Tesla Model Y has the worst defects rate at inspections due to OEM suspension

The Tesla Model Y has taken over the Model 3 as the electric vehicle exhibiting the highest rate of defects during mandatory vehicle inspections.

No less than 17% of relatively new Model Y vehicles presented for evaluation at Germany's infamous TÜV technical certification test that all cars must pass to be deemed roadworthy, exhibited various defects.

The 2026 TÜV Report includes a comprehensive EV evaluation for the first time, and the Model Y that most Tesla owners are driving, has topped the notorious ranking of vehicles with the most defects discovered during closer technical inspection.

Previously, the dubious honor fell to the Model 3, and the German aftermarket parts giant Meyle even came up with reinforced parts to solve the nasty rattling and squeaking that Tesla's OEM suspension became notorious for. According to Meyle's engineers, the original Tesla arms suffer from corrosion as water comes down the windshield on top of the ball joint, and they have engineered a lighter, tougher solution that solves the issue. In the US, the Meyle Model Y control arm is available on Amazon, and comes with four years of warranty.

As there are more Teslas on the road now, and most are of the Model Y variety, the SUV has taken over from the sedan as the EV with the highest rate of defects. According to the report, this is again due to a relatively weak suspension as the heavy battery weighs down on the axles, but also to the braking system.

Since a lot of the stopping comes down to regen braking, the disks often exhibit defects precisely because they aren't being used. The mandatory TÜV inspection places particular emphasis on the health of the braking system, with many vehicles passing only after they've done a complete disc, caliper and pad replacement, so EVs like Tesla are in somewhat of a bind, despite that they don't use their brakes as much.

Still, other electric cars in the first comprehensive EV inspection report didn't exhibit the same level of defects as the Model Y. Needless to say, the Model Y was Europe's bestselling vehicle before Elon Musk's political activism and increased competition knocked it off its perch, so it is only logical that the more units presented for a mandatory technical inspection, the more defects would enter the statistics.