January 29, 2026
TÜV or Treat: Tesla Trouble
TÜV Report 2026: Tesla Model Y has the worst reliability of all 2022–2023 cars
Fans fume as Tesla’s family SUV flunks Germany’s safety check
TLDR: Germany’s TÜV report says Tesla’s Model Y has the highest defect rate among 2–3-year-old cars, while most EVs look solid. Comments explode over missing defect details, whether EVs skip routine checks, and political angst—making this a big reality check for safety, maintenance habits, and Tesla’s reputation.
Germany’s TÜV (the national safety inspection agency) just dropped its 2026 reliability bomb: most electric cars are fine, but Tesla’s Model Y flunked hard with a 17.3% defect rate—the worst among 2–3-year-old cars and the worst in a decade. Model 3 didn’t escape either at 13.1%. Cue comment-section chaos.
The loudest chorus: transparency now. One user demanded to know why TÜV won’t list the actual defects, calling it a trust-killer. Others blamed EV habits: no oil changes means fewer routine shop visits, so problems pile up until the TÜV test. Meanwhile, language nerds cheered the Ü cameo, then roasted the article for dropping it mid-text—because of course the umlaut is now part of the drama.
Politics crashed the party fast. One poster blamed “EU democracy” and “woke propaganda,” while another joked Elon could simply “encourage” politicians with, uh, lunch money. In the tech weeds, TÜV’s boss says heavy batteries stress axles and rarely-used brakes corrode, making stopping the new starting problem (as told to ADAC).
Fans pointed out plenty of EV winners—Mini Cooper SE (3.5%), Audi Q4 e-tron (4.0%), Fiat 500e (4.2%)—so the spark isn’t the issue, it’s the execution. Verdict from the crowd? Either Tesla needs to tighten build and maintenance basics, or the test and usage patterns stack the deck. Grab popcorn
Key Points
- •TÜV Association’s 2026 report evaluated about 9.5 million vehicles inspected in Germany between July 2024 and June 2025.
- •In the 2–3-year-old category, Tesla Model Y had a 17.3% defect rate, the worst among 110 models and highest in a decade.
- •Tesla Model 3 recorded a 13.1% defect rate; Ford Mondeo ranked second-worst in the same category.
- •Best performers were Mazda2 (2.9%), Mercedes-Benz B-Class (3.0%), and Volkswagen T-Roc (3.0); top EVs were Mini Cooper SE (3.5%), Audi Q4 e-tron (4.0%), and Fiat 500e (4.2%).
- •Dr. Joachim Bühler said EV drivetrain issues—axle suspensions under battery weight and brake disc problems due to regenerative braking—were common failure causes.