2023 Long Range AWD
2023 rear-wheel drive
2023 cohort
defect group
The Model Y was the fifth best-selling new car in the UK in 2023 with 35,899 registrations, the highest-placed electric car in that year’s chart. Enough of those 2023 cars have already been MOT tested to say something useful, and the picture is unusual: the Model Y passes comfortably above the national average, and almost everything that does fail it is a tyre.
Figures are derived from the DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results dataset, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Every MOT records the test outcome plus each defect as a coded “reason for rejection” or advisory.
Percentages are share of tests, not share of failures — so “2.6% tyre tread” means 2.6 in every 100 tests failed for that item. A single test can record several defects, so the columns do not sum to 100%.
A UK car does not need its first MOT until it is three years old, so a 2023 registration reached its first test in 2026. Every figure on this page describes that registration year and no other.
The 2023 cohort covers 1,169 tests across both variants. Those cars were tested before their three-year due date and had already averaged over 30,000 miles, which makes this a hard-working sample rather than a typical private car — the benchmark section below explains why that matters.
On a car this young, outstanding recalls, remaining manufacturer warranty and a service record showing the correct oil tell you more than any pass rate can.
Top MOT failure items
These are the defects that actually caused a Tesla Model Y (2023) to fail its MOT, ranked by how often they appear across all tests.
Most common MOT advisories
Advisories are the early-warning layer. They don’t fail the car, but they tell you what the next owner will be paying for — and they are the single most useful thing to read before you buy.
| Advisory item | Share of tests | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre worn close to legal limit | 14.2% | Expect to replace tyres more often than on a petrol car this size. |
| Tyre wearing unevenly on the inner edge | 8.6% | Points at geometry or a tired suspension bush — get it checked, not just re-shod. |
| Suspension bush deteriorated | 5.1% | Ties directly to the No.4 failure item. |
| Brake disc lightly corroded | 4.8% | Regen does most of the braking, so discs rust before they wear. |
| Ball joint dust cover deteriorated | 3.4% | Cheap now, a worn joint later. |
| Brake pads wearing thin | 2.2% | Unusually low for a car this heavy — that is regenerative braking. |
| Wiper blade deteriorated | 2.0% | Trivial, but an outright failure if it smears. |
| Headlamp aim slightly high | 1.7% | Matches the No.5 failure item. |
| Shock absorber light misting | 1.3% | Watch it across consecutive tests. |
| Number plate lamp inoperative | 0.9% | A two-minute fix that still fails a car. |
Which system fails most
Grouping every recorded defect by vehicle system shows where the money goes on a three-year-old Model Y.
Across the 2023 registration year, the Long Range AWD passes at 93.8% over 304 tests and the rear-wheel-drive car at 91.3% over 865 — 1,169 tests in total. Variant-wide across all years the figures are 93.5% and 91.7%. Tesla as a brand passes at 87.2% from 156,594 tests, against a UK average of 78.3%.
Read the sample, not just the number. A UK car does not need an MOT until it is three years old, so these 2023 cars were tested early — and they had already averaged 32,013 miles (Long Range) and 35,968 miles (rear-wheel drive) at the time. Cars covering that much that young skew heavily towards taxi, private hire and high-mileage business use, which are tested far earlier than three years. It is a hard-working sample rather than a pampered one, which arguably makes the pass rate more impressive — but it is not a typical private car.
Model averages describe the model. Enter the registration to see this car’s real MOT history, every recorded advisory, its mileage timeline and any finance, theft or write-off markers.
The 2023 build window, and what regen does to the data
Two things separate a 2023 Model Y from the rest of the range: a specific build window that attracted a steering campaign, and a failure pattern that looks nothing like any petrol car on this site. Both are worth understanding before you view one.
- Model Y and Model 3 cars built roughly 24 February to 11 October 2023, still running software older than 2023.38.4, were covered by a campaign for potential loss of power steering assistance.
- The cause was an overvoltage breakdown stressing components on the steering rack circuit board. Assistance could be lost once the car came to a standstill, and stay lost when driven again.
- Tesla addressed it with a software update — service bulletin SB-25-00-004, filed in the United States as NHTSA recall 25V-092.
- Confirm the car is on current firmware, and check UK recall status by registration before you buy.
- On every petrol and diesel car on this site, brake pad and disc wear sits near the top of the failure list. On the Model Y it does not reach the top five at all.
- Regenerative braking does most of the slowing, so friction material lasts far longer — the discs tend to corrode before they wear out.
- There are no emissions or exhaust defects in the data, because there is no exhaust. That removes an entire category that costs an equivalent petrol car several per cent of its pass rate.
- What replaces it is rubber: three of the five most common failures on this car are tyre items.
Known faults the MOT won’t catch
The MOT tests roadworthiness, not mechanical health. These are the expensive items owners actually report — costs are indicative UK independent-specialist ranges, not quotes.
Pre-purchase checklist
Work through this in order. The first few cost nothing and rule out most bad cars.
- Get the build date and the software version. Those two facts decide whether the 2023 steering campaign and the seatback recall apply.
- Check outstanding recalls by registration on the DVSA service — the work is free, and young cars sold privately often have it outstanding.
- Inspect the inner edge of all four tyres. Uneven inner wear means geometry or bushes, not just tyres.
- Price a set of tyres into your offer. On this car it is a running cost, not a contingency.
- Ask when the 12V battery was last replaced. It is the single most common thing to strand a Tesla.
- Check the boot well and seals for damp, and look along every panel gap in daylight.
- Confirm what warranty remains. Tesla’s basic cover runs 4 years or 60,000 miles; battery and drive unit cover runs 8 years and 100,000 miles, or 120,000 on Long Range cars. A high-mileage 2023 car may already be out of basic cover.
- Verify finance and write-off status. Young, expensive cars are far more likely to carry outstanding finance.
FAQs
Is the Tesla Model Y reliable?
On MOT evidence, yes. The Long Range AWD passes at 93.5% across 1,209 tests and the rear-wheel-drive car at 91.7% across 992, against a UK average of 78.3%. That measures roadworthiness rather than ownership cost, though — tyres, suspension bushes and the 12V battery are where the money actually goes.
Why do Tesla Model Ys fail their MOT on tyres so often?
Because the car is close to two tonnes and delivers full torque instantly. Three of the five most common failure items are tyre-related, and uneven wear on the inner edge is a recurring advisory, which usually points at geometry or worn suspension bushes rather than the tyre itself.
What is the 2023 Tesla Model Y steering recall?
Model Y and Model 3 cars built roughly between 24 February and 11 October 2023, running software older than 2023.38.4, could suffer an overvoltage breakdown in the steering rack leading to a loss of power steering assistance. Tesla addressed it with a software update under bulletin SB-25-00-004, filed in the US as NHTSA recall 25V-092. Check UK recall status by registration.
Why do Model Y brakes barely appear in the MOT failure data?
Regenerative braking does most of the slowing, so the friction brakes do far less work than on a petrol car. Pads and discs last much longer — the common advisory is light corrosion on discs that are not being used hard enough, not wear.
Does a 2023 Model Y still have warranty?
Possibly, but check the mileage. Tesla’s basic vehicle cover runs 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first, so a high-mileage 2023 car can already be outside it. Battery and drive unit cover is separate and much longer: 8 years and 100,000 miles, or 120,000 miles on Long Range cars.
A CarCheckReport covers MOT and advisory history, mileage anomalies, outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, import and scrapped status — using DVLA, DVSA and Experian data.