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.
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.
Air bags, Apr 25, 2023, crash
Side airbags did not deploy in a major side impact.
Electrical system, Apr 24, 2023
On April 21st 2023, by pure chance I happened to notice that, after plugging in my Model 3 to recharge at a local charger, the charging rate was lower than normal: instead of its full 32A charge, the rate was only 16A. I kept getting a notification of an issue with charging, Error: PCS_a019 "Charging slowed - Poor Grid power quality possible, unplug and retry / try different charging location" I've attempted several charging stations and all the same outcome. I've done research on this issue online and others are having the same issue. Tesla did cover a few from what I read as "battery warranty" that I've reach but most are denied as it wouldn't be part of the "battery warranty". I've reached out to Tesla and was informed my warranty was expired almost 28 days on March 23rd 2023 as it was April 21st when I made the service appointment. The cost to repair was $1,987.58 and NOT covered by the battery warranty. I've asked if Tesla would waive the fee as my car was just out of warranty and has a mileage of 30,193. It was declined as she "informed" management at the Burbank, CA repair location. I'm very sadden by this issue as Tesla advertises the electric car is "low maintenance" compared to the average gas vehicle, this is false advertisement. Other manufacture do cover this part under their battery warranty. The vehicle isn't operable if not repair to charge at a normal faster speed. I'm now considering to sell my vehicle once repaired and give people my honest opinion about my experience with Tesla. I hope there's a recall for this issue so other don't have to go through this issue.
Air bags, Seats, Apr 24, 2023
I was experiencing intermittent Bluetooth connection issues along with vehicle not powering off and the gear shifting to park when moving the vehicle at (very) low speed without the seatbelt buckled. I noticed the Bluetooth connection problem after a bad software installation in Jan 2023, however the other two issues have been noticed since at least 2020. When I took the car for a second time, Tesla diagnosed the problem as a faulty seat occupancy sensor (SOS). Tesla told me that the driver side seat SOS is “sticky” that the car didn’t consistently know there was a driver in the car when I sit on the seats (which explained why the car would put itself in park when driven at low speed (<3mph) without seatbelt on, and why the engine kept running even after I stepped out of the car when the car wasn’t locked ( like, when the car is parked in the house’s garage). Further research on the web (https://www.carproblemzoo.com/tesla/model3/2018/seats-problems.php ) shows that other teslas had faulty seat occupancy sensors at both driver side and passenger side. Faulty sensors may lead to improper, or failed, airbag deployment. This is a safety issue that Tesla had known and should have performed a recall and fixed, or the very least sent a billeting to its service centers so that they would check the seat sensor when someone’s complaining about any of the three symptoms I had. When I took the car to Tesla in Feb 2023 their (mis)diagnosis was that I had too many wires plugged into USB ports and that’s why the Bluetooth didn’t connect. I didn’t complain about the vehicle going to park by itself - as I thought it was a “safety feature”. I didn’t care to report the motor running after exiting, as I thought it was the battery mgmt system running to cool the battery!
Structure, Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Apr 24, 2023, crash
Car speed control malfunctioned. There was a sudden acceleration when car was below 10 miles in the parking lot. The driver lost control on braking and car keep accelerating even no force was applied to pedal. Dribe had to steer out of parking lot and crash through a wood en fence on next door neighbor. Car still keep going thru front yard of two houses cross the street and eventually hit a concrete barrier on front porch of the house. Several parts breakoff underneath the car , fluid leaked and all wheels are severely damage. Severy damage to front body side of the of the car and battery system , has occurred . There was near miss body injury to pedestrians in the area and neighbor hood. No physical injury was reported at the time of accident. but driver reported psychologycal distress. Currently CAR is towed away per Instruction from Insurance company for evaluation. Police report CASE# 23021162 NORTH bRUNSWICK pd 710 hermann road North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Steering, Apr 23, 2023
I drive a 2018 Tesla, Model 3 mid range rear wheel drive vehicle. On Saturday, April 22, at approximately 5:10 pm, while driving on east bound on interstate 264 in Norfolk, Virginia, my car suddendly began swerving wildly from left to right. It nearly missed the median on the left and then swerved into the lane next to me on the right. It repeated this about 6 times before it allowed me to regain control of my car. I attempted with my best efforts to counter turn the steering wheel to no avail. During this time, I tried to control the vehicle, although the car's software was in control. It was frightening. If I had been on a two lane road, this could have resulted in a fatal head on collision. If there had been a pedestrian / bicyclist on the road the car that decided to drive itself could have struck a vulnerable person fatally. When I called Tesla service to report the incident, they did a quick review of the cars data and said there was some issues reported from the cars cameras. I asked for the root cause and for some reassurance that this would not happen again. I was told that sometimes the auto pilot cameras have issues and I may need to reboot the system to correct it. I was told that I should restart the software periodically as a preventive measure. I checked the owners manual, and found no mention of restarting the software regularly as preventive maintenance. Regardless of a reboot issue, a fatality could have occurred in a split moment, this dangerous event should never happen, amd a system should be in place to prevent this type of vehicle terror to never happen again. Thanks again!
Forward collision avoidance, Apr 22, 2023
On a trip today from Pasco wa to Spokane WA (us395) there autopilot and full self driving would randomly phantom brake for no obvious reason. It happened every 5 minutes or so in both directions. Scary and dangerous.
Electrical system, Apr 19, 2023
the Power Conversion System (PCS), 1 of the 3 module fails, therefore, it limits the AC charge current to 32A out of the max of 48A the car was never pullged into a 48A AC charging connector, therefore, the PCS module likely to be defective
Other or unspecified, Apr 13, 2023
Computer failure. The car became unsafe to drive because the screen went completely black and could not be reset. The rear view mirrors would not unfold, the car’s cooling system wouldn’t work, there was no way to see the speedometer or the amount of charge the vehicle had and the vehicle would not charge.
Electrical system, Apr 11, 2023
Power conversion system failure. Only charges 32/48 amps at destination chargers. Unsure how long this has been a problem because I just upgraded my power panel to be able to charge at 48 amps. Being told $1800 to get car to charge at expected amp limit. 90k miles on car.
Air bags, Seats, Apr 11, 2023
My 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range abruptly parks itself when a seatbelt is not used. The car does not wake up when sitting into the driver seat and the likely culprit is the driver side occupant sensor. To wake up the car one must press the brake or tap on the screen multiple times. If the sensor is faulty this means the airbags on the driver side will not deploy due to the car thinking there is no occupant. Tesla wants to charge customers $1300 for a replacement seat, which is unfair as it compromises the cars air bags and safety system. The car is drive able even when the sensor is not working. I am scared that if an accident were to occur the airbags will not deploy.
Electrical system, Apr 11, 2023
Recommended Software update is not available. Tesla App has stopped working for the past 2 months.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 10, 2023, crash
The Tesla was parked and locked unoccupied with all security features enabled. When I returned to the car the front driver's side was completely crumpled with the bodywork torn , like it was reveresed in to. I was gone about 30 minutes. The car gave no notification on the app, the car alarm didn't activate and the sentry mode did not record the incident. All the things they say the car will do. I called Tesla and was told it works 99% of the time ,(but clearly when you need safety and security it doesn't) they stated that if the car gets hit a certain way it can cause the system to shut down /reboot ,so that none of these systems work... Seems wrong that this can be allowed to be the case that not only all the systems fail, that when they do fail there's no backup or way for the car to know something is wrong. That if there is a unexpected forced reboot it doesn't tell you or acknowledge something is wrong in any way . They seem to think that this is ok . I have reported to them and they really didn't seem to care , just said the statement above about it working 99% of the time..However all the things they say the car can do ,and several reasons you think you are buying the car for with it's increased safety and security, apparently don't work at all. Now I have a 4 figure out of pocket to get the car repaired because I have no way to find the person who hit my car because the none of the cars security or safety warnings worked.
Suspension, Apr 7, 2023
The main bolt that holds together the wheel and body on the driver side fell off while driving, resulting in wheel falling off and car not able to operate safety. The bolt is marked with kxv109. This caused damage to the entire subframe assembly. This could have been a very terrible accident if I was driving at a higher speed. On October 27, 2022 I noticed an odd sound from my steering wheel which I reported to Tesla and had my car in for service and was told that nothing was wrong and everything worked as expected, so I continued to drive my car. My car’s wheel fell off on January 20, 2023, the bolt that held the wheel to the body completely broke off and fell on the ground.
Suspension, Apr 7, 2023
The front left control arm (lateral link) of my Model 3's front wheel just came completely off (bolts unscrewed) without any incident. It fell to the ground and preventing my car from steering properly and was dragging on the ground. The car couldn't drive properly and needed to be towed to the Tesla service center. This could have easily caused a fatal accident by causing the car to suddenly not be able to steer and drive properly. I had the vehicle towed to the Tesla service center and the engineers did not know how or why the bolts were unscrewed and came out. The Tesla service center forced me to pay out of pocket since my vehicle had 70K miles and was out of warranty. They refused to accept it as a manufacturing safety defect.
Lane departure, Apr 6, 2023
The side blind spot cameras are blinded at night by the turn signal lights when flashing, making them very unsafe. Difficult to view due to the orange light flashing, blinding both left and right cameras.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 6, 2023
My Tesla Model 3 without any warning stopped working suddenly. I could not put the car in drive and there were error messages about climate control and electrical system. I had to get the car towed to the service center as it was blocking my other car in the driveway. The service center in Sunnyvale, CA diagnosed the problem to be a faulty PTC heater and has charged me over $1100 to replace it. I beileve it is quite absurd to have a fault in the HVAC system render the whole vehicle completely immobile and useless. This seems like a serious design flaw and it could lead to serious health or safety concerns.
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.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Apr 1, 2023
I am driving on the new FSD beta that Tesla just released to comply with NHTSA's previous recall, version 2022.45.13. Despite the claim that this release has addressed these issues, I experienced these today while driving around my town on city streets and on the open highway: As I approached the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp off the highway to my neighborhood street, the car blew right past the stop sign just like it wasn't there. It did this before the current update as well. While this is improved over previous versions, it still doesn't slow down in advance of a new lower speed limit sign to ensure it's moving at that posted new slower speed by the time it reaches that sign, as it should. As you know, it's illegal, e.g., to continue driving at 45 mph after you've passed a 35 mph sign. But with this latest update, even though the car can "see" the new lower speed limit sign ahead, the car only begins to slow down once you've passed this new lower speed limit sign and then goes about 200 ft before it actually reaches the lower speed. This is still illegal in every state and is a danger to drivers and others. Please make Tesla fix both of these problems fully.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Mar 31, 2023
Heater suddenly stopped working. Will not produce any heat or defrost windshield. Passenger/Driver safety affected by lack of warmth in extreme cold and visibility while driving with iced windshield. 35,000 miles on well maintained vehicle w no damage or accidents. Dealer states that resistance heater and wire harness will need replaced. No cause identified.
Electrical system, Mar 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the display screen intermittently went blank and failed to display the speedometer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,740.
Electrical system, Mar 29, 2023
The power conversion system is failing on my vehicle. It is causing faults that trip the breakers at my charger and could potentially cause a major problem at my charging station. It could also cause my vehicle to be stranded or possibly lose power while driving.
Electrical system, Mar 28, 2023
I experienced premature failure of all 3 modules is the vehicles PCS (Power Conversion System) part of the HV Battery System. Although a TSB was issued to replace the same part in other cars with "affected" VINs Tesla has ignored this faulty part and has declined to replace it under the vehicles HV Battery warranty even though the unit is replaced as a single unit when the HV Battery requires replacement. This is a well known issue that is being intentionally ignored by Tesla. It could leave a driver stranded in an unsafe condition or situation. I would like to see the part recalled. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10148850-9999.pdf
Electrical system, Mar 27, 2023
The window switches on the driver window panel have deteriorated and broken not allowing the driver to pull up the windows. For a car that’s only 3 years old this should not happen and is a major safety issue as the driver has no way of controlling the windows. I have searched online regarding this issue and have found that many other owners have experienced the same exact defect that I have, most a VIN number around 30000
Structure, Mar 21, 2023, crash
Auto was in reverse and moved backwards while rear rt side door was open causing damage to another auto parked alongside. Shouldn't the auto not move in gear when a door is open and unlatched ? The auto can move forward or back with any door that remains open. I thought this would be a safety issue