2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD Electric · GL73 EXF

A pattern of suspension wear is beginning to show on this 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, with the most recent MOT on 8 June 2026 recording advisories for slight play in both front lower suspension arm ball joints (nearside and offside, front pair). The two prior tests on 13 June 2025 and 11 December 2025 were issued with no advisories or defects, so the deterioration is recent rather than chronic, but the fact that both sides have been flagged together points to bush wear developing in unison rather than an isolated impact event. An earlier advisory from 16 December 2024 noted rear tyres worn close to the legal limit on both edges, which is a separate wear concern but adds to a picture of components reaching the end of their usable life at a relatively young vehicle age. None of the four recorded tests resulted in a failure, and the recent advisories sit at the minor end of the MOT defect scale, but a prospective buyer should treat them as a clear signal that the front suspension is entering a phase where component replacement is likely to be required within the next service interval. The mileage accumulation on this Model Y is substantially above average for a three-year-old vehicle, sitting at 95,156 miles against an annual rate of roughly 31,719 miles per year, more than double what would be expected from typical private use. Testing intervals have been kept on a regular six-monthly cycle since the car first appeared on record, with no significant gaps or extended periods off the road, indicating continuous use rather than intermittent running. Mechanically, high annual mileage on an electric SUV of this weight translates into accelerated wear on the items that physically contact the road: brake discs and pads, tyre shoulders, suspension bushes, drop links, and anti-roll bar mountings. Even though the Model Y uses regenerative braking to slow the vehicle, the friction brakes still operate at low speeds, under heavy deceleration, and in wet conditions, so calliper slide pins, pad material, and disc surface corrosion remain relevant service items. Higher motor and inverter loading also places greater thermal stress on drivetrain components over time, even though none of this would appear on an MOT. Given that both front lower arm ball joints have been flagged with slight play, a careful test drive should focus on the front suspension behaviour rather than general refinement. Listen for any clunk or knock from the front end when traversing speed bumps, potholes, or uneven town centre surfaces, particularly during the transition between compression and rebound. Feel for vagueness or a delay in steering response, any wandering or drifting over broken tarmac, or shudders through the steering wheel under braking, all of which can indicate that the ball joint wear is more advanced than the advisory alone suggests. With the car jacked up or on a ramp, the front wheels should be rocked laterally and vertically to physically confirm free movement in the joints, and the condition of the lower arms, bushes, and drop links should be visually inspected for perishing, cracking, or oil seepage from adjacent components. Given the elevated mileage and the recent tyre wear advisory, a four-wheel alignment check is also advisable to rule out uneven geometry loading on the tyres. The remaining advisories and absence of brake, exhaust, or structural corrosion entries across all four tests indicate that the rest of the chassis and running gear has so far remained within acceptable condition, though the high annual mileage means that brake fluid, cabin filters, and underfloor protection should be inspected for wear commensurate with the odometer reading rather than the calendar age. Prospective buyers should request evidence of recent suspension component inspection or replacement, and confirm whether any work has been carried out to address the ball joint play, as leaving both sides to deteriorate together risks a return MOT failure once the play progresses beyond the advisory threshold. Overall, the MOT history is clean in terms of failures, but the combination of a high-mileage usage profile and the emergence of paired suspension advisories means this vehicle warrants a targeted mechanical inspection before purchase rather than a general assumption of continued roadworthiness.