Tesla Model 3 owners filed 4,295 complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for model years 2015–2025 (see the Car Problem Index for all 60 models), and NHTSA lists 35 recall campaigns for the same years. The 2018 Tesla Model 3 drew the most complaints (1,022); across all years, owners complain most about automatic emergency braking / collision warning (40% of complaints).
Key findings
- Worst model year: 2018, with 1,022 complaints, led by automatic emergency braking / collision warning (202) and 19 recalls.
- Complaints vs recalls: Automatic emergency braking / collision warning drew 1,729 complaints and 3 recalls.
- Over-the-air fixes: recalls 25V092000, 24V935000, 24V554000, 24V376000, 24V153000, 24V051000, 23V838000, 23V085000, 22V844000, 22V702000, 22V296000, 22V263000, 22V235000, 22V169000, 22V063000, 22V050000, 22V045000, 22V037000, 21V846000 can be repaired by a software update, without a dealer visit (19 of 35).
- Spike years, compared with a typical model year: 2018 (2.3 times as many complaints), 2022 (1.7 times as many complaints).
- Earliest-failing area: brakes complaints came at a median 5k mi.
- Fire and crash reports: 22 complaints mention a fire and 435 a crash, with 246 injuries and 16 deaths reported.
Tesla Model 3 complaints and recalls by model year
| Model year | Complaints | Top problem areas |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 16 recalls | 26 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (8), Air bags (7), Seats (6) median 50k mi · 1 crash |
| 2018 19 recalls | 1,022 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (202), Suspension (184), Electrical system (168) median 17k mi · 102 crashes · 4 fires |
| 2019 22 recalls | 612 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (169), Electrical system (91), Air bags (83) median 10k mi · 58 crashes · 5 fires |
| 2020 21 recalls | 451 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (156), Speed control / acceleration (69), Suspension (46) median 4k mi · 54 crashes · 2 fires |
| 2021 22 recalls | 662 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (407), Brakes (125), Speed control / acceleration (123) median 10k mi · 45 crashes · 5 fires |
| 2022 18 recalls | 765 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (532), Speed control / acceleration (171), Brakes (166) median 5k mi · 53 crashes · 4 fires |
| 2023 12 recalls | 424 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (177), Steering (87), Speed control / acceleration (68) median 3k mi · 72 crashes · 1 fire |
| 2024 5 recalls | 216 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (48), Electrical system (44), Steering (36) median 14k mi · 25 crashes · 1 fire |
| 2025 3 recalls | 117 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (30), Steering (25), Electrical system (20) median 10k mi · 25 crashes |
One recall campaign often covers several model years, so the recall column adds up to 138, more than the 35 separate campaigns. Newer years have had less time to collect reports.
Most-reported Tesla Model 3 problems, and what they cost to fix
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Recalls | Median mileage | Estimate the repair |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic emergency braking / collision warning | 1,729 | 40% | 3 | 10k mi | — |
| Speed control / acceleration | 630 | 15% | 0 | 5k mi | — |
| Brakes | 557 | 13% | 1 | 5k mi | Brake repair cost |
| Electrical system | 555 | 13% | 11 | 17k mi | Alternator / electrical repair cost |
| Steering | 389 | 9% | 2 | 9k mi | Power steering repair cost |
| Suspension | 368 | 9% | 2 | 10k mi | Shock / strut replacement cost |
| Air bags | 309 | 7% | 2 | 20k mi | — |
| Lane departure assist | 295 | 7% | 0 | 25k mi | — |
Top problem areas only; one complaint can count twice.
What Tesla Model 3 owners report
Owners’ own words; dollar figures are what they reported.
Automatic emergency braking / collision warning
Interior camera circuit failed in the main computer as diagnosed by Tesla, it disables most safety features of the car, no collision warning or avoidance, no automatic emergency breaking, no lane departure warning or correction, no reverse cam, no cruise control or self driving, and probably more. Only Tesla can replace it because it's VIN matched to the car, for $2400. This part should be more durable
2021 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11763429
In moderate city traffic, the emergency braking system sounded and engaged prematurely and harshly. I was not using any automatic driving features and was driving “manually.” a vehicle in front of me stopped, and I intended to slow then stop in a reasonable fashion. I have 25 years’ driving experience, and am well-experienced to do this safely.
2020 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11467312
Related recalls: 24V153000 (2018–2022): Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash. 22V317000 (2021): 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. 21V846000 (2017–2021): Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Speed control / acceleration
The optional "self driving option" we purchased for an additional $8,000 when we purchased this vehicle has never worked properly. The adaptive cruise control will brake for no reason, often multiple times per mile. It seems to be affected by shadows on the road and the vehicle mistakes these shadows for obstacles.
2018 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11468574
The vehicle, a 2021 Tesla Model 3, had an episode of sudden unintended acceleration. I was almost stationary waiting to make a left when the car accelerated by itself, left the road, crossed a grass field at high speed and crashed into bushes. The vehicle was not on auto Pilot, it resulted in damage of almost $ 20.000 as estimated by insurance.
2021 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11592876
None of these 630 speed control / acceleration complaints is matched by a recall on these model years, so a repair is covered only by warranty or paid by the owner.
Brakes
The brake lines badly rusted creating safety hazard as Tesla service reported when working on other maintenance. Not a warranty issue not covered as repair is over $3800. Vehicle was not abused and was kept clean regularly - this seems to be a vehicle defect if the brake lines can get moisture trapped behind the battery pack and create excessive corrosion requiring brake line replacement.
2018 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11693135
I was stopped before turning left into a parking space. I was driving slowly. The car stopped but I did not engage the brake as a Tesla will stop once the foot is removed from the accelerator. At that point the car leaped forward at full speed hitting parts of a building and a fence. I did not step on the accelerator. No one was injured.
2023 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11536158
Related recalls: 21V387000 (2019–2021): Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
557 owners reported brakes problems; the brake repair cost calculator shows what the fix costs where you live.
Tesla Model 3 recalls
Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for your car’s open recalls.
| Campaign | Announced | Model years | System | Risk (NHTSA's wording) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26V507000 | 2026-08-05 | 2017–2023 | Exterior lights | Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 26V445000 | 2026-07-07 | 2024 | Body structure | A noncompliant vehicle may have reduced occupant protections, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. |
| 26V283000 | 2026-05-05 | 2017, 2021–2023 | Backup camera / rear sensors | A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 25V690000 | 2025-10-10 | 2025 | Electrical system | A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. |
| 25V092000 (OTA) | 2025-02-14 | 2023 | Steering | A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 25V002000 | 2025-01-07 | 2024–2025 | Backup camera / rear sensors | A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 24V935000 (OTA) | 2024-12-17 | 2017–2025 | Tires | Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash. |
| 24V554000 (OTA) | 2024-07-24 | 2021–2024 | Latches and locks | An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 24V376000 (OTA) | 2024-05-28 | 2017–2023 | Seat belts | A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash. |
| 24V284000 | 2024-04-19 | 2024 | Air bags | Without a deflector, the air bag may deploy improperly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. |
| 24V153000 (OTA) | 2024-02-27 | 2018–2022 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning | Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 24V051000 (OTA) | 2024-01-30 | 2017–2023 | Electrical system | 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. |
| 23V838000 (OTA) | 2023-12-12 | 2017–2023 | Electrical system | 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. |
| 23V434000 | 2023-06-19 | 2023 | Electrical system | A defective battery disconnect may not isolate the vehicle's high voltage battery after a crash or fault detection, increasing the risk of electrical shock and injury. |
| 23V235000 | 2023-03-31 | 2018–2019 | Suspension | A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 23V085000 (OTA) | 2023-02-15 | 2017–2023 | Steering | 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. |
| 22V844000 (OTA) | 2022-11-15 | 2023 | Exterior lights | A taillight that fails to illuminate may reduce the visibility of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 22V798000 | 2022-10-21 | 2017–2022 | Seat belts | An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. |
| 22V702000 (OTA) | 2022-09-19 | 2017–2022 | Visibility (windows, mirrors, wipers) | A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury. |
| 22V317000 | 2022-05-09 | 2021 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning | 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. |
| 22V296000 (OTA) | 2022-05-03 | 2022 | Backup camera / rear sensors | 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. |
| 22V263000 (OTA) | 2022-04-18 | 2018–2022 | Electrical system | 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. |
| 22V235000 (OTA) | 2022-04-12 | 2017–2022 | Electrical system | Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 22V169000 (OTA) | 2022-03-18 | 2017–2020 | Backup camera / rear sensors | A delayed rearview camera image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 22V063000 (OTA) | 2022-02-04 | 2017–2022 | Electrical system | Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 22V050000 (OTA) | 2022-02-02 | 2021–2022 | Electrical system | Decreased defrosting performance may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 22V045000 (OTA) | 2022-02-01 | 2017–2022 | Electrical system | The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. |
| 22V037000 (OTA) | 2022-01-27 | 2017–2022 | Electrical system | Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash. |
| 21V00D000 | 2021-12-21 | 2017–2020 | Electrical system | A rearview camera that does not function reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 21V846000 (OTA) | 2021-10-29 | 2017–2021 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning | Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 21V835000 | 2021-10-25 | 2019–2021 | Suspension | A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 21V834000 | 2021-10-25 | 2020–2021, 2023 | Air bags | A twisted side curtain air bag may improperly deploy, increasing the risk of injury or occupant ejection during a crash. |
| 21V389000 | 2021-05-25 | 2018–2020 | Seat belts | An improperly attached fastener may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury. |
| 21V387000 | 2021-05-25 | 2019–2021 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 19V719000 | 2019-10-10 | 2019 | Equipment / accessories | Failure to provide the air bag warning information increases the risk of injury. |
What this data can and can't tell you
4,295 unverified owner reports, not adjusted for sales. Method.
Other Tesla models in the index
- Tesla Model Y (3,783)
- Tesla Model S (2,502)
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint files (nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-25; NHTSA recalls database (nhtsa.gov/recalls), retrieved 2026-09-23. Model years 2015–2025. Free to cite with a link to this page.