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.
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.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 10, 2023
FSD Beta code version: 2022.44.30.10 seems to have a nasty bug where due to some bad speed limit data for highways, will automatically change the max cruising speed set by me. Hence the car results in abruptly slowing down on the highway. I have filed bug reports via the car as soon as its happened. Locations it has occurred: On I-90 eastbound right after the Framingham on-ramp around the place where the service plaza exit happens. And on Route-2, eastbound between the I-95 offramp to Rt-2 thru Rt-2 exit to Winter Street. Its due to bad navigation data as the speed change happens very predictablely in the same area, regardless of road conditions, car position in lane, or weather conditions. This never happened in the past 4 years. FSD automatically changed max speed from 75 to 61 miles per hr, causing the slow down.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that there was no vehicle or objects around the vehicle at the time the failure occurred. The contact was not using autopilot at the time the failure occurred. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving at 5 MPH with her 12-year-old son sitting in the front passenger’s side seat. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they were not aware of the failure and the issue would be escalated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Lane departure, Feb 7, 2023
Near miss: intervention by Emergency Lane Assist almost caused a collision. Location- southbound Highway 99 near Turlock, CA, around 9 am (sun low and ahead). Construction is underway on the highway. Traffic id two lanes in each direction with narrow lanes and concrete K rails dividing the highway. My vehicle was in the fast lane going around a left hand bend with the temporary concrete divider close to the left side of the car. The barrier is uneven in this area and was relatively jagged rather than smoothly paralleling the highway. As I rounded the bend the emergency lane assist sounded a warning and simultaneously turned the wheel sharply to the right as if to avoid striking the center barrier (I was not on an impact trajectory). At that moment I was slowly passing a semi-trailer the was close to my vehicle in the left hand lane. I was roughly 3/4 of the way back from the from the front of the truck. The sharp right swerve from the Emergency Lane Assist put me onto a collision course with the side of the semi- if I had not reacted quickly to counter-correct I believe I’d have gone into the side of the truck. Autopilot or lane assist was not engaged (I don’t have it) and my hands were on the wheel allowing quick reaction. Lane departure warning was not active (turned off), Emergency Lane Assist was active. I did not try to recreate the issue and it has not been confirmed.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Feb 6, 2023
After software update 2022.44.30 PTC heating failed. No warning lights, just failure to keep cabin warm.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 5, 2023
While driving a Tesla Model 3 on an interstate highway at a speed of about 75 MPH with Full Self Driving engaged, the car aggressively applied the brakes for no apparent reason. This action could cause injury to passengers in the vehicle or an accident involving another vehicle that is following too closely. No information about the reason this occurred was presented. Tesla is aware of this issue.
Structure, Jan 30, 2023
Rear left exterior door handle. Peeling chrome plating on the under side of handle creates a sharp ragged edge that cuts fingers. The ragged edge also prevents the handle from retracting completely into the door, which may affect secure closure of the door. Reported to Tesla, who declined to cover the repair and sent me an estimate of $270 for parts and labor to replace the door handle.
Electrical system, Lane departure, Jan 27, 2023
Interior camera malfunctions which affects the full self driving package I paid for. As purchased the car was said to be feature complete for full self driving. When the software was available to me two years after purchase the interior camera was finally turned on and it doesn’t work. A cursory internet search shows that this is common. This is a hazard it can malfunction at any time due to defective camera. The service center verified that the camera doesn’t work today 1/27/2023.
Structure, Jan 27, 2023
Read passenger subframe bolt fell out while driving. The subframe of my vehicle and the mounting plate had a 3 inch gap between it. It made the rear end shake and loose control at speed. Tesla refused to give me torque specs twice. I was able to find service manual online and re-torque it. There was no locktite on the bolt. There was no warning, just a metal clanking noise and then the vehicle became dangerous to drive.
Electrical system, Jan 26, 2023
On Saturday the 21st my car had been charging overnight inside my garage using the supplied Tesla charger. As I entered the car to attempt to unlock the charger, I received many system malfunction errors on the screen, stating such that the 12v battery needed to be replaced and some system could not be completed. This definitely seemed odd as I had just replaced the 4 year old battery last July after receiving such an error. Eventually the car released the charging cable, but the car was still inoperable due to the errors. I used the Tesla app to request mobile service for the first available time, which was Tuesday the 24th, and used my wife's car in the meantime. The day of the appointment I attempted to enter the car to move it outside of the garage, but the car had completely died at some point - couldn't open doors, windows, hood or trunk. When the service tech arrived, he too thought it odd to need to replace the 12v battery so soon but continued to attempt it after jumping the car's system through the tow area. After some time, he told me the systems power up but it does not retain a charge for long, indicating a larger issue that needs to be serviced. He advised to have the car towed. I put in another service request for this, and when they arrived, we discovered that the Tow Mode accessible through the car's interface could not be engaged. They were able to skate the car onto the tow bed and transport it to the nearest service center, which I already had to pay for out of pocket ($200). The next day I received a call from the service center stating that the issue appears related to the power conversion module. Unfortunately they claimed that this was also out of pocket due to the car being out of warranty (car has just over 53k miles) and that it would cost $2000 to fix! I decided to do my own research before proceeding and discovered this was a KNOWN ISSUE by Tesla as they posted a TSB about it some time ago!
Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 23, 2023
PCS Charger (Onboard) is failing on numerous early build Model 3 cars (2017-2019). Telsa is claiming that this is not included in battery warranty, however Tesla's own service manual shows this part specifically in the HV Battery System. I still have the fault PCS charger in the car, it is limited to 32Amps but several forums and webpages state its only a matter of time before I am limited to 16Amps The car is unable to charge at a reasonable recovery rate in which you can even use the vehicle for it's intended purchase. Tesla has acknowledge it's failure but is unable to produce actual number of failed units. The warning lamp had been displaying "dirty electrical grid" for quite some time until I was able to search the internet for the exact issue.
Visibility/wiper, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Jan 18, 2023
The automatic wiper does not always work. Set to auto but despite poor visibility on the windshield, it failed to start until I manually adjusted the wiper control on the screen. With poor visibility and having to look at the infotainment screen to adjust wiper while vehicle is in motion, my safety was put at risk. Every time it rains, the auto wiper is unreliable and often fails to start or is too slow to start as if there is a huge delay and does not keep up with in heavy rain as it sometimes wipes too slow and I have to look at the screen to find the settings for the wiper to manually override the wiping speed. Also, the adaptive cruse control accelerates too aggressively at stop and go traffic causing hard braking by the car and I worry this will cause rear end collisions. The blind spot side cameras are unusable at night when turn signal is on as the light blinds the camera image and can’t see anything from it, multiple visits to service center and they told me it is normal and refuse to replace but this cannot be normal as the image from the camera is blinded by the turn signal.
Other or unspecified, Jan 18, 2023
The manufacturer pretended the backup camera recall for the vehicle didn’t exist and attempted to charge me for the repair. Even after I pointed out that the recall covered exactly what was wrong they said it wasn’t covered and provided no further information explaining why.
Electrical system, Visibility, Back over prevention, Jan 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that recently the rearview camera intermittently flickered while in use. The failure mileage was 49,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Steering, Suspension, Structure, Jan 17, 2023
I was driving the car about 35-40 MPH when I heard a popping sound. The steering immediately locked up and the car was undrivable and unsteerable. I looked around car and the body of the car was resting on top of the front right passenger side tire. A bolt was found underneath the car. There were no vehicle system warnings, I did not hit anything, nor has the car been in any accidents. The car could not even be put into neutral or moved out of the 4 lane road. I contacted police and tow truck who said swing arm had failed. I had four children in the car who could have been seriously or fatally injured. Tesla has been contacted but said it isnt their problem or a manufacturing problem although there is lots of reports on internet and they have issued a recall for this very problem on other models. I am very concerned about this safety issue that needs to be addressed since it is potentially very dangerous.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 16, 2023
On December 27, 2022, in light evening street traffic, my car accelerated briefly without the accelerator pedal being applied. I took my foot off the accelerator pedal to decelerate for an upcoming red light. While my foot was off the pedal, the car accelerated and lurched forward. The car was towed to the Tesla Sacramento Service Center. The technician incorrectly cited the "creep mode" as being involved. The car was in motion when it unexpectedly accelerated. "Creep Mode" only engages when the car is close to or fully stopped. Tesla technician was unable to determine an accurate reason for the unexpected acceleration.
Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2023
On December 16, 2022, Tesla made an Over the Air firmware update to my Tesla Model 3. The car's User Interface (UI) screen subsequently began to make erratic and random visualizations. The screen displays motorcycles, trucks and human bodies that are not actually present. The screen fails to display objects, such as other moving vehicles, that are present. The car was towed to the Tesla Sacramento Service center. The technician determined the screen was functioning as expected, and no "fix" exists. The technician also noted the screen's problems will eventually improve over time with firmware updates. The service advisor told me to ignore the screen when driving. The screen is large and within my field of vision. The safety features of the car includes the UI screen to display objects around the car, both while in motion and at rest. The UI screen continues to malfunction.
Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2023
On December 14, 2022, around 5pm, in slowly moving rush hour street traffic, my 2018 Model 3 shut down completely. This happened twice more within a few minutes. The car was towed to the tesla Sacramento Service center. Technicians could find no valid reason for the car shutting down, excepting to say that the driver was not fully seated. I did not change my position in the driver seat. The service advisors could not say how it was determined that the driver was not fully seated. The only mention in the Tesla manual for interference with the driver seat sensors is a caution about using seat covers. I do not have a seat cover.
Forward collision avoidance, Jan 12, 2023
Significant phantom braking issues on two lane highways like US95 in NV. The vision system cannot reliably tell if something is in the road or not when there clearly is nothing, cars or objects. Unclear if my 2018 if the radar is still active, but the vision software cheats I believe by using traffic in front to know the road is clear, but when there is no traffic on a rural highway, it panic stops from 70mph down to 45mph quickly before I can disengage Autopilot. No shadows over the road, no tree, no over passes. Happened several times going south on US95 south on a cloudy day and several times going north a few days later on a sunny day. At all times nothing in the road. It seemed to be more confused on slight rise and downhill, but occurred in even flat road sections. I think the AI has not been trained in non-traffic rural roads and unclear if the radar is still active.
Power train, Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 10, 2023
The Power Conversion System is failing, this makes charging the car difficult. The charge rate is reduced and charging fails without warning. There is no warning from the vehicle that the part is failing but instead says the power grid is the issue. The issue started while the car was still under warranty, but falsely claimed the problem was with the evse or the wiring to the evse. Had the failure been properly reported rather than being misleading, the vehicle could have been repaired under warranty,
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 10, 2023
When driving on the highway and using the "autopilot" lane assist feature the care will automatically change the set speed limit and hard brake which puts my passengers and I in danger of being rear ended due to the abrupt stop. For example I have been driving on the highway with the autopilot set to 65mph and all of a sudden the speed will change to 35 and execute a hard braking maneuver. To compensate for this I have learned to hover my foot over the accelerator to counteract this phantom braking. When this happens there are no alerts that there is something in my path that I need to slow for. Other times there are forward avoidance alerts, but there is nothing in the path. The manufacturer has done nothing to remedy this issue.
Forward collision avoidance, Jan 10, 2023
While on Adaptive Cruise Control on a highway at 70mph, the vehicle’s autonomous system triggered an emergency brake causing the speed to drop down. Reacted and immediately sped up to avoid any possible collision from vehicles in the same lane. No obstructions in the lane or the immediate lanes at the time of the incident. No weather related occlusions (no rain, haze or fog)
Service brakes, Jan 7, 2023
My car Breaks as if i got in to an accident. This has happened more than two times. Car breaks so badly and it drops everything from seats. Very scary. Most of the time i was driving at 10-15 miles per hour in parking lots looking for parking. I always wear seatbelts. Not sure why this happens but it is very scary and had there been cars very close to me i could get rear ended. I did take the car to Tesla Dealer. They always come up with some excuses.
Structure, Jan 2, 2023
The front Undercarriage/ Aero Tray on My Model 3 started to tear apart after driving in the rain on the freeway. This is a part of the existing SB-19-12-001 Tesla Service Bulletin. While driving on the freeway on a rainy day in Los Angeles, I heard the undercarriage tray start dragging on the freeway. Did not hit or run over any objects to cause the tray to rip. Contacted Tesla and showed Tesla several photos along with the service bulletin affecting 2017-2018 Model 3’s which my Model 3 is a August 2018 Build and Tesla did not want to honor the Service bulletin and they wanted to charge me $441 for replacing both front and back Aero trays. This needs to be reported that Tesla Service centers are not honoring Service bulletins about defective parts. This can be a safety issue, if the part we’re to rip off and hit another car and cause an accident, it can be avoided if tesla honors the service bulletin.
Electrical system, Dec 30, 2022
This is regarding NHTSA Recall Number21V-00D. This recall is from December 21, 2021 -- i.e., over a year ago. I scheduled an appointment with Tesla in August 2022 to get this taken care of, but at the time Tesla canceled the appointment. They told me that the parts aren't available yet, but they would reach out via email or the Tesla app "soon". It has now been 4+ months, yet they still have not reached out to me. On my Tesla app, when I click "Rear Harness Recall" button, it says "You will receive a notification in your Tesla App when parts are available for your vehicle." It is difficult to understand that it takes over a year to put in a simple cable harness.