2022 Tesla Model Y · symptom sheet

Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)

253owner reports
5,000median miles
9involved a crash

Newest report Sep 5, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

548 of the 855 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 253 of those describe phantom braking. Only driver assist is reported more often on this car.

Tick what matches of 253 reports

nothing was in front of me

on the highway

145

near an overpass, shadow or truck

nearly rear-ended

the dealer found no fault

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the radar or camera sensor (24 reports) and the software (23 reports).

Recalls and investigations

One recall on collision avoidance covers the 2022 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

24V-153Feb 27, 2024

Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings:External/Pedestrian Alert

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."

Risk and remedy

Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.

NHTSA investigations into collision avoidance on the Model Y

DP23-002opened Jun 29, 2023

Speed control · model years 2019 to 2023

Sudden unintended acceleration. Open.

NHTSA summary

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting that ODI reevaluate its decision to deny DP20-001 on the basis that intermittent high electrical current demands on the vehicles' 12VDC systems may have caused some or all of the incidents examined by ODI in DP20-001. The petitioner bases this information on a review of open-source research and the DP20-001 denial. The petition and related materials can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ODI number: 11528471.

PE22-002opened Feb 16, 2022

Collision avoidance · model years 2021 to 2024

Unexpected brake activation. Closed jun 29, 2026.

NHTSA summary

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 â 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured by Tesla. The subject systems include Autopilot (all versions), Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC). These complaints have been colloquially referred to as âphantom brakingâ. ODI opened PE22002 to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to assess any resulting safety issues in the subject vehicles. The alleged defect is an unexpected and unrequested vehicle deceleration triggered by the subject system during subject system engagement. The alleged defect does not occur when the subject system is not in use and is separate and distinct from Automated Emergency Braking (AEB). During vehicle operation, AEB is actively monitoring in the subject vehicles regardless of subject system and its intervention is accompanied by audible and visual collision warnings. A Vehicle Owners Questionnaire (VOQ) trend originating in November 2021 prompted ODI to open PE22002. VOQ narratives reported unexpected brake activation while using TACC, Autopilot or FSD. The trend grew from 99 by the end of 2021 to 314 by February 16, 2022, when PE22002 was opened. ODI sent Information Request (IR) Letters to Tesla on May 4, 2022, and July 11, 2024, to request salien

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 3,000 and 14,600 miles, from the 24 reports that gave a mileage.

18922

5023

424

225

826

What owners wrote

“Car phantom braked when in a 2 lane highway when there was an approaching car in the opposite lane. No danger of the other car colliding but Tesla braked for no reason. Happened multiple times while using Autopilot.”
Filed Feb 13, 2022

“Car consistently brakes unexpectedly when another large car is passing going the opposite direction. There have also been times they shadows cause the same result. I believe this is referred to as phantom braking and it makes the adaptive cruise control unusable and dangerous.”
Filed Feb 5, 2022

“While driving on a single lane road in Bismarck, ND in low light conditions the car did what we call phantom braking anytime a oncoming car would be approaching.”
Filed Feb 5, 2022

“Phantom braking when cruise control activated. Car will randomly reduce speed and / or brake when driving on highway or 2 lane highways. Makes cruise control unusable as itâs dangerous”
Filed Feb 4, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 9 of 253 reports involved a crash and 6 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.