2021 Tesla Model Y Air Bags & Restraints Problems

The back drivers side seatbelt belt does not latch. The manufacturer refuses to fix without a fee.

**What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?** The vehicle experienced a critical failure immediately on the same day of purchase, rendering it not functioning or inoperable. It was deemed to be preexisting from the dealership I bought it from. The battery is malfunctioning affecting the driving capacity and range. --- **How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?** The failure created a significant safety concern, as the vehicle was not operating reliably immediately after purchase. This placed me at risk of being stranded and potentially exposed to hazardous conditions, including loss of transportation in unsafe or uncontrolled environments. Or stopping while driving. --- **Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?** The issue was immediately reported to the dealership, and they acknowledged the problem by agreeing to an exchange of the vehicle due to its defective condition. It was confirmed by a service center of the car's manufacturer. --- **Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?** At this time, the vehicle has inspected by the manufacturer. --- **Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?** Yes, although the manufacturer can't pinpoint when they started but said they had been on since ATLEAST March 10. My purchase was made April 1, undisclosed to me of this huge issue.

Left rear passenger seatbelt stopped working. There are no visible issues with the belt, metal plug or receptacle, but for some reason the seatbelt will not engage nor click in to secure the belt onto the passenger. This is a safety issue as my daughter typically sits in this seat and she cannot safely sit there now without a functioning seat belt.

Both rear seat belt buckles (driver-side rear and center) fail to latch securely. The metal tongue inserts fully into the buckle but does not lock with an audible click and releases immediately upon light tension. This prevents the seat belts from restraining passengers in a crash. - No visible debris, damage, or contamination in either buckle. - Issue occurs consistently on multiple attempts and with different seat belt tongues. - Vehicle is 2021 Model Y Long Range with 83,610 miles. - **Problem first noticed yesterday (November 2, 2025)**. - Tesla Service has refused repair under warranty, stating the vehicle is out of warranty, despite this being a critical safety component governed by FMVSS 209. This is a **safety defect**, not normal wear. The rear seat belts are **inoperable**, rendering the rear seating positions **unsafe and non-compliant with federal safety standards**. Similar failures are widely reported by other Model Y owners on NHTSA and Tesla forums. REQUEST: Please investigate this recurring seat belt buckle latching failure in Tesla Model Y vehicles. A recall or safety improvement campaign may be warranted.

I have an alert that says Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Issue and Service is required. This is a major safety issue and the Tesla Service Center says I need to pay $800 to fix it. This is a manufacturer issue and the cost should not be incurred by the vehicle owner. This issue puts my family safety at risk and the light is coming up everytime I drive. I need TESLA to review it and fix this at no cost.

“Front passenger Safety restraint system fault, service required” RCM2_a636 message keeps appearing on the screen. It happened right after I bought the car, so I took it to Tesla to fix. It went away for a few months and now it’s back again. According to Tesla, this fault, “ Based on the airbag system's self-diagnostic checks, a persistent fault has been detected in one or more safety restraint components. This could involve seat belts, impact sensors, occupant sensors, or related safety components. • If the airbag warning indicator stays on, the vehicle should not be driven until inspected. • Recurring faults require immediate Tesla service attention. • Pre-tensioner or sensor damage can compromise proper seat belt functionality.” This is a serious safety issue that should be addressed in a recall as it could jeopardize occupant safety of the seat belts or air bags do not work. It also appears to be somewhat widespread and persistent. Tesla also does not appear to have a permanent fix as the first time I took it in they made a comment about one repair already having been done on this before I got the car as a certified used one from Tesla.

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the message "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" was displayed on the instrument panel. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,400.

Continued failure of the OCS system after repair by tesla. This is the system responsible for determining if a passenger is in the passenger seat and without this is a safety issue. As it could affect airbag deployment.

I am writing to formally file a complaint against Tesla Motors regarding a serious safety issue involving defective seat belts in my vehicle. Despite my efforts to address this matter directly with Tesla, their response has been dismissive, prioritizing an out-of-pocket repair fee over a fundamental safety concern. Recently, my [XXX] son discovered that rear driver side seat belt does not latch onto the buckle. When I contacted Tesla to seek assistance in resolving this issue, I was informed I would need to pay out of pocket to replace the buckle because my warranty had expired as of January this year. During the replacement, the Tesla technician pointed out that the other 2 seat belt buckles in the back seat were also defective and would soon not function properly. The Tesla service center in Alhambra, CA was notified but they categorized it as a customer-pay repair. An expired warranty should not absolve Tesla of responsibility for a defect in a critical safety component. Seat belts are essential for driver and passenger protection, and any failure in their function could lead to serious injury or fatality. I am deeply concerned that Tesla does not seem to be taking this issue seriously. Instead of addressing the safety risk posed by the defective seat belts, their response has been to demand payment for a repair that should not be the driver's financial burden. Safety should always be the top priority, and I believe Tesla’s handling of this matter is unacceptable. I urge your office to investigate this issue further to ensure that Tesla is held accountable for addressing potential defects in their seat belts. If Tesla is unwilling to resolve this matter appropriately, I believe regulatory intervention is necessary to protect consumers from similar safety risks. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I have a notice that a sensor went out in my passenger seat. I took it into Tesla to get a quote to repay rid and was quoted $2,000 to fix it. When I asked why it is so expensive I was told it is be cause Tesla has to retrofit my car to fit the new sensors because they stopped making my years sensors, my car is only a 2021. This is safety issue that should be a recall, I have several other friends that own teslas that have had the same issue. The sensor that is not working properly is the sensor that registers if a passenger is in the seat or not determining if the airbag needs to deploy when in an accident. so without a working sensor it puts the passenger at risk. This is something I believe Tesla should covering as it is a safety issue & as a consumer I shouldn't have to pay over the fact they discontinued the proper sensor for my vehicle putting anyone that sits in my passenger seat at risk for the airbag to not deploy in the case of an accident.

Rear passenger seatbelt stopped latching

Seat belt does not buckle and stay attached. Tesla is saying that this is not a warranty issue.

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that his wife was driving at 5 -10 MPH and traffic ahead was slowing down, the vehicle in front stopped and the driver depressed the brake pedal however the vehicle then unintendedly accelerated. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of the vehicle in front. No warning lights were illuminated and no air bags were deployed. No police report was filed due to no injuries being sustained and the insurance company would be handling the incident. The vehicle was towed to a body center where it was diagnosed that the front air bag sensors were fractured in half and failed to activate the air bags but did activate the seat belts during the impact. The vehicle was not repaired, and the repair decision from the insurance company was pending. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure via the app however the contact was still waiting for a return call to speak with a live agent. The failure mileage was 18,680.

The front passenger safety restrain system keeps switching off and showing an error randomly during driving, especially with younger passengers on the passenger seat. The problem was already fixed by Tesla 4 times and is appearing again.

One of the rear seat belts will not latch. The buckle will go about 3/4 of the way in, but will not latch completely. It feels like there is something preventing the buckle from inserting compeltely. This puts our family at risk because one of our children cannot buckle their seatbelts when riding in the car. This has been present since we bought the car; it was delivered to us on August 11 and was not functioning upon delivery.

The third row passenger side seatbelt was restricted and bought in for service 2 weeks after purchasing the vehicle. It was serviced. Problem happened again 1 year later, it was then diagnosed and serviced back to position. 2 years later the same problem persist and restricted the seatbelt. The front passenger seatbelt is now sending alerts and asking for service. The seatbelt belt problem was said to be unknown on the first 2 visits to Tesla. The vehicle is now having the seatbelt system replaced with the current 3rd visit.

THE SEATBELT LATCH IN THE BACK CENTER SEAT IS NOT WORKING. I TRIED CLEANING IT OUT AND NO DEBRIS IS IN THERE AND IT STILL WON'T LATCH. TESLA DOESN'T HAVE AVAILABILITY FOR A MONTH FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE THREE YOUNG KIDS.

Seat belt malfunction error was triggered. I reached tesla service in Springfield nj but can't get an appointment until mid September. Totally unacceptable... how am I supposed to use my car?

Warning popped up for Faulty Passenger Seat Belt Tensioner. On checking, the seat belt tensioner was broken and the whole seat mechanism had come off. This surprised serious safety incident happened without anyone sitting on Passenger side or using the seat belt.

I recently saw there was a recall update issued by Tesla regarding the seatbelt alert. My driver seat does not sense I’m in the seat, and allows me to drive with out a belt on. Even if they send an update to my car, I won’t be alerted. Someone could use the lack of sensor to not remain in their seat. Inflatable doll with sunglasses could take my spot. My question is, is this included in the recall regarding the seat belt notification when not buckled since it’s part of the safety restraint system?