Tesla Model X phantom braking problems

Filed Jul 17, 2024 · Airbags, Brakes · CA · crash

Description of the Problem: Component/System Failure: On [XXX], while using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature of my Tesla Model X, the vehicle experienced severe phantom braking and unexpectedly veered off the road near Rio Vista, Antioch, CA. The failure appears to be related to the FSD system, braking, and steering. The vehicle is currently in Tesla’s possession and available for inspection upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Safety Risk: The malfunction put my safety and the safety of others at significant risk. The sudden phantom braking and veering off the road could have caused a serious accident. Fortunately, there were no immediate external damages or injuries, but the incident highlighted a critical safety failure. Reproduction/Confirmation: The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by an independent service center. Tesla has had the vehicle for over three weeks, claiming to conduct a diagnostic check, but has not communicated any findings. Inspection: The vehicle has been inspected by Tesla, but no results have been shared. No inspections have been conducted by the police or insurance representatives as there was no collision or external damage. Warning Lamps/Messages: There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. The incident occurred suddenly and without prior indication of a malfunction. Summary: The incident highlights a severe malfunction in the Full Self-Driving system of my Tesla Model X, posing significant safety risks. Tesla’s lack of communication and failure to provide a loaner vehicle during the extended diagnostic period is unacceptable. I am requesting the federal safety agency’s assistance in addressing this safety concern and ensuring a thorough investigation.

Filed May 4, 2024 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · CO

When operating under adaptive cruise control, the vehicle frequently slams on the brakes for no reason. This has become so bad that we are simply terrified to operate the vehicle under adaptive cruise control. The highway is completely empty in front of us, there are no hazards and no issues with visibility on the road. The cruise control simply reacts to a phantom in a highly dangerous manner. > What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The adaptive cruise control - you are welcome to inspect it. > How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? We have suffered two near-miss rear-end collisions at high speed on the Interstate. The behavior throws us against the seat belt restraints, causing near loss of control. > Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? We have raised the problem repeatedly with Tesla, and there are numerous confirming reports by other Tesla owners > Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The system has been checked by Tesla, nothing found wrong. Tesla maintains that they are continuing to "train" the system, but after 5.5 years, there has been no improvement. > Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Nothing - the car simply slams on the brakes.

Filed Feb 27, 2024 · Driver assistance · CA

The vehicle was in cruise control and had a phantom braking event. The vehicle was going at 70 mph and suddenly braked even though there was significant distance between the car in front and nothing on the road. The sun was glaring on the road and possibly the car detected the shadow on the road as an object and braked because of it.

Filed Dec 6, 2023 · Driver assistance · NY

The auto-speed (cruise control) associated with the latest software release, 2023.27.12, is experiencing a problem that had occurred in Tesla cars a couple of years ago, namely "phantom braking". In the previous situation, the "phantom braking" was random. In this software release it is reproducible and, in my case, occurs at the same location every time I drive in that location. The car slows in a few seconds from 50 mph to 23 mph or less until I take intervention. This is dangerous in traffic. It occurs regardless of the level of autonomy selected or whether it is in Auto-Speed only or Auto-Pilot.

Filed Jun 17, 2023 · Acceleration, Brakes · MT

When driving at highway speed and using cruise control, the car periodically applies its brakes. Sometimes it will only do so for a second or two, then return to the cruise control speed; other times it will continue longer and I will have to intervene by applying pressure to the accelerator pedal. In shorter "phantom braking" episodes the speed may only be reduced by five or ten miles per hour; in longer episodes it could drop by twenty miles per hour before I intervene. I have driven the car for almost three months and have experienced this no fewer than twenty times. To be fair, I have driven almost nine thousand miles during that time, so I have spent a considerable amount of time on highways. When communicating with Tesla's service department, I received a reply message reading, in part: "... slowdowns for apparently no reason are generally caused by a few reasons ... This can easily be overridden by pressing the accelerator pedal ... There are no faults with any of the driver assistance hardware in the vehicle ... these behaviors are a limitation of software in the system ...A service visit is not needed at this time." I have owned cars for almost forty years and have never had these issues while using cruise control. That Tesla finds this acceptable is absolutely not acceptable. I believe it is an unsafe condition, as I have no control over drivers behind me and how they may act in the case of my car decelerating for no apparent reason.

Filed Jun 10, 2023 · Driver assistance · MN

While driving on autopilot, adaptive cruise control essentially, on a 300 mile trip last week the car had several, I think 5 total, instances of phantom braking. These occurrences happen in random situations, no consistent factors that seem to indicate what triggers it. It is often not only startling, but scary since it is almost always in a high speed situation with traffic. These events have happened in the past but not at this frequency. We have another Tesla, a Model 3, that also experiences this same phenomena. When I reported it to Tesla they said to reboot the system, which I did. Did not appear to improve. Otherwise they seem to be unconcerned about these events. I have had adaptive cruise control in other cars, mostly Lexus, where this never occurred.

Filed May 31, 2023 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · NC

Two issues that are concerning and I have told Tesla: 1. The car will be on cruise control and I will be relaxed and all of a sudden it will just brake for no reason. Praise God I am aware of it now and prepared so I have to compensate, but it is very dangerous and made the cruise control useless. While it was under warrantee I request it be fixed, but they said there was no way to do that. 2. The car's back up screen is compromised and has a distortion on the bottom that was caused by a download. I requested four separate times a service requests to fix it while it was under warrantee, but they were unable to repair it. The first time they said I needed to wait for a download, then the second time they said it was a hacker, third time they replaced a chip, and the four time they told me to repair it I need to upgrade my entertainment package for $1500 so I cancelled the appointment. All while I was under warranty. Four appointments later and I still have a distortion on my screen when I back up which is slowly getting larger and will be a safety issue I'm sure down the road. Two very obvious safety issues that while under warranty they would not fix. I wrote Tesla and asked them to review my service requests and to get some resolution. I was unsuccessful.

Filed May 12, 2023 · Brakes, Driver assistance · AZ

Random phantom braking while on the open freeway with no traffic while in cruise control. it happened multiple times while on a road trip. there was not an obstacle or traffic in front of us. braking was hard almost to a skid

Filed Mar 20, 2023 · Driver assistance · NV

On multiple occasions (between 6 and 10) while driving east and west on interstate highway 80 between Reno and Salt Lake City the vehicle executed a phantom braking maneuver while autopilot was engaged. I was east bound on 2/2/23 and 2/24/23 and west bound on 2/7/23 and 3/5/23, i.e., these events occurred on multiple days in multiple locations. On no occasion was there any danger of collision with another vehicle or other obstacle. In fact, the braking was most likely to occur as my vehicle topped a rise in the highway followed by a gental downgrade with no other vehicle or turn in the road for at least a mile ahead. The braking was very hard and caused my vehicle to slow by at least 10 mph before I could react. On one occasion, I immediately accelerated to return to the posted highway speed of 80 mph and the vehicle twice more braked hard after I accelerated back to highway speed. Had there been a vehicle behind me, it's likely I would have been rear-ended on multiple occasions. The problem has not been independently verified (though I understand the federal safety agency has received many similar reports). The vehicle has not been inspected. There was no warning that the vehicle was going to brake hard though I recognized the circumstances in which it was likely to occur and was prepared to accelerate to counteract the effect. The section of I-80 in which these events occurred is lightly traveled and if Tesla autopilot should be flawless, it should be flawless there! Another source of autopilot phantom braking is flashing lights next to the road warning of animal crossing or prison zones. However, in this case, the braking is gentle and not a hazard. In contrast, 2022 when driving the same section of I-80, phantom braking, as described above, was much less of a problem but flashing lights prompted the vehicle to brake hard. It appears Tesla has fixed flashing light-related problem.

Filed Nov 12, 2022 · Brakes, Driver assistance · CT

2022 Model X plaid is exhibiting “ Phantom Braking” while in autopilot mode using navigation. Vehicle abruptly brakes while driving on highway as navigation appears to become confused and thinks it is on a side street. Vehicle goes from high speeds of 70-80 mph, down to 30-40 mph. If was being followed closely, car behind Tesla would have collided with rear of vehicle. This has occurred 10+ times since purchased vehicle in February. Vehicle has just under 6000 mi. as of today. I have times/dates to include a video of one incident. I have brought it to Tesla for service on 2 separate occasions, to no avail. They say it needs the latest upgrade, which has not resolved issue.