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
1,025 reports, newest first.
Power train, Aug 15, 2024
If both brake and throttle pedals are depressed simultaneously for a fraction of a second the software does two things: 1) raises a warning to that effect on the computer display and, 2) greatly reduces motor output, limiting acceleration. Item two is the safety concern. Removing the foot from the left pedal does not immediately remove the power restriction. There is a few second delay for that to take place. As a result I find myself expecting to be able to merge rapidly or complete a turn, or cross in front of oncoming traffic but am left in a precarious position in traffic unable to move as expected to avoid a potential collision. This is a behavior that I have not experienced with a conventional engine powered vehicle. In addition when this two-foot power-down mode is waiting to clear, and I am sitting stationary on a steep up incline, the vehicle can slip backwards downhill. The only solution to this issue may be to push the park button on the right control stalk to stop this rolling.
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, Aug 14, 2024
I randomly received an alert indicating “Front passenger safety restraint system fault” on my Tesla’s display. When I look this up, it indicates that the airbag may not deploy correctly in the event of an accident due to a seat sensor malfunction. When I contacted the service center, they quoted me at $1500 to repair this critical safety issue (involves replacing the seat sensor and reconfiguring airbags so that they will properly deploy). I believe this should be a recall and not something customers have to pay out of pocket to drive their car safely.
Seat belts, Aug 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the seat belt warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the seat belt was inoperable, and the front seat restraint system failure message was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 99,508.
Seat belts, Other or unspecified, Aug 8, 2024
Vehicle started to display error message of "front left safety restraint system fault" intermittently, then would come on after the vehicle runs for about 5 minute and stay on. According to online forums, this is a common issue with Tesla Model 3, primarily related to the frequent movements of the seat (use of easy entry function). There appears to be electrical wires / sensors that can be damaged or pinched from moving the seat. There is no other issues aside from the safety alert. Tesla quoted more than $700, mostly in labor, to evaluate root cause of the issues. This can be a potential safety issue (not sure how this affects seat belt and/or airbag deployment), and it is not due to negligence or misuse of the vehicle; rather, this appears to be related to the design and quality of vehicle and should be covered by Tesla as a recall to fix the issue.
Suspension, Aug 1, 2024
During the first 5 years of ownership and while under warranty I experienced many creaks in the suspension that did not sound normal. I took it to the Tesla service center many times but was often unable to reproduce the sound when needed and told there was nothing they could do. When a technician did finally hear the sound, Tesla resealed the ball joints at no cost. This was a short-term fix and the problem persisted. After doing some research on my own I have found that this is a known defect in my car model along with the control arms often failing which can cause loss of control of the car. I am now over a year past my warranty and the control arm did in fact fail at 46,000 miles. I experienced a loud creak/rubbing sound when driving over any uneven surface. This happened overnight and was not due to any incident. When I brought the car for repairs and inquired about all of this I was told that this is normal wear and tear and that because it is such a heavy car it is not an unusual repair. I pressed the technician sharing the information I had researched and he said that he would not charge me for the labor. Because this is a known defect and I have read about many owners having to replace the control arms multiple times (often at very low mileage), I continued to argue for no cost to me which was finally granted. That being said, Tesla definitely knows it has a defective product and is doing everything it can to make owners responsible for any cost.
Air bags, Jul 30, 2024
My 2018 Tesla Model 3 is experiencing an intermittent "Front Left Safety Restraint System Fault". This error message, appearing on the main display, suggests an issue with the driver-side airbag, seatbelt pretensioner, or related components. The fault seems unrelated to seat occupancy or weight, as it occurs both with and without a passenger. While the error message eventually disappears after restarting the vehicle, its recurring nature is concerning and raises safety concerns about the airbag deploying unnecessarily or failing to deploy in an actual collision. This problem appears similar to those reported by other Tesla Model 3 owners, suggesting a potential systemic defect in the safety restraint system that warrants further investigation by the NHTSA. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air bags, Seat belts, Other or unspecified, Jul 26, 2024
Car reports RCM a056 error related to Occupant Control sensors. This is apparently a common problem for this year and model (related car forums and social media report > 100 such incidents that I can find), but is not covered ($1700 repair). This should be a safety recall.
Air bags, Seat belts, Jul 25, 2024
Seat occupancy system failure received. June 27, 2022 Mobile service inspected for wiring damage, as common cause. recommended appt at service center. Sep 2, 2022, could not fix issue, had to replace entire passenger seat. July 23, 2024 took car to service center for seat occupancy system failure received. Tesla stated I needed to pay for lumbar seat occupancy system sensor as it was failing. This was the same part (seat that was replaced in Sep of 2022). This part was 22 months old. Parts and labor for this part was $955. In addition, they stated this new part is not compatible with the existing seat occupancy system sensor in the seat portion of the seat and also not compatible with the passenger air bag. These parts including labor were an additional $1,500. These parts were not defective. Tesla has developed a new part of the safety system which is not backward compatible with other parts of the safety airbag system. This is improper practice and the cost for upgrading their defective manufacturing practices of safety systems should not be passed on to the customer.
Suspension, Jul 22, 2024
the suspension: the control arms and lateral links suddenly stopped working. No trauma to car. Car only has 25, 000 miles. Very dangerous as car and steering could have stopped working suddenly and cause death and an accident. No warning lights went on at all. Only a sudden grinding and clanking sound. I had to pay over $2000 out of pocket to repair and I had to wait a full month before they were able to diagnose and repair it. It was diagnosed and repaired by a Tesla dealer.
Air bags, Jul 10, 2024
Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault continually chimes and then goes away again. Appears to have loose or faulty wiring. This is directly related to the passenger airbag system, so very concerning. -Tesla inspected this back in March 2020, with no repair, -Inspected it again in August 2020 and found an error related to the left curtain airbag connector and repaired under warranty using a Wire harness Repair Kit. -Same fault started again in 2023. Tesla recommended bringing into the shop for inspection and is quoting $800 to repair, so I have not taken it in yet as I believe this is a manufacturing defect that I should not have to pay for.
Electrical system, Seat belts, Seats, Jul 8, 2024
getting a "front left safety restraint fault" warning when moving the driver seat...is a known issue in tesla forums where the seat wiring harness is not secured properly and either a wire is crimped by the seat mechanicals or a wiring harness is pulled loose...
Suspension, Jul 5, 2024
Front control arms are indicating loud noises suspected to be failure of these components. The vehicle handles poorly at speeds over 35 mph as a result. I contacted Tesla and they were to schedule a service appointment back in May but it hasn't happened. The internet shows this to be a very common issue with selected recalls for these components. I never received a recall notice. My car is out of warranty for both mileage and length of time.
Suspension, Jul 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle for service, the contact was made aware that the front suspension lateral linkage bolt had detached and that the bolts were damaged. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V235000 (Suspension); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Electrical system, Air bags, Seat belts, Jul 3, 2024
Starting Jun 15 2024 an error came up saying "Left Restraint System fault" after a remote software update for Model 3 2018 Tesla The Alert comes up intermittently & Tesla requires $359.50 to change First Row Seat Harness Assembly - Left
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 2, 2024
While driving on the highway with FSD on, the car severely amalfunctioned with sudden deceleration at 4 separate ocassions. At 68 mph when changing lanes, the car suddenly decelerated. There were several cars behind us and it could have been a major multi car collision. At all 4 ocassions, I immediately took over control on steering and acceleration, thus avoiding any accident. This problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center yet. My vehicle or component(s) have also not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others yet. Additionally, there were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.
Other or unspecified, Jul 2, 2024, crash
My Tesla Model 3 Made an Accident on [XXX] on [XXX] exit at [XXX] . The Tesla Model 3 is driving under Full Auto Drive. The Model 3 was waiting at traffic light at [XXX] exit at [XXX] . There is an other car stopped in the middle of cross road waiting on traffic. The light goes green, my tesla start to move trying to make left turn. But the other car still block the way. My car first stop and about 1 second the car suddenly run into the car and driver side mirror and door hit the other car’s tails light and rear bumper. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air bags, Seat belts, Jul 1, 2024
Apparently faulty sensor that then needs to replace airgbag and now it’s costing $1833!
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, Jun 27, 2024
Started receiving Error RCM_a056 Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault. The vehicle shows that the passenger airbags are DISABLED after the alert is issued. I am working under the assumption that all passenger airbags (front, side, overhead) are currently disabled at all times. This puts my family at risk if there were to be a collision. Tesla seems to know exactly what the problem is because the estimate came back shortly with a list of fixes required at a cost of $1,768.35 to 1) Correction: install an Occupant Classification System (OCS) filter Module, 2) Correction: Retrofit SBR in OCS Equipped Front Passenger Seat - Remove and Replace, and 3) Correction: Replace Front Passenger Airbag and Update Vehicle Configuration - Remove and Replace. Quick internet search shows this is a SYSTEMIC problem with a bad part (Tesla forums and search your own databases for the past year or so... these are the people who know to report this to you, there are probably a lot of others). I'm 6 months out of warranty for a sensor that should not have wear and tear. Furthermore a retrofit demonstrates that they are replacing a KNOWN problem part. Additionally, there is no rational reason to replace a perfectly good airbag. Replacing the airbag because it is incompatible with a retrofit sensor should be free. Retrofitting a sensor that has a known problem should not be a cost to the consumer for a part that is not subject to wear and tear. Adding a filter to a sensor line shows that the sensor is not an appropriate part or the filter should have been added to start with in original manufacturing. Note Tesla has a procedure already out to address the problem SB-23-20-002 which shows they already know it is a problem that needs to be addressed when the sensor failure shows up. Recommend and request an investigation into whether there is a lower cost fix for what seems like a known problem or require a recall to repair to a safe state.
Air bags, Seats, Jun 22, 2024
Received an alert about front seat safety restraint system fault. Decided to see what was needed for the fix and address my other trunk harness recall. Received invoice stating the airbag needed to be replaced along with $1900 quote. Knowing this info, if this doesn’t get fix the safety of my passengers are at risk so now I definitely can’t have any passengers. Not sure how I should be responsible for a safety seat airbag sensor defect.
Electrical system, Jun 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle independently accelerated with an unknown message displayed on the Phone APP but not on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that a screw had detached from the undercarriage which resulted in an abnormal, squeaking noise coming from the vehicle while driving at various speeds. Additionally, the contact also stated that the automatic walk-away lock feature intermittently failed to operate as needed; as a result, the vehicle remained unlocked while away from the vehicle. The vehicle had been taken to a Service Center for repair; however, the failures persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 16, 2024
Autopilot FSD 12.3.6 in Ohio is interpreting state route signs as speed limit signs. In Milford Ohio, the speed limit is 25mph. While traveling on [XXX] each state route sign had the max speed jump to 50mph. Then back to 25 at the next actual speed limit sign. An [XXX] sign was interpreted as 20mph. Errors is speed are dangerous in either the car going too fast or risking a rear end collision by incorrectly slowing down. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Latches/locks/linkages, Jun 15, 2024
Drivers door opens at. random
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, Jun 12, 2024
My 2018 Model 3 started giving me the error "RCM_a056_passengerFrontOCS" today. This is caused by a faulty passenger occupancy weight sensor. This has been an ongoing issue in these models evidenced by SB-23-20-002 being revised 6 times. Tesla has resisted fixing this safety issue because the air bag also needs to be replaced to maintain compatibility with the redesigned Occupant Classification System (OCS) weight sensor evidenced in Tesla SB-23-20-001. Tesla has redesigned the known bad sensor part no. part 1121234-70-B with an updated part no. 099592-00-F which is only compatible with an updated airbag. The OCS weight sensor was defective from the point of manufacture. The RCM_a056 error only appeared after applying the latest firmware update that addresses NHTSA recall 24V-376. The firmware update made the firmware more sensitive to analog sensor readings which revealed the originally defective OCS weight sensor triggering the error message. Nearly half of the recent NHTSA complaints for this model involve this exact issue. This OCS hardware sensor was always defective and poses an ongoing safety concern. The defective system never should have been approved as it did not function as intended originally. The NHTSA must issue a new recall that covers the defective hardware instead of just the software as in NHTSA recall 24V-376. Without corrected hardware the OCS system will not work as intended which is allowing the airbags to prevent injury and death in the event of collision. [XXX] TeslaSB-23-20-002Replace Occupant Classification System (OCS) of Front Passenger Seat while Servicing Subcomponents TeslaSB-23-20-002 R1 TeslaSB-23-20-002 R2 TeslaSB-23-20-002 R4 TeslaSB-23-20-002 R5 TeslaSB-23-20-002 R6 TeslaSB-23-20-001Update Front Passenger Airbag to Maintain Compatibility While Servicing Front SB Passenger Seat [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air bags, Seats, Jun 11, 2024
The car issued me a "front left safety restraint system fault" saying service is required. The code it flashed was RCM_a021. I am able to get the code to go away by adjusting the seat, however, if i shift my weight or i hit a bump in the road, the warning will appear once again. This leads me to believe that there is a component in the seat that is defective. I took vehicle to the Tesla service center where they found a "broken wire in the pretensioner connector" and they replaced the wiring harness. Upon doing investigation it appears that there are multiple components that are used to determine the firing intensity of the airbags should they go off. If either are damaged the airbags will not fire correctly. Some of these components can be easily damaged due to the seats constant back/forth motion if the easy entry mode is enabled on the car. As the car was outside the warranty period, Tesla refused to cover the costs for repair even though there was a TSB (technical service bulletin) already out on this same issue (reference SB-21-17-005). Total cost for repair including parts, labor and tax was $631.10.
Seats, Other or unspecified, Jun 6, 2024
Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault. From Invoice: Tesla to Replace Front Passenger Airbag And Update Vehicle Configuration Passenger Airbag error malfunction!!! Passenger Airbag Harness Malfunction!!! Correction: Retrofit SBR in OCS Equipped Front Passenger Seat - Remove and Replace Seatbelt issue!!! FIRST ROW SEAT HARNESS ASSEMBLY - RIGHT HAND FIRST ROW - SEAT BELT REMINDER SENSOR BOX CLIP FIRST ROW OCCUPANCY SENSOR Giving an error and now they are charging me to fix this defect in my Tesla Model 3