Agency found no crashes tied to unexpected braking in Model 3 and Model Y
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has closed a four-year investigation into unexpected braking issues in certain Tesla vehicles, determining the problem posed a low safety risk and has been addressed through subsequent software updates.
The probe, designated PE22002, was launched in early 2022 after the agency received a surge of complaints about sudden, unintended deceleration while drivers were using Tesla’s Autopilot system, as well as Full Self-Driving and Traffic Aware Cruise Control. The investigation covered approximately 416,000 2021 and 2022 Tesla Model 3 sedans and Model Y compact sport-utility vehicles.
NHTSA said it found no crashes tied to the braking issues and noted that Tesla’s shift to a vision-only sensing system — which relies on cameras rather than radar — likely contributed to the behavior. Complaints declined sharply in recent years, the agency said, with 45 incidents reported in 2024, 19 in 2025, and only three since the beginning of 2026.
While the evaluation is now closed, NHTSA said in its announcement that the closure does not mean the safety-related defect does not exist and that the agency could potentially take additional action if the situation warrants it.
Tesla faces several other active federal investigations into its driver-assistance technologies.[1][2] California regulators also recently acted on Tesla’s marketing practices.[3]
Footnotes
[1] MSI previously reported that NHTSA in March opened a wider probe of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature after crashes in poor-visibility conditions. [2] MSI previously reported that the NTSB launched an investigation in June into a fatal Texas crash involving a Tesla. [3] MSI previously reported that California regulators in February decided not to suspend Tesla’s license to sell vehicles in the state after concluding the company stopped misleading drivers about the safety of its cars.