2021 Tesla Model S Collision Avoidance Problems

Which parts fail

• Automatic emergency braking
  27
• Adaptive cruise control
  26
• Warnings
  10
• Assist
  6
• Warning
  5
• Blind spot detection
  2

Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  583%
• 25k–50k
  00%
• 50k–75k
  117%
• 75k–100k
  00%
• 100k–150k
  00%
• 150k+
  00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Tesla Model S owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle approached another vehicle that had slowed for a traffic light and did not automatically start braking. The contact manually applied the brakes, but the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle in front. The contact stated he noticed no warning lights illuminated nor warning chimes sounded advising of a vehicle ahead. The contact said both air bags deployed. The vehicle had crashed and damaged the entire front end which crumpled to the front tires. The police were on the scene and filed a report. The contact and the occupant of the other vehicle were not injured. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

Beta Autopilot was engaged, driver had hand on steering wheel, vehicle was traveling less than 35MPH (speed limit) and coming around a corner when it misjudged the road curve. The road curved to the left and as the car took the turn it took too wide of a turn and veered slightly off the road. Unfort the front right side of car went up and over the begining of a rock incline. The front right tire blew out and ONLY the side AIrBags deployed (both sides). The car traveled about 500 yards along the road and then turned itself off. I could not get the horn to work, nor put it in neutral. There were no warning signs before incident. In fact the I belong to a beta driving scoring rating and for that day Tesla rated me a 91/100. I called Tesla roadside assistance and they said they would not provide any help as it was viewed as an accident and not a self-driving issue. …

I was in full self driving mode and was travelling North bound 110 freeway transitioning to 405 freeway Northbound. In the right lane. Transition curved left. looked at my speed for a split second and as i looked up we were a split second from hitting freeway barrier head-on. We crashed through the barrier and ended on the embankment of the freeway. My car front end was totally demolished, front airbags went off. I was ok, but my wife suffered a L1 vertebrae fracture and was taken to Harbor UCLA Hospital for treatment. She was released 9 hours later with a back brace and pain meds. The accident occured at 8:34 am Sunday April 5th, Easter sunday while on our way to church. Its been over a month and my wife is still in a back brace, but healing slowly. USB Drive taken out of the glove box showed that all cameras cut off about 10 seconds before the crash. …

On Nov 14 at 09:01 AM while driving on the freeway with clear weather and autopilot is on for at least 15 min and and i am fully attentive and no traffic the tesla auto pilot decided to turn left and hit the cement barrier of the freeway damaging my left rear wheel then it tried to correct it fault by turning right to the right lane abruptly luckily there was no traffic coming on my right side too otherwise it would have been fatal I have the incident recorded by the sentry mode cameras and exact time and sec and the logs of the car black box proves that the tesla auto pilot was engaged at that time when it hit the cement barrier I reported this to tesla so they would take responsibility of their risky autopilot software but they dont care and told me i can report it to NHTSA it doesnt matter to them even with all the documented proof i have

This was a Autodrive malfunction event on a brand new Tesla Model S. I was in standstill traffic when my car, which had been engaged in Autodrive, lurched forward and suddenly accelerated at a high rate of speed into the car in front of us, without any driver prompts. The problem was immediately reported to Tesla who has been delaying in providing the data logs and engineering analysis for over two months. Tesla did what they called a "safety inspection" after the crash and says the car is fine. They have refused to try and replicate the malfunction because they maintain the car is fine. Luckily, no one was injured, and there was only property damage to my car and the car in front of me, but there is something wrong with the software, the cameras, and/or the front end sensors and their calibration for the car to have done that.

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH with the Autonomous Self-Driving feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking on numerous occasions. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle performed as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to the Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta 10.69.2.2 software update. The failure mileage was 17,102.

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH or slower, the pedestrian alert warning system failed to activate as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic found no failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V235000 (Electrical System, Forward Collison Avoidance). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000.

Oncoming vehicle suddenly turned in front of 2021 Tesla Model S resulting in collision at 34mph. Automatic braking did not engage, collision warning system failed to sound alert. Air bags deployed however seat belt completely spooled out causing the driver to strike the windshield and break the glass by contact with the top of the head. The vehicle was a total loss and the dealer never inspected the car.

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving 72 MPH with the autonomous self-driving feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 56,292.

In August 2022 I was driving my Tesla S. I was traveling 25 miles an hour or less. I unfortunately lost consciousness for a very short time. My tesla then crashed into a parked car. There was snow emergency braking nor any emergency alarms. In theory describes shouldn't of happened with an emergency braking system.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Collision Avoidance complaints in other Model S years