2023 Tesla Model Y: seat belt won't latch or retract

Filed May 12, 2026 · Seat belts · TX · 1 injury

I lease a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The rear passenger side seat belt/buckle assembly had previously experienced issues involving unexpected disengagement/unlatching. The vehicle was previously brought to Tesla for service regarding the restraint system/rear passenger buckle area and Tesla represented that the issue had been addressed. On April 4, 2026, during an emergency braking event to avoid another vehicle that abruptly cut in front of me and slammed on its brakes, I was forced to brake hard and maneuver to avoid a collision. During that braking event, the rear passenger side buckle released/unlatched while my child was properly secured in a child safety seat in that seating position. As a result, the entire child safety seat violently pitched forward and my child’s face struck the seat in front of her. This incident occurred after Tesla had already been given notice of restraint system concerns involving this seating position and after prior service attempts. The issue raises serious concerns regarding rear passenger restraint integrity and child occupant safety during emergency braking situations. Tesla was formally notified again regarding this incident on May 12, 2026. As of the date of this complaint, approximately one week has passed and Tesla has not responded or attempted contact regarding the reported child occupant restraint failure. The vehicle has not yet been reinspected by Tesla following this incident and remains available for inspection. I am requesting preservation of all vehicle telemetry, restraint system data, diagnostic information, and service records related to this vehicle and prior restraint system complaints/repairs.

Filed Mar 20, 2026 · Seat belts · IL

Rear seat belt latch won't latch. This becomes a problem because dirt and debris fall into the seat belt latch since the seat belts latches are lower than the seat cushions. Child eats something with crumbs and the crumbs fall into the seat belt latch. Over time these build up to the point the seat belt won't click in.

Filed Mar 17, 2026 · Seat belts · 38,581 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver's side seat belt retractor unit detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,581.

Filed Nov 16, 2025 · Seat belts · CA

Rear passenger seat buckle not working. We have always had a car seat that was tethered at this seat and have not had to use the seat buckle until yesterday when we decided to reconfigure to high back booster configuration and tried to use the seat belt to buckle the kid in.

Filed Nov 12, 2025 · Seat belts · NV

Subject / Issue: Driver Seat Belt Failure – Safety Restraint System Defect VIN: [XXX] Vehicle: Tesla Model Y 2023 Complaint Description: On November 11, 2025, at approximately 10:00 PM, while driving near my home, the driver seat belt cable snapped, leaving only the shoulder strap functional. This occurred under normal driving conditions, with no accident, impact, or misuse. The vehicle was then parked at my residence at [XXX] , and the failure made the car immediately unsafe to operate. The driver seat belt assembly and anchor points are part of the federally regulated Safety Restraint System, covered under FMVSS 209 (Seat Belt Assemblies) and FMVSS 210 (Seat Belt Anchorages). A functional seat belt is critical to occupant safety in any collision, and this defect directly compromises the primary safety system of the driver. Immediately after discovering the failure, I contacted Tesla Service via the Tesla App. My initial communication explained that the seat belt cable had snapped during normal driving, leaving only the shoulder strap, and requested immediate escalation to a Service Manager and replacement of the entire seat belt assembly. Tesla acknowledged receiving my vehicle at their service center (7077 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89117) but did not provide a repair under warranty. In multiple follow-up communications with Tesla Service (including with Efrain), I emphasized that this is a serious Safety Restraint System failure, federally covered under FMVSS 209 and 210, and that it was not caused by user damage. Despite these repeated notifications and requests for escalation, Tesla Service refused to repair the seat belt under warranty, citing Owner’s Manual exclusions and limitations, and insisted that the repair would be an out-of-pocket expense. Tesla provided no written justification explaining how a federally covered safety restraint component could be excluded from warranty. The vehicle remains at t INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 17, 2025 · Seat belts · GA

2nd Seat belt does not latch and cannot be secured. This poses a serious safety risk while driving.

Filed Apr 28, 2025 · Seat belts · 76,792 miles · MD

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an unknown seat belt message was displayed along with an audible chime while the front driver's side seat belt was securely buckled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the front driver's side seat belt buckle, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V376000 (Seat Belts); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 76,792.

Filed Feb 25, 2025 · Seat belts · NC

The seatbelt does not latch in the buckle.

Filed Jan 8, 2025 · Seat belts · CA

Whenever the temperatures drop below 40 degrees, the driver seat belts stops functioning properly. Have to pull several times before the seat belt strap can pull all the way to be clicked on. Once seat belt is locked in place, while driving the seat belt feels like it could choke me. Once temperatures are normal, the seat belt operates normally. Also, the rear center seat belt intermittently will not lock in place. Have already reported these issues to Tesla and waiting for them to schedule the car for service at their service center.

Filed Nov 27, 2024 · Seat belts · MA

This incident occurred repeatedly during travel from 6/28/2024-7/2/2024, the last time we had a passenger in the seat of interest. The right rear seatbelt kept tightening around the passenger to the point of extreme discomfort and eventually interference with breathing. The only resolution was to unfasten and refasten the seatbelt. The tightening effect occurred when the passenger adjusted her body in the seat or when the car experienced even minor bumps in the road. This repeated in a short cycle, approximately every 5-10 minutes, causing such irritation as to force the passenger to travel without the seatbelt buckled, despite repeated attempts to make the seatbelt operate correctly. This is obviously extremely unsafe--and illegal in many states, and in some cases negating insurance coverage, etc. Although this particular incident occurred in the vehicle noted earlier in this form, it also occurred in our 2015 Model S Tesla (now sold) on the right front side and in our currently owned 2018 Tesla Model 3, also on the right front side. We reported the original occurrence of the problem (Model S) to Tesla several times, and they inspected the seatbelt. There conclusion was always the same, as they stated to us, that the seatbelt was operating correctly, by design. We tired of reporting the issue. I know for a fact that for a correctly operating seatbelt, it may momentarily lock when bumps occur, then the lock releases. The seatbelts are available for inspection on request. There were no warning or error indicators presented in the car except the standard indication when the seatbelt was unfastened (intentionally).

Filed Nov 20, 2024 · Seat belts · 13,000 miles · NY

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that the rear driver's side seat belt failed to latch as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the seat belt buckle needed to be replaced due to damages caused by sand, dust, and debris. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.

Filed Jul 5, 2024 · Seat belts · TX

Rear passenger seat belt does not latch.