2018 Tesla Model S automatic emergency braking problems
70 of the 169 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Tesla Model S name the automatic emergency braking (NHTSA’s “Forward Collision Avoidance” heading — forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, including phantom braking). Filed under the same heading: 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the automatic emergency braking
Source: NHTSA complaint database11 of the 70 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 11 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2020: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 30 · 2023: 12 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 4
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
169 complaints in all about the 2018 Tesla Model S, 4 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Forward Collision Avoidance” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Tesla Model S automatic emergency braking problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the automatic emergency braking. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Repeated problems with "phantom braking" when adaptive cruise control or autosteering is engaged. The vehicle would make unexpected hard breaking without any obvious triggers. In the past, I have made multiple "report bug" to Tesla immediately following phantom breaking, but no improvement noted thus far.
System: Autopilot, emergency braking, collision detection. Vehicle IS available for inspection if requested. --- How safety was put at risk: In 2018, while driving on the interstate at about 70-80 mph with Autopilot enabled the car suddenly braked for no reason.
Hello, I am a Tesla Model S owner for the past four years (bought it on june 15, 2018) and I absolutely love my Tesla and its autonomous driving auto pilot. It generally performs well except for a very serious glitch of Phantom braking when approaching overhead bridges / passes.
On 3/15/2022, I was driving on I405 with auto-pilot engaged. My car (Tesla Model S) suddenly braked hard for no apparent reason. I had to disengage auto-pilot and quickly accelerate to avoid the car behind me from rear ending my car. Fortunately, I remembered to save the event recorded on Tesla cameras.
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving at 65 MPH with cruise control activated, the vehicle inadvertently started braking and the cruise control disengaged. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was no other vehicle nearby. The vehicle was driven safely to the residence.
What is on file about the automatic emergency braking
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 21V846000 HighOct 29, 2021 · 11,728 vehicles
- Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S, Model 3, Model X, and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles operating software version 2021.36.5.2. A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre automatic emergency braking problems common on the 2018 Tesla Model S?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 70 owner complaints naming the automatic emergency braking on this model year (41% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 recall is filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the automatic emergency braking on the 2018 Tesla Model S?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 21V846000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do automatic emergency braking problems show up on the 2018 Tesla Model S?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
What does NHTSA's "Forward Collision Avoidance" heading cover?
Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, including phantom braking. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.