MODEL Y RELIABILITY: THE BEST AND WORST YEARS TO BUY

Love it or hate it, Tesla has had a massive impact on the automotive world. Its electric cars have set the basis for many of the big decisions legacy automakers now make with their interiors and designs. If you're in the market for an electric crossover SUV, should you be checking out Tesla? Is the Tesla Model Y reliability record good?

We'll be answering those questions in this article as we've researched the best and worst Tesla Model Y years for dependability. Electric carmakers are always proud of the fact that there's only around 20 moving parts in an electric vehicle - but is that enough to make electric powertrains reliable? Find out below.

Tesla Model Y: A Brief History

One Of The Very First EVs

Tesla has had a meteoric rise to become one of the world's most valuable car companies. It started with the Roadster and then the Model S, which was its first foray into consumer electric cars. It paired a traditional sedan with a strong electric powertrain and lots of standard equipment. Then it brought out the Model X, a raised and iconic electric car with falcon wing doors.

Wanting to build a cheaper car, Tesla released the Model 3 before finally debuting the Model Y in 2019, with orders starting the following year. It's built on the same platform as the Model 3, but rides slightly taller and prioritizes cargo and passenger space inside. It's quintessentially Tesla - a minimalist interior dominated by a huge central screen and a soap-bar-like design. It was sold worldwide and built in factories in Texas, California, Shanghai, and Berlin. Since then, it has become the best-selling electric car in America, with the Model 3 quite far behind in second place.

With over 300 miles of range, depending on configuration, it was competitive against other carmakers, and a starting price of $39,000 for the single-motor rear-wheel-drive configuration didn't break the bank either. The current Model Y was introduced in 2025, mainly as a visual upgrade to bring it more in line with the Cybertruck, such as light bars at the front and rear. It now starts at $44,990 for the long-range rear-wheel-drive trim, which gets you 357 miles on a single charge. Full self-driving is available for $8,000.

The Best Tesla Model Y Years

Setting The Bar

Many of the Tesla Model Y issues we'll talk about will be shared with other Tesla vehicles, as they share many of the same features and technology - especially the Model 3. The Model 3 shares about 75% of its parts with the Model Y, meaning many of the software niggles could be present on both sides. Tesla Model Y vehicles from 2023 have a fair purchase price of around $30k on Kelley Blue Book, making them an attractive proposition for new electric car buyers. Something to note about many of Tesla's vehicles - and many other EVs - is that a lot of issues can be fixed with OTA (over-the-air) updates. Tesla Model Y reliability ratings aren't super high, but these are the best years we could find.

2024 Tesla Model Y

While this is a newer model year, meaning there is less data available, we found that 2024 cars were better than others for the number of recalls, complaints and general reliability. There are currently five recalls listed for the 2024MY, and while the car has only been out for a year, this is trending less than other years we'll be taking a look at. Three of the recalls listed on the website have been fixed with updates.

Reliability Highlights:

• J.D. Power Quality & Reliability Score: 69/100
• Recalls: 5
• Complaints: 197

These include a tire pressure light working incorrectly, software not recognizing an unlatched hood, and an incorrect font size on the screen. When you're buying a Tesla, make sure that the updates have been installed, referring to Tesla's website to find out what the latest update number is. The two recalls that could not be fixed this way include seatback recliners being improperly welded and the rearview camera failing, which were both repaired free of charge.

Common complaints, of which there are 197 on the NHTSA, include the aforementioned rearview camera not working, as well as unintended acceleration while in full self-driving. The main bulk of the issues have come with the cameras in and around the vehicle, meaning the powertrain elements are pretty reliable.

2020 Tesla Model Y

Now, 22 recalls might sound bad for this model year, but many of these have been fixed with software updates, and 253 complaints is steep but not as high as some years. As this was the first year of Tesla Model Y production, we believe many of these came from issues when setting the car up in the factory. The other recalls, which could not be fixed by software updates, include loose suspension and steering arms, but this affects a very small number of vehicles. It's still worth checking out when viewing a 2020 Model Y for sale.

Reliability Highlights:

• J.D. Power Quality & Reliability Score: N/A
• Recalls: 22
• Complaints: 253

Many of the 253 complaints are about the cameras and sensors around the vehicle, which sometimes result in 'phantom' cars and confuse the system. In one instance, even though there was no car in the left lane, the car took over from driving and swerved back into the right lane when attempting to overtake. Even though this is a potentially dangerous issue, the total number of problems is fewer than in other years.

The Worst Tesla Model Y Years

Not Always The Golden Child

As Tesla started getting more popular, issues with production and quality control kept popping up. This included panel gaps and improperly fastened bolts and loose connections. This isn't as much of an issue now, but this is something to look at when viewing a Tesla. Here are the worst model years for recalls and complaints that we found.

2021 Tesla Model Y

A massive 929 complaints loom over this model year and many of them are quite dangerous incidents. They're to do with 'phantom braking', wherein the car will use a mistaken reading from its onboard computer and brake suddenly. Some have experienced this during full self-driving, but some have found this happening under normal driving conditions.

Reliability Highlights:

• J.D. Power Quality & Reliability Score: N/A
• Recalls: 21
• Complaints: 929

There were also many incidents with unintentional acceleration, such as one driver who found themselves accelerating and unable to use the brakes before crashing. This is also common, according to the NHTSA complaints list, when in adaptive cruise control. This model year has also had 21 recalls, many of them fixed with software, but we'd still check for improperly fastened bolts in the wheel linkages and suspension. If you're looking for true Model Y reliability, we'd stay away from the 2021 model.

2023 Tesla Model Y

A similar story is present in the 2023MY car. The collision-avoidance systems are notoriously problematic, meaning the Model Y can act improperly under normal driving conditions. We could also find complaints of broken windshields in parking lots and hot weather, often associated with poor build quality, which can be quite expensive to fix with the size of vehicle. There are 15 recalls for this car, although many of the non-software-fixed issues affect a tiny number of vehicles, meaning they should have been fixed for free at a Tesla garage.

Reliability Highlights:

• J.D. Power Quality & Reliability Score: 70/100
• Recalls: 15
• Complaints: 887

Some owners have reported the windshield wipers also failing, which can be particularly dangerous when extreme weather hits. Apparently, this usually happens when the wipers are in auto mode, and some blame it on updates corrupting the system.

2022 Tesla Model Y

The final model in our Tesla Model Y reliability list is 2022, where 732 complaints have been lodged. Common issues include what we've already mentioned, such as the cameras around the vehicle becoming glitched out. We could also find, just like other model years, a lot of reports on unintended acceleration and braking, which happens at any speed. Some issues with smart summon were common, such as the car directly hitting other parked vehicles or refusing to stop when using the app.

Reliability Highlights:

• J.D. Power Quality & Reliability Score: 73/100
• Recalls: 18
• Complaints: 732

Summary

Popular But Plagued

If you're asking the question: are Tesla Model Y cars reliable? We'd say...not really. The powertrain and motor are solid, but the many cameras and sensors around the body of the vehicle have plagued it with 'phantom' cars and unintended braking and accelerating. We would definitely look at which software version your Tesla Model Y has, as this could fix a lot of the recalls associated with the car. When using the radar of the vehicle, make sure to cross-reference with what you're actually seeing, as some of the cars that the car detects may not be real.

Sources: Tesla, NHTSA, Car Complaints, EPA, J.D. Power

2025-07-16T03:09:47Z