2020 Tesla Model Y driver assistance problems

Filed Nov 7, 2026 · Driver assistance, Steering · TN · crash · 1 injury

The vehicle FSD drove towards to closed toll roads and hit the gates . None of the vehicle safety feature worked . There’s over $3k damage and some scars due to the shedding windshield glasses

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · OR · crash · 1 injury

I was driving a 2020 Tesla Model Y with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged when another vehicle unexpectedly turned into my path, resulting in a heavy initial collision. However, the most critical safety failures occurred immediately after this first impact: FSD Failure to Disengage: Despite the severe physical impact of the collision, the Tesla FSD system completely failed to detect the crash or automatically disengage. It did not apply the brakes. Instead, the system continued to actively propel the vehicle forward for approximately 5 to 10 meters, steering it directly into a concrete traffic median and causing a severe secondary collision. -Airbag Non-Deployment: Despite enduring two distinct physical impacts—the initial crash and the secondary median collision which resulted in a broken axle—none of the airbags deployed to protect the cabin. -The vehicle was rendered a total loss. It has been inspected by the responding police officer (who cited the other driver for the initial crash) and my insurance company's total loss adjusters. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. A driver assistance system that continues to independently drive a vehicle after a structural crash, coupled with a complete failure of airbag deployment, poses a severe risk of further injury or fatalities to the occupants and the public. Tesla Customer Service has opened an internal investigation , but I am filing this report directly with the federal safety agency because a driver assistance system that continues to independently drive a vehicle after a structural crash, coupled with a complete failure of passive safety deployment, represents a catastrophic safety defect. I urge the federal safety agency to investigate Tesla’s FSD post-collision disengagement protocols and airbag sensor reliability to prevent future fatalities. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 9, 2026 · Driver assistance · FL

The vehicle is experiencing an active, recurring safety hazard caused by a manufacturer software bug that triggers unprovoked alignment parameter and steering angle plausibility resets. This defect directly compromises the vehicle’s primary handling characteristics and stability control systems. This specific firmware vulnerability is officially documented and acknowledged by the manufacturer under Tesla Internal Toolbox Article 8368100. The unprovoked resetting of steering and alignment parameters degrades the vehicle's driving stability, alters steering feedback, and can cause sudden, unexpected disengagements of advanced driver-assistance systems (Autopilot/FSD). This sudden loss of driver assist functionality and changes to steering plausibility while operating at highway speeds pose a severe, immediate risk of a crash or loss of vehicle control. Tesla's standard remedy for this defect is a newer firmware deployment (branch .32 or later). However, due to a severe firmware gap, the vehicle's automated Over-The-Air (OTA) download architecture is corrupted, consistently freezing and failing mid-stream at precise milestones (50%, 67%, and 83%). While non-critical data packets (such as Map and Navigation updates) download successfully, the core safety-critical OS update cannot be processed over the air. Tesla Service has been formally notified of the active safety hazard and the corresponding internal technical article (Toolbox Article 8368100). Because the vehicle's automated OTA path is blocked by a software-induced cache loop, a physical, local hardware tether via Tesla Toolbox is required to bypass the download block. Tesla Service has refused to perform this critical safety patch or tether the vehicle unless the consumer pays an out-of-pocket, mandatory "formal diagnostic fee." Forcing a consumer to pay a fee to resolve a documented, manufacturer-created code defect that compromises steering safety constitutes a failure to remediate a known safety hazard.

Filed Sep 25, 2026 · Driver assistance · CA

Critical FSD Lane Change - 2020 Tesla Model Y Software 2026.26.6.5 and FSD v14.1 Lite changed lanes suddenly and violently at freeway speed while entering an express lane with flexible lane delineators between the express lanes and the freeway. The automation made the lane change at the very last second, narrowly avoiding impact with the plastic posts, and swerving back into the left-most freeway lane. The action of the FSD could have caused a loss of control of the vehicle as it compensated for the weight shift caused by suddenly swerving. There was space between the Tesla and other vehicles at the time but this could have been catastrophic with only slight changes to the road condition etc... Reported to Tesla FSD Beta team. No known failures, warning lights or other issues with the car.

Filed Aug 18, 2026 · Driver assistance · NC

I am reporting multiple safety‑critical incidents involving my Tesla Model Y equipped with FSD (Supervised). The vehicle has repeatedly performed sudden braking in active traffic without any obstacles present, causing physical jolting and creating a risk of collision. These incidents occurred on [XXX] and XXX including a sudden hard brake at approximately 2:18 p.m. on XXX. Additionally, the vehicle has shown lane‑centering instability on the highway. On XXX at approximately 1:51 p.m., the vehicle drifted within the lane and failed to maintain proper centering while FSD was engaged, requiring immediate manual intervention to avoid unsafe movement. Tesla service has stated that no error codes were detected, but also acknowledged known FSD software behaviors affecting Hardware 3 vehicles. This indicates the system may be performing unsafe maneuvers without logging faults. I am reporting these incidents because they pose a direct safety risk to me, other drivers, and pedestrians. I request that the federal safety agency review these behaviors as potential safety defects in Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 25, 2026 · Driver assistance · OR

This is about a 2020 Tesla Model Y, with HardWare3 (HW3) Full-Self-Driving (FSD) feature. The older HW3 FSD-enabled Model Y cars started getting the new "v14 Lite" FSD updates recently - I got mine a few days ago. I immediately noticed a safety concern with the v14 Lite. Previous versions of FSD allowed me to set the maximum speed that the car would drive in the FSD mode - I can adjust it using the "wheel button" on my right thumb on the steering wheel, and the car would not exceed the maximum speed I choose. However, after the update to v14 Lite, the wheel button no longer controlled the maximum speed. Instead, it controlled the "speed profile" ("Sloth", "Chill", "Standard", "Hurry" are the options in my car). Regularly in highway driving, even in the Standard mode, the car would speed up to go well past the speed limit, more than 10mph over the speed limit, seemingly to match the speed of the rest of the traffic (69mph on a 55mph highway). This felt very uncomfortable. I tried to adjust the max speed down like I was used to, but the car instead switched to a different profile, "Chill", and rapidly slowed down to 4mph below the speed limit (51mph in this case=. The speed reduction was so sudden that it also felt dangerous (car behind me would have to break quickly to not hit me), and I didn't want to be driving well below the speed limit (also dangerous). Under "Self Driving" settings menu, there is also a feature called "Speed Limit", that used to allow you to set the "default" speed limit for FSD driving (for instance, +3mph above the speed limit). You can adjust it up and down with the right thumb wheel beyond that, but it set the default basic max speed limit for FSD. After the v14 Lite update, the FSD completely ignores this speed limit, and happily accelerates well beyond that. Not it seems like the "speed limit" feature is simply for warning the driver to not exceed the pre-determined speed limit when controlling the car. FSD simply ignores it.

Filed Apr 14, 2026 · Driver assistance · FL

My Tesla Model Y 2020 (VIN: [XXX] ) is stuck on software version 2023.44.1 for more than 2 years and has four incomplete the federal safety agency safety recalls: • 23V838 – Autosteer driver monitoring improvements • 24V051 – Brake/Park/ABS warning font size too small • 24V153 – Muted Pedestrian Warning System • 24V554 – Hood not detected as unlatched
Tesla Service in the Baltic region and Tesla Service in Warsaw (Poland) both refused to deliver the required OTA safety recall updates. They classified the vehicle as “unsupported” because it is a US-market vehicle located in Latvia.
I am unable to bring the vehicle to any Tesla Service Center.
Tesla is not fulfilling its legal obligation to provide the free safety recall remedies. Please require Tesla to deliver the updates or provide a proper solution.
Attached: screenshots of refusals from Tesla Service (Baltic + Warsaw). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Feb 3, 2026 · Driver assistance · OR

The full self-driving (FSD) stopped working although it was fully paid for at the time of vehicle purchase. Along with that, the car stopped receiving/installing over the air software updates, the lane markings in the display disappeared, and the automatic cancelling turn signals stopped working (requiring me to manually cancel them). I took it to Tesla service and was told that the car needs a new computer at a cost of approximately $2,300. To answer the bullet points above: 1. The main vehicle computer malfunctioned. 2. I paid for FSD for the safety it provides - without FSD, the car is simply less safe in traffic. 3. The Tesla service center confirmed that the vehicle computer has malfunctioned. 4. There was no indication of any kind, until suddenly the FSD stopped working and I noticed subsequently that downloading/installing software updates failed, lane markings disappeared, and automatic cancelling turn signals stopped working requiring manual operation.

Filed Dec 26, 2025 · Driver assistance · MD

Car was on complete auto pilot on mayland highway 270 and car suddenly took exit with any command and notification. Car was very close , few feet away from the guardrail at 55 mile per hour. This could have been a life threatening event with such decisions made by car. I saved all the dash cam videos of such two occurrence. I no longer have any trust in auto pilot software after too many mishaps with recent updates.

Filed Apr 25, 2025 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · FL · crash

On Tuesday, [XXX], around [XXX] returning home and in my driveway when the following happened. Pulling into the left side of the driveway because a utility van was parked on the right side of the driveway with the rear door and driver’s side door opened with no one in the vicinity. There was not enough room to go forward into the garage. I was almost at a complete stop with the intention of getting out of the car to shut the drivers side door. That was when the car sped up at full speed and turned to the right into the van and continued in the right direction into the garage. The car was headed to the right back corner of the garage smashing into paint cans, a freezer, sink and cabinets. I had no control over the car from the time the car sped up and smashed into the back of the garage and it all happened in a matter of a few seconds. The vehicle has been totaled by the insurance company. This incident was recorded in the vehicle’s computer. The police department was called the same day and a police officer came to the house to record the incident. The car was towed to Gerber Collision & Glass, 10491 Corkscrew Commons Dr., Estero, FL 33928, phone (239) 947-6050. The car computer system should have recorded the event. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)