2022 Tesla Model 3

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Forward collision avoidance is the leading concern among 765 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 9 Model 3 model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 765

Of the 2022 reports, 53 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 45 people were injured and 1 person died.

Primary concernForward collision avoidance532 reports · 70% of complaints
Owner complaints765Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship18 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Forward collision avoidance532
  2. Vehicle speed control171
  3. Service brakes167
  4. Other or unspecified91
  5. Electrical system59
  6. Lane departure44
  7. Steering36
  8. Visibility/wiper16

Recalls and investigations

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. Back over prevention, display functionMay 3, 2022

    Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S, Model X, and 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating certain firmware releases. The infotainment central processing unit (CPU) may overheat during the preparation or process of fast-charging, causing the CPU to lag or restart.

    A lagging or restarting CPU may prevent the center screen from displaying the rearview camera image, gear selection, windshield visibility control settings, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will improve CPU temperature management, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-009.

    Campaign 22V296000 on NHTSA.gov

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

Representative owner complaints: service brakes

167 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 1, 2022

    First time interstate with new vehicle. Within first 100 miles of using cruise control at 80 MPH vehicle would suddenly phantom brake. Occurred twice within 50 mile span. Stopped using cruise, as we were almost rear ended. Attempted later in trip with no trailing vehicles; phantom braking occurred within 50 miles of using. Stopped using due to major safety concerns.

  2. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 29, 2022

    Driving on a 2 lane highway on July 15, 2022, using Cruise Control. A tractor trailer was approaching me. The truck did not cross the center line. There was no concern of a potential problem. With no warning, The Tesla applied extremely hard braking. I had no idea for the reason, afterwards I thought that the motors failed & ceased. If the right brake did not grip as much as the left, the car would have been steered into the other lane into the path of the truck, death would most likely have resulted. The car also braked for side roads, not as intensely as when the truck was approaching. A Tesla rep was notified with a request for immediate repair. The Tesla Rep downplayed / minimized the issue and stated that the issue could be resolved in an update (with no time frame). I am in fear of using Cruise Control on 2 Lane roads.

  3. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 28, 2022

    In autopilot the car would brake hard for no reason and road clear in front of vehicle

  4. Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 24, 2022

    Car is phantom breaking with cruise control set on the freeway.

  5. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 21, 2022

    We have not yet had an accident but have come close due to phantom breaking when using the cruise control with our Tesla. We have reported the concern to Tesla as of 7/21/22 and were told to reset the computer but they have not been able to offer any other solutions. We are very concerned for our safety as we cannot reliability use our cruise control.

  6. Service brakes, Jul 18, 2022

    While driving on the highway with the "cruise control' on, the car automatically braked two times during my travels. No other cars were around me.

  7. Service brakes, Jul 18, 2022

    Ever since I have had this car.....Dec 2021; phantom breaking is a real problem. I am just driving along with out autopilot on, it will slam on the brakes and I nearly got rear-ended numerous times. This has happen so many times that it is very frustrating. I reported this to you back months ago and nothing has been done. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! WILL THIS EVER GET RESOLVED? [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

  8. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 17, 2022

    While using Tesla adaptive cruise control on the Ohio Turnpike on a sunny day, the brakes engaged , causing the vehicle to slow quickly. There were no obvious obstructions, other vehicles, road conditions, or formations that should have caused the system to brake. There was a large green and white reflective road sign along the right side of the road. I was able to press the accelerator and return to speed. If I hadn't been able to return the car to speed quickly, a large truck behind me would have had to brake hard to avoid a collision.

  9. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 15, 2022

    Under Adaptive cruise control, the car slowed from 80mph to 55mph on the highway. There were no cars or objects in front of us. We tried to hit the "gas" pedal but the car would not let us override it. The car behind us came extremely close to us and flashed his lights at us. Bug report submitted to tesla. We were traveling downhill with a slight right curve.

  10. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 9, 2022

    While driving 2022 Tesla Model 3 with cruise control, the car phantom braked with nothing around vehicle. This happened approximately 20-30 times while driving for about 8 hours. The phantom braking occurred while cruise control was set a 75 mph and and went to around 65 mph. This has occurred at varying speeds. It also occurred while using the auto-pilot feature. This happened the next day numerous times. It also braked on a two lane highway after a vehicle passed our car. There was no warning or indicators before, during or after. I am really concerned that this will occur with a vehicle behind my car and cause a rear end collision. Need to see Tesla dealership when return from current trip. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

  11. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 6, 2022

    I was driving in our new 2022 Tesla doing 55 mph using the adaptive cruise control, not on auto pilot. We were on a divided highway, a few cars coming from the opposite lane, nothing in front of us when without warning the car heavily braked. It frightened us and I pressed the accelerator and the car continued without any further incident, but the episode was scary because earlier in the day we were driving on a heavily traveled interstate where such an episode could easily have caused a collision

  12. Service brakes, Equipment, Jul 6, 2022

    The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the vehicle inadvertently activated the brakes independently after an image appeared on the display screen. The contact stated that the brake failure warning light was illuminated. The contact related the screen detection failure with a sensor failure, causing the brakes to independently apply. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 728.

  13. Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 2, 2022

    While the car is in Auto Cruise control, especially in the 72 mph and above range, the brakes engage for no reason. This happens repeatedly on long travel days. There is no notice of the slowdown. It can be abruptly and be extreme. The accelerator has to be used to disengaged the braking. We see it called phantom braking. It certainly is not safe.

  14. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 28, 2022

    Taking two 300+ mile trips, last Friday (June 24)and yesterday Monday (June 27), while on Auto Pilot with the cruise at either 80 or 85, the car had multiple phantom braking issues. The car would decelerate between 10-20 miles instantly with no obstacles or other cars around. This happened at least 10 times total with both trips. So much so that I have no confidence in using this feature again. It's horrifying when it happens.

  15. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 27, 2022

    At least 6 times on a trip today the traffic aware cruise control cut out and slowed the vehicle dramatically for absolutely no reason. If there was a vehicle close behind me, there would likely have been a collision. The weather was clear with no vehicles remotely close to me. About 1/2 the incidents were on a two lane road in the California desert. Other dramatic events were on interstate highway when my vehicle had just passed an off-ramp, I was in the right hand lane. Tesla has been notified via a bug report each time it happened. Tesla is aware of the problem and says we don't need to take the vehicle to a service center.

  16. Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 26, 2022

    I’ve only had my car for 2 days and have had 6-7 phantom braking issues. First day I was driving home from KC, MO after picking up my new car. 4 random stops with the brakes. Some as we approach a (under) bridge, some the top of a hill. Is it falsely detecting radiant heat as an object? Second day same thing, but on new software update (6-25-22). Shorter trip, so fewer incidents. I recall one where no cars were in from of us and there was some asphalt patches on concrete highway. This triggered emergency brakes again.

  17. Wheels, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 25, 2022

    While backing out of my garage the car accelerated uncontrollably and climbed the curb of my driveway. I tried braking without any success. A message saying, to the best of my recollection, "Automatic Braking Disabled" appeared on the dashboard. After climbing the curb the vehicle came to a stop and "Hazard Lights" came on. There were less than 50 miles on the odometer at this time. After waiting for a few minutes I gently pulled the car off the curb and slowly drove it back into the garage. I discovered broken lug nut and what appeared to be its casing lying in the driveway. Tesla Service Center sent tow-truck to tow the vehicle away to its service center. I handed over the broken lug nut and and its casing to the Tesla Tow-Truck Person. While towing my car suffered even more damage as the passenger side front wheel became almost horizontal and it considerably damaged the front bumper. The photos of all these are uploaded with this incident report.

  18. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 25, 2022

    When driving down a 2 lane, desert highway in California at about 60 mph, the cruise control cut out for no reason. There were no vehicles near me. This happened 3 or 4 times within an hour of driving time. When the cruise control cuts out and/or emergency braking occurs, my vehicle slows dramatically. There is a significant risk of a collision if there was a vehicle behind me due to my sudden, and unnecessary dramatic change in speed. Tesla has been notified via a bug report. Tesla says this is a known condition and may occur. I feel this is a safety issue and must be solved or have the traffic aware cruise control changed to a standard cruise control that requires driver action to be disengaged.

  19. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 25, 2022

    Cruise control was set to 70 mph on main turnpike. Shortly thereafter the car slammed on the brakes without any traffic around bringing the car almost instantly down to 45 mph. Had to override brakes by stepping on accelerator.

  20. Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 24, 2022

    Three times in 15 minutes during my road trip, while driving in autopilot my car braked for no reason with no obstruction. Fortunately, no one was hurt or injured but it could have caused major issues if there was more traffic.

  21. Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 21, 2022

    This concerns the "Phantom Braking" problem occurring to many Tesla owners recently. I took delivery of my new Tesla model 3 on May 3, 2022. I was very cautious about enabling the advanced features of the car such as Autopilot, and I did not experience the Phantom Braking (PB) problems that some of my friends described with their Tesla. I bought the Full Self-Driving (FSD) package but I have not asked for it to be enabled. Then I left my house on June 9th for a 12 day, 2500 mile round trip to Seattle and back. During the trip I cautiously began to use autopilot functions, and found them to be very useful, particularly the TACC cruise control feature. As the trip progressed, I began to use the TACC more and more because I was beginning to conclude it might be safer than my own driving in specific situations). On the 6th day I began to return home and increased my use of both autopilot functions (TACC and auto-steer). The further I drove, the more certain I became what was happening, but not why. But first you have to understand the constraints. TACC controls the accelerator and the brake pedal and therefore also controls the regenerative braking capability. The other half of autopilot is the auto-steering capability, which controls only the steering wheel. But the important part is -- you can operate the car with only TACC engaged but you can't engage auto-steer unless you activate TACC first, or at the same time. During my trip I experienced some degree of PB something like 25 times. The 3-5 worst were similar to stepping on the brake pedal firmly. On one occasion I had no traffic near me so I didn't immediately override the stop, to see what it would do. The car continued to rapidly brake from about 75 mph down to about 25 when I stepped on the accelerator to break the PB episode. My conclusions -- PB is a TACC problem. Auto-steer does not change the behavior and PB doesn't happen unless TACC is engaged.

  22. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 18, 2022

    While using traffic aware cruise control, either the cruise control cut out or emergency braking was initiated causing the vehicle to rapidly slow down. This happened once on a two-lane road and multiple times on a four-lane, divided highway. My vehicle slowed very rapidly from about 70 mph to about 50 mph. If another vehicle had been close behind me, they might have hit me due to the sudden, unexpected decrease in my speed. There was no hazard, vehicle or otherwise, in front of me at those times. Tesla has been notified through a software bug report. Tesla says this is a known possibility, but has not fixed the safety-related defect. This happened on highway 14 in the California desert well away from any town or city in daylight and in good weather.

  23. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 16, 2022

    The car has been phantom braking when in cruise control and auto pilot for no reason. This has happened multiple times where it throws the driver into the dash, and it brakes hard. This can cause an accident on the roadways and also the driver if throwing the driver into the dash. This has been going on since we have gotten the brand new car earlier this year. There have been multiple updates to the car but none of the updates have not resolved the issue.

  24. Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 15, 2022

    Was traveling on auto-pilot on an uncrowded 2-lane highway, 1 lane in either direction, about 65-70 mph. Car suddenly braked quite drastically for no apparent reason except that perhaps there was a truck in the distance. However, the car had "seen" plenty of trucks before and after and didn't respond in this way. Note that this happened 3 times, possibly 4, on 2 separate days, and only on AUTOPILOT. Note also that the autopilot was functioning as a cruise control because I had 2 hands on the wheel and was not really allowing autopilot to steer. I stopped using autopilot after that.

  25. Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 14, 2022

    Two separate times today the car automatically braked hard when there was nothing in front, nor around us, when we were using cruise control.