2021 Tesla Model Y service brakes problems
177 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the service brakes on the 2021 Tesla Model Y — 17% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Phantom brake incident today,5/26/26. Traveling 35mph, brakes slammed on for no apparent reason. Seatbelt tightened and my head launched forward. Neck is very strained.”
filed May 26, 2026
“I was entering the on-ramp to [XXX] , from [XXX] , to merge onto the freeway east bound towards [XXX] , when my Tesla suddenly lost all power, the brakes did not work and the power steering completely failed making it feel like it was locked up. I was traveling approximately 40-50 mph at the time…”
filed Mar 28, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Brake caliper bolts may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate and contact the…Campaign 21V387000 · May 25, 2021
Service Brakes problems in other Model Y years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model Y | 21 | 7% |
| 2025 Model Y | 15 | 17% |
| 2024 Model Y | 24 | 8% |
| 2023 Model Y | 149 | 13% |
| 2022 Model Y | 128 | 15% |
| 2020 Model Y | 35 | 13% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2021 Tesla Model Y
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.