2021 Tesla Model Y · symptom sheet
Seat belt or seat problems
- 43owner reports
- $800median quote
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Jul 26, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
43 of the 1,079 complaints on this car describe seat belt.
Tick what matches of 43 reports
Seat belt on other Model Y years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2020, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This group covers the belt and the seat it's bolted to: buckles that won't latch or won't let go, belts that lock up and won't pull out, and seats that shift or rock in their tracks. It's a wide bucket, with over 9,000 complaints across the vehicles on this site, and a quarter of them mention a recall.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the buckle (13 reports).
Recalls and investigations
3 recalls on the seat belts cover the 2021 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended.
One or both fasteners that secure the left and right second row seat belt retractors may not be properly attached.
One or both fasteners that secure the front seat shoulder belt to the b-pillar may not be properly attached.
All 23 recalls on the 2021 Tesla Model Y, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
What owners paid
7 of the 43 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $466 to $1,582.
When it happens
Too few of these reports state a mileage to give a range.
What owners wrote
“On 7/18/2023 - my car reported the following: Replace Occupant Classification System (OCS) of Front Passenger Seat. In essence the seat sensor on the car malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. Tesla charged me $466.29 to replace this and said that this was not under warranty, even though this was a safety issue on their part.”
Filed Jul 19, 2023
“rear seat belts do not latch. the male portion of the seatbelt will be able to go in fully, but there's no click or latch to prevent it from coming back out. this is a huge safety issue, but Tesla has refused to service it. there are no warning lamps or messages.”
Filed May 30, 2023
“Hi, I just read the news about NHTSA on Model X pretensioner recall and found my Model Y may have the same issue. The seatbelt hold on the driver's seat is extended a lot compared to the passages seat.”
Filed Mar 28, 2023
“Easy Entry resulted in fractured/ broken toe of back seat passenger. Foot was resting in seat rail when driver exited vehicle which caused the seat to auto position to rear and crushed passenger toe. Driver jumped back into vehicle and engaged park to auto move seat to forward position”
Filed Mar 27, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 43 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves 363 reports
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 330 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 181 reports
- Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out 104 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 103 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 75 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 52 reports
- Full Self-Driving (FSD) does something unsafe 35 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 30 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 26 reports