Tesla Model Y Years to Avoid: Problems by Year (2020-2026)

The 2020-2021 Tesla Model Y faced significant reliability issues, including delivery-day defects and software glitches. Later years, such as 2025-2026, saw improvements but still had early production issues.

The short version

2020-2021 — the era to avoid

The 2020 and 2021 Tesla Model Y models are plagued with numerous issues that make them a risky purchase. Between these two years alone, there were over 1,300 complaints filed with NHTSA, with 6 fires, 50 injuries, and 4 deaths reported across those complaints. The Forward Collision Avoidance system is the most problematic component, accounting for nearly half of all complaints (678 out of 1,333 total). Service brakes and vehicle speed control systems also received significant attention with 217 and 196 complaints respectively.

Recalls highlight additional issues in these years. For instance, recall 24V051000 addresses a faulty electrical system in the instrument cluster panel, while recall 23V838000 covers an issue with ADAS software affecting autonomous driving functions. Additionally, recall 26V283000 involves a back-over prevention software problem.

Owner complaints further illustrate these issues. One owner reported sudden unintended acceleration and loss of brake response in their 2021 Model Y, leading to significant property damage when the vehicle crashed into a tree. This incident underscores the severity of the problems with speed control and braking systems.

The complaint volume, the recall list, and the crash-adjacent categories those complaints cluster in are why this era carries the guide’s only outright avoid verdict.

2022-2024 — proceed with caution

The years 2022 to 2024 saw a significant number of complaints against Tesla Model Y vehicles, with a total of 2,293 reports filed during this period. The most critical issues revolve around the forward collision avoidance system, which accounts for nearly half (46.9%) of all complaints and has been consistently problematic across these years. This system’s unreliability is further highlighted by specific incidents such as phantom braking, a common issue that has persisted throughout the vehicle’s history.

In addition to forward collision avoidance issues, problems with electrical systems, service brakes, and speed control also plague this era of Model Y vehicles. The electrical system alone accounts for 12.6% of all complaints, underscoring ongoing reliability concerns. Recalls during this period include software fixes for the electric power steering assist (recall 25V092000) and for headlight low beams (recall 26V507000).

Owner reports also highlight serious incidents, such as a fatal accident reported in February 2024 where steering malfunctions contributed to the crash. While quality has improved slightly by 2024 compared to earlier years, with fewer initial delivery defects noted, overall reliability remains a concern due to persistent ADAS issues.

Given these factors, exercising caution is advised when considering a Model Y from this period.

2025-2026 — too new to judge

The 2025 and 2026 Tesla Model Y is too new to judge definitively in terms of reliability issues and complaints. With just 95 reported complaints as of early 2026, the data set is still small and unreliable for making concrete assessments.

Forward collision avoidance systems account for a significant portion of these reports with 44 incidents (46.3% of total), followed by lane departure warnings with 18 cases (18.9%). Electrical system issues also appear frequently, contributing to 16 complaints (16.8%), and service brakes are noted in 15 instances (15.8%).

Several recalls have been issued for these years, including recall 26V445000 addressing body bumpers, recall 26V315000 regarding certification labels, and recall 25V690000 for a propulsion-system electrical fault that can cause a loss of drive power. Additionally, there was a recall for reverse lights failing to illuminate (recall 25V658000) due to a wiring defect.

One notable owner complaint involves an abrupt disengagement of the Full Self-Driving system on January 28, 2026, without any prior warning or alerts. This highlights ongoing software glitches and reliability concerns in early-production vehicles.

Tesla issued service bulletins SB-26-31-003 and SB-25-31-005 on May 8, 2026, to address a front-suspension clunk/rattle over bumps at low speeds, which has been documented in owner forums. This issue is prevalent among early-production Model Ys.

Given the limited data and ongoing recalls, it’s too soon to draw definitive conclusions about reliability for these model years.

If you’re shopping used

When shopping for a used Tesla Model Y, give the 2020-2021 cars the hardest look — they are the worst era here. These early versions had significant issues with panel gaps and paint quality at delivery, so ask the seller if any such defects were addressed under warranty. Additionally, check service records to see how often the car has been brought in for maintenance or repairs.

For later models (2022-2024), while generally less problematic than their predecessors, remember that firmware history matters — the heat-pump defect on 2021-2022 cars was introduced by one update and fixed by another. Confirm the car is on current software before you buy.

Lastly, for 2025-2026 models, be cautious as these are too new to judge reliably for long-term reliability patterns. If considering one of these newer cars, make sure the front suspension noise issue has not cropped up.