2023 Tesla Model Y: harsh or hard shifting

Filed Oct 25, 2026 · Steering, Suspension · GA

Noticed a clunking noise from the front of car. Put in a service request via the Tesla app. It said it was fin to drive and made an appointment for 2 weeks later. 1 week later, there was a very loud noise and settling of the car. 2 bolts were on the ground and the left front wheel lost steering control. The bolts secure the lower control arm. This would have been catastrophic if it had occurred while driving.

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · Suspension · CO

While driving normally, the vehicle experienced a sudden mechanical failure without any prior warning or dashboard alerts. We heard a loud clunking noise followed immediately by a very loud "pop" or banging sound. Upon pulling over safely, we discovered that two large bolts had completely detached and fallen out from the front suspension assembly. Furthermore, structural components underneath the vehicle were visibly fractured, cracked, and hanging down. The vehicle was completely disabled and unsafe to operate, requiring and immediate flatbed tow directly to the Tesla Service Center. This failure matches the precise parameters of the active the federal safety agency investigation, Preliminary Evaluation PE26006, opened on July 29, 2026, regarding front lower lateral link detachments and fractures in 2021-2023 Model Y vehicles. Current Vehicle Status: The vehicle is currently at the Tesla Service Center awaiting fully diagnosis and structural repair assessment. Photos of the detached bolts and the cracked hanging structural components have been fully preserved as physical evidence.

Filed Sep 30, 2026 · Suspension · CA

I am reporting a front suspension mechanical failure on my 2023 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle developed a clunking/clicking noise from the left-front/front suspension area, most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at low speeds or while stationary. The noise was first noticed around December 2025. It was intermittent, more pronounced in colder temperatures and after the vehicle had been parked for an extended period. It sometimes also occurred during larger steering inputs after driving straight for a while. The vehicle had previously needed wheel alignment correction, including abnormal left-front alignment values. I took the vehicle to a Tesla Service Center. A Tesla technician reproduced the noise and inspected the front suspension. The final repair record states: "Technician verified a clunk from the front when steering back and forth at low speeds. Inspection of the front suspension indicated loose lateral links or worn bushings, and subframe nuts were broken." Tesla replaced the following parts under the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty at no charge: - Front subframe assembly (P/N 1044531-00-C) - Front lower lateral link assembly, pair (P/N 1188341-00-C) - Front lower compliance link assembly, RH (P/N 2188359-10-B) and LH (P/N 2188354-10-B) - Associated bolts and nuts Tesla also checked and adjusted the four-wheel alignment, followed by a post-repair validation test drive. This was not a subjective noise complaint. The fault was physically reproduced by the technician and confirmed by disassembly and inspection, which found broken subframe nuts and loose/worn lateral link bushings, requiring replacement of the entire front subframe and both front lower suspension link pairs. No crash, fire, injury, or component separation occurred. I am concerned that had this connection continued to deteriorate, it could have affected front suspension geometry and vehicle control. I request that the federal safety agency include this case in any related safety defect investigation.

Filed Sep 2, 2026 · Driver assistance, Steering · CO

My 2023 Tesla Model Y suffered a critical factory safety defect: under-torqued front suspension lateral link bolts, causing dangerous clunking noises under Autopilot. The official Tesla Invoice verified the defect and noted it was re-torqued to spec. Crucially, a close friend owning an identical 2023 Model Y in [XXX] experienced the exact same suspension noise. Upon inspecting his car, the Littleton facility attempted to exploit his lack of information by issuing a deceptive out-of-pocket diagnosis estimate of $240.00 instead of honoring the active bumper-to-bumper warranty. Tesla only backed down and waived the fee to $0.00 after being confronted with my personal repair invoice as leverage. This proves Tesla is actively executing predatory billing and hiding a systemic batch safety hazard from uninformed consumers. Regulatory investigators can verify this pattern by auditing the Littleton Service Center's internal torque check logs and warranty waiver histories for 2023 Model Y vehicles. Furthermore, after touchless app-pickup on XXX, Tesla staff omitted any key card communication. Two weeks later, after discovering my physical key cards were missing, I initiated a brand-new service request to inquire, and agent Tony admitted they were left at the front desk, exposing that Advisor Luis Rodriguez falsified records on XXX by logging that the vehicle was retrieved on XXX. This constitutes bad-faith warranty denial, record alteration, and predatory consumer deception. I formally reported this severe failure directly to Tesla Global Compliance on XXX, but have received absolutely zero response to date. Full PDF report of my personal logs provided. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 21, 2026 · Suspension · NY

I am getting a creaking and clunking sound in my front passenger side suspension. It happens when I turn and go over bumps.

Filed Aug 11, 2026 · Suspension · GA

Defect Summary: Front suspension lower lateral link bolt backing out / stripped internal subframe weld-nut threads. Incident Description: While driving, the vehicle developed front-end suspension instability / clunking. Upon inspection by Tesla Service, technicians determined that the lateral link attachment bolt stripped the internal subframe threads, requiring a complete $4,599 subframe assembly replacement. Safety Risk: Lateral link bolt separation causes a complete loss of suspension alignment and wheel control without prior warning or dashboard alerts, creating an immediate crash hazard at highway speeds. Manufacturer Response: The defect manifested immediately prior to logging the ticket at 20 miles past the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty limit). Tesla refused warranty coverage, treating a known structural fastener defect as customer wear-and-tear and demanding $4,599 for subframe replacement.

Filed Aug 5, 2026 · Suspension · CA

The control arms are defective on this vehicle for the second time. I began hearing a clunking sound when I would turned the vehicle in July 2026. When the sound got louder and sharp left turns felt less controlled, I took the vehicle to a local independent tire repair shop immediately. They told me the left control arm was cracking badly, so I made an appointment with Tesla. Tesla is currently replacing my control arms for the second time. They also found additional suspension issues with the sway bar links. Previously, I experienced total control arm failure in November 2024 when the vehicle had less than 14,000 miles and was less than a year old. This resulted in the car being towed to the Tesla service center for complete control arm replacement. This jeopardized the safety of both myself and other drivers as I had no control of the vehicle’s steering. In July 2026, when I started to hear the same sounds indicating control arm failure, I brought the vehicle into a repair facility immediately to get it diagnosed to prevent such a dangerous incident from happening to me again. This is a serious defect in the 2023 Model Y, and upon research I discovered there are numerous control arm complaints, making this vehicle defect a hazard to potentially millions of drivers.

Filed Aug 3, 2026 · Suspension · MO

While exiting a parking space, I noticed a very obvious clunking sound from the front of the car. As I started driving slowly and moving the steering wheel back and forth, there would be a loud clunk and a bump in the steering wheel when moving it from the right back to center. I drove home 30 miles very carefully and called Tesla when I got there. They set up a tow and fixed the car under warranty. They said bolts had loosened on the front lower lateral link assembly. Safety was at risk due to the possibility of my car falling to the ground and not being able to steer. In the right setting, this could have cause a major accident. I did not receive any warning lamps or any warnings of any kind. There was never a clunk until the bolt was fully out. The car didn't steer or drive any differently either so no way to know something was wrong.

Filed Aug 2, 2026 · Suspension · GA

1. Front left suspension system — specifically the suspension control arm bolt — failed and detached while reverse parking. The failure caused the suspension arm to drop and resulted in secondary damage to the fender, wheel‑well liner, and door alignment. The vehicle has been repaired, but all service records, photos, and documentation are available for inspection upon request. 2. The suspension bolt failure caused the front left suspension to collapse suddenly while I was reverse parking. If this had happened at normal driving speeds, it could have caused loss of control and a crash. I regularly transport a [XXX] and a [XXX], and this unpredictable suspension collapse created a serious risk to my family and others on the road. 3. Yes. The failure was inspected and confirmed by Tesla’s Alpharetta Service Center and the Tesla Marietta Collision Center. The Marietta team documented that the front left suspension control arm bolt had detached and that the resulting damage was not caused by any external impact. Tesla ultimately approved the repair under warranty, confirming that the failure was due to a component issue rather than misuse. 4. Yes. The vehicle was inspected by Tesla’s Alpharetta Service Center immediately after the incident, and then by the Tesla Marietta Collision Center. Both locations confirmed that the front left suspension control arm bolt had detached and caused the suspension collapse. The Marietta team documented that the failure was not caused by any external impact and Tesla approved the repair under warranty. No police or insurance inspection was performed because the failure occurred at low speed on private property. 5. No warning lamps or messages appeared. I did hear suspension clunking/creaking before the failure and had a Tesla service appointment scheduled, but Tesla postponed it. The bolt failure happened suddenly with no electronic warnings. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 22, 2026 · Suspension · TX

On May 4, 2026, at approximately 9:10 AM, the 2023 Tesla Model Y was being operated at low speed in a parking lot while backing into a parking space. As the driver turned the steering wheel to maneuver into the space, there was a clunk and the front driver-side wheel jerked. The driver stopped immediately, before fully entering the space. The front driver-side suspension had separated: the lower control arm/lateral link became detached at its attachment point, the wheel and rim tilted outward and folded under the wheel arch, and the front halfshaft (axle) pulled out of the front drive unit. The vehicle was immediately immobilized and could not be driven. No collision, curb strike, or impact occurred. The failure happened during a low-speed parking maneuver. Photographs taken at the scene before any recovery, on May 4, show the detached control arm intact and undamaged and the wheel folded under the arch, with the rim, tire, and adjacent bodywork undamaged. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla service location on May 6, 2026, and inspected. Tesla's repair estimate identified damage to both front suspension assemblies, including control arms, lateral links, suspension fasteners, the front crossmember/subframe, steering rack, halfshaft, and front drive unit. This failure mode — a front suspension lateral link/control arm separating from its attachment due to a fastener concern — is the same failure mode addressed by Tesla recall SB-22-31-002 (the federal safety agency campaign 22V895000) on certain 2023 Model Y vehicles, in which a loose fastener can allow the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame, causing loss of vehicle control. This VIN was not included in that recall campaign. Had this separation occurred at highway speed rather than during a low-speed parking maneuver, it could have caused a loss of control and a crash. No injuries occurred. No crash or fire occurred. The vehicle has approximately 56,480 miles. Photographs and the repair estimate are ava

Filed May 14, 2026 · Suspension · CA

Clicking/thumping on sharper turns a day before the issue. Then today, there was a loud clunk while driving. When I was reversing into my driveway, there was scraping noises and resistance. Upon exiting the vehicle, I saw the passenger side front control arm loose. It is now inoperable.

Filed Apr 8, 2026 · Steering, Suspension · CA

While performing a low-speed reverse turn into a driveway, a loud clunk was heard and the driver side front wheel completely separated from alignment. The vehicle became immediately undrivable. Upon inspection, the ball joint retaining nut was found to be absent from the front driver side suspension assembly. No torque verification mark was present on the fastener. The vehicle is currently at an authorized Tesla service center for repair and is available for inspection. Safety risk: Complete loss of wheel alignment and directional control. Failure occurred at low speed in a private driveway. Had this occurred at highway speed the consequences could have been catastrophic. Confirmed by dealer: An authorized Tesla service advisor confirmed that a Technical Service Bulletin exists in Tesla’s system for this exact condition. No owner notification was issued prior to failure. The advisor confirmed the retaining nut is installed by an automated robot assembly process with no human torque verification step and no verification mark applied. Prior warning symptoms: NONE. No warning lamps, no messages, no audible symptoms prior to catastrophic failure. The absence of a retaining nut on a safety-critical suspension fastener with no quality verification process represents a systemic assembly defect potentially affecting all vehicles produced under the same assembly process.