NHTSA Complaint #11698816 — 2025 TESLA MODEL Y

On November 10, 2025 while my 2025 Tesla Model Y was being driven, in Miami, Florida, around 2:55–3:05 PM, the brakes failed completely. Despite firm brake pedal pressure, the vehicle did not slow down or stop as expected and continued forward until a collision occurred. The brake pedal felt normal with no loss of resistance, but the car did not decelerate as expected. No forward collision warning (FCW) or automatic emergency braking (AEB) activated prior to impact. There were no audible or visual alerts displayed before or during braking. After the collision, the vehicle’s screen displayed messages stating “Airbags Deployed” and “Automatic Emergency Braking is unavailable. Feature may be restored on next drive.” However, the airbags did not deploy. A burst of white particulate dust, consistent with airbag propellant or deployment powder, was released inside the cabin. None of the vehicle’s cameras recorded the incident; there is no Dashcam or Sentry Mode footage from that time. At the same time, the cell phone, which was actively linked to the vehicle through Bluetooth and the Tesla app, stopped transmitting location data through the Life360 app for a few minutes. This may indicate a coinciding electrical or data interruption affecting both the vehicle and connected devices. This incident placed my families safety and that of others at serious risk. Multiple safety systems appear to have failed simultaneously, including the braking function, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, camera recording systems, and airbag deployment.