After buying a new Tesla Model Y two years ago, I have lots of hands-on experience. That’s why I’ve put together this list of Tesla Model Y problems. Reading below, You’ll find the issues I’ve had with owning a Tesla so far.
Problems with Tesla Model Y
If you’d prefer watching, I put together a video that covers the points below.
You can also comment directly on YouTube. That’s one of the best ways to ask questions. I get notifications when new comments come through. And if you don’t have any questions, I always appreciate any feedback. Without further ado, here are the Tesla Model Y issues I’ve had the past two years…
1. Tesla Door Handle
I’m often carrying things in one hand, and sometimes both. This makes it a bit tricky to open Tesla doors. You have to press in… then at the same time, grab the other side that pops out.
Tesla likely made this decision for style points, and maybe a slightly lower drag coefficient. But it’s an annoying extra step. However, there is a hidden trick. If you push in with enough pressure, it pops the door out far enough. You can take your finger off and grab the side of the door to open it.
Now on to the 2nd problem I’ve had with owning a Tesla. And at the end, I’ll share my thoughts overall. Is buying a Tesla a good decision? Here are some more guides that can help as well…
2. Public Perception
When driving in a Model Y, I don’t stand out as much as a Cybertruck. However, I still get looks and occasional comments. Just a few days ago, a college-aged kid flicked me off when driving by. We then both stopped at the same stoplight. I rolled down my window and he quickly learned his bias was wrong.
Either way, the Model Y has already become the best-selling car in the world. This type of attention will fade as these cars become even more common.
3. Coal Rolled
This 3rd issue should fade over time as well. I’ve been coal rolled about five times so far. This is when a truck drives in front of you and spews out extra smoke. But every time, I laugh to myself. I’ve invested in oil companies. Also, these cars have great air filters… one feature is called bioweapon defense mode. It’s also great if you’re around forest fire smoke, which seems to be grabbing more headlines each summer.
4. Frozen Screen
This 4th problem with Teslas hasn’t happened to me for a while. However, it’s good to know how to fix it in advance. Your front Tesla screen might freeze. And it’s the only thing that shows your current speed, and it also has many of the driving controls.
It froze once while I was on the highway. And to fix it, I had to click and hold in both the left and right scroll wheels on the driving wheel. This reboots the system, and while this is happening, it’s still safe to drive. I’ll link to a quick video that shows you more.
5. Average Customer Service
For the 5th Tesla problem, it’s the overall service. I’ve had to deal with lots of little mistakes, like not being able to enter a new address when I bought my Mobile chargers from Tesla. They delivered them to the wrong address. Or more recently, Tesla not using my credits correctly for charging.
Overall, Tesla has grown rapidly… its service side of the business has struggled to keep up.
6. Service Provider Locations
This 6th problem ties into that as well. If you live in a less populated area, you’ll have to travel far to pick up your Tesla and for follow-up service. I’m in South Dakota and had over a five-hour drive to the nearest showroom. Luckily, more regular car shops and garages are learning how to help with Tesla maintenance and repairs.
7. Charging Time on Long Road Trips
Coming in at number seven, long road trips will take longer in a Tesla. On a 10-hour day of driving, a gas car will save you close to 30 minutes to an hour. If you’re doing lots of long road trips and want to move fast, gas cars are still the best way to go.
However, a Tesla still might save you time overall. For most people with daily commuting, they never have to go to a gas station again. It’s easy to plug in and slow charge at home. Even with a standard wall outlet. You can skip both gas and charging stations. This could save you time overall.
8. Supercharging Connector
For the 8th Tesla issue, it’s with some supercharging stations. Some of the charging cables and plugins don’t connect well with the stations. It’s hard to put them back in and if parked close, they can fall out and hit your Tesla. This gave me my first paint scratch. Although, it is hard to see. Here’s a guide for the Tesla paint repair kit.
9. Phantom Breaking
For number 9, everyone gets Autopilot for free with their Tesla. It’s good for lane and speed keeping when on the highway. Although when using it in my first year, phantom breaking was common. While driving, it’d start slowing down abruptly when nothing was in the way.
This rarely happens anymore. Although, if I’m using autopilot and a car is behind me, I keep my foot over the accelerator pedal just in case. This way, if it phantom breaks, I can override it.
10. Autopilot Prompts
For another issue with autopilot, the prompts are annoying. Autopilot makes me less tired on a long road trip. I don’t have to constantly make steering adjustments. That mental energy. However, it does force you to pay attention with prompts. And multiple times it’s blocked me from using it for the rest of the drive… I think this is beyond what’s required for safety. Does anyone know, do other cars do this with their basic lane and speed keeping? Please let us know in the comments.
11. Self-Driving Timeline Misleading
For one more problem on the driving side, Musk has misled many buyers with FSD and its timeline. I didn’t buy these extra features. And for those that did, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some legal recourse down the road.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing technology and progress, but far from a true unsupervised full self-driving. Many Teslas on the road might not even have the hardware required for true FSD.
12. Phone Key Won’t Work
This next problem with my Tesla doesn’t happen often. But it’s annoying when it does. Especially if I’m in a hurry. Sometimes my Model Y doesn’t unlock when I come close to it. To fix it each time, I’ve had to close my Tesla phone app, then restart it.
13. Tires Wear Out Faster
This last problem with my Tesla applies to all EVs. Since the battery makes the cars heavier than gas cars, the tires wear out faster. The quick acceleration can play into this as well.
I’ve seen others replacing their Tesla tires anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 miles. And I’m already on the higher end with close to 37,000 miles, but I’m a non-aggressive driver. Either way, this adds to the total cost of ownership.
Is Buying a Tesla Model Y Worth it?
If you’re a Tesla owner, do you have any problems to add to my list? Please let us know in the comments on the video above or by reaching out directly. That helps us all learn and make better decisions.
Overall, buying and driving a Tesla Model Y has been great. These issues I’ve brought up are all small – luckily. With buying any new car, there’s always a chance of getting a lemon. And with any car, you’ll likely find plenty of small issues.
I’ve owned this Tesla for close to two years. And in that time, I’ve spent about $50 total on maintenance. The only costs to me have been windshield wiper fluid and new cabin air filters.
Buying a new Model Y has never been cheaper. To see why, I’ve tracked its entire price history. It’s not for everyone, but keeps getting better and more affordable. If you’re in the market, feel free to use my Tesla code for an extra $1,000 discount. Otherwise, thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.