2026 Tesla Model Y
Electric Compact SUV
The 2026 Tesla Model Y is sold in the U.S. as a electric compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the Model Y Long Range RWD, is EPA-rated at 357 miles with 134 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 343 complaints, most often about forward collision avoidance. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Range | kWh/100mi | Charge (240V) | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model Y Standard RWD (18in Wheels) | Electric | RWD | 228 and 243 kW ACPM 3-Phase | 148 | 129 | 138 MPGe | 321 mi | 24.3 | 10 h | $550 |
| Model Y Long Range RWD | Electric | RWD | 228 and 243 kW ACPM | 144 | 123 | 134 MPGe | 357 mi | 25.2 | 10 h | $550 |
| Model Y Standard RWD (19in Wheels) | Electric | RWD | 228 and 243 kW ACPM 3-Phase | 142 | 120 | 131 MPGe | 303 mi | 25.7 | 10 h | $600 |
| Model Y Standard AWD | Electric | AWD | 91 and 200 kW ACPM 3-Phase | 133 | 120 | 127 MPGe | 294 mi | 26.5 | 8 h | $600 |
| Model Y Long Range AWD | Electric | AWD | 90 and 200 kW ACPM | 130 | 115 | 123 MPGe | 327 mi | 27.5 | 8 h | $600 |
| Model Y Performance AWD | Electric | AWD | 91 and 200 kW ACPM 3-Phase | 111 | 100 | 105 MPGe | 306 mi | 32.0 | 12.2 h | $700 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (8)
Suspension
highProblem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y vehicles. One or more front suspension lateral link fasteners may not have been properly tightened, allowing the lateral link to loosen or separate from the sub-frame.
Risk: A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will tighten or replace the fasteners and check wheel the alignment, free of charge. In addition, Tesla Service will replace any related parts that may have been damaged as necessary. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 30, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-31-004.
Air Bags
highProblem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y and 2024 Model 3 vehicles. The vehicles were originally built for a foreign market and do not have knee air bags, may not be equipped with certain interior safety countermeasures, and may not have been tested for bumper impact resistance procedures. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers, 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact," and Part 581, "Bumper Standards."
Risk: A noncompliant vehicle may have reduced occupant protections, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Tesla will repurchase noncompliant vehicles currently registered in the United States, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 5, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 or resolutions@tesla.com. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-00-004.
Equipment
minorProblem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Model Y vehicles. The certification label may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 C.F.R. Part 567, "Certification."
Risk: Missing weight information provided by the label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will inspect and install a certification label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-19-002.
Electrical System
highProblem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2025 Model 3 and 2026 Model Y vehicles. The battery pack contactors may fail, causing a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will replace the battery pack contactors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-16-005.
Exterior Lighting
highProblem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y vehicles. The reverse lights may fail to illuminate while the vehicle is in reverse, due to a defect in the wiring. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Reverse lights that fail to illuminate reduce visibility and may not alert pedestrians or other drivers that the vehicle is backing up, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service will replace the reverse lights and reverse facia harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 26, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-17-011.
Electrical System
highProblem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y vehicles. The ring terminal of the horn ground wire may be improperly secured, allowing the circuit to open and preventing the horn from sounding.
Risk: An inoperable horn may prevent the driver from alerting other drivers as needed, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla service will replace the steering wheel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were be mailed September 23, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-17-009.
Seats
highProblem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The fasteners attaching the seat back to the seat bottom may have been improperly tightened.
Risk: The seat may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Tesla Service Centers will inspect and tighten or replace the seat assembly fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-13-003.
Visibility
highProblem: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y vehicles. The hose connector may block the windshield washer nozzles, preventing washer fluid from reaching the windshield. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."
Risk: The inability to clean the windshield reduces the driver’s visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Tesla service will inspect and replace the wiper arm elbow connector as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-20-001.
NHTSA investigations
Electrical System:Adas — FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions (open)
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening this Engineering Analysis to evaluate Tesla’s Full Self Driving Beta and Full Self Driving (Supervised) (collectively, FSD) degradation detection system. The focus of this investigation will be to assess the system’s ability, when encountering reduced roadway visibility conditions, to detect degradation and alert the driver with sufficient time to respond. ODI will evaluate the performance of FSD in degraded roadway conditions and the updates or modifications by Tesla to the degradation detection system, including the timing, purpose, and capabilities of the updates, and Tesla’s assessment of their safety impact. Tesla’s FSD is an
Opened Mar 18, 2026 · action EA26002
Electrical System:Adas — Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged (open)
The Office of Defects Investigation (“ODI�) is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety consequences of FSD executing driving maneuvers that constitute traffic safety violations. This investigation concerns versions of FSD that Tesla has labeled as "FSD (Supervised)" and "FSD (Beta)." Tesla characterizes FSD as an SAE Level 2 partial automation system requiring a fully attentive driver who is engaged in the driving task at all times. Level 2 partial automation systems are designed to support and assist the driver in performing certain aspects of the driving task, requiring a driver to supervise and intervene as necessary. The driver
Opened Oct 7, 2025 · action PE25012
Electrical System:Adas — Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting Requirements (open)
The Office of Defects Investigation (“ODI�) has identified numerous incident reports submitted by Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla�) in response to Standing General Order 2021-01 (the “SGO�), in which the reported crashes occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports. The majority of these reports involved crashes in which the Standing General Order in place at the time required a report to be submitted within one or five days of Tesla receiving notice of the crash. When the reports were submitted, Tesla submitted them in one of two ways. Many of the reports were submitted as part of a single batch, while others were submitted on a rolling basis. Preliminary engagement betwe
Opened Aug 20, 2025 · action AQ25002
Electrical System:Adas:Autonomous/Self Driving — Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts. (closed)
On January 6, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation 24003 (PE24033) to investigate Actually Smart Summon (Summon) sessions resulting in crashes during active sessions. According to Tesla, Summon is a short-distance SAE Level 2 system, controlled by the user from a cell phone within a certain distance and intended for use in parking lots and on private property. ODI analyzed complaint data provided by Tesla as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers to identify Summon incidents resulting in crashes. ODI's analysis indicates that almost all Summon reported crashes involved minor property damage claims with no reported incidents involving a vu
Opened Jan 6, 2025 · closed Apr 3, 2026 · action PE24033
Owner complaints
343 complaints filed
72 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 27 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2025: 129 · 2026: 214
Most-cited components
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 131
- Unknown Or Other — 107
- Electrical System — 51
- Lane Departure — 44
- Steering — 42
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9% |
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9% |
| SUV RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9% |
| SUV RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Compare the 2026 Model Y with
Other Model Y model years
2025 Model Y
3 recalls · 97 complaints
D2024 Model Y
5 recalls · 315 complaints
F2023 Model Y
17 recalls · 1,146 complaints
F2022 Model Y
20 recalls · 856 complaints
F2021 Model Y
23 recalls · 1,068 complaints
F2020 Model Y
24 recalls · 275 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 50040, 49743, 50041, 50304, 49744, 50253). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.