2021 TESLA MODEL 3

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    adas collision warning

    356 unsafe

    356
    incidents

    Mileage not reported in 96% of these reports - too few people reported an actual figure to show a reliable typical mileage.

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle decelerated, and the brakes activated erroneously. The accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle returned to normal driving ope…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1783570
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle decelerated inadvertently. The contact stated that the vehicle would detect a non-existent road hazard causing the vehicle to slow down dramatically, almo…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1798543
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH with the self-driving feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there were no other v…"~10,445 mi, complaint #1822443
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 8 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated and jumped the curb. The contact depressed the brakes pedal to the floorboard; however, the vehicle continued to accelerate and c…"~13,000 mi, complaint #1827272
  2. #2

    software or update

    19 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    20
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact leased a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the center display failed to operate as designed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle; however, while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle stopped abruptly in the middle of the…"~15,460 mi, complaint #1857529
  3. #3

    adas autonomous driving system

    19 unsafe

    19
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I was driving on FSD Beta but when an alien landed on the road in front of me. The FSD Beta software did not detect the alien’s vehicle and almost hit her as she was stepping out. System initiated beeps and I tried to take control but it forced control away fr…"complaint #1778181
    • "I want to report an issue I have with Tesla concerning the damage that occurred to my vehicle as a result of a failure of Tesla FSD version 10.3 firmware release 2021.36.5.2 recalled by Tesla on 10/29/21 NHTSA recall number 21V-846. At noon on 10-24-21, I was…"complaint #1784495
    • "When The auto pilot is activated I have experienced many times that the car randomly stops. This happened when I was on the highway and I was almost rear ended "complaint #1801700
    • "The contact's son owned a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that his son was involved in a fatal collision while driving at an undisclosed speed with the autopilot activated. The contact was informed by his son's friend, who was a passenger in the vehicle…"complaint #1814913
    • "This "self driving" Model 3, with FL License Plate [XXX], attempted to merge onto I95 south from an on-ramp, and very nearly caused a major accident. The vehicle had a bumper sticker on the back that said something like "please be patient, I am a self driving…"complaint #1824033
  4. #4

    other

    12 unsafe, 4 annoyance

    16
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "-BODY PARTS ON CAR A LOT WERE OFF ALIGNED, SERVICE DEPT WON'T HELP OR ANSWER CALLS - SENTRY MODE DRAINS BATTERY (SALES REP SAID IT DOESN'T, SINCE THE CAMERA STORAGE ISN'T STORED ON THE CAR) - REAR PASSANGER DOOR PANEL IS NOT ON CORRECT - THERE WAS GREEN TA…"~5,100 mi, complaint #1743368
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH through standing water, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that upon parking the vehicle, he noticed that the rear bumper had sepa…"~59,800 mi, complaint #1848502
  5. #5

    ev drive unit or inverter

    2 stranded, 12 unsafe

    14
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "THE CAR SUDDENLY POWERED OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. THE CAR REMAINED BROKEN DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO THE SERVICE CENTER. THE SERVICE REPORT INDICATES THAT THE DRIVE UNIT FAILED."~1,661 mi, complaint #1730128
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in full auto-drive mode approximately 10-15 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The man…"~2,300 mi, complaint #1778588
  6. #6

    unintended acceleration

    13 unsafe

    13
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a Tesla Unavailable. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH in the parking lot he notice an unexpected increase in the amount of acceleration. The contact pulled over in the parking lot and turned the vehicle off then restarted and safely dro…"~36,000 mi, complaint #1811291
  7. #7

    adas adaptive cruise

    11 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The Traffic Aware Cruise Control and Auto-Steer are easily confused so that the vehicle does unexpected things like suddenly slowing down, even heavy breaking, or disengage steering control while in a corner next to semi-truck. This commonly happens when driv…"complaint #1794890
    • "On multiple occassions, while using the adaptive cruise feature, (but not the auto steer feature) the vehicle will suddenly slow down to the speed limit, without any warning or notification that anything has changed. This happens in multiple occasions on th…"complaint #1795844
    • "This vehicle's basic "autopilot" and adaptive cruise control is dangerous. The vehicle is unable to pass a truck on the highway while either system is active without slamming on the brakes. This is major safety hazard on the highway as following cars do not…"complaint #1802727
    • "Model 3 sudden Max speed reduction (60/55 to 25/30) when using Autopilot. This happens every time and in multiple areas when driving on I-4 through Orlando, FL."complaint #1853367
    • "On multiple occasions, the car will suddenly decelerate while using adaptive cruise control on the highway. Malfunctioning component: adaptive cruise control. Safety: rear end collision if another vehicle was following too closely. Manufacturer is f…"complaint #1863688
  8. #8

    adas lane keeping

    12 unsafe

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On 1/3/21, approximately 2pm. Driving south on I-77 in the city of Broadview Heights. In center lane of highway with Autopilot (speed and steering only) on. A Hummer in my left lane drifts into my lane and hits my car (I have video). No alarms or alerts went o…"complaint #1786428
    • "This defect affects the lane departure warning system of my vehicle. In certain situations, the lane departure warning system incorrectly activates when the vehicle is turning (vs. leaving a lane). On one occasion, the system activated while turning from my dr…"complaint #1796826
    • "Pillar cameras constantly complain blocked or blinded. Services refused to even look into the issue blaming glare from the sun, even when happening to both on opposite sides of the car at the same time. Report it even happens at night I am told it might be too…"complaint #1841855
    • "I believe that Tesla's autosteer and Full self driving features are improperly designed. I will speak to them as if they were one and the same. I noticed that you have a check box for Lane Keeping Assistance above, but there is no checkbox for coercive auto…"complaint #1857486
    • "On certain sections of highway unsuccessfully attempted to activate auto-steer (two down clicks) multiple times in a row. Did this multiple times in a row but was unsuccessful to activate auto-steer. Instead a supposed "easter egg" (which activates with 4 down…"complaint #1861301
  9. #9

    control module

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "We were driving on the freeway at 69 mph and suddenly with no warning the center console main screen froze. All electronic functions of the car stopped and the car was stuck at 69 mph. Speedometer And turn signals did not work. We managed to get to the side of…"complaint #1810115
    • "Tesla Model 3 main computer system failure. Failure was not cause by any negligence by the operator. The vehicle was parked over night and upon attempting to operate the vehicle the following day there was no power to the screen. There were no warnings prior.…"complaint #1832844
    • "This same event has happened to me approximately 3-4 times since owning the vehicle. It occurs randomly without warning. The vehicle screen will randomly and suddenly freeze up and render itself inoperable. Eventually, the screen will reset itself or I will ha…"complaint #1896509
    • "Electrical system rebooted in the middle of driving: screen went off couldn't signal i swayed to the side and waited till the screen came back on after 3 minutes."complaint #1910609
    • "While the car was parked in a parking lot, I get two notification stating “Sentry mode has turned off due to a sentry system error.” When I checked out the car, the car has completely failed to do any of the computer related task, leaving only the gear, AC, an…"complaint #1919470
  10. #10

    steering electric assist

    9 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle from her residence at 3 mph and attempting to turn to the left, but failed to turn. The contact stated the vehicle continued to go straight and ran into a chain link fence. T…"~12,297 mi, complaint #1828347
  11. #11

    suspension arms and bushings

    1 stranded, 8 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed the contact noticed a knocking sound coming from the suspension with no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagno…"~51,543 mi, complaint #2014880
  12. #12

    airbag system

    7 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Car accident , car failed to deploy airbags . "complaint #1774923
    • "Passenger SRS system fault. Initial error is due to a fault with the occupancy sensor. Presumably disabling or degrading seatbelt pre accident tensioning and proper airbag deployment. Also causes repeated & distracting beeps throughout drive."complaint #2004168
    • "I am writing to report a serious safety concern regarding the non-deployment of airbags during a recent traffic accident. The incident involved a collision where I was struck on the driver’s side front. Despite the severity of the impact, the airbags did not d…"complaint #2014687
    • "Front passenger safety restraint system fault in sensor, sensors won’t stop going off and giving me warnings while driving."complaint #2023486
    • "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…"complaint #2023488
  13. #13

    heater core and blower

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE HEATING SYSTEM FAILED IN DANGEROUSLY COLD CONDITIONS IN A REMOTE AREA ON A WEEKEND TRIP TO THE ADIRONDACKS. I WASN'T ABLE TO REACH ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE APP, AND I END UP DRIVING IT 7 HOURS HOME WITHOUT ANY HEAT. THE HEAT SYSTEM FAILURE OCCURR…"~1,600 mi, complaint #1724620
  14. #14

    infotainment head unit

    6 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Tesla is now making interactive video games and live internet web searching possible on the main front seat display WHILE THE CAR IS DRIVING. The video games are allegedly restricted only to passengers. Web browsing is available to anyone at any time. Why is…"complaint #1777363
    • "Tesla pushed out a new user interface over Christmas. The new interface buries the wiper controls and defrost controls under sub-menus and you can no longer quickly access them while driving. It takes multiple clicks and requires you removing your eyes from th…"complaint #1784779
    • "This is a follow up to my complaint issued NHTSA ID Number: 11439598. You opened an investigation and Tesla promptly backed down, but only in regards to one PORTION of my complaint. Tesla has now disabled video game playing on the front dashboard screen while…"complaint #1784840
    • "Tesla removed the ability to hang up a phone call via the steering wheel buttons which poses a massive safety issue. Currently the only ways to end a phone call are: 1- Having the person on the other end of the call end the call 2- Press the "end" button on th…"complaint #1788309
    • "The new Tesla touch screen UI is a major safe risk. Tesla has decided to hide the controls for the defrosters and wipers to such a degree that we are required to trust the automatic solutions for both and they both are abject failures. The manual controls work…"complaint #1793079
  15. #15

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "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 repl…"~65,000 mi, complaint #2042600
  16. #16

    door latch and hinge

    6 unsafe, 1 broken

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "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 fai…"complaint #2041461
    • "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…"complaint #2059814
    • "The passenger door handle is inoperable . The door handle is stucked open."complaint #2131195
    • "This car is dangerous to rear passengers there's no mechanical door release cable so if there's a loss of electrical power and the car is involved in an accident the rear people or children are trapped "complaint #2136993
    • "I am the owner of a 2021 Tesla Model 3 and am filing this complaint due to a significant safety concern: my vehicle does not have manual or mechanical releases for the rear doors; only electronic mechanisms are present. In the event of a total power failure, a…"complaint #2149384
  17. #17

    hv battery and range

    4 stranded, 3 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "This is a complaint about the unacceptable fire risk that affects all Teslas due to the dangerous battery chemistry and the vulnerability to impact damage that can trigger an instantaneous fire . The VIN of a random Tesla has been used. This problem affects ev…"complaint #1836416
    • "I am getting less miles than advertised on full charge. Six months ago I was getting 185 miles on full charge now I get 156. The vehicle has a little over 5k miles and 2021. FSD does not work as advertised, fails to turn and it makes sudden turns and stops "complaint #1918426
    • "I have been very cautious on charging my Tesla Model 3 and have followed all of the manufacturer's recommendations. The HV battery recently failed at 105,050 miles. South Korea has noted a battery reliability issue for this year car and model, so I am reportin…"complaint #2147296
    • "The high-voltage traction battery pack has failed twice on my 2021 Tesla Model 3, both times while the vehicle was under the original battery warranty. The failures occurred on: • 08/30/2022 at approximately 15,100 miles • 11/08/2025 at approximately 57,222…"complaint #2167685
    • "BMS_a079 error. Battery is no longer able to charge. High voltage battery will need to be replaced. Basically rendering the vehicle useless unless the battery is replaced. "complaint #2211451
  18. #18

    backup camera

    5 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "2021 TESLA MODEL 3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO AN ISSUE WITH THE RIGHT PILLAR CAMERA. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE CAMERA FREQUENTLY DISPLAYED AN "OBSTRUCTED" ERROR MESSAGE, BUT THERE WAS NO OBSTRUCTION. *JS"complaint #1741495
    • "Since the V11 user interface update, when you put the car into reverse, the rear camera sometimes does not show up, or often shows up only after a delay. Sometimes the delay is just a second or two, other times it is a minute or seems to hang forever. Today I…"complaint #1793258
    • "I bought my Tesla model 3 in October 2021. I no longer can view my backup camera or side camera when signaling and reversing. gps doesn’t work. Warning collision doesn’t detect. No warning lamps or messages. I schedule a service and they might think it’s a fa…"complaint #1895996
    • "While backing up, the rearview camera feed occasionally displays a noticeable delay, which prevents objects and pedestrians from appearing in real time. This lag creates a significant safety risk, as the visual information on the screen does not accurately ref…"complaint #2106541
    • "The 2017-2020 Tesla model 3's have a recall for the rear camera wiring harness. The recall ends with cars built until September of 2020. My car was built in December of 2020 and my 2021 tesla model 3 was just repaired and had the exact same issue. The coaxi…"complaint #2117942
  19. #19

    brake hydraulics

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while attempting to park at 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed however the vehicle accelerated independently. As a result, the contact crashed into the two parked vehicles on the side of the park…"~33,000 mi, complaint #1944609
  20. #20

    cruise control conventional

    5 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While driving in cruise control at set at 75mph, the car suddenly started to slow down. (Note, the nearest car ahead of me was at least 15 car lengths away and was not braking, so it should not have affected my speed) When I tried to accelerate, the car c…"complaint #1791185
    • "I was driving on a divide highway at [REDACTED ADDRESS] with cruise control activated, not auto steering, when the car abruptly slowed down. No car was visible in front of me. If someone was following closely behind me an accident could have occurred. I report…"complaint #1802987
    • "While driving on the highway or freeway, the vehicle suddenly slowed dramatically as if the brakes had been heavily applied. It did this three times over the course of two days, always while the car was set on cruise control (not auto pilot). "complaint #1803808
    • "I was driving west bound on I4 August 12th 2023 at 1236pm at mile marker 45-47. I was in the left hand lane with the cruise control set at 73 mph. all traffic was moving well. there was no car in front of me. there was a car passing me slowly on the right.…"complaint #1920714
    • "The cruse control is unable to keep its speed and sometimes the vehicule breaks suddently on the highway, especially when the road is wet. The cameras are obstructed by mist or other dirt and the system does not work properly. Related to this problem, the wi…"complaint #1962291
  21. #21

    wiper and washer

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The windshield wipers are controlled by a sensor and the computer. Unfortunately, they come on too slowly. Several times I have been driving in the rain, waiting for the windshield wipers to start clearing the windshield. Each time, the rain on the windshield…"complaint #1789097
    • "While driving from Austin to Nashville, during the last, dark part of our drive, we hit rain. The Auto windshield wiper setting did not work, so I had my passenger help with selecting wiper speeds as the wiper speed control is difficult and distracting to use…"complaint #1796060
    • "Auto wipers do not speed up in heavy rain forcing me to manually change the speed which can be dangerous while driving on the highway in heavy rain. "complaint #1964851
    • "Auto windshield wipers do not turn on often when raining or misting. I constantly have to change the settings which takes my eyes off the road often. Very poor and unsafe system"complaint #1968322
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving in the rain, there was an auto rain-sensing feature on the vehicle that was inoperable. The contact stated that the front windshield wipers did not automatically turn on while it was rain…"complaint #1971407
  22. #22

    climate control module

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "HEAT NO LONGER WORKS IN THE CAR'S CLIMATE CONTROL. THIS APPARENTLY IS TIED TO FAULTY HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE SENSORS THAT MUST WORK PROPERLY FOR THE HEATING SYSTEM TO WORK, AND TESLA SERVICE CENTERS ARE AWARE OF THIS YET ARE NOT PROACTIVELY REPLACING THEM.…"~1,900 mi, complaint #1728306
  23. #23

    hv system fault reduced power

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "There was engine power loss while I was driving on the highway. So due to power loss I parked the car on the side and then put it back in to drive and it would go for approximately 10min then I lost power again, it started to do like these few times. Since it…"complaint #1758531
    • "Driving south on the 5 freeway right northing on Oceanside the vehicle shut down at freeway speed. I had to coast of the to the first Oceanside. Fortunately it was late at night and there were no cars in the immediate vicinity. In addition to this the vehic…"complaint #1860762
    • "I was driving to school which is about an hour away from my home. I was in the carpool lane when all of a sudden I got a notice that the top speed of the vehicle was reduced to 35 MPH second later it said it was in low power mode. The screen starting flashing…"complaint #1889487
    • "I was driving home from work on a two-lane highway when my car suddenly (and without any warning) lost all driving power and shut down while there was still battery left on the vehicle (roughly 10%). I could no longer maneuver the vehicle due to lack of propul…"complaint #1941096
    • "My 2021 Tesla Model 3 shuts/powers down WITHOUT warning while driving with a battery charge >0%. This unsafe event has occurred twice now! While the battery gauge displayed 10%, I was driving about 60mph when all of these warning messages appeared prompting m…"complaint #1949916
  24. #24

    lighting exterior

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Periodically one headlight starts flashing and my front turn signal won’t work. This typically happens in the middle of driving so I’m at risk of getting home safely."complaint #1770224
    • "Front right headlight on a brand new car no longer functions, safety was put at risk by the fact that it is illegal to drive on 1 working light in the dark and rain; and this happened thankfully before leaving home on a dark morning so it was detectable and ac…"complaint #1782019
    • "The model 3 no longer turns on the headlights automatically when the windshield wipers are on. It requires the operator to search through menus to turn the lights on manually. This is required even if the headlights are in automatic mode. Voice Command does…"complaint #1803141
    • "The passenger side headlight has stopped functioning on repeated occasions, both the high and low beams stop functioning simultaneously each time. I have been on long distance road trips now each time that this has occurred. Tesla service techs insist that it'…"complaint #1803337
    • "The Tesla uses “auto high beam” when in autopilot. The pros of this can allow drivers to utilize the light so the cameras can detect anything to avoid any possible wrecks, but it does not have an option to be turned off. Along with other people online, my bri…"complaint #1852895
  25. #25

    glass and windshield

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Windshield has highly visible internal reflections resulting in vertical ghosting in high contrast situations such as headlights brake lights and even on sunny days service center said it was within acceptable tolerance but it greatly diminishes the clarity of…"complaint #1782083
    • "While driving the rear passenger driver side glass just shattered, this seems to be a issue with a lot of Tesla 3 models. The glass has a outward bulge, nothing hit the glass. Luckily this did not result in a crash, but could have. There are a lot of people th…"complaint #1827703
    • " 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 i…"complaint #2070249
    • "Tesla replaced the windshield on my 2021 Model 3 at the Tesla Service Center in Schaumburg, IL. Days after the installation, following a light rain, a film appeared on the exterior surface of the glass. In the presence of moisture the film hazes over and subst…"complaint #2241858
  26. #26

    horn

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, he attempted to honk the horn to warn a vehicle that abruptly moved in front of his vehicle however, the horn failed to respond. The contact stated that the horn only responded whe…"~900 mi, complaint #1801446
  27. #27

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The cabin heater stopped working. I received an error code "VCFRONT_a447" recommending to take the vehicle in for service. This issue is a problem in sub-zero climates where the windshield will not defrost before and during driving. I have found 67 other case…"complaint #1857068
    • "The heat pump failed in 12/2022. The defroster would not work and heating was an issue. I encountered 2 dangerous situations in snowstorms where I could not see out the window and the heating was inconsistent and difficult to control.This was fixed by Tesla. T…"complaint #1868689
    • "AC/Heat pump total failure at 18,317 miles. Due to cold weather in Michigan and simply running the car, the heat pump went out entirely which creates the climate control in the vehicle. This caused dangerous driving conditions since the windows could not be de…"complaint #1876154
  28. #28

    battery and charging

    2 stranded, 1 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While driving, no warning, car went dead, no control over lights, windows (can’t use hand signals), power steering, unclear if parking brake worked. Had towed. 12v battery died. No explanation as to why there was no warning. "complaint #1995310
    • "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 compl…"complaint #2085208
    • "We were not able to open the door after the 12 V battery died; fortunately we were not inside the car else this could have been catastrophic. There was no way for anyone trapped inside to come out. "complaint #2145380
  29. #29

    seat mechanism

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at 5 MPH, the front driver's seat continuously changed positions independently and her foot could no longer reach the one-pedal driving. The contact veered to the side of the road and park…"~2,100 mi, complaint #1805035
  30. #30

    suspension struts shocks

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "There is a recent recall for suspension related issues with this model. Recently there is a suspension related knocking sound coming from front drivers side area that seems suspension related. I am unable to schedule appt for inspection/ repairs due to another…"complaint #1886303
    • "Please note that the VIN I have used is not the VIN of the actual vehicle which is the subject of this complaint. There has been a fatal crash in San Diego. Here is a video of the aftermath. [XXX] I have taken stills from that video that show the Tesla whee…"complaint #1967850
    • "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 ha…"complaint #2070931
  31. #31

    trunk or liftgate

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The front latch on the front trunk was replaced due to a fault about a month ago. It has since opened on its own completely while parked. "complaint #1794440
    • "Wide gap on left back side of trunk whenever it’s closed shut. Opens and close fine but it’s not properly closed. Water gets in through the gap and gets in the trunk whenever it rains or I go to the car wash"complaint #1921374
    • "Automatic Trunk (Lift Gate) Guillotine Problem: The convenience of the trunk (lift gate) is a helpful feature to the driver and/or passengers of the vehicle, but this feature can be deadly at the wrong place and wrong time, for example: The driver/passenger p…"complaint #1980892
  32. #32

    abs module

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While I was driving on the state way at about 50 to 55mph, the car suddenly sped up and the ABS system kicked ON and the brake pedal became tight and when I fully pressed the pedal to stop the car, the car would not move after that and it gave some random erro…"complaint #1750604
    • "What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - ABS, Automatic Emergency Braking, Traction Control, Stability Control failed while braking using the regenerative braking. How was your safety or the safety…"complaint #2115595
  33. #33

    adas blind spot

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "TESLA MODEL 3, WHILE DRIVING WILL REPORT A LEFT/RIGHT COLUMN CAMERA, IS OBSTRUCTED DO TO CONDENSATION ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAMERA COVER. WHILE DRIVING ON THIS INTERRUPTS ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS SUCH AS AUTO LANE CHANGE, BLIND-SPOT DETECTION, AND LAN…"~1,200 mi, complaint #1724754
  34. #34

    brake pads and rotors

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "break backing [REDACTED PLATE] loosened and go into the break disk. it create noise when driving and breaking. the loosened screw might the damage the break rotor. the screw was removed from the break disk and tighten again by independent service center The ma…"complaint #1774459
    • "When I purchased this automobile the dealer told me it had to be built, so it was my thought I was getting a brand-new car. I was not anticipating the problems I would have in the same year I leased this vehicle. I leased the automobile for 3 years with an agr…"complaint #1929023
  35. #35

    ev charging system

    1 stranded, 1 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "my 21 M3P 27K miles threw BMS_a079 I've never used a supercharger and rarely charge over 80% mostly charging at work on lvl 2 & occasionally at home on lvl 1 vehicle will no longer charge I've tried 2 Button reset and HV disconnect no help. 27k miles seems unr…"complaint #2086363
    • "2021 M3 138,000 miles Alerted error code BMS_a074 & BMS_a079 After reading forums, this seems to be a known issue with 2021 in particular. I am reporting in hopes something can be done about it. Yesterday both codes alerted within hours of each other. First t…"complaint #2204752
  36. #36

    instrument cluster

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "ON FEBRUARY 28, 2021 AT 4:08 PM.. THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF MY ARRIVAL AT WORKPLACE WHICH IS ALSO DISPLAYED IN MY NAVIGATION. AS SOON AS I'M DOING A REVERSE TO PARK MY TESLA FOR SOME REASON AND IT DID HAPPEN SO QUICKLY ACCIDENTALLY PRESS THE ACCELERATOR HARDE…"complaint #1731247
    • "https://youtube.com/channel/UCNkrwnR_lAKd4neLwYAbugA My YouTube channel has 13 videos about Tesla safety concerns. They are the only videos on my channel. The minutes long clips show what happens when the mainframe screen goes black, dies out or powers do…"complaint #1813904
  37. #37

    mirror

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The interior rearview mirror exhibits tiny bubbles around the edges and streaking or cloudiness within the layered structure of the auto-dimming (electrochromic) mirror. The problem has occurred in multiple potential replacement mirrors, indicating a design o…"complaint #2106537
    • "Passenger side view mirror intermittently gets stuck in the "reverse" position while in drive gear. I have the side view mirrors settings to where they are in a certain position when in reverse gear, and then a different position when in drive gear. I will rev…"complaint #2230249
  38. #38

    tire failure

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Pirelli PZero 235/35/R20 tires on the entire car, was driving when front left tire blew out after 4500 miles, had the car towed back to Tesla dealer and tire replaced. Now after 2 months, rear left tire has bubble on the sidewall after only 5400 miles with no…"complaint #1802260
    • "On [XXX], I was given a Tesla Model 3 loaner vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ) from the Knoxville, TN Tesla Service Center while my own Tesla was in for warranty repair. At pickup, I told the service advisor that the passenger-side tires looked unsafe. No inspection or wa…"complaint #2119376
  39. #39

    wheel or rim

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Please note that I have used the VIN of a random Tesla Model 3 to submit this complaint since the number of the actual car is unavailable. There has been an incident on a motorway in Germany and a full video is available here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=…"complaint #1824127
    • "The TPMS alerted me that the front driver tire was low at 36 psi. Pulled into gas station within a mile from initial alert and when I unscrewed the valve cap the valve stem broke and shot out of the tire and the tire deflated. The components were found and are…"complaint #1852234
  40. #40

    wiring harness

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The automatic rear trunk closure button gets water inside wetting the electrical wiring. It has caused my trunk to randomly open at times and more importantly, can cause an electrical fire. This has put my safety, as well as any passengers at risk for injury…"complaint #1788960
    • "Car was charging in garage overnight when an interior dash electrical fire started. Fire burnt dash and smoke damaged the interior or car. Fire smoldered itself out, and car was considered a total loss. Collision center that picked up vehicle stated that they…"complaint #1945661
  41. #41

    fluid leak unspecified

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WATER INTRUSION IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHLESS CARWASH . WATER LEAKED FROM UNDER THE GLOVEBOX COMPARTMENT. DRIVING OFF THE CARWASH BAY, WATER WAS HEARED SLOSHING THEN THE LEAK"~1,580 mi, complaint #1726665
  42. #42

    interior trim

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I am reporting a safety concern regarding the glovebox fascia on my Tesla Model 3. The material on the glovebox trim is peeling and separating, which appears to be caused by prolonged exposure to heat inside the vehicle. The peeling fascia creates concerns ab…"complaint #2227448
  43. #43

    key fob and immobilizer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I am writing to file a formal safety complaint regarding a critical malfunction that occurred with my Tesla Model 3 on [XXX], in West Palm Beach, Florida. This incident raises significant concerns about the safety and reliability of Tesla vehicles, particularl…"complaint #2017939
  44. #44

    power windows and locks

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Driver side window fails to lock completely upon locking the car manually and/or using auto walk away function. This leaves the car very much unsecure and open to being vandalized. Additionally, the driver sides window fails to close fully when auto close butt…"complaint #1847666
  45. #45

    steering rack mechanical

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Steering rack failure. Steering assist, auto pilot and lane departure prevention failed and would not work properly so this is a safety issue. Manual steering worked fine but the safety and auto pilot functions would no longer function. Paid for Tesla servic…"complaint #2129947
  46. #46

    throttle and pedal

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On September 1st, I was perpendicular back parking on the street in front of my home. Spaces are fairly tight and the street fairly narrow, so it is not uncommon to shift between reverse and drive a couple times to adjust one's fit before parking. That said, a…"complaint #1769866
  47. #47

    unknown

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "see description on file report Nb:11423241"complaint #1755311

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for TESLA MODEL 3 directly.