition, causing a loss of power steering assist when the vehicle reaches a stop and then accelerates again.
Risk: A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-00-004.
25V002000Backup cameraJan 2025
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Model 3, Model S, 2023-2025 Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The computer circuit board may short, resulting in the loss of the rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility.".
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Tesla will also identify any vehicles that experienced a circuit board failure, or stress that may lead to a circuit board failure, and replace the affected computers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-00-001.
24V935000Wheels and tiresDec 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3, and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn the driver of low tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems.".
Risk: Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-018.
24V554000Door latches and locksJul 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.
Risk: An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.
24V376000Seat beltsMay 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection.".
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.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
24V051000ElectricalJan 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems.".
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.
Fix: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
24V035000Backup cameraJan 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model S, X, and Y vehicles equipped with full self-driving computer 4.0 and running a software release version 2023.44.30 through 2023.44.30.6 or 2023.44.100. Software instability may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying.
Risk: A rearview image that does not display while in reverse decreases the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-002.
23V838000ElectricalDec 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
23V489000Automatic emergency brakingJul 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The forward-facing camera may be misaligned, causing some of the active safety features such as emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane assist to become unavailable without alerting the driver.
Risk: Safety features that are unavailable without any warning to the driver may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and adjust the pitch angle, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-17-006.
23V434000ElectricalJun 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The pyrotechnic battery disconnect may be defective.
Risk: A defective battery disconnect may not isolate the vehicle's high voltage battery after a crash or fault detection, increasing the risk of electrical shock and injury.
Fix: Tesla Service will replace the pyrotechnic battery disconnect, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-16-005.
23V385000SteeringMay 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Model Y vehicles. The steering wheel fastener may be loose.
Risk: A loose fastener may allow the steering wheel to disconnect from the steering column, which can cause a loss of steering control and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and replace the fastener as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were be mailed July 28, 2023. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-32-001.
23V130000SeatsFeb 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Model Y vehicles. The bolts securing the second-row seat back frames may not have been securely tightened.
Risk: A loose seat frame bolt may reduce the seat belt system's performance, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service Centers will inspect and tighten the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-13-001.
23V085000SteeringFeb 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.
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 crash.
Fix: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
22V895000SuspensionDec 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model Y vehicles. The front suspension lateral link fasteners may not have been properly attached to the sub-frame.
Risk: A loose fastener can allow the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will tighten or replace the fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-31-002.
22V844000Exterior lightsNov 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. One or both taillights may intermittently fail to illuminate.
Risk: A taillight that fails to illuminate may reduce the visibility of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-016.
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