The driver rear left side door is unclear electrical control and broke so I cannot open the door from the outside. I have a child inside. This is an extreme safety hazard were an accident to occur.
2021 Tesla Model Y electrical complaints
Page 3 of 6: complaints 41 to 70 of 155, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I was driving along one of the main highways in Orlando, Florida called [XXX], on Wednesday [XXX], in my Model Y Tesla. I was between the exits of [XXX], and [XXX]. I was in the middle lane. There was a software update issued the previous Sunday. The warning came on the display that the lane changing was not valid. At that point the car took over and accelerated. The brakes would not work, until I slammed on it after 3 times, and the car began to decelerate. The air conditioner went off, along with the electrical turn signals. I as able to get off at the [XXX] exit for it is a bit of a "hill" up in Florida, but knew I could coast into a lane hopefully no one would be in. I was able to at least coast into a parking lot, and bump the car into a concrete barrier, and a tree infront of the barrier. The car would not respond to park, neutral or the emergency brake. I tried re-booting the car 3 times and nothing. I had to call a tow truck to tow to the Tesla Service Center in Clermont, Florida. They could not get it in park either and had to drag the Tesla onto the flatbed. After 5 days of not responding to my text, I walked into another Tesla service center to plead my problem. Long story short, there is an unexplained anomaly that is in the CANBUS and cannot duplicate the error. More $ to have to tested for another week. They gave me a loaner to use, a Model S. After a few days driving it the loaner screen went blank and I was stranded. I had their loaner towed back to the service center. They will not 100% address the problem. They know it is in the CANBUS system, but now I definitely am scared to drive the car or get it back. How do I know if they will really tell me it is fixed? I fear if I get back in the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
🚨 Immediate Escalation: Safety-Related HV Drive-System Concern / Diagnostic Fee Dispute / No Loaner – Urgent Review Needed VIN [XXX] I am requesting immediate escalation of a safety-related concern involving my 2021 Model Y (approx. 90,000 miles) currently assigned to the Tesla Wilmington Service Center. The advisors (Shelly & Amanda) has stated the diagnostic fee will not be covered until after inspection, but the earliest inspection is October 22, and I’m being asked to drop off the vehicle now with no loaner or transportation support. This is a High-Voltage Drive-System concern that may fall under the Drive Unit Limited Warranty (valid through Feb 2029). The local team refuses to classify the case under warranty review or confirm transportation support, leaving me without safe mobility for weeks. Please escalate this to a Corporate Service Manager or HV Warranty Specialist today and confirm: 1. That the diagnostic will be covered pending warranty review, and 2. That loaner or transportation support will be provided. I’ve been going back and forth with the Wilmington team for a week, and this matter has not been resolved. Despite this being a SAFETY concern and issue . I was told that that O would have to wait weeks to get this issue resolved. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On August 20th, 2025 at 2:50pm, my eight-month-old infant was trapped inside my Tesla Model Y for approximately 30 minutes due to a critical systems failure. The vehicle experienced an error with the 12V battery that rendered the doors, windows, and trunk completely inoperable, preventing any means of access or escape. My infant was flushed, diaphoretic, and crying while stuck in his car seat with an indoor temperature exceeding 104 degrees fahrenheit. Despite all attempts to override the system, the car remained locked, and the battery dead, and emergency services had to be contacted. Officers from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, and Montecito Fire Department arrived on scene and, in order to rescue my baby, were forced to smash a window to gain entry. The police officer was advised by a Tesla representative to do so, as he confirmed there would be no way to override the system to open the doors. My baby was found screaming in a pool full of sweat and was carried to an ambulance, where the paramedic warned me of concerning vital signs and advised me to go to the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital to have his condition assessed and treated, if necessary. I have obtained a copy of the police report (Case No. XXX) and will provide it upon request. Tesla confirmed that this problem with the 12V battery is common, nonetheless we were made to pay for a new window and a battery replacement. There were no warning signs leading up to the shutdown and not notifying us of this system failure and the risk involved is complete negligence on behalf of Tesla.
On July 5, 2025, I entered my vehicle parked in my home garage and the door latched shut. Upon putting my foot on the brake. Center screen was blank (did not power on). I attempted to press the unlock button on the door and there was no sound from the motor to open the door. The door was still locked from the inside of the vehicle and I was locked inside. I waited around 5 minutes (after attempting to call my wife to try to let me out of car and tried the open the drivers door again by pressing the exit button. The door unlatched by normally the window rolls down partially to exit. This time the window did not move and I have to force the door open by pressing my shoulder hard against the interior door panel. I hear a popping sound from inside the door and the window would not roll up. I did not drive the vehicle fearing that the car would not start and my family could be trapped inside the car. I created an appointment for Tesla service for July 7, 2025 for the door locks and the driver's window that would not roll up completely and also would roll down but return to a 70% rolled up position automatically. I did received an error warning on the late evening of July 6, 2025 that the 12 volt battery voltage was low on the main center screen of my vehicle. I took the vehicle to Tesla service on July 7, 2025 and it was determined that the 12 volt auxiliary battery that was faulty and my window was repaired and recalibrated. I never saw an alert for the 12 volt auxiliary battery low voltage prior to when I was locked inside the car.
- Open rear passenger door and secured child in car seat. - Try to open driver side rear passenger door - which would not open. - Tried to open rear passenger door where child was in, and the door would not open. - Car was powered off and none of the doors opened. - After approximately 5 minutes, front passenger door opened, and child was removed form the car through the front door. - Requested roadside assistance with the diagnosis of 12V battery failure. - No warning that 12V battery was near end of life - Software updated the previous night.
On [XXX], the car was parked at my regular parking garage. The valet entered to the car to bring it down for pick up. After he entered, the power on the vehicle went out and the door would not open. He did not know about the manual door release. I walked up to see what the delay was and found him locked inside. The car was parked on an upper floor and the it was over 100 degrees in the car. We contacted 911 but eventually found the door release. Tesla was notified and towed the car several hours later. They jumped the car to get it open. It seems that the 12V battery had died without warning. Notes from Tesla Concern: Car won't power on/enter drive - Case MergedCustomer States : vehicle will not power on or drive Originating Phone Number : [XXX] IVR Context - No Results. Please check AutoDiag. | Repair Notes: Verified customer concern. Diagnosed and Found An internal short in the 12v battery: One or more of the six internal series cells has been bridged, resulting in five or less cells now being in series, reducing the voltage by at least 17%. This resulted in the e-fuse for the VCLEFT to trip and shut down the left side of the vehicle. Replaced 12V Battery. Proactively Perform 12v Disconnect procedures. Update vehicle software to the latest available firmware. Performed Validation Test Drive. Vehicle operating currently within Tesla Specifications. Verified Proper Operation. No further action is needed at this time. Correction: General Diagnosis Correction: Battery - 12V (Lead Acid) (Remove & Replace) - Remove and Replace INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle shut down and individual was locked in the car. Unable to release the doors. Incident occurred on June 23rd with a temp of 95 degrees and higher heat index. Individual was Stuck in the car in a parking garage with no one around to hear screams for help. Called home for assistance to come to the parking garage to help free them. Informed by online article about the Model Y 2021 model having other incidents of the same. We thought it was just a freak occurrence of our vehicle until reading about the probe. No warning indications that the auxiliary battery needed replacing that controls such functions. Tesla's Repair Notes: "The vehicle was unable to power on when parked, which was verified by the technician's inspection and the customer's report. The issue was caused by a failing 12V battery. The technician replaced the 12V battery to resolve the problem. After the replacement, all systems were checked and confirmed to be running properly"
In December 2023 I strapped my [XXX] son into his carseat in our Model Y and walked around to the front to get into the car as well. In those few seconds the 12v car battery died (I did not get any notification in my app) and I was unable to open any doors, so my infant son was trapped. We live in Florida and this was an 80 degree day. With no other recourse I was forced to call 911 to have my son removed from the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
[XXX] , my [XXX] son, was strapped in his car seat, wide-eyed and confused, as we sat trapped in our Tesla for thirty agonizing minutes. The battery had died without warning, leaving us locked inside our own garage. No power, no way to open the doors. I tried to keep [XXX] calm, singing his favorite songs, but my heart raced as I called for help. A tow truck finally arrived and jumped the car—not enough juice to start the engine, but just enough to unlock the doors. Freedom at last. Tesla’s response? No roadside service; they insisted the car be towed to their service center. Easier said than done—the tow truck couldn’t maneuver it out of the garage. Frustration mounted as I realized I’d have to miss work. Days later, I drove to the service center, where they replaced the battery. But the ordeal wasn’t over. The trim was damaged during the chaos, and now every drive is accompanied by relentless wind noise, a constant reminder of that day. [XXX] still talks about being “stuck in the car,” and I can’t help but feel let down by a system that left us stranded. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
After 4 years of ownership, the HV battery has failed. This has put the car at risk it stopped charging and without charging the car was no longer drivable. The battery was overheating the car was very hot the AC stopped working. This put the car at risk when drive the battery dropped significantly while driving. Yes we got it inspected they said that the battery is failing and needs to be replaced. I have a quote about the replacment parts. There was a message at the end that the battery was unable to charge.
The main vehicle computer (MCU) failed. The problem first appeared in May 2024 with intermittent rear camera malfunctions. It has since worsened. Most recently (08/28/25), the center display went completely black and the vehicle became inoperable — I could not start or move it. This left me stranded in a dangerous neighborhood late at night and required the car to be towed. When the display fails, I lose access to the rear camera, climate controls (including defrost), and turn signal indicators. These are safety-critical systems, and in this case the failure also disabled the ability to drive the vehicle entirely. The problem has been reported to Tesla. They inspected the vehicle but claimed the earlier camera malfunction was unrelated to the current computer failure. No independent mechanic has inspected it. The failures are ongoing and reproducible. No warning lights or alerts appeared before the system shut down. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Being that this issue originally arose back in May, 2024- it should fall under Tesla’s warranty which expired in December 2024.
I’ve had to replace the steering rack, upper and lower control arm for the left wheel, entire computer motherboard. I drove the car for less than 70k miles and zero accidents and zero modifications. Yes I am open for inspection. While driving with fsd lane keep failed causing the car to veer to other lane. The tesla repair shop said the steering rack was sending errors and the whole rack needs to be replaced. They said it was both electrical and mechanical failure. Previously I’ve had the control arms replaced because it was making clicking noise when I turn the wheel. They said it was due to front compliance link and lateral link issues. Also had entire computer board replaced previously. The error message after the incident was lane assist disabled, steering assist reduced. In the maintenance mode it said “ The drive interface (DI) or drive inverter (DIx) electronic control unit (ECU) detects a low voltage (LV) battery undervoltage event.”
8k miles after warranty expired, I got this notification in my Tesla. BMS_u018 Maximum battery charge level reduced OK to drive - Schedule service Car won’t charge anymore, Tesla says it’s a High voltage battery issue and are charging $14,000 out of warranty. Online it says others have the same issue of it not working sometime after warranty expires. Tesla states batteries should run from 200-300k miles? Wanted to make this complaint since I don’t do anything to cause the battery to have a malfunction this early. No supercharging or charging to 100%.
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that his wife drove to a nearby park and while attempting to leave the park, the vehicle was started, and after his wife put her son and daughter in the vehicle, the vehicle shut off unintendedly and all the doors locked. The doors failed to open with the mobile card or the manual key. The contact stated that the manual card was inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the temperature control was off inside the vehicle and the screen was inoperable. There were no reported injuries. The contact broke the window to enter the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. The contact called a tow truck, and the vehicle was jumpstarted. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as designed the following day. The contact stated that an unknown local dealer was contacted. The dealer informed the contact to send the data pool. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact to complete a report form. The failure mileage was approximately 88,070.
Plugged a charger cord for a Garmin watch into the center console USBC right side port. Overnight the USBC port, while connected to the cord but not to the watch or any other device, overheated and melted. It burned the cords male connection into two pieces and melted plastic into the center console. The male end of the cord is now fused into the USBC port of the car. No messages/alerts on the car. Manufacturer inspected and invoiced $970.00 for parts and labor. From forums online this is not the first instance a similar situation has occurred. Assuming paper or another flammable substance was in the console, it would have caught fire
Vehicle: 2021 Tesla Model Y VIN: [XXX] Date of Incident: [XXX] On the afternoon of Sunday [XXX], while my Tesla Model Y was parked at home and charged to approximately 80%, both my wife and I attempted to enter the vehicle to attend an important appointment. Upon approach, we found the car completely unresponsive — no power, no screen activity, and we were unable to start the vehicle or release the charging cable. Despite this, both front doors could still be manually opened. However, the frameless windows did not automatically lower as they normally would when opening and closing the doors, As a result, when we attempted to close the doors, both front door windows shattered, as the glass was unable to lower and collided with the door frame. This incident clearly resulted from a critical system failure that disabled essential safety and design functions. The vehicle was not damaged prior to this event, and there was no impact or external force involved. This malfunction rendered the vehicle inoperable and directly caused costly damage. I am requesting the following: A full investigation into the root cause of the power system failure Immediate replacement of both shattered front windows at no cost A written explanation of what caused the vehicle to become unresponsive This issue raises serious concerns about vehicle safety and reliability, especially when essential functions like glass auto-drop are disabled without any warning, leaving the glass vulnerable to breakage. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2nd Tesla loaner is damaged by rodents Chew on Car Wires.
The heat pump stopped working twice, which requires a trip to the service center and the repair to restore function is a minimum of $3,000. The vehical has no heat at all, no defrost, no cabin heat nothing! This defect happens in the coldest parts of winter and leaves the owner stranded wherever this occurs. The first time was at 52,000 miles. It wouldn't turn on. The heat pump seized. The second time was on a trip, it blow out all the freon and stopped working in Waterloo, Iowa. I was 4 hours from home and it was -4F outside. The car had 136,000 miles. Many others have had heat pumps go out in the same situation...dead of winter. The repair is $3,000 to get heat back into the car. The heat pumpscare clearly defective or not big enough and are destroying themselves every other winter in Minnesota. This is 1. Dangerous because you can't defrost your windshield. 2. You cold freeze to death in very cold conditions. 3. A very expensive repair pn a part that should last mire than a 1 or 2 years. Home heat pumpsvlast 10- 24 years!!
Alerts regarding vehicle steering, stability, emergency braking, lane control traction, received all at once and the Tesla AI advisor indicated others were reporting the same. No other vehicles in lanes around us showed up on the vehicle LCD screen as normally they do too. Car did not brake normally (foot off accelerator and no braking) and handling seemed different although we were very cautious. Tried to resolve with screen reboot and multiple drives as AI Advisor suggested and it did not self resolve. Contacted Tesla service and they suggested HCU was faulty (hydronic control unit) and ABS modulator. Also wanted to look at vehicle low voltage circuit. They scheduled me for a first available $1600 service on Feb 26th (in 9 days). See attached. Seems like a significant safety issue and defect and should be recalled before some gets hurt, especially if others are seeing this too.
Since March 2024, FSD has failed to function as designed. Tesla denied any problem with the vehicle until October 2024, when a manager told me it's a known issue with no available fix. The issue started with FSD not recognizing traffic signals. Meaning that regardless of whether a traffic light was green or red, the vehicle would treat it like an 4 way stop. It would come to a stop and then proceed through the intersection if it didn't detect immediate cars. This was dangerous and Tesla refused to acknowledge the problem for months. Since then the issue has evolved with FSD only engaging in certain situations (interstate driving). As of the most recent update, FSD won't engage at all.
The arm felt on the driver side while I’m driving. Also, there is issue with the camera and the screen electrical problem.
The software for the car was showing multiple errors in the service page saying the disk space for the car was full. As a result, the car had severe lag issues and the screen completely shut down multiple times while driving on the highway. There were no user warnings and I only knew about the service warnings after speaking with Tesla support. They said it was definitely not user created and that it needed immediate service. However, the service center claimed it was not their responsibility and wanted to charge 300-500$ to look into it.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? System computer. After a Over the Air (OTA) update, most driver assistive functions are inoperative. System feedback display sometime goes black (speedometer, controls, backup camera, etc). After manufacturer serviced car to verify and resolve issue, issue was not corrected. Screen continues to error, asking for a software update. Per the manufacturer this is a computer issue with the cache, and being told to replace computer. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Since the driver feedback display and cameras are sometimes non-functional. Back up camera can be unusable, lane keeping, and cruise control are inoperative. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? By an manufacturer repair center. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, they appeared after an OTA update 9-AUG-2024
The front passenger safety restrain system keeps switching off and showing an error randomly during driving, especially with younger passengers on the passenger seat. The problem was already fixed by Tesla 4 times and is appearing again.
On [XXX] my husband was taking our [XXX] son to the grocery store and put him in his car seat. He then shut the door and went to open the driver door and the car had locked and would not unlock leaving our [XXX] trapped in the car. We called Tesla immediately and they said the 12 volt battery had died and we needed to call 911. Luckily while I was on the phone with 911, one of the windows was slightly cracked and my husband was able to get the window down further so we could get our son out. You are suppose to receive 3 warning messages from Tesla saying the 12 volt battery needs to be replaced or is dying we did not receive a single one. This is life threatening and extremely dangerous. Our friends who had heard our story just sent us a news story that this happened to a grandmother and her grandchild recently in Arizona too. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated after placing the children in the vehicle, he was unable to enter the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle lost electric power while attempting to open the door with the key fob and with the phone App however, the door remained closed. The local Fire Department was contacted, and the contact was advised to break the window to remove the children from the vehicle. The contact broke the driver's side front window to remove the children as recommended by the Fire Department. The contact stated that the 12-volt battery had overheated; however, a report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the window was replaced, and the 12-volt battery was also replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,175.
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.
I was trapped in my car when the 12V starter battery died without warning and everything in the car shut down. I was very fortunate that I had my cell phone with me to call my friend who had just left. However, he was unable to help me open the car from the outside. I spent several minutes going through several questions in an attempt to make an emergency request for roadside assistance on the Tesla app in hopes they could talk me through getting out. I finally received a text stating my request was 'being reviewed'! I have claustrophobia so by now I'm not breathing comfortably. I responded that I was trapped in my car and needed immediate help. They responded telling me where an emergency release was. A release which every Tesla owner that I know has told me they had NO knowledge of. When I was towed to Tesla, the service adviser told me ' claustrophobic' people probably shouldn't buy a Tesla! Well... he was partially correct...only I would go further to say 'nobody' should be a Tesla... it is a death trap. What if I had put my 3 year old grandchild in her car seat and shut the door to get in the driver side? She would not be able to pull an emergency lever! I was sitting on a fully charged Lithium-Ion battery yet I was unable to open a door...so how about a safety bypass to this battery ?? Seems to me the default with a dead battery should be that the doors unlock...not lock! This is certainly NOT a 'smart' car....it is a potential death trap for which there are countless other reports in the news, yet Tesla and your organization has yet to take action.
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.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2021 Tesla Model Y?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history