There are 4 stored owner reports matching the brakes leading-label group for the 2020 Tesla Model S in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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Loaded 4 of 4 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)From Aug 23 to 28, 2023, we traveled in our 2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus vehicle from Santa Fe, NM to San Diego, CA and back, for a total distance of approximate 2100 miles. We drove primarily interstates (I-25, I-10, I-8, I-5) where speed limits ranged from 55 to 75. We experienced numerous instances of what is known to Tesla owners as sudden, severe "phantom braking" [hereinafter PB] while the cruise control was activated (not AutoPilot, nor FSD, just cruise control). In ALL instances, no cars or other objects were visible within 1 mile ahead of our vehicle, and in ALL instances, these "phantom braking" incidents happened on absolutely flat, straight, smooth road surfaces, at all times of day, morning, noon, and night. This car has had PB problems since the day was purchased; in fact on that day, there were at least two sudden PB incidents while I drove home in the new car! At numerous times since, I've reported these problems to Tesla Service---to no avail. The problem is widely known among Tesla owners, and to my knowledge no owner has been able to get Tesla to do anything. On this most recent long-distance trip, our PB incidents happened typically at the posted speed limit of 75mph in all-clear situations---nobody else anywhere remotely nearby. The car would be operating smoothly when all of a sudden the brakes would engage and the vehicle would rapidly decelerate, throwing forward anything not fastened down inside the car. Because of the history of this problem, I NEVER activate cruise control whenever ANY vehicle is near the rear of the car, as I can never tell if my car will "phantom brake" at that moment, causing a possible accident. I consider this problem VERY dangerous. I have owned this car since 2020, and Tesla has refused to do anything to fix it, always coming up with one or other stalling technique or excuse. I consider this an extreme safety flaw of this car and hope NHTSA can help to force Tesla to fix it once and for all.
CAR REPEATEDLY APPLIED THE BRAKES HARD AND SUDDENLY WHILE TRAVELING AT 75MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE IN DRIVER ASSIST MODE AS WELL AS IN CRUISE CONTROL ONLY. IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN DRIVING WITHOUT ANY ASSISTED DRIVING MODES ACTIVATED. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES NEAR US NOR ANY OBJECTS IN THE ROAD OR ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CONSTRUED AS A REASON TO EMERGENCY BRAKE
While driving at night if someone doesnt turn off there high beams the car will randomly slam on the breaks as if its going to hit something. Low beans dont effect it but high beams do while your driving past another car.
While driving with Autopilot engaged the car applied the brakes suddenly and severely without warning. This has occurred on multiple occasions at freeway speeds and at surface street speeds. There was no apparant reason to apply the brakes and no warning.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.