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Tesla Model Y Problems by Year

Which Tesla Model Y years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

Tesla Model Y, 2020 to 2024 model years
Photo: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Public domain

Owners have filed 3,791 complaints with NHTSA about the Tesla Model Y from 2020 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the driver assist systems, the cruise control and acceleration and the brakes and stability control. The years with the most complaints are 2023, 2021 and 2022.

Years to avoid

No year stands out as much worse than the rest.

Safer bets

2020

Clearly fewer complaints than a typical Model Y year. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate.

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Complaints by year

Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.

202028420211,096202287720231,1972024337

Every year at a glance

YearVs. other yearsComplaintsRecallsMost reported
2020 Model YOne of the better years28424Driver assist systems
2021 Model YAbout average1,09623Driver assist systems
2022 Model YToo new to judge87720Driver assist systems
2023 Model YToo new to judge1,19717Driver assist systems
2024 Model YToo new to judge3375Driver assist systems

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Tesla Model Y questions

What are the best Tesla Model Y years?

The Model Y years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2020. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.

What are the most common Tesla Model Y problems?

Across 2020 to 2024, owners report problems with the driver assist systems, the cruise control and acceleration and the brakes and stability control most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.

How many recalls does the Tesla Model Y have?

NHTSA lists 89 recalls across the 2020 to 2024 Model Y, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.

Check the exact car

These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.

Decode its VINConfirm the year, trim and engine, and see recalls and safety ratings.Walk around and test drive itA step-by-step checklist you can use on your phone at the car.Read the history reportThe red flags in a Carfax or AutoCheck report, in plain English.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.