Engine complaints by model year
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owned a 2024 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while shifting the vehicle into drive (D), the vehicle inadvertently accelerated. The contact stated that he depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle was gaining forward momentum. Additionally, the steering wheel would not turn right or left. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle gained speed and crashed through a chain link fence and drove into an alley. The contact stated that the air bags deployed. The contact stated that the vehicle then crashed into a building wall and finally stopped. The contact stated he had abrasions on both hands from the air bag. The contact stated he was treated by EMT on scene. The fire department and police were also at the scene. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. …
The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing abnormal battery drainage and was not operating based on the designed mileage. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was overheating, and the failure persisted after the vehicle had been parked and turned off. The contact also stated that the front passenger's side window would roll down unintentionally while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Tesla Service Center several times; however, the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6.
On Saturday 16th Oct 2026 around 10 AM EST, while driving down the ramp from Parking Floor 2 to Parking Floor 1 in the JFK Terminal 4 Short Term Parking garage (John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York), the Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated forward very fast on its own without any input on the accelerator pedal. Either I was not pressing the gas pedal at the time, or I was slowing pressing as the car was going down on ramp. The car surged ahead with significant force and struck a fence at the bottom/end of the ramp area. There were two passengers in the vehicle. No other vehicles were involved. The impact caused: My Tesla Model Y to sustain severe front-end damage and appear to be a total loss. Injuries to both passengers. Minor scratches on my hands. …
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, a message that the vehicle was shutting down was displayed and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that a wiring harness clip was not clipped correctly. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 41.
The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 60-70 MPH, she noticed a burning smell. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then noticed sparks coming from the front passenger's side tire area. Another driver alerted the contact of an issue, and the contact immediately veered to the side of the road. The contact then noticed that the sparks coming from the front passenger's side tire area had become significant and had turned into flames. The front end of the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire; however, a fire department report was not filed. There was no police report filed. The contact sustained minor bruises while exiting the vehicle. Additionally, the contact sustained an emotional trauma and intended to receive therapeutic assistance. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. …
I have repeatedly had electrical failure in the vehicle in the form of a "Reduced Power Alert" which renders the vehicle with significant limitation to drivability. This places the vehicle in "limp mode" and this frequently occurs on the highway. Once this Alert appears the vehicle has limited propulsion, limitations to steering and braking as well as other electrical systems. It has been to the dealership for repair on 4 occasions without remedy. It is leaving us on the highway in a dangerous situation repeatedly. It's not a one time event. There were 20 Alerts showing on the screen when I limped it into the dealership once again on [redacted] having nearly wrecked on [redacted] just before the [redacted] exit. The reason this is so dangerous is the failures occur at higher speeds such as highway driving. …
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 20-45 MPH on a six-lane highway, the contact attempted a hard acceleration, and there was an abnormal banging sound heard. The battery was disconnected. The pyrotechnic fuse went into failure mode. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle slowed down, pulsated, and then shut down. The hazard lights, steering, and brake system became inoperable. The brake pedal was depressed to stop the vehicle from rolling. Additionally, while closing the driver's side door, the glass window fractured. The local dealer was contacted and retrieved a system failure with the 12-volt battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 58,044.
Power was lost completely while car was on the road, breaks stop working and unable to stop. Driver had to go off road to prevent collision and road a accident. Towed to Tesla center. Diagnosis is "internal short" but did not elaborate. No explanation and answer why break did not work. External damage due to accident was not covered.
Frequently asked questions
Which Tesla Model Y years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2023 (20), 2021 (14), 2022 (11) and 2024 (8) model years. Engine complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2023.
Is there a recall for Tesla Model Y engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Tesla Model Y model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Tesla Model Y engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 5,000 miles; 88% happened before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.