NHTSA Complaint #11544558 — 2021 TESLA MODEL Y

The 12-volt battery in the vehicle unexpectedly failed without any prior warning, contrary to Tesla's assurance that a warning should appear on the dashboard screen in advance to indicate the need for replacement. In our specific case, no such warning was given, resulting in the vehicle becoming inoperative. This situation could pose a significant safety hazard if the car had stopped in the middle of the road. On September 12, 2023, my son experienced an incident where he could open the driver's side door, but the dashboard screen went completely blank. Despite attempting to reboot the system, there was no response. After exiting the car and closing the door, we observed that the window did not behave as expected in typical situations, as it did not slide down when the door was closed. This unexpected malfunction led to the window breaking without any prior indication or warning from Tesla. The absence of any alert regarding this electrical failure is concerning, especially considering the potential danger if such an incident occurs on a busy highway. Regrettably, Tesla's service center has firmly asserted that the vehicle is no longer covered under warranty and has declined to provide any assistance or resolution for this issue.