2020 Tesla Model 3
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Forward collision avoidance is the leading concern among 451 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 9 Model 3 model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 54 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 33 people were injured and 2 people died.
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
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
Suspension, critical fastenersOct 25, 2021
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Model Y and 2019-2021 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 December 20, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-31-003.
Campaign 21V835000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/window, curtainOct 25, 2021
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2021, 2023 Model 3 vehicles. The left and/or right side curtain air bag may have been improperly secured to the roof rail, which could result in a twisted air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 214, "Side Impact Protection" and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
A twisted side curtain air bag may improperly deploy, increasing the risk of injury or occupant ejection during a crash.
Tesla Service will inspect and realign the left and right side curtain air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-20-006.
Campaign 21V834000 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
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperMay 25, 2021
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles. The brake caliper bolts may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate and contact the wheel rim.
Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla Service will inspect and tighten, or replace the caliper bolts as 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-21-33-002.
Campaign 21V387000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: forward collision avoidance
156 reports, newest first. Show all
Forward collision avoidance, Jan 19, 2024
This morning, I was waiting in the left turn lane on [XXX] turning east onto [XXX] in Moorpark, CA. Waiting at the light, I tapped to turn on autopilot and expected it to turn left… it tried to make a right turn from the left turn lane. This is not the first time autopilot has tried to make an unsafe and illegal turn from the wrong lane. I once had it attempt a U turn from the right lane on [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Jan 8, 2024
I am writing to bring to your attention a concerning issue regarding the recent update related to recall alerts in my vehicle, which has inadvertently led to an increase in distraction while driving. I received a software update for my vehicle, which included new features aimed at enhancing autopilot alerts. However, instead of improving safety, these updates have unintentionally resulted in an increased level of distraction while driving. Issues Identified: Frequency of Alerts: The frequency of recall alerts has become excessive, leading to a constant stream of notifications while driving. This has proven to be highly distracting and has compromised my ability to focus on the road. Alert Presentation: The visual and auditory presentation of the alerts is intrusive and often occurs excessively during driving. The alerts are not sufficiently streamlined to ensure minimal disruption, causing a significant distraction. Impact on Driving Behavior: The continuous alerts have forced me to divert attention away from the road, leading to an increased risk of accidents and compromising overall road safety. Recommendations: As per most other vehicle brands that benefit from self-driving technologies, like Cadillac and Ford, they are not affected by this recall, and do not make the driver continually look at the display for information regarding to the alert. Intelligent Alert Timing: Incorporate a smart algorithm that considers the driving context before issuing an alert. This can prevent alerts during critical driving moments, reducing distraction. Comprehensive Testing: Conduct thorough testing of software updates before release to identify and address any unintended consequences, such as increased distraction. Before this update, it was a lot less distracting to drive this vehicle, due to the limited notifications. Since this update, I've found myself removing my eyes from the road because of the increased notifications. A reversal of this recall is in need.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 26, 2023
While operating TACC with lane keeping assist, I experienced multiple iterations of phantom braking when the road and weather was clear ahead. This phantom braking could potentially cause other drivers to collide with the vehicle that unexpectedly braked in the middle of the highway. This problem has been a common issue with multiple people taking their cars to the service center to get checked out with no problem identified. There are no warning lights or indicators that the Tesla is going to phantom brake on the highway. Recommend having Tesla provide information regarding this phantom braking.
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 23, 2023
At 11:47 AM Pacific time on December 23, 2023 my Tesla model three auto pilot system failed after a recent update mandated by the NHTSA. Ever since the update, the vehicle, cruise control and auto pilot systems no longer function properly, and while I was in, cruise control and auto pilot traffic stopped ahead and the auto pilot system disengaged while I was waiting while it was slowing down, which has never happened in four years of ownership and over 60,000 miles of driving. The new recall software update has made the vehicle unsafe and it should be retracted and corrected. What once was a safe feature is now unsafe. Please investigate this with Tesla to prevent possible injury or death resulting from this programming failure.
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 16, 2023
During a month-long road trip in the US, I experienced frequent "phantom braking" incidents while using adaptive cruise control. In some cases, Autosteer was also active. By "phantom braking" I refer to sudden hard braking by the car itself in clear daylight conditions on interstate highways with no vehicles visible ahead of me for at least 1/2 mile. By "frequent" I mean that this behavior occurred multiple times per hour over multiple days. I decided to cease using cruise control for the remainder of the trip after the following episode occurred. With cruise control active on a four lane interstate, I was changing lanes to the right to allow a pickup truck to pass me on the left. I had just passed a semitrailer, who was in the right lane. I could see him in my rear-view mirror as I began the lane change. The road was empty and visible for at least a mile ahead on a sunny morning. We were all traveling about 75 mph in a 70 mph zone. While straddling the lanes, the car suddenly slammed on its brakes, requiring both vehicles behind me to take evasive action. I over-rode the car’s action by pressing the accelerator pedal swiftly and firmly. No accident occurred. I stopped using cruise control entirely for several months, and I have only rarely used it since then, and only when the road behind me is empty. In those few recent trials, I have not experienced any phantom braking. Finally, I speculate that the braking may have been triggered by "mirages" of what look like puddles on the road. We humans are familiar with this phenomenon, but the camera AI may have interpreted those as obstacles.
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 10, 2023
Phantom breaking occurred twice while driving east on highway sr 152. Our car was traveling straight with no cars in front of us. I was using cruise control set at the speed limit when the car suddenly slammed on the brakes, the car slowed from 65 mph to 20 mph in a few seconds. This happened twice in a matter of 10 minutes. I no longer use cruise control. Apparently there is no fix. I have two relatives that have experienced same problem with their Teslas. I will suggest that they report to NHTSA.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 27, 2023
While driving on the highway from philadelphia to allentown using I-476 north i was driving using cruise control and the car suddenly applied brakes ( phantom braking) there was no one either in front or sides or behind me. No accident happened
Forward collision avoidance, Nov 27, 2023
At lease several times in the past 3 months, when using AUTOPILOT and when passing semi-trucks on my right my Model 3 has automatically given a very loud, what I believe to be either a Forward Collision Warning or a Lane Departure Warning, then braked and seemingly veered to the left! This is scary beyond belief and has only happened when AUTOPILOT is engaged and large semi-trucks are to my right. I thought you should know about this issue. Thank you,
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 19, 2023
Driving on the freeway with the adaptive cruise control set to 78 mph. Traveling in the #1 lane, medium traffic, no vehicles in front of us for a while (in our lane or the #2 lane next to us). Roadway was dry, sun was overhead at that time of the day. Weather said it was 72 outside, so not excessively hot. While nearly cresting the top of a slight incline, the car hard-braked, taking the speed from 78mph to 58mph for no obvious reason. (Thank heavens the car behind us was following at a safe distance and was able to brake, too.) There was no debris on the roadway or any other reason why the car would need to brake. Suffice to say that we deactivated the adaptive cruise control for the remainder of the journey.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 3, 2023
I've had the car since December 2019. The car will "phantom brake" when the autopilot adaptive cruise control is on. This happens intermittently, ~1 time per month on my normal commute. I will be going along, cruise set to 75 and out of nowhere it'll slam on the brakes and lose 10 MPH in a second before I can take over. This occurs with absolutely no traffic or reason, it'll be an empty highway and it does it. I drive with my foot over the accelerator so I can floor it to override the car. This is the exact opposite reaction I would think that someone should have to do with a safety feature. Tesla tells me the system is working fine, but random brake checks on the highway should never be normal. I don't understand how this system was approved to operated by the government.
Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Sep 30, 2023, crash
I was driving on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey in the right hand lane. I was using basic auto pilot and needed to pass a pick up truck in front of me. I disabled auto pilot and went into the left lane. I re-engaged auto pilot and the vehicle took a hard right and hit the truck. I heard the audible chime once it made contact with the truck indicating that auto pilot disengaged. My car went back into the left lane and I took control. We moved to the shoulder and waited for state police to arrive. Luckily no one was injured. A police report was filed.
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 14, 2023
On September 9, 2023, we were driving from Winter Park, CO to Omaha, NE. Three or four hours into our trip, we experienced what is described on the internet as "phantom breaking" four or five times in an hour. We were in a remote area on I-80 with no cars ahead of us or behind us and no debris in the road. We have occasionally experienced this hard automatic breaking for no obvious reason before in our almost four years of driving this Tesla, but we never thought much of it. This time since it happened so many times in such a short amount of time, we researched online if there was anything we could do. With that information we turned off the "Automatic Emergency Breaking", which seemed to do the trick. When we contacted the Tesla Service Center in Council Bluffs, IA for an appointment to see if they could fix the problem, they asked for more information. They said the following: "We performed a remote diagnosis on the Autopilot System in the vehicle and its affiliated hardware and all checks came back in good standing with no faults." They then suggested I read the Owners manual for factors that may cause the vehicle to brake when not required or expected. I read it and told them none of those conditions were present. They said that was all they could do and suggested if it happens again I should file a "bug report" (which was a new concept to me!). The phantom breaking happened, but Tesla either doesn't seem to believe me or does not have the ability to properly diagnose or fix the problem. I will try to remember to turn off the Automatic Emergency Breaking, but that raises other safety concerns . . . .
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 11, 2023
On 9/3/23 we were traveling from Moab UT to Green River UT and the cruise control was engaged at highway speeds. We were not using the "Autopilot" functionality. Without warning, the car suddenly decelerated under what felt like hard braking. There was no warning immediately before the hard braking started and the car had no warning indicators of any kind either before or after the incidents. The hard deceleration happened at least four times. One of those times a raven flew up from the road, but the other times there was nothing in the road. At least three of the incidents occurred on highway 6 traveling north. The last time it occurred was on I-70 westbound after we stopped the cars and cleaned all the cameras and ensured there was no debris on the front bumper which could cause issues with the forward-looking radar. We lost confidence in the cruise control feature and did not enable it for the rest of the trip. This is a safety issue because the car does not just reduce speed, it feels like it is braking hard or perhaps full regeneration of the battery. Either way, on these 2-lane highways, there are often situations when other drivers are driving too close to the rear bumper and a sudden, inexplicable hard braking is very likely to cause collision. A collision at these speeds could push the car into oncoming traffic, leading to fatalities. We asked Tesla service to look into the issue, and said there is likely footage of at least one of the events (because I honked the horn to start recording). The Tesla service person gave several reasons why it deceleration may occur, but Tesla is neither reviewing the footage, nor taking action to remedy the issue. They said "Our remote diagnostics has confirmed the vehicle hardware is operating as expected and there are no repairs the service team can make in regards to this." With service unable to make a fix to the car, this problem remains unresolved and we have lost confidence in cruise control.
Forward collision avoidance, Aug 24, 2023
I have had multiple incidents of sudden speed reduction on major hi ways. (us 287 and I 25). Usually these incidents occur when I am traveling north (increasing elevation and later in the day), but that is not always the case. The events appear to be totally random, but result in a speed reduction of 70mph to 40mph rapidly enough that loose items (including pets) fly. on occasion I have had to be very quick to accelerate to avoid being run over by a tailgater. I scheduled a service appointment, but was discouraged from doing so by Tesla Service people who said “the car is still learning”. The fault has not improved. If anything it happens more frequently. At this point, I would say we travel “on edge”.
Forward collision avoidance, Aug 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that on three occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The contact continued driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 1, 2023
Sudden hard "phantom" braking while in adaptive cruise control. This put myself and other drivers in danger of a collision. The problems been reported to Tesla, but as of yet not fixed or inspected.The problem seems to be completely random with no advanced warning of any kind.
Forward collision avoidance, Aug 1, 2023
The car repeatedly rapidly decelerates when passing semi-trucks on the highway. This creates a problem for vehicles driving behind my vehicle as it creates sudden braking for them and it creates a bit of panic for the driver of my vehicle due to the suddenness of the braking. This problem occurs almost every time the vehicle is driving over 60mph on a freeway and is midway in passing a semi-truck trailer truck. The dealer has replaced the camera but the problem still occurs. Collision lights occur at the time of the error but no other warnings occur.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 29, 2023
While driving on the freeway, my 2020 Model 3 “phantom braked” multiple times while using the cruise control. No autopilot for lane keeping assistance. There were no cars in front of me or any hazards. The pavement was pretty new. I was using this feature earlier in the trip with no issues then it started all the sudden with multiple incidents in a short amount of time.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 26, 2023
My car cameras and audio will randomly stop working. Come to find out I took a recording with a timestamp of 1151 pm where I am on the highway and driving. Have witnesses of me driving and the issue. My model 3 logs, as stated by service technician, say my vehicle is "Parked and not being operated". This means I am driving with potentially dangerous and absolutely unreliable software in my car. It shows the car isn't being operated as I am going 60~ on the highway in traffic. My car cameras will go completely black and the audio warnings will go out including the backup sounds which are a required feature. Have contacted Tesla since 2020 and no action except a blanket statement of "a future update"
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 24, 2023
Phantom Braking occurred almost 40 times on our recent trip from Northern NV to California and return. We left on July 16 and returned on July 21. Our route was from Minden NV to Las Vegas on Highway 95 and then onto Temecula CA on Highway 15 and 215. The return trip was on Highway 15 to CA 138 to Highway 14 to Highway 395. All travel was during daylight hours. Sometimes phantom braking was so severe, the deceleration cause us to be thrown forward towards the dashboard. We wore seat belts to prevent hitting the dashboard. This also happened on a similar trip in 2022 and was reported to Tesla and were told that nothing could be done. The current software version is 2023.20.9
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 17, 2023
Unexpected Phantom Braking was experienced in this vehicle on a sunny day at mid day on I-30 going East through Arlington. The car was operating on Traffic Aware Cruise Control. Travelling at approx 70mph the vehicle suddenly slowed very quickly below 50 mph before I interceded to resume control of the accelerator to resume my speed before I was rear ended. This occured as I was approaching an overpass in my middle lane.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 4, 2023
While driving on the freeway I5 in central California in the middle of the day there were no cars in front of me and the vehicle went into sudden PHANTOM BRAKING mode. I was driving at 75 MPH and it suddenly went into hard braking. Extremely dangerous. The vehicle behind me had to swerve around us. We could have been killed. I was using the cruise control but NOT the Enhanced Autopilot. This needs to be fixed. We escaped severe injury or death by sheer luck
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 1, 2023
Had cruise control on and “phantom braking” occurred about 10 times on a 22hr trip from California to Oklahoma. Very scary. Car went from 80 to about 40mph in seconds. How is this even possible for Tesla to have these vehicles on the road? I’ve only had the car for 2 weeks.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 29, 2023
I was driving from indio,ca to Orinda,ca on interstate 10-210-5 north and the vehicle had at least 6 phantom braking events when the car was in cruise control and one event the auto pilot was on. There was clearly nothing front of me. This is so dangerous and there will be a bad accident if it isn’t fixed. Please have Tesla fix this.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 23, 2023
Recurrent phantom braking while using autopilot. Sudden deceleration that does not seem to correlate to any specific traffic or weather condition.