I am reading about the Tesla braking for no reason & wanted to report my own experiences with this. I have not reported this before to anyone at Tesla, just told my husband. Numerous times (at least 5) over the past year I have owned my Y it has suddenly braked for no reason. It either always or almost always happened when I was going freeway speeds on a turn & there was a vehicle in the lane next to me that I think my Tesla thought I was going to hit. But I wasn't. It was a sudden brake that if I had not been in full control of the car with my feet ready to move so I had to hit the accelerator pedal quickly there could have been a big problem if there was a car behind me. This issue made me stop using the auto pilot on the highway it happened the most on - Hwy 80 between Sacramento & Truckee CA. But it has happened on other freeways too. It makes me very hesitant to use the autopilot unless I am on a straight freeway.
2021 Tesla Model Y driver assistance complaints
Page 11 of 22: complaints 281 to 310 of 630, newest first, as owners wrote them.
While using the autopilot (not full self driving feature) on the highway, I have experienced multiple inatances sudden braking for no reason. No vehicle has been in front of me in these instances and it has occurred most often on undivided highways and highways where there is a hill. This has made engaging the autopilot dangerous as there are cars behind me and I could have been rear-ended on multiple occasions. Additionally, while driving manually on city streets where there are stop signs, there have been multiple instances where the vehicle has given me a forward collision warning because I am slowing down to a vehicle that is ahead of me at the stop sign. This has most often happened on uphill and downhill instances where there are stop signs.
Tesla Phantom breaking issues on my Model Y. Clear roads and then sudden deceleration in perfect weather conditions with no nearby cars
My Model Y Tesla, while driving on the freeway using full self driving, would abruptly slow down from 70mph to 40 mph in matter of seconds without warning and luckily there was nobody around me. I did a bug report on it many times but Tesla discounted that. Also my front windshield wipers would come on for no reason even on a sunny day. Sometime on a raining day when going into a tunnel the windshield wipers would stop and would not come back on when I get out of the tunnel and that is really scarily as I was unable to see during heavy rain. I had to manually turn it on and that took a few seconds and in the meantime I could not see anything due to heavy rain. I brought this to Tesla and they told me that the windshield wiper control and the headlight use the same sensor and there is nothing I can do except to place the windshield wiper on manual mode. The rain detection wipers are on many different model cars without issues. I am not sure why Tesla could not add an additional sensor just for the windshield wipers.
While the car is in “autopilot” (we did not pay for full self driving package), the car will apply braking often while at posted speeds on interstates and highways in Montana, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Utah. Our observations notice it happens when the road color transitions between older and newer road surfaces and in curved sections of roadway (especially curves to the left). We are looking for a replacement electric vehicle now due to this problem.
Driving on I95 in Florida. Cruise control engaged at approximately 70 mph. Problem: sudden braking without my stepping on brake pedal. Car started slowing down immediately and veering to the left almost out of lane of traffic. I immediately pressed accelerator and avoided any collision. This happened 3 times to me, always on I95 where I do most driving, always with cruise control engaged.
The car suddenly stops as if the traffic ahead is stopped. I noticed it happens when the auto pilot is on. I gave up using the autopilot because I have experienced the sudden break and I have missed having an accident. It kind of feel like the sensors from the sides get the idea that if the side lane is going slow the car has to break suddenly.
My Tesla Model Y has phantom braking issue. When on autopilot (not full self-driving) traveling io the freeway, it just suddenly slows down to 45MPH for no obvious reason. This problem happens every time on the southbound direction of Interstate 5 when the car passes under the overpass bridge at Valley View Blvd in Santa Fe Springs, CA. The slow down also happens without fail in the same general area on the northbound direction of the same freeway. This incident last happened on May 27, 2022 but has happened numerous other times. It has also happened randomly on other freeways.
On multiple occasions, I have experienced the "phantom breaking" problem when using either adaptive cruise control or the limited self driving feature on my Tesla. I've experienced the problem when driving in traffic (me in another lane, passing a larger vehicle) when the breaking system will activate and all kinds of warning sounds given by the vehicle. I've also experienced the problem when driving alone on the highway (no traffic in either direction), usually in daylight conditions, when the breaking system activates and alarms go off. Additionally, I've experienced the problem when cruise control is activated and a vehicle turns in front of me (either in the same direction or sometimes when turning on a cross street), it's just strange for this to happen when the vehicle is about 1/4th of a mile (or more) in front of me and the turning action of the other vehicle will be complete without causing any concern for my vehicle. This has happened 30-50 times since I purchased the vehicle in late September 2021, so I don't have specific dates for each of these occurrences but it happens so frequently that I pretty much don't use the cruise control or self driving function anymore.
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH with the adaptive cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The contact stated that the speed was then reduced to approximately 35-40 MPH inadvertently, and then resumed the set speed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that there were no other vehicles or objects nearby to cause the failure. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving in self-driving and adaptive cruise control modes. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 10,100.
Car was on autopilot full self driving. Truck hit car and vehicle was severely side scrapped. Over 35k in damages. Autopilot did not stop or drive to the side to avoid collision. Autopilot failed Videos can be provided.
We are experiencing two issues with our Tesla Y, one of which I have come to learn is common. That issue is the cruise control will suddenly "disengage" forcing the brakes on, either actively or just through the regenerative components. This has happened in several conditions from high speeds on interstates (>55 MPH) and on smaller state highways (<55MPH). The primary concern is being rear ended by cars following; effectively the Tesla is "brake checking". I am not aware of Tesla pushing updates or addressing this issue in any typeof inspection. There are no warnings, and I have noticed no pattern as to why it happens (and it happens frequently). I have notified Tesla of the issue. The second issue is that the control/infotainment screen has frozen and gone blank on at least four occasions. This as well has happened in various conditions, most recently on both legs of a long roadtrip on the highway. It effectively leaves all control of the car other than steering and velocity out of our control. It is scary. There are no warnings and I am not aware of Tesla doing anything to address the issue though I am aware that it is happening to other vehicles.
On Sept 2 or 3, 2021, I was using cruise control on long straight highway, with no other vehicles in sight, sunny clear weather, traveling at 65-70 mph. Suddenly brakes slammed on very hard. A short time later, same conditions, brakes slammed very hard 4-5 times in a row, rapidly. It was terrifying. I stopped driving for the day and I have never dared to use cruise control again. When I returned home I took the car to the dealer and told them time and location of incident. I assumed there was something wrong that would be corrected, like a Camera not pointing correctly. The Tesla employee checked the computer record of the incident, told me there was nothing wrong and changed the subject. This was an extremely scary thing for me, severe enough that I got a sore neck, and I have no doubt if another vehicle was following I could have been rear ended. I actually was relieved to read about other Tesla owners experiencing this, and thought there would quickly be a solution. I am disappointed there has not been. I have been driving for over 50 years, have never had an accident while driving….I am very cautious! I want to emphasize again, this was not a minor incident. It was very very frightening, and very dangerous.
Phantom braking on highway when using ACC and FSD. When going 80 mph car will suddenly brake for no apparent reason. This happened over 12 times in one day on a recent trip. I sent video clips to Tesla for every event. This is the second report of this defect. I have ever had and ACC act this way. I am afraid I will get rear ended.
Driving on 2 lane highway at about 70mph with auto pilot enabled in left lane. There was a large truck on the right. No vehicles in front of the car. The truck on the right remained in its lane. The Tesla suddenly applied the brakes, dropping the speed to about 50 mph very quickly and unexpectedly. I disabled autopilot and pressed the accelerator to get back to the original speed. It almost seems like the auto pilot decided that the truck was in front of the Tesla when it was actually in a different lane. No accident or problems except for the shock of the car breaking suddenly.
While driving using cruise control or auto drive the car randomly brakes while at highway speeds. There are often no cars or objects in front of the car. I have almost been rear ended, because the car hit the brakes to almost stop. This happens every time the vehicle is placed in regular cruise control or auto drive.
Traveling at highway speeds (70mph) while adaptive cruise control was active, the car applied the brakes suddenly with no apparent reason. No obstructions were present and no traffic was in the area.
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 79 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
1. Pulling the car into a parking spot at a low speed (tight parking space for which you had to turn the car at a 90 degree angle, so had to be slow). 2. Applied brakes BUT the brakes didn't work. 3. Car went through very thick hedges and over a ledge (parking collision and emergency brakes didn't work). Follow up: Filed a data request with Tesla and they denied the request.
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH with the adaptive cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal to disengage cruise control. The contact then depressed the accelerator pedal and was able to continue driving. The contact stated that there were no other vehicles around the vehicle at the time of the failure. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred three more times while driving. The manufacturer was notified of the failure through email. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 4,300.
With AP and AS activated the vehicle will have multiple episodes of phantom braking. With no vehicle in front, next to, or behind for 100’s of feet or even visible to the naked eye on a divided highway. No flashing lights, no moon visible, no signs just a straight stretch of flat highway 70-50 hard stop before deactivated. Nothing on the driving display to indicate a need to brake.
Going on highway at 70mph at around 440pm on I76 on 5/23/22 with autopilot with no cars in front. Clear weather and suddenly car brakes on the highway to almost 30mph. Thankfully there was no car behind me. It could have been a grave mishap. Have reported about this earlier also and has happened multiple times.
Driving south on Interstate 89 in Vermont, approaching exit 2. Auto-pilot and auto-steer engaged. (Note: this vehicle does not have the optional "full self-driving beta" mode.) In the right lane, road curving to the left. The right-hand exit ramp appeared almost directly ahead. Auto-steer tried to continue straight ahead into the (low-speed) exit ramp at full highway speed. I had to physically wrestle the auto-steer for a short period, which forces it to disengage, to keep in my lane on the highway. Daylight, clear weather. Had I not had my hands on the wheel and had I not paid attention, the car would have taken the sharply curving exit ramp and I would have run off the road into trees. This is a failure of the auto-steer software. I have also had issues with auto-steer when driving past on-ramps and off-ramps that do not have dashed lines that continue the right-hand edge of the driving lane. In these cases, the auto-steer attempts to abruptly correct into the middle of the suddenly wider "lane" as indicated by the edges of the ramps and the left side dashed line. It should maintain its standard distance from the left lane markings instead of trying to center itself in the suddenly wider perceived lane. I have the auto-steer lane correction enabled and set to "early" mode (which is the most aggressive setting). This is a software bug, not a component failure.
On or about 4:30 pm Monday, May 16th there were two instances of unintended braking. Then at approximately 10:30am on 19 May another 6 instances of unintentional braking occurred. I believe this is a serious safety risk and Tesla should be required to correct.
Repeated random automatic braking while using cruise control at highway speeds. Near miss of rear end collision. Tesla service representative just said to live with it and be careful.
While in cruise control, our 2021 Tesla Model Y (WE DO NOT HAVE AUTO PILOT!) applied the brakes HARD dropping between 10-40 mph with no warning. Cruise control stays active. There were no cars anywhere near us, either in front or in the rear. Over thirty (30) Tesla bug reports were recorded on April 25 and April 26, 2022. While we were not SERIOUSLY hurt, had a vehicle actually been behind us, we would have ended up with a vehicle in our back seat and certainly serious injuries. This same thing happened six months ago on our last road trip. Tesla has blown us off saying that this simply cannot occur. Their response is that the computer cannot slow the car without seeing something. Therefore it must have seen something. This is circular reasoning and is meant to blow off the consumer. This is a serious safety issue. The braking on occasion has been violent. This is similar to the reports in other models. Tesla has twice now, within six months, addressed this issue simply by saying "it cannot occur." Seriously?!
When engaged, Autopilot often causes vehicle to suddenly brake for no apparent reason. Online this phenomenon is often referred to as “phantom braking”.
My 2021 Tesla Model Y, when using adaptive cruise control engages in phantom braking on a perfect clear road with no obstacles. On a recent road trip the vehicle braked suddenly at least 10 times while driving at highway speeds on both divided and single lane roads. This is cleariy unsafe especially if there is a car following. Tesla is aware of this problem and has done nothing to resolve it.
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH with the cruise control activated, the radar detected a hazard ahead on the roadway and deactivated the cruise control, causing the vehicle to experience 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 approximately 3,000.
Recently while pulling into my children's school, my car has started deciding that the entrance to the parking garage is a large truck stopped diagonally in front of me and slams on the brakes scaring me and causing everything in the car to go flying. Luckily no one has been behind me while this has happened. I am always entering very slowly, maybe 5 mph at the very fastest.
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