2021 Tesla Model Y Service Brakes Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES · data through 07/14/2026

177Service Brakes complaints

17.1%Of all 1,035 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes ranks on this vehicle

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL403 · 38.9%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING324 · 31.3%

SERVICE BRAKES177 · 17.1%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL156 · 15.1%

Unspecified / other131 · 12.7%

Share of the 1,035 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2021 Tesla Model Y overview page.

What owners report

“Sudden, hard self breaking when in autopilot mode. Danger of collision at high speeds.”NHTSA complaint 11439627 — filed 11/07/2021

“This problem happens repeatedly. It has been reported by multiple Tesla owners but no action has been taken by Tesla. When driving with the cruise…”NHTSA complaint 11424607 — filed 07/13/2021

“MY CAR WIRES GOT OVERHEATED BECAUSE OF FAILING COOLING SYSTEM , TESLA REFUSED TO PULL LOGS ON MY CAR, TALK TO TESLA REPS NAMED FITZGERALD…”NHTSA complaint 11416634 — filed 05/14/2021

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2021 Tesla Model Y have service brakes problems?

Service Brakes is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2021 Tesla Model Y: 177 of 1,035 complaints on file (17.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2021 Tesla Model Y have in total?

1,035 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 85 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 25 reported injuries, and 4 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.