2021 Tesla Model S automatic emergency braking problems
63 of the 179 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2021 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, 1 NHTSA investigation. 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 database13 of the 63 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2020: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 37 · 2023: 15 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 3
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
179 complaints in all about the 2021 Tesla Model S, 3 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.
While using wildly falsely marketed $10k "full self driving" add-on across multiple software revisions and after reporting each and every bug to company I have experienced potentially fatal phantom breaking while at highway speeds and could have been killed by rear ending on at least 4 occasions.
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle approached another vehicle that had slowed for a traffic light and did not automatically start braking. The contact manually applied the brakes, but the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle in front.
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model S. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH or slower, the pedestrian alert warning system failed to activate as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic found no failure.
On March 18th and March 19th we have experienced 4 episodes of unexpected emergency phantom braking while using auto pilot. Once on the 18th and 3 times on the 19th. Only once was there another car in our vicinity and that car was next to us within their lane passing us at the time.
Car experienced “phantom braking” at freeway speeds (it suddenly and unexpected applied brakes by itself) - AutoPilot was engaged and was on freeway. There were no vehicles or objects in front of car. It was a multi lane freeway and multiple lanes on either side.
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.
NHTSA investigation
- PE22002 Unexpected Brake Activationopened Feb 16, 2022 · closed Jun 29, 2026
- On February 16, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22002) to investigate reports of unexpected deceleration while driving with the adaptive cruise control system engaged in Model Year (MY) 2021 – 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured by Tesla. The subject systems include Autopilot (all versions), Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Traffic Aware Cru…
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre automatic emergency braking problems common on the 2021 Tesla Model S?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 63 owner complaints naming the automatic emergency braking on this model year (35% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation are 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 2021 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 2021 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.