Anna Hartz
The figures paint a worrying picture for cars from the 2021 model year.
Almost half of Tesla Model Y vehicles fail their road inspections in Denmark. This is according to new data from the Danish Transport Authority obtained by FDM, the country’s automobile association.
45% Failure Rate
Out of 2,394 cars that showed up for their first periodic inspection, 1,069 failed, reports Boosted. That is a failure rate of 45 percent. The cars are only four years old, yet the results are far below the industry average. For all electric cars in Denmark in 2025, only 7 percent failed their first inspection.
Lone Otto, a regional manager at FDM, says the numbers are extremely high. She adds that drivers usually enjoy the car’s features, but the data points to serious problems with the build quality.
Most of the issues involve critical components like brakes, lights, and suspension. Many cars fail because of play in the steering or faulty axles. These are problems rarely seen at the same level in competitors like Volkswagen or Hyundai.
For example, the VW ID.4 performed much better. Only about two percent of these cars failed their inspection last year. That shows a big difference in reliability between the two brands.
4-Year Warranty
The problems are not new for Tesla. Last year, similar inspections showed that the Model 3 also had major defects. Now, the failure rate has risen by 48 percent for that model in just one year.
Compared to the 2026 TÜV tests in Germany, the Tesla model Y in the category of 2-3 year-old failed 17.3% of inspections out of 9.5 million vehicle analyses, according to Electrek. This shows quite a difference just across the border of Denmark.
Experts have warned about loose steering and worn suspension on early Tesla models. Because these cars are heavy, the mechanical parts wear faster in daily use. In addition, brakes that are not used regularly can rust quickly during Danish winters.
Tesla offers a four-year warranty on its cars. This often matches the time of the first inspection. FDM recommends that owners have their vehicles checked by an independent mechanic before the warranty expires. This way, repairs can be made without the owner paying out of pocket.
FDM tried to contact Tesla for a comment on these results. The company had not responded before the article was published. Owners are still advised to follow the service schedules, even though electric cars generally need less engine maintenance.
Sources: Boosted, Electrek
