autoevolution
 

Tesla Owners Complaining to NHTSA More Often Than Ever, and Issues Are Well Known

While Tesla fans swear the EV maker builds the most advanced vehicles in the Universe, the NHTSA complaints section paints a different picture. Tesla owners filed a record number of complaints for the 2023 model year alone, most of them related to the FSD beta, phantom braking, and the removal of the ultrasonic sensors.
Tesla owners complain to NHTSA more often than ever 6 photos
Photo: Tesla
Tesla owners complain to NHTSA more often than everTesla owners complain to NHTSA more often than everTesla Autopilot and FSDTesla Autopilot and FSDTesla Autopilot and FSD
Tesla’s position as the leader of the EV segment is far from being under threat, thanks to the laziness of traditional carmakers. But this doesn’t mean Tesla is building the luxury cars it claims it does. Tesla fans swear their vehicles are the best thanks to better software and advancements in EV technology compared to rivals, but the build quality lags. Even with the recent massive price cuts, Tesla models remain firmly entrenched in luxury car territory. Unfortunately, the build quality is far from matching the price.

There are two sides to every story, we acknowledge that. Not all Teslas are built with the same disregard for quality control. Likewise, not every Tesla owner has the same standards when they judge quality. That’s why when some say that the ride quality on the Model 3 is rough, others claim it’s perfectly fine. The same goes for poorly aligned body panels, falling bumpers, window cracks, trunk leaks, you name it.

It’s hard to discern the truth about Tesla’s quality when looking at social media and forums discussions. Some people can be louder in their statements, while others cherry-pick facts as they see fit. Nevertheless, official statistics don’t lie, and the truth is that the NHTSA records more complaints from Tesla owners than ever before. There were 23 complaints for the 2023 Tesla Model Y alone at the time of writing, most of them in the “Forward collision avoidance” category. Most complaints describe “phantom braking” episodes while driving on Autopilot or FSD Beta, while a few owners complain about the missing ultrasonic sensors (USS).

Comparing the Tesla Model Y with a non-premium car reveals what no Tesla die-hard fan wants to admit: Tesla needs to get its acts together. The Model Y recorded 1,222 complaints for the 2020-2023 model years, while the Toyota Camry recorded only 147 complaints for the same cohort. Remarkably, Toyota improved Camry quality, cutting the number of complaints from 103 for the 2020 model year to just 12 for the 2022 model year and one for 2023, although this is too early for the 2023 model year to count.

The 2023 Tesla Model 3 is similar to the Model Y, with 14 complaints recorded in the NHTSA database. As with the Model Y, most owners complained about phantom braking, but there were quality issues as well, like non-functional wipers or missing seat attachment bolts. You would’ve expected Tesla to iron out the problems on a car model introduced six years ago, but it didn’t.

The recent wider rollout of the FSD Beta program means more people are put in the situation of experiencing phantom braking. This could lead to potentially dangerous situations, like the pileup crash on Thanksgiving day in San Francisco. The USS removal complaints are also likely to increase. It will be weird for those who have older Teslas fitted with ultrasonic sensors to discover the hard way that they are no longer functioning. This was really a dumb move from Tesla, one that would likely stir backlash from owners.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories