2021 Tesla Model 3
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Forward collision avoidance is the leading concern among 663 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 9 Model 3 model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 46 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 19 people were injured and 8 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
Back over prevention, softwareMay 5, 2026
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017, 2021-2023 Model 3, 2020-2023 Model Y, 2021-2023 Model S, and Model X vehicles operating software version 2026.8.6. The rearview camera image may be delayed when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-00-001.
Campaign 26V283000 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
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchJul 24, 2024
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.
An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.
Campaign 24V554000 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
Forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency brakingMay 9, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Model 3 and 2021 Model Y vehicles. The fisheye and narrow camera cable terminals were incorrectly installed in the cable harness connector, resulting in swapped camera views.
Swapped camera views can prevent the vehicle's cameras from detecting crossing objects and high-curvature lane lines, impairing the Autosteer and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) performance, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla Service will correct the swapped terminals and recalibrate the cameras, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-17-007.
Campaign 22V317000 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
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 2, 2022
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A software error may cause a valve in the heat pump to open unintentionally and trap the refrigerant inside the evaporator, resulting in decreased defrosting performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Decreased defrosting performance may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of 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-22-18-002.
Campaign 22V050000 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
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
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
663 reports, newest first.
Latches/locks/linkages, Apr 22, 2025
While traveling over 230 miles from home on a road trip, my 2021 Tesla Model 3 suffered a complete and catastrophic failure. While in North Carolina, the vehicle became entirely unresponsive—doors would not unlock, windows couldn’t be operated, and I was completely unable to access the charging port, trunk, or frunk. The vehicle was effectively bricked without warning. This wasn’t a minor inconvenience—it was a serious safety issue. I was stranded out of state from Saturday to Tuesday, completely dependent on others for transportation while waiting for the vehicle to be towed 58 miles to a service center. I was eventually informed of the cause, auxiliary battery failure, but the fact remains: this happened without warning, in the middle of a long-distance trip, and could have left me in an extremely dangerous or isolated situation. Tesla's systems failed without notice; an apparent design flaw left me with no way to access or secure the vehicle. The inability to open the doors or charge the car poses obvious and unacceptable safety risks. The windows were secured with plastic to prevent rain from coming in. This incident is deeply concerning and should be taken seriously. I am urging NHTSA to investigate this issue and hold Tesla accountable to ensure this does not happen to other drivers under even more hazardous circumstances.
Power train, Apr 18, 2025, crash
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while his wife was driving at approximately 29 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated and the front of the vehicle crashed into a tree, where it came to a stop. No warning lights were illuminated. The front driver's side air bag was deployed. A police report was filed. Medical attention was sought as a precaution; however, there were no injuries sustained. The vehicle remained at the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,340.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 9, 2025
Vehicle Info: Make: Tesla Model: Model 3 Year: 2021 Incident Date: April 7, 2025 Mileage: 49,000 miles Component: Electrical System / Software / Powertrain While driving on a public road, my Tesla Model 3 experienced a total system lag and shut down unexpectedly. The screen and vehicle controls froze, and the vehicle became unresponsive, leaving me stranded in the middle of the road. Tesla service later stated that the car computer had “slow FPS” (frames per second), which they claim caused the issue. They cleared memory, updated firmware, and said no further diagnosis was needed. However, no root cause was provided, and I am concerned that this issue could reoccur. This kind of unexpected shutdown while driving is a serious safety concern. I was lucky to avoid a collision, but if this had happened on a freeway or near traffic, the outcome could have been worse. I am filing this report in hopes that NHTSA will investigate whether this is an isolated issue or part of a broader safety defect related to Tesla's onboard software or power management systems.
Visibility, Apr 5, 2025
Rear window defroster is permanently broken. Tesla made 10 attempts to repair it over the past year+ and it is still not fixed. Under certain weather conditions, there is zero visibility through the rear window.
Suspension, Mar 4, 2025
Needs whole suspensions system fixed and is only 4 years old. Was told by the service center employee that other customers with the same year and model have had the same issue. Suspension has been noticeably affected for the past year (uneven tire wear so I had to get new tires and a bumpier ride), but just took it in today and had it officially diagnosed.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 2, 2025
The defrost function on the computer went crazy and cracked the windshield in the morning, covered in snow. - It’s hard to see out of, and Tesla said it’s not covered even though it’s only 6 months old and to just drive it. - No, they want $1600 to look at it. I can’t get them to agree to look at it, but don’t give up. - no the defrost was slow and low, as winter is with no issues. So it snowed a lot in KC, MO. I keep my heat at 60 degrees and the fan on low. I unlocked my car with my phone to get some stuff out, but I started clearing off the back door stairs first to make a path. But only 10 minutes after unlocking it, I heard a loud pop. I thought it was electric, so I unplugged it and got in to leave and immediately was shocked to see and hear the heater on so high I didn’t know it went to that level. It had to have been 100 degrees in the car then before I even sat down… I saw the HUGE CRACK across the windshield from the bottom right passenger side, perfectly in the corner of the glass, going all the way to eye level in front of the driver. Diagonally, corner to corner. There isn’t a scratch or speck on this car. I hand wash it every week when it’s not freezing out. I keep the left scroll wheel programmed to control the fan speed, so I pushed it to lower the leaf blower setting it was on to find out it was still set to 60 and fan speed 2. I had to go up and down a few times to get it to go down to normal. I took a video and photos, and Tesla said repeatedly it’s going to cost $1600, even though I just bought it 6 months ago.
Latches/locks/linkages, Jan 27, 2025
The Tesla model 3 has a manual release lever for each door in the front. The passenger side lever doesn't work, creating a safety issue if the car were to lose power then that door would not be able to be owned in case of an emergency. It was never used before and just doesn't work. I've heard this is a common issue on the 2021 model as it was the first refresh or re design.
Forward collision avoidance, Jan 14, 2025
I was driving east on [XXX] in Bourne MA using the Tesla adaptive cruise control system called "Autopilot" in very light traffic conditions. The sun was low on in the sky (behind and to the right). The system automatically engaged the brakes while crossing the bridge without obvious reason, decreasing the car speed about 10 MPH in less than a second before I overrode by pressing the accelerator. I believe the car vision system mistook a shadow cast by the vertical girders on the bridge onto the road as an obstacle. The sudden deceleration was a hazard to those behind that had to brake, but there was no collision or loss of control. The manufacturer seems acknowledge and accept that the defect exists, but has not been able to resolve the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 8, 2025
My Tesla has full self driving supervised. When I use this feature, since about three updates ago, my Car has started braking for no reason. It hasn’t happened on a freeway, but, but on secondary roads, it will brake and try to come to a stop. It seems to do this, when there is a shadow across the road, or when there is a puddle in or near the road. Sometimes it will brake for no reason at all. I I have come close to being hit from behind. I think this is a dangerous situation that needs to be looked into.
Other or unspecified, Jan 4, 2025
Tesla is refusing to correct this recall on my vehicle for free
Suspension, Dec 30, 2024
My car experienced a problem with the control arms and based on my research this is a known problem with Tesla Model 3 yet a recall hasn’t been issued
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Dec 3, 2024, crash
UNKNOWN
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 1, 2024
vehicle constantly phantom brakes while driving. i have reported 100+ incidents thru my tesla "report bug" feature. It will read the speed limit sign on the off ramp and slow the vehicle down 20mps abruptly, it will see a car on an onramp and slam the brakes on thinking there is a collision coming. it is every single day using cruise control
Other or unspecified, Nov 24, 2024
The rear doors in this vehicle have no manual open option in case of a power outage such as a fire or submersion. This is a huge safety risk for back seat passengers, who are more likely than average to be children who could not figure out what to do in the case of an emergency
Seat belts, Nov 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while a family member was attempting to use the rear middle seat belt, the seat belt failed to extend and was unusable. The vehicle was taken to a Tesla Service Center, where the seat belt was replaced. The vehicle was repaired as an out-of-pocket expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Structure, Nov 19, 2024
Tesla doors are opened from the inside of the vehicle by pressing a button. In the event of a power failure, the buttons will not open the doors. The front doors have an additional manual release to open the door. However, the rear doors do not. In a power failure mode, rear seat passengers will be unable to open their doors to exit the vehicle. Newer model Teslas contain the manual release for the rear doors. However, I have contacted Tesla and they have no plans to address my vehicle. I consider this a life threatening issue. Tesla should be required to retrofit any of their vehicles that have no way to manually open the rear doors.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Oct 25, 2024
My Tesla was operating in Full-Self-Driving Beta when it experienced a sudden uncontrolled accelration event. I was driving on [XXX] at approximatley [XXX] this morning. The road speed limit was 40 mph. The car display was correctly showing that the road speed limit was 40mph. The speed offset in the cars setting was limited to 5 mph max above the speed limit. While the car was driving it suddenly accelerated very hard from approximately 40 mph to over 60mph before I was able to stab the brake pedal and kick the car out of full self driving mode. There were no errors, warnings, or signs that anything was wrong with the car. I have also notified Tesla via the service request function in the Tesla App under the section for "software performance". INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering, Lane departure, Oct 18, 2024, crash
1. Autosteer/Lane assist failure, yes its available for inspection upon request with Tesla 2. Due to above failure met with a crash which led to severe medical issues 3. The car has been totalled and the car is not functional, waiting on Tesla to inspect and confirm 4. Police has filed a crash report but manufacturer, insurance yet to inspect the vehicle or component 5. Absolutely NO WARNING lamps/messages prior to the failure.
Vehicle speed control, Electrical system, Oct 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the braking system erroneously activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly decelerate. The contact stated that the failure was due to a failure with the computer reading the speed limit as 45 MPH instead of 65 MPH. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.
Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkages, Oct 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the hood opened unintentionally, the A/C unit and the radio intermittently turned on and off, the infotainment system screen intermittently turned black and randomly turned back on, along with several other failures that occurred. No warning lights was illuminated. The failures occurred on several different occasions. The contact was notified that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V554000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages, Electrical System) however, while attempting to update the vehicle software, the vehicle failed to complete the software update. The vehicle was drivable and was taken to the place of residence; the contact attempted to get in contact with Tesla Roadside Assistance however, once the contact reached the "confirm pickup spot" screen, the screen froze and would not confirm the request. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact attempted to notify the manufacturer however, the contact received no response in return. The failure mileage was unknown.
Steering, Suspension, Wheels, Oct 1, 2024
While driving, I started to hear a creaking sound while backing up and turning the wheel left. The sound became worse over the course of a few weeks. The steering also felt a little loose. I reached out to the manufacturer for a service appointment, and could only be scheduled about a month out. After a few weeks, while trying to parallel park, the car felt like a tire was stuck, or had a flat. I stopped the car to look at all of the tires and they looked fine. When I returned home, I tried to recreate the issue with my wife moving the car slowly from the driver seat while I looked at the wheels. As she turned and backed up, the creaking sound was very loud, but the tires looked fine. When she put the car in drive and began to pull back into the driveway, I could see the front passenger tire was turned abnormally far to the left, looked like it was leaning, and it was locked (not rolling). Once we had the car in a safe position, I jacked up the car and looked at the passenger control arm to see a bolt completely missing from the front suspension lateral link. The other bolt was 1/2 of the way out and barely holding on. If this had come apart at highway speeds, I am afraid it could have killed or seriously injured my family.
Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkages, Sep 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V554000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted but saw no recall information related to the VIN. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Air bags, Sep 9, 2024
Front passenger safety restraint system fault alert popping up every few minutes while driving. It is the most irritating thing and there is no way for me to fix it without spending over $500 dollars. This is seemingly a common problem for this make and model through reddit posts and car forums. I was also told by a employee at the tesla service center that they see this very often. It is shocking that Tesla hasn’t taken responsibility in fixing this, when there is nothing any of us could’ve done to have this happen. I’ve seen people get quoted anywhere from $500-2,000 for this exact problem. It is so beyond distracting while driving.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Sep 9, 2024
Front passenger safety restraint system fault in sensor, sensors won’t stop going off and giving me warnings while driving.
Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 5, 2024
I started receiving messages that the cameras were occluded and that there was an error and ALL of my system safety features were disabled. No front forward collision warnings, no emergency braking available, nothing available and the system computer that showed all of the traffic and everything completely disappeared from the screen, the car has literally gone blind. All of this started happening on with the camera issues in May, but I thought that it was a software issue and would be addressed in the next update, although the critical disengagements were supposed to be sent to Tesla. I took the car to the service center on 9/4/24 at 9am, and they stated that the did a system test and saw that the triple camera was showing a fault and so they replaced the camera and gave it back to me the same day. Everything worked for the rest of that day for a service that took at least 3hours to figure out. Today after I get off of work at 1pm and I go to initiate FSD and I get 3miles from my residence( I live <8mi from my job) and the system disengages again asking me to take over and all of my critical systems have yet again been disabled. My whole safety is compromised at this point yet again. I immediately bring the car back and they tell me that it's going to take them an additional 30-45 mins to "diagnose" the issue although it's the same thing that's been happening that was supposedly fixed yesterday. After that wait time the service consultant comes back and tell me that the car is throwing all kinds of codes and that, "It's still safe to drive." When I told that it cannot be safe to drive if all of the critical systems were disabled he suggested that I take it and they can do a remote log pull so they can look more into the issue or I can leave it as the part that's needed needs to be ordered anyway. I don't know how they can order a part if they're claiming to not know what's wrong with it. Something else is going on that they don't want to take accountability for!