2026 Tesla Model Y Problems, Recalls & Reliability
546 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2026 Tesla Model Y, alongside 7 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 31/100 on the trouble index — still early — complaints build over a vehicle's first decade on the road. Driver assistance leads the reports.
Too early to call
Where 2026 sits among all Model Y years
What owners report
“While using Full Self-Driving, Tesla hit a parked car when pulling out of a parking spot in a lot.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2026 Model Y
“There is NO emergency release button and light inside the frunk (front trunk) of my Tesla Model Y Performance 2026.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2026 Model Y
“New 2026 Model Ys made after October 2025 no longer have an emergency release/opener for the front trunk. Easily large enough for a child to lay in and be trapped.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2026 Model Y
“Car seemed to have no power steering when I tried to leave this morning, brand new car less than 5000 miles and it’s glitching.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2026 Model Y
“Issue: A consistent rattling noise, noticeable while driving at speeds of 10-40 mph over bumpy roads or pot holes.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2026 Model Y
“The forward trunk also known as the Frunk does not have the legally required interior release. I have children. I train them how to use a trunk emergency release. This car does not have one for the Forward trunk. This is a serious safety hazard.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2026 Model Y
Recalls (7)
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y and 2024 Model 3 vehicles. The vehicles were originally built for a foreign market and do not have knee air bags, may not be equipped with certain interior safety countermeasures, and may not have been…
Fix: Tesla will repurchase noncompliant vehicles currently registered in the United States, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 5, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Model Y vehicles. The certification label may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 C.F.R. Part 567, "Certification."
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and install a certification label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2025 Model 3 and 2026 Model Y vehicles. The battery pack contactors may fail, causing a loss of drive power.
Fix: Tesla Service will replace the battery pack contactors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y vehicles. The reverse lights may fail to illuminate while the vehicle is in reverse, due to a defect in the wiring. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
Fix: Tesla Service will replace the reverse lights and reverse facia harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 26, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y vehicles. The ring terminal of the horn ground wire may be improperly secured, allowing the circuit to open and preventing the horn from sounding.
Fix: Tesla service will replace the steering wheel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were be mailed September 23, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The fasteners attaching the seat back to the seat bottom may have been improperly tightened.
Fix: Tesla Service Centers will inspect and tighten or replace the seat assembly fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla…
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y vehicles. The hose connector may block the windshield washer nozzles, preventing washer fluid from reaching the windshield. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor…
Fix: Tesla service will inspect and replace the wiper arm elbow connector as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening this Engineering Analysis to evaluate Tesla’s Full Self Driving Beta and Full Self Driving (Supervised) (collectively, FSD) degradation detection system. The focus of this investigation will be to assess the system’s ability, when encountering…
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS
The Office of Defects Investigation (“ODI”) is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety consequences of FSD executing driving maneuvers that constitute traffic safety violations. This investigation concerns versions of FSD that Tesla has labeled…
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS
The Office of Defects Investigation (“ODI”) has identified numerous incident reports submitted by Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”) in response to Standing General Order 2021-01 (the “SGO”), in which the reported crashes occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports. The majority of these…
Technical service bulletins
8 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on seats & interior and suspension — are on file for the 2026 Tesla Model Y. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2026 Model Y TSB list →
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2026 Tesla Model Y reliable?
The 2026 Tesla Model Y drew 546 complaints in federal safety records — still early — complaints build over a vehicle's first decade on the road. Its trouble index is 31/100, scored against the model's worst year (2023).
What are the most common 2026 Tesla Model Y problems?
The top reported problems for the 2026 Tesla Model Y are driver assistance (181 complaints), other (97), and electrical (66).
Does the 2026 Tesla Model Y have recalls?
7 recall campaigns apply to the 2026 Tesla Model Y. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.