Buyer Research

2021 Tesla Model Y Performance — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $38,000–$50,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.

Kestrel Take

A quick, practical electric crossover — the Model Y Performance blends genuine speed, 300 miles of range, Supercharger access, and useful hatchback space. It's the best-selling EV for good reason. Same Tesla caveats: variable build quality and pricey out-of-warranty repairs, plus a firm ride on the Performance's big wheels. A well-kept Model Y with a healthy battery and warranty is a superb used-EV family hauler; verify battery health and build.

What we checked

Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11

NHTSA holds 2,136 owner complaints for the 2021 Tesla Model Y Performance, and no recall campaigns.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 54% of them are about one thing — the driver-assist and automatic braking systems. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.

Not written up yet: throttle and cruise control (320 complaints). That group is in the public record and is not covered by the issues below. Treat it as something to ask about, not as absent.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2021 Tesla Model Y Performance

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.

Battery degradation / healthMedium

Check range at full charge vs. new and remaining battery warranty (8yr/120k).

Repair cost (estimate): $0 under warranty / $12,000-$16,000 out

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (290).

Build quality / early-build issuesMedium

Early Model Ys had build-quality and some suspension/seal complaints; inspect panel gaps, trim, seals, and for wind/water leaks.

Repair cost: Not yet priced

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the suspension (144).

Firm ride / tire wear (Performance)Low

The Performance's big wheels ride firm and wear tires fast.

Repair cost (estimate): $800-$1,400

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Out-of-warranty repair costMedium

Body/suspension repairs are pricey and Tesla-dependent.

Repair cost: Not yet priced

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the suspension (144).

Phantom braking — sudden hard braking for nothing on the highwayHigh — wallet impact

With Autopilot or cruise engaged the car can brake hard with nothing ahead — overpasses, shadows, and oncoming trucks are common triggers — which at Performance-trim highway speeds is a rear-end collision risk. NHTSA opened an investigation into 2021–2022 Model 3/Y after hundreds of owner reports; the camera-only Tesla Vision builds from mid-2021 on were the most affected. Software updates have helped but not cured it; there is no part to fix, so test it on cruise in traffic.

Repair cost: Not yet priced — a safety matter first, a repair bill second

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the driver-assist and automatic braking systems (1,148).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Significant range loss
✗Salvage title
✗Water/wind leaks, poor build
✗No warranty remaining

Good Signs

✓Healthy battery, good range
✓Remaining warranty
✓Solid build, no leaks

Found a specific Tesla Model Y Performance?

This page covers what goes wrong on the 2021 Tesla Model Y Performance in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.

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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.

Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.