2023 Tesla Model S Collision Avoidance Problems

Which parts fail

• Adaptive cruise control
  13
• Automatic emergency braking
  8
• Warnings
  6
• Warning
  2
• Assist
  1
• Sensing system › Camera
  1

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

Mileage when the problem started

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2023 Tesla Model S owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse the vehicle, the Collision Avoidance Assist system failed to operate as designed while reversing from the garage. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that a representative would be sent to the residence to inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was 16,000.

As I approached a red light with a car in front of me, I took my foot off the accelerator to use Tesla's regenerative braking, but instead the car rapidly accelerated and crashed into the car in front of me. It seemed like unintended acceleration.

3 separate times the right pillar camera and 2 times for all cameras: The car's computer lost contact with the cameras and could not reconnect. In 2023, Tesla changed from radar to camera sensing technology. All driving functions relating to car positioning and cruise/speed control were lost at those times. Twice the car was under cruise control so the car interpreted this as 0 mph and initiated emergency braking from 75 mph on an interstate highway. I was able to avoid the following cars hitting me only by instantly accelerating back to posted speed. Tesla has been very difficult to convince that this is a problem. They say that remote diagnosis is inconclusive. Since they go for "at home" service first, 3 separate service times were cancelled by them, and they will not allow a service appointment at their shop for further diagnosis. …

This complaint is about difficulties with the horn sensor on the steering yoke under emergency situations. After 14 months of driving the car, I have these safety issues: 1) The horn sensor is difficult to find in emergency situations. It is a single, small area located farthest away from the right-hand rest position and touching it requires a long stretch with the thumb. When turning, it is easy to lose the orientation of the yoke and nearly impossible to find the horn sensor. (See #5 in the attached image). 2) The horn sensor is near the cruise-control button ("right scroll button"). The cruise-control button is raised and I have accidentally engaged the cruise-control on multiple occasions when trying to reach for the horn sensor. I would lift off the accelerator, expecting to slow down, but imagine my panic when the car speeds-up due to the accidentally engaged cruise-control. …

There are several safety related issues with the 2023 Tesla Model S 1) The horn is a tiny raised marking on the steering wheel (right side), and not like in "normal" car where pushing/hitting the center of the steering wheel will activate the horn. This is unsafe, since in emergency the driver automatically hits the center, and does not have time to look for the time horn "button" 2) The turn signals are also "buttons" on the steering wheel. It's OK when the car drives straight, but if you turn the wheel to either side, the driver must LOOK at the wheel, find the turn signal and then press it. 3) The parking warning system works intermittently. I already have three big scratches on my car which I bought in June 2023, when the system was silence when I was getting out of a parking space, and I hit the car next to me. 4) The Auto wipers don't always work. …

While operating my 2023 Tesla Model S Long range using Full Self Driving Supervised and software version 14.2.1.25, the speed control no longer is available and has been replaced by speed profiles. When operating the vehicle on Interstate 77 Southbound around Statesville, NC and on or about December 22, 2025, I set the speed profiles to standard in a 55 mph zone in which the Tesla recognized and displayed that it was operating in a 55 mph zone in Standard profile mode, the car varied in speed (with no traffic ahead) from about 57 mph to over 76 mph. This is highly unsafe and I had to repeatedly move back to Chill or Sloth mode at which time the vehicle strongly and unsafely braked causing cars behind me to close on me quickly and have to make strong and unplanned braking maneuvers to avoid hitting me. This was not the case when I bought the car and FSD when operating under 13.2.9. …

While driving west on [redacted] thru Utah at 78 mph (speed limit posted 80) the car suddenly and almost violently applied full brakes and reduced speed to 50 mph before I could override by applying added pressure to the accelerator. There were no cars in front of me for over a mile, and the following cars were well back as well. This occurred late morning on perfectly dry pavement. There were few if any clouds, the temperature was in the mid to high 90's. The highway was divided with a significant center divider. If there had been a person following me within 5 car lengths there would certainly have been a rear end collision. The location was roughly 20 miles east of Green River, Utah.

Was driving on a highway when suddenly a whole bunch of error messages came on and my car became hard to steer. Wobbled off my lane which was extremely dangerous going 70mph. I reported this to Tesla and set up a service appointment. The day before my appointment they rescheduled it, pushing it out 30 days saying they don't have the part in store. They haven't looked at my car. They said they're waiting for a new steering rack but don't know when it's coming in. Mentioned towing the vehicle and it being unsafe to operate - they must know there's something wrong and clearly there's a backlog of issues. They should have told me this earlier. My car is practically new. There's absolutely no reason the steering rack would have broken.

At least 6 times on two different trips, while driving with Adaptive Cruise control engaged, the car randomly and aggressively applied the breaks. It was so aggressive that if there had been a car behind us, they would definitely have rear ended us going 60+ miles per hour. It was difficult to hold the car in the lane when the breaks were applied so aggressively. We did some research and found that there were over 700 comments on this problem and it was being labeled as "fantom breaking". The breaking is very aggressive and very unsafe. The representatives at the dealership simply acknowledged the problem and said that Tesla will continue to try to correct it with a software download.

I received a letter from Tesla in Jan 2024 detailing recall 24V-035 for my Model S 2023 vehicle. This recall indicates the vehicle is not in compliance with FMVSS No. 111, S5.5.3. and promised an over-the-air software update to remedy the issue. However, it is now June 2024 and my vehicle continues to show no updates are available to fix this safety issue. My vehicle continues to run software version 2023.44.30.6 while the fix is only available in version 2023.44.30.7 and later. I am concerned the Tesla is either incapable of fixing the problem via software updates and is dragging its feet, or lacks the expertise to fix the problem via said software update.

Related recalls

Collision Avoidance complaints in other Model S years