2018 Tesla Model 3
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Forward collision avoidance is the leading concern among 1,025 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 9 Model 3 model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 102 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 44 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, headlightsAug 5, 2026
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. The headlight low beams may be too bright and exceed the maximum light output. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy is currently under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-17-003.
Campaign 26V507000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, pressure monitoring and regulating systemsDec 17, 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3, and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn the driver of low tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-018.
Campaign 24V935000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, warning light/devicesMay 28, 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
Campaign 24V376000 on NHTSA.gov
Forward collision avoidance, warnings, external/pedestrian alertFeb 27, 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."
Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.
Campaign 24V153000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelJan 30, 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
Campaign 24V051000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, adas, autonomous/self driving, softwareDec 12, 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.
In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
Campaign 23V838000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, frontMar 31, 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Model 3 vehicles. The front suspension lateral link fasteners may loosen, allowing the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame.
A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla Service will tighten or replace the lateral link fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-31-001. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-835.
Campaign 23V235000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, automated/adaptive steeringFeb 15, 2023
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation. The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.
FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
Campaign 23V085000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, rear/other, anchorageOct 21, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The second-row left seat belt buckle and second-row center seat belt anchor may have been incorrectly reassembled during vehicle service.
An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Tesla Service will inspect and reassemble the seat belt anchors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-20-004.
Campaign 22V798000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, power window devices and controlsSep 19, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Model 3, 2020-2022 Model Y, and 2021-2022 Model S and Model X vehicles. The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update of the automatic window reversal system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2032. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-013.
Campaign 22V702000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelApr 18, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Model 3 Performance vehicles. The unit of speed (mph or km/h) may fail to display on the speedometer while in Track Mode. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
The driver may not know how fast the vehicle is traveling without the mph or km/h unit display, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-008.
Campaign 22V263000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareApr 12, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y, Model X, Model S, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."
Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, including Summon and Smart Summon, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall supersedes recall 22V-063. Vehicles configured with Summon or Smart Summon and already remedied under 22V-063 will need to have the new remedy software installed.
Campaign 22V235000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, display functionMar 18, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Model S, Model X, and 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles equipped with Autopilot Computer 2.5 and operating certain firmware releases. The rearview image may not immediately display when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A delayed rearview camera image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-004.
Campaign 22V169000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareFeb 4, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, Model Y, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."
Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 5, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall has been superseded by Recall 22V-235. Tesla's number for the new recall is SB-22-00-003.
Campaign 22V063000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareFeb 1, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The audible chime may not activate when the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-002.
Campaign 22V045000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, adas, autonomous/self driving, softwareJan 27, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.
Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
Campaign 22V037000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiring, rear compartment/trunkDec 21, 2021
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles. The rearview camera cable harness may be damaged by the opening and closing of the trunk lid, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
A rearview camera that does not function reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla Service will inspect and install a guide protector and new cable harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-17-008.
Campaign 21V00D000 on NHTSA.gov
Forward collision avoidance, sensing system, cameraOct 29, 2021
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S, Model 3, Model X, and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles operating software version 2021.36.5.2. A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system.
Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-00-004.
Campaign 21V846000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat beltsMay 25, 2021
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Model 3 and 2019-2021 Model Y vehicles. One or both fasteners that secure the front seat shoulder belt to the b-pillar may not be properly attached.
An improperly attached fastener may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury.
Tesla Service will inspect and repair both fasteners if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service online by visiting www.tesla.com/support/contact or by calling 1-877-79-TESLA (or 1-877-798-3752). Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-20-001.
Campaign 21V389000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: seat belts
104 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, Sep 20, 2023
The passenger safety restraint system fault message pops up when driving normally. The diagnostic came up to replace the whole airbag after communicating with service center.
Electrical system, Seat belts, Aug 19, 2023
Safety restraint system fault RCM_a094
Seat belts, Aug 18, 2023
The middle rear passenger seatbelt became loose and unhinged at the hip. We notified the repair team and was quietly fixed and they told us it is a common thing they have been fixing. If this is true, the bolt could come loose during an accident and cause the seatbelt to not restrain a passenger if not fixed. The file attached says they inspected the seatbelt but “no correction required” even though the technician did in fact reattach the seatbelt.
Air bags, Seat belts, Aug 11, 2023
2018 Tesla Model 3 shows “Front left safety restraint system fault”. My car was not identify as having the recall applied but have the same issue the recall or warranty would resolve. My care is out of warranty and Tesla want to charge estimated $1,500 to resolve this issue. Tesla has this issues with all makes and models and is a safety issue.
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, Aug 1, 2023
The vehicle is reporting a right passenger restraint error message on the screen. Tesla "fixed the sensor" in 2021 under warranty. Now the same issue is present and Tesla says they have to replace the senor again with a newer one which is now no longer compliant with the OCS system or the air bag. They are charging customers $1600 to replace the sensor, OCS and airbag, all of which are safety specific requirements and is a product failure on their part. The error comes and goes at random, and at any speed. As low as 0-5 mph and as much as at 75mph
Seat belts, Jul 13, 2023
Tesla is charging me to replace the defective second-row center seatbelt buckle. My car has 47,600 miles today (7/13/23). I've owned several other cars and never had to replace a seatbelt buckle before.
Electrical system, Seat belts, Seats, Jul 12, 2023
Received an error "Front left safety restraint system fault. Service is required." error on my vehicle yesterday (7/11/2023) which disappears when lifting seat to highest position. As soon as seat is lowered more than 1/2" the error reappears and airbag light is illuminating notifying that the airbag is not enabled. This error is clearly an issue with the safety restraint system on the vehicle but Tesla will not honor fixing this under their Supplemental Restraint System Limited Warranty. The vehicle is within coverage period (<5 years and <60,000 miles). I am being told this SRS Limited warranty covers air bags, seat belt, seat belt buckles, sensors, and modules only. I have not taken the vehicle in for service as the quote I received is too expensive ($601). Please see photos for my conversation with Tesla service as well.
Seat belts, Seats, Jul 12, 2023
This is for an issue noted on a 2018 Tesla Model 3. On August 2020 the car was serviced for an error message that stated "Front passenger safety restraint system fault/Contact Tesla Service", this went into service for an "OCS REWORK" which was explained to me as some harness under the passenger seat; cost was covered under Limited Warranty. Issue came back on August 2021, same exact one "Front passenger safety restraint system fault/Contact Tesla Service", and went into service again. This time service needed to replace the whole passenger seat, at Out of Warranty cost of $2,059. After explaining the recurring issue, an agreement was reached for a discount; but still ended up paying for theft of the same issue again. Thought appropriate to report this issue, since from the warning, seems like a restraint system problem that can be a bigger issue if not recalled or fixed within warranty.
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, Jul 1, 2023
I am writing to report a safety concern with my Tesla Model 3 vehicle. The issue pertains to a persistent warning message that displays "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault". This warning suggests a potential malfunction in the safety restraint system, which could pose a significant risk to the passenger in the event of an accident. The warning message first appeared in July 2019 and has since been a recurring issue. Last December 2023, I paid out of pocket to get this serviced. The warning disappeared for a few months but reappeared recently. I have scheduled a service appointment with a Tesla service center to diagnose and hopefully rectify the issue. However, I felt it was necessary to report this to the NHTSA due to the potential safety implications for other Tesla Model 3 owners if this is a widespread issue.
Air bags, Seat belts, Jun 27, 2023
My vehicle recently depicted warnings on my screen showing " Front Left Safety Restraint System Fault" " Service is Required". I also sometimes get a visual warning showing a depiction of an airbag. Now I don't know if anything is wrong, but Tesla is going to charge me $400 to fix this problem. My cars warranty expired in April of this year. My concern is, if this is an airbag problem shouldn't it be coved by a recall? Or does your agency need to receive a large number of complaints to issue a recall? To answer your general questions, the warning messages started one month ago, late May. Beside the warning message, the airbag warning lamp would sometimes appear. I have a service appointment with the Tesla Service Center on July 1, so I should know more then.
Seat belts, May 22, 2023
Driver seat belt is not locking when I pulled suddenly. It looks that the driver side (front left) seat belt impact locking system is malfunction. Car is only 4 years and 4 months old with 57,000 miles. It is life danger to driver if he hits with an accident. A message came up. Making appointment with Tesla, but I believe that it should be a recall item like rear harness. I have never seen even in 20 years old car the seat belt impact locking system malfunction. It is a poor workmanship of the impact locking system. I would appreciate if you begin an investigation into this and urge Tesla to issue a recall notice to safe drivers and others around.
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, May 22, 2023
Driver received alert "front passenger safety restrain system fault." Tesla advised that airbag may not deploy when occupant in passenger seat due to seat pressure sensor malfunction. Added "filter" and issue corrected. Issue has returned and Tesla is asking for $2,000 to replace the entire seat due to pressure sensor not being otherwise accessible. I would like to alert the NHTSA to this issue since I do not feel as though a safety issue such as this should exist on a 4 year old car and, in addition, the cost of repair should not be left to the consumer to cover. I feel as though a safety recall is warranted. Thank you.
Seat belts, Seats, May 6, 2023
The car started producing a warning that there was an issue with the driver’s side safety harness. Tesla has a warranty described as “Supplemental Restraint System Limited Warranty” which should cover this repair. The Tesla service center would not cover the cost of the repair under the terms of the warranty. I asked for a list of which specific equipment was covered under the terms of this warranty and they would not provide any details.
Seat belts, May 6, 2023
The rear seatbelt mechanism needed to be replaced due to a computer seatbelt restraint error.
Steering, Suspension, Seat belts, Apr 25, 2023
I purchased this car used 12/05/2022. The seatbelt /driverside, doesn't catch on sudden stops, lurching me forward. I've almost hit the steering wheel with my face and head. Tesla says they are not responsible for replacing seatbelt. I have to pay for it. I don't know previous owners knew about this issue prior to selling it , but according to tesla, this issue doesn't fall with in their purview. Also the sealed control arm bushings on steering are squealing & after squeaking 10,000 miles of my driving this car and purchase. That too isn't covered.
Seat belts, Apr 1, 2023
Rear passenger side seat belt, when used for the first time since new car purchase in 2019, had an issue where it kept getting stuck and the retractor made a clicking noise majority of the time. This seatbelt is unable to be used as expected due to it getting stuck and not retracting fully and making noise. Reported this issue to Tesla Santa Monica Service center in October 2022, where the service advisor simply showed me how to use seat belt properly and come back later if issue kept happening and "resolved" the issue via "remote education," thus not offering a proper fix.. Issue has persisted, and I have reported it once again to Tesla Santa Monica Service center who tells me they're under new management and will decide whether I will be required to pay out of pocket after a test drive but are otherwise quoting me a diagnostic fee now. A test drive is not needed for this though since it's a seat belt malfunction issue. Reporting this to NHTSA because other Teslas have faced seatbelt recalls too.
Visibility, Seat belts, Back over prevention, Feb 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention), 22V702000 (Visibility), and 22V798000 (Seat Belts) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The local Service Center was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced the failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Seat belts, Feb 12, 2023
I am getting an error on the screen which states, "Front left safety restraint system fault, service is required". Then while driving the car is not able to detect if the driver is sitting on the seat. The seat belt icon pops up. Tesla has remotely diagnosed the issue and are charging $450 to replace safety restraint wiring. This should be covered under a safety recall. The airbags are disabled.
Seat belts, Nov 18, 2022
I HAD THIS REAR SEAT SAFETY HARNESS WARNING ON MY SCREEN. THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL CHANGES IN THE EQUIPMENT, BUT I HAD TO REPLACE IT AT MY OWN COST. SEAT BELT SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE A SAFETY RECALL RATHER THAN REPLACED AT OWNERS COST.
Seat belts, Oct 10, 2022
For the past year, I have been receiving "Safety restraint system fault" message from Tesla screen in my vehicle. The message does not stay on the screen. It sometimes goes off and then comes back. I have not been able to identify its pattern of occurrence and disappearance. I have informed Tesla service support numerous times since Dec 2021 until now. They did not charge me for the inspection and repair for roughly 3 inspections. Up until around April 2022, their fixes still could not resolve issue, so asked me to go into one of their repair shops. Repair shop charged me $161.45 to fix the problem. Everything seemed okay for couple months. But just last month in Sept 2022, the same warning message started appearing again. I have informed Tesla and Tesla wants to charge me $2200 this time. Would this resolve the issue? I am not sure. And why am I responsible for a safety warning system fault that was not caused by my normal usage of the vehicle? I asked Tesla to give me a reason why they are charging me and any action from owners that has caused this issue to come up again and again. They have not responded. I'm not sure how the law works, but isn't it manufacturer's responsibility to make sure the vehicle is safe to drive on the road? With this warning message coming on and off periodically, and apparently Tesla cannot identify the reason either. How am I supposed to know if and when there is indeed a problem with my safety restraint belt?
Seat belts, Sep 16, 2022
Car displayed a vehicle passenger harness safety fault that requested I contact Tesla service for an appointment. Received a repair estimate from Tesla identifying that they need to "install Occupant Classification (OCS) Filter Module" requiring part "Service Kit- OCS Rework (1479982-00-C) and saying the cost to me is $151.25. This isn't listed as a recall item but I don't believe this should be a owner issue to resolve.
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, Aug 18, 2022
In 2021 the vehicle reported – “Front passenger safety restraint system fault/Contact Tesla Service”. Tesla performed OCS rework installing an Occupant Classification System (OCS) Filter Module (part SERVICE KIT – OCS REWORK (1479982-00-C)). In 2022 the vehicle reported “RCM_a056 Front passenger safety restraint system fault service required”. Tesla’s proposed correction is to replace seat (part 1ST ROW SEAT ASSEMBLY – RIGHT HAND – PUR BLACK (7654324-91-C)). The safety risk may be serious and alert RCM_a056 is being reported by other owners on the web so the problem is not isolated. My understanding is the Occupant Classification System (OCS) Filter Module is part of the airbag system and weighs occupants in the front seat. The OCS Filter is used to determine if the front seat is occupied and possibly classify occupants by weight to determine if and/or by how much airbags should be deployed. The safety of a person in the front passenger seat maybe at risk because of this faulty OCS which could result in airbags failing or deploying dangerously based on erroneous OCS inputs. The problem was identified by two faults reported by the vehicle, the first OCS failure was confirmed by a Tesla Mobile Technician and the component was replaced (part SERVICE KIT – OCS REWORK (1479982-00-C)). The Tech said the seat heater was causing interference with the OCS’s unshielded wires. The second fault the vehicle reported was also confirmed by a Mobile Service Technician who said the replacement OCS filter module “can’t be calibrated”. Please note that this is the second failure of the same component. Tesla has the OCS Module replaced in March of 2021. No other parties have inspected any of the OCS Filter Modules. I will make an effort to retain the seat being replaced. Only two fault with “RCM_a056” code and “Front passenger safety restraint system fault” text were reported by the vehicle. There were no other symptoms related to this faulty module.
Seat belts, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 12, 2022
Since I purchased this car new in Sept 2018, the car has had a "front Left safety restraint system fault". It has been fixed over 3 times and it is going for the 4th time now. The car is going out of warranty this year and I am afraid I will be stuck with the bill if it happens again. Even though all the fixes have been free so far, it is an ongoing problem Also, the known phantom breaking, just add to the numbers. it is more than common. I almost see it coming when going under overpasses because of the shadow. The computer must see it as an object. I have inquired about the lane departure warning and they keep saying it is just a software issue. If it is activated at any point during the drive, then it says that "lane departure warning" is not long available and may be restored on the next drive.
Air bags, Seat belts, Jul 1, 2022
Driver Side Supplemental Restraint system reported an issue and need for service. Service department blames faulty electrical harness under the seat. A search of the web shows this is a common failure, leading me to believe that it is a design or a quality control issue. Tesla declines to repair under warranty because warranty expired 610 miles prior to notification.
Seat belts, Seats, Mar 28, 2022
Every time a passenger sits on the front passenger seat, an alert " passenger seat restraint system fault" comes on. First time it was repaired under warranty back in 2009 and now the same issue has come back Feb/ March2022. The car is no longer under warranty and Tesla said this repair will the responsibility of the car owner.