2017 TESLA MODEL 3

15 recalls, 55 complaints - 168 TSBs

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Defect Description

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 requiremen... Read more

Consequence

A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

218,868 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

Defect Description

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 co... Read more

Consequence

Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

696,281 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES

Defect Description

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 requirem... Read more

Consequence

A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy

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.

125,233 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Defect Description

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 vehicle... Read more

Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

2,193,869 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:DRIVER MONITORING:SOFTWARE

Defect Description

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... Read more

Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

2,031,220 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING

Defect Description

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 s... Read more

Consequence

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.

Remedy

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.

362,758 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:ANCHORAGE

Defect Description

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.

Consequence

An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

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.

24,064 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

Defect Description

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 Vehi... Read more

Consequence

A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

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.

1,096,762 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Defect Description

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 veh... Read more

Consequence

Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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 se... Read more

594,894 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Defect Description

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Model S, Model X, and 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles equipped with Autopilot Computer 2.5 and operating certain firmware releases. The rearview image may not immediately display when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to compl... Read more

Consequence

A delayed rearview camera image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-004.

947 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Defect Description

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 veh... Read more

Consequence

Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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 1-877-798-3... Read more

578,607 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Defect Description

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 Fede... Read more

Consequence

The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy

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.

817,143 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING

Defect Description

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 c... Read more

Consequence

Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

53,822 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK

Defect Description

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles. The rearview camera cable harness may be damaged by the opening and closing of the trunk lid, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

Consequence

A rearview camera that does not function reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Tesla Service will inspect and install a guide protector and new cable harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-17-008.

356,309 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

Defect Description

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.

Consequence

Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

11,728 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.

Complaint Statistics

55 total complaints 4 crashes 2 injuries

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	7
ENGINE	5
SERVICE BRAKES	5
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL	4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	3
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST	2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS	2
SEATS	2
SUSPENSION	1

Incident date: May 12, 2026

The exact failed component is unknown to me at this time, but the issue appears related to the vehicle’s electrical system. Prior to the incident, I received a charging error notification while the vehicle was plugged in. I unplugged the charger from the wall outlet, waited briefly, and plugged it... Read more

Incident date: May 12, 2026

Incident date: Jan 1, 2024

Vehicle: MINI Cooper Clubman (Model R55) VIN: [XXX] Recall: NHTSA 23V-337 Dealer: Flow MINI of Raleigh, NC 1. COMPONENT FAILED: The Junction Box Electronics (JBE) failed due to moisture/water intrusion, producing electrical fault codes across all core systems including airbags, brakes, and a JBE c... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had e... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting into park(P), the parking brake independently activated. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact manually disengaged the parking brake to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Sienna Hybrid. The contact had received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V668000 (Seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the use of the second row seats was essential to secure the car seats of her c... Read more

Incident date: Dec 8, 2025

I was driving on a 40mph road, went to pass someone and touched the gas to do so and the car shuddered, lost power, and made a whining noise anytime the turbo would engage. The turbocharger had to be replaced. Luckily this occurred on a road that wasn't busy and was close to home. The car has 55,... Read more

Incident date: Apr 26, 2025

Back up camera flashes and will appear in black and white causing a safety issue as you can’t see with the camera.

Incident date: Apr 26, 2025

Rear sliding glass window is leaking water around the exterior frame. This is addressed in TSB 18-NA-383 but not covered under any warranty. My rear seats and carpet are becoming wet. I am concerned about the possibility of mold and an electrical short/fire resulting from water intrusion. There ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 5, 2025

The rear brake line has heat damage and needs to be replaced. Recall was done to it, but it is NOT adequate.

Incident date: Apr 5, 2025

The rear brake line has heat damage and needs to be replaced. Recall was done to it, but it is NOT adequate.

Incident date: Apr 5, 2025

The rear brake line has heat damage and needs to be replaced. Recall was done to it, but it is NOT adequate.

Incident date: Apr 5, 2025

The car engine was sputtering and the check engine light came on. I was notified by a repair shop that the problem may relate to an engine recall. I called Hyundai about the recall and they advised me to take the vehicle to Cardinale Hyundai in Corona. I did take it there. Testing showed that th... Read more

Incident date: Apr 5, 2025

I had the EGR recall completed but now the intake manifold is failing and I was told it could be damage from the cracked egr cooler. Dealership says none of it is under warranty.

Incident date: Apr 5, 2025

Dear NHTSA, I am writing to report a serious and potentially life-threatening safety issue with my 2013 Ford F-150. I recently experienced a sudden and dangerous failure while driving on the freeway, which nearly caused a major accident. After doing some research, I discovered that this issue was p... Read more

Incident date: Sep 15, 2024

My 2017 Toyota Tundra had been starting roughly the past couple of weeks, I initially thought this was due to the very cold weather we recently had. It has just over 71k miles on it, so there should be no issues with this truck. Then on the afternoon of 1/16/25 I tried to start my truck and it wou... Read more

Incident date: Aug 13, 2024

See attached document for complaint

Incident date: Aug 13, 2024

See attached document for complaint

Incident date: Aug 13, 2024

The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the daytime running lights was continuously blinking off and on, creating a visibility hazard for both the driver and oncoming motorist. Additionally, the OnStar feature intermittently malfunctioned, and the... Read more

Incident date: Dec 9, 2023

--Exhaust leak, at left first band clamp downstream from catalyst --Safety is of immediate concern due to exhaust leak directly under driver seat --Local Ford dealership service dept did not fix leak --Exhaust leak was inspected and reported to local Ford dealer service dept- NOT fixed On 20 Novem... Read more

Incident date: Dec 9, 2023

Sticky steering when trying to do small adjustments

Incident date: Dec 9, 2023

Went to have car serviced and was told lug nuts were swollen and it was a Ford defect, but had to pay over $120 to replace lug nuts in order to get my tires rotated.

Incident date: Jan 21, 2023

Once the cruise control is set, it consistently drops below the set speed and surges back up or over the set speed. Set on 62, it drops to 59 or 60, then surges back up to 62 or 63. This happens on perfectly flat roads with no traffic in front or beside the car. The dealership tried to tell me that ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 21, 2023

I was driving down the highway on cruise control going 67 on a 65. The car started revving up and then proceeded to go faster. I turned off the cruise control but its continued to speed up. I stomped on the brake 4 or 5 times with no effect. I rammed into the back of a bus at 110 mph.

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jul 19, 2023

The fuse box JBE module has a Quality Assurance problem with a solder connection to the NEC low pressure fuel relay. This is a known issue with BMW/Mini. The car suddenly stalls without warning. If the driver is not keen or if traffic patterns do not allow, the car can be left in very dangerous s... Read more

Incident date: Oct 31, 2022

Engine was overheating during a short, 5 mile drive to a local bakery. I Took it to a mechanic and they told me that coolant had leaked into the number two cylinder and messed it up so bad I needed a new engine. I got a second opinion from the Ford dealership and they told me the number one and two ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 31, 2022

I was advise by one of the mechanic to change tires immediately. Since my Grand daughter occasionally drive the card, due to safety, We bought 4 set of Brand New Good Year Assurant Outlast Tires immediately (235/55 R18) from Walmart at Farmingdale, NY on 6/12/2023 at 8:00 PM. Walmart stated that ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 26, 2023

Brake lights stay on while driving but turn off when braking, engine and traction control lights come on, car acts like it's going to die. This happens intermittently and sometimes without any warning lights. I noticed this again most recently within the last week and several times on 2/25/23. Vehi... Read more

Incident date: Feb 26, 2023

Tesla designed a combined headlight with no serviceable parts. This includes headlights, high beams, and namely daytime running lights. All of these components are on an LED strip that apparently has a tendency to overheat and fail prematurely. For example, the replacement cost for a portion of the... Read more

Incident date: Jan 17, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the taillights were not functioning properly. The contact stated that the taillights failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the taillight assembly seal was ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 6, 2022

My tesla model 3 , parking break do not release. so i can not go front or back!!! i thing they had recall about that long time ago. it happend every month once. you get stuck for 2 hrs or so and then it get atomatically release!!!

Incident date: Oct 6, 2022

Incident date: Aug 26, 2022

The contact owns a 2017 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amoun... Read more

Incident date: Aug 26, 2022

Incident date: Aug 1, 2022

My rear glass cracked. However, there was no damage to suggest an impact of any sort. I looked carefully and saw there was no damage to suggest this was caused by an impact. I took the car to the Tesla dealership and they also examined the glass and agreed that there was no impact of any sort tha... Read more

Incident date: Jul 11, 2022

Experiencing unexpected braking on freeway while on cruise control. Car brakes for apparently no reason. There is no warning, vehicles in sight, on clear sunny day. Has braked up to 3 times/hr on two different days on road trip. No indicators say that anything is wrong with the car or its cameras. ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 11, 2022

Incident date: Jan 20, 2022

Many phantom braking incidents both on autopilot and in adaptive cruise control mode result in surprising (and frightening) sudden braking for no reason. In high traffic conditions, this could lead to a possible rear-end collision. The adaptive cruise control has become so unstable in the last few m... Read more

Incident date: Nov 16, 2021

Essentially all of the safety and convenience features repeatedly shut off. Lane departure, autopilot, regenerative braking, VSC, emergency braking, airbags, traction control, automatic vehicle hold, stability control, and a few others stopped working on multiple occasions. This definitely put my ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 16, 2021

Incident date: Dec 24, 2021

Tesla vehicles have driver profiles to adjust seats automatically when a driver taps the brake pedal after entering the vehicle. A recent software update 2021.44.25.2 took away any on-screen indication of what profile the car is trying to set the seats to. There is no longer an on-screen STOP button... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Oct 26, 2021

On August 9th, 2021 I was traveling on Interstate 40, in NC, at MM 103 at approximately 70 mph. when with no warning the Main Control Unit (MCU) went blank. Adaptive Cruise control, speedometer were not operable or could not be seen. The MCU reset after a brief (5 second) pause. I immediately plac... Read more

Incident date: Oct 26, 2021

Incident date: May 26, 2018

The Autopilot system on my vehicle malfunctioned, leading to the vehicle colliding into a stationary road barrier at highway speeds. The vehicle sustained severe damage as a result of the collision and was no longer operable.

Crash

Incident date: May 26, 2018

Crash

Showing 50 of 55 complaints.

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2017 TESLA MODEL 3

2017 Tesla Model 3 DR RWD

Category	Rating
Rollover Risk	0.0%

Safety Technology

Feature	Status
Electronic Stability Control	Standard
Forward Collision Warning	Standard
Lane Departure Warning	Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program. Ratings are based on crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Technical Service Bulletins, 2017 TESLA MODEL 3

168 manufacturer communications from 104 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
350000 EQUIPMENT	32
110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	29
160000 STRUCTURE	10
355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL	9
140000 AIR BAGS	8
220000 SEATS	8
356000 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY	5
020000 SUSPENSION	5

350000 EQUIPMENT

Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner?s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle configuration and software ver

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

350000 EQUIPMENT

353600 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT

353610 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

353620 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:VIDEO (TOUCH)SCREEN/MONITOR/UNIT

350000 EQUIPMENT

353600 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT

353610 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

353620 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:VIDEO (TOUCH)SCREEN/MONITOR/UNIT

350000 EQUIPMENT

353600 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT

353610 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

353620 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:VIDEO (TOUCH)SCREEN/MONITOR/UNIT

140000 AIR BAGS

When certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles receive a different Occupant Classification System (OCS) in their front passenger seats during vehicle servicing, they may require safety vent type front passenger airbags to maintain compatibility

220000 SEATS

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Owner's Manual.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Owner's Manual.

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Owner's Manual

350000 EQUIPMENT

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

350000 EQUIPMENT

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

200000 WHEELS

On certain Model 3 vehicles, the one-time use bolts that attach the high voltage controller to the ancillary cover were not torqued to Tesla?s internal specification.

350000 EQUIPMENT

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

353600 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT

353610 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On some Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, the Occupant Classification System (OCS) signal might be affected by electrical interference in the seat electrical harness, causing the airbag indicator to display on the touchscreen.

120000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING

140000 AIR BAGS

143100 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

350000 EQUIPMENT

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

353610 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

353620 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:VIDEO (TOUCH)SCREEN/MONITOR/UNIT

350000 EQUIPMENT

140000 AIR BAGS

220000 SEATS

160000 STRUCTURE

Certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles may need a different Occupant Classification System (OCS) installed in the front passenger seat before servicing its subcomponents.

160000 STRUCTURE

Certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles may need a different Occupant Classification System (OCS) installed in the front passenger seat before servicing its subcomponents.

350000 EQUIPMENT

160000 STRUCTURE

Certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles may need a different Occupant Classification System (OCS) installed in the front passenger seat before servicing its subcomponents.

350000 EQUIPMENT

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

160000 STRUCTURE

On some Model 3 vehicles, water may have leaked inside the trunk area through the trunk lid.

162700 STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

On some Model 3 vehicles, water may have leaked inside the trunk area through the trunk lid.

160000 STRUCTURE

On some Model 3 vehicles, water may have leaked inside the trunk area through the trunk lid.

160000 STRUCTURE

On some Model 3 vehicles, water may have leaked inside the trunk area through the trunk lid.

220000 SEATS

Certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles may need a different Occupant Classification System (OCS) installed in the front passenger seat before servicing its subcomponents.

143100 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles may need a different Occupant Classification System (OCS) installed in the front passenger seat before servicing its subcomponents.

143100 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles may need a different Occupant Classification System (OCS) installed in the front passenger seat before servicing its subcomponents.

220000 SEATS

Certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles may need a different Occupant Classification System (OCS) installed in the front passenger seat before servicing its subcomponents.

140000 AIR BAGS

220000 SEATS

251000 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC)

Some Model 3 vehicles were built without a hydraulic control unit (HCU) wake-up wire, and in rare circumstances, braking and stability control related alerts may appear on the instrument cluster and touchscreen during the vehicle power-on p

251000 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC)

100000 POWER TRAIN

020000 SUSPENSION

On certain Model 3 vehicles, the front stabilizer bar link ball joint studs might crack at the flange. As a result, the nut that attaches the stabilizer bar might lose torque. This might result in noise coming from the front of vehicle whil

280000 BACK OVER PREVENTION

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some Model 3 driver and front passenger seat electrical harnesses might get damaged from repeated fore and aft adjustments to the seat, which will trigger a restraint system alert.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some Model 3 driver and front passenger seat electrical harnesses might get damaged from repeated fore and aft adjustments to the seat, which will trigger a restraint system alert.

350000 EQUIPMENT

Some Model 3 driver and front passenger seat electrical harnesses might get damaged from repeated fore and aft adjustments to the seat, which will trigger a restraint system alert.

050000 PARKING BRAKE

Certain Model 3 vehicles may have sustained damage to the Electric Park Brake (EPB) housing during the vehicle assembly process.

054000 PARKING BRAKE:ELECTRICAL

Certain Model 3 vehicles may have sustained damage to the Electric Park Brake (EPB) housing during the vehicle assembly process.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On certain Model 3 vehicles, an open electrical circuit or short to ground near connectors X950 or X952 may display a restart alert on the touchscreen, or prevent the vehicle from starting altogether.

350000 EQUIPMENT

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

350000 EQUIPMENT

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On some Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, the Occupant Classification System (OCS) signal might be affected by electrical interference in the seat harness, causing the airbag indicator to display on the touchscreen.

140000 AIR BAGS

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some Model 3 and Model Y vehicles might have a charge port door that is overflush (protrudes in comparison) to the LH taillight assembly.

350000 EQUIPMENT

Some Model 3 and Model Y vehicles might have a charge port door that is overflush (protrudes in comparison) to the LH taillight assembly.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

140000 AIR BAGS

130000 VISIBILITY

On some Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles, condensation might build up inside of the B-pillar applique, potentially obscuring the B-pillar camera. This condition might cause some Autopilot features to be temporarily unavailable until t

161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

350000 EQUIPMENT

270000 LANE DEPARTURE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On certain Model 3 vehicles, the LH side of the 12V battery bracket support might come loose due to improper welds during manufacture.

350000 EQUIPMENT

On certain Model 3 vehicles, the LH side of the 12V battery bracket support might come loose due to improper welds during manufacture.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

When some Autopilot HW2 and HW2.5 Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles are near airport ASR-9 radar antennae, the vehicle cameras might be affected by electromagnetic interference, and Autopilot/camera alerts might be displayed.

350000 EQUIPMENT

356000 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

162000 STRUCTURE:BODY

Some Model 3 vehicles might have a slight bulge at either or both upper A-pillar trims. This is strictly a cosmetic issue, and does not affect the operation or safety of the A-pillar or windshield in any way.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On some Model 3 vehicles, the Occupant Classification System (OCS) signal might be affected by electrical interference in the seat harness, causing the airbag indicator to display on the touchscreen.

140000 AIR BAGS

On some Model 3 vehicles, the Occupant Classification System (OCS) signal might be affected by electrical interference in the seat harness, causing the airbag indicator to display on the touchscreen.

220000 SEATS

On some Model 3 vehicles, the Occupant Classification System (OCS) signal might be affected by electrical interference in the seat harness, causing the airbag indicator to display on the touchscreen.

350000 EQUIPMENT

Some Model 3 vehicles were manufactured with charge port latch actuators that could allow ice to build up and prevent insertion or removal of the charge handle from the charge port.

030000 BRAKES (PWS)

Some Model 3 vehicles are equipped with rear brake dust shields that can trap road debris between the dust shield and brake rotor, causing loud grinding noises.

353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Some Model 3 vehicles were manufactured with charge port latch actuators that could allow ice to build up and prevent insertion or removal of the charge handle from the charge port.

350000 EQUIPMENT

On some Model 3 vehicles, the front and/or mid aero shield panels might be susceptible to damage when driving through standing water. This can result in damaged or missing panels. Updated panels are available which have a more robust design

356000 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

160000 STRUCTURE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On some Model 3 vehicles, the top surface of the Instrument Panel (IP) carrier is prone to premature outlines or stains, such as an object left on the IP carrier in the sunlight. These outlines or stains can be temporarily removed, but can

350000 EQUIPMENT

160000 STRUCTURE

Some rear door striker plates were manufactured from material that might have allowed striker plate fasteners to be over-torqued during manufacture, potentially causing the striker plate to deform over time and resulting in a clunking noise

Showing 100 of 168 bulletins.

NHTSA Safety Investigations, TESLA MODEL 3

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

DP, Open , Model Year: 2022

Emergency egress controls are not readily accessible and clearly identifiable.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on November 24, 2025, requesting a defect investigation intothe mechanical door release on model year (MY) 2022 Tesla Model 3. The petition cites allegations that the mechanical door release is hidden, unlabeled, and not intuitive to loca... Read more

AQ, Open , Model Year: 2017

Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting Requirements

The Office of Defects Investigation (“ODI”) has identified numerous incident reports submitted by Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”) in response to Standing General Order 2021-01 (the “SGO”), in which the reported crashes occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports. The majority o... f these reports involved crashes in which the Standing General Order in place at the time required a report to be submitted within one or five days of Tesla receiving notice of the crash. When the reports were submitted, Tesla submitted them in one of two ways. Many of the reports were submitted as part of a single batch, while others were submitted on a rolling basis. Preliminary engagement between ODI and Tesla on the issue indicates that the timing of the reports was due to an issue with Tesla’s data collection, which, according to Tesla, has now been fixed. NHTSA is opening this Audit Query, a standard process for reviewing compliance with legal requirements, to evaluate the cause of the potential delays in reporting, the scope of any such delays, and the mitigations that Tesla has developed to address them. As part of this review, NHTSA will assess whether any reports of prior incidents remain outstanding and whether the reports that were submitted include all of the required and available data. The SGO reports cited in the Opening Resume, can be found at NHTSA.gov/SGOCrashReporting under the following SGO 2021-01 report IDs: 13781-11020-1 13781-10844-1 13781-10843-1 13781-10530-1 13781-10160-1 13781-10159-1 13781-10157-1 13781-10146-1 13781-10122-1 13781-10098-1 13781-10097-1 13781-10096-1 13781-10095-1 13781-10094-1 13781-10093-1 13781-10023-1 13781-10022-1 13781-10021-1 13781-10020-1 13781-10017-1 13781-10016-1 13781-10015-1 13781-10014-1 13781-10013-1 13781-10012-1 13781-6047-1 13781-9930-1 13781-9917-1 13781-9928-1 13781-9925-1 13781-9924-1 13781-9923-1 13781-9922-1 13781-9835-1 13781-9834-1 13781-9833-1 13781-9832-1 13781-9831-1 13781-9830-1 13781-9829-1 13781-9827-1 13781-9818-1 13781-9780-1 13781-9779-1 13781-9778-1 13781-9777-1 13781-9775-1 13781-9774-1 13781-9773-1 13781-9772-1 13781-9771-1 13781-9770-1 13781-9728-1 13781-9688-1 13781-9715-1 13781-9714-1 13781-9713-1 13781-9712-1 13781-9711-1 13781-9710-1 13781-9709-1 13781-9696-1 13781-9695-1 13781-9694-1 13781-9693-1 13781-9692-1 13781-9691-1 13781-9690-1 13781-9687-1 13781-9686-1 13781-9342-1 13781-9319-1 13781-9019-1 13781-8910-1 13781-8732-1 13781-8712-1 13781-8310-1 13781-7897-1 13781-7895-1 13781-7835-1 13781-7798-1 13781-7797-1 13781-7758-1 13781-7757-1 13781-7756-1 13781-7755-1 13781-7667-1 13781-7399-1 13781-7398-1 13781-7397-1 13781-7396-1 13781-7395-1 13781-7394-1 13781-7393-1 13781-7389-1 13781-7388-1 13781-7387-1 13781-7386-1 13781-7385-1 13781-7383-1 13781-7187-1 13781-7186-1 13781-7185-1 13781-7184-1 13781-7181-1 13781-7023-1 13781-6399-1 13781-6389-1 13781-6388-1 13781-6387-1 13781-6386-1 13781-6379-1 13781-6378-1 13781-6377-1 13781-6375-1 13781-6214-1 13781-6172-1 13781-6155-1 13781-6154-1 13781-6122-1 13781-6120-1 13781-6118-1 13781-5800-1Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2017

Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.

On January 6, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation 24003 (PE24033) to investigate Actually Smart Summon (Summon) sessions resulting in crashes during active sessions. According to Tesla, Summon is a short-distance SAE Level 2 system, controlled by the user f... rom a cell phone within a certain distance and intended for use in parking lots and on private property. ODI analyzed complaint data provided by Tesla as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers to identify Summon incidents resulting in crashes. ODI's analysis indicates that almost all Summon reported crashes involved minor property damage claims with no reported incidents involving a vulnerable road user, injury, fatality, or major property damage as indicated by an air bag deployment or vehicle tow away. Out of millions of Summon sessions, a fraction of 1% resulted in an incident. Almost all those incidents took place where, typically early in a Summon session, the system or person using the app failed to fully detect or respond appropriately to vehicle surroundings resulting in minor impacts. Incidents took place when app users did not have a complete 360-degree view of the surroundings in the app to assess situational awareness. This limited the app user’s ability to determine whether an impact was imminent during initial vehicle maneuvers such as reversing in close proximity to an obstacle or a curb. ODI found that the impacts most often occurred with parking gates, adjacently parked vehicles, and short parking bollards. During this investigation, ODI identified two Summon crashes related to camera blockages. In both crashes, Summon attempted to navigate a snowy parking lot with snow partially or fully obstructing the forward-facing cameras. Summon did not detect the camera blockage and the vehicles collided with unoccupied parked vehicles while navigating the parking lot. App users in both instances did not command a vehicle stop or pause despite the obstructed camera visible in the camera stream in the app. On January 15, 2025, Tesla released Over-the-Air (OTA) Software (SW) Update Action numbers 578998 and 579185 for vehicles in service to implement a camera blockage detection condition. Both OTAs improve camera blockage detection mechanisms. Additionally, on January 20, 2025, and January 30, 2025, Tesla identified additional system requirements associated with camera visibility checks and released OTA SW-578752 and SW-580322, respectively. These firmware updates reduce false negative camera blockage detections due to snow or condensation. In its investigation, ODI identified one Summon incident where the vehicle did not yield for a gate arm blocking a garage exit lane and the app user did not command a vehicle stop or pause, resulting in an impact. On February 6, 2025, Tesla deployed OTA SW-578839 to improve vehicle reaction to dynamic gates. This OTA update upgraded vehicle perception systems through a high-fidelity occupancy determination network, which uses data from vehicle sensory systems to improve reconstruction of field objects with high accuracy. On November 20, 2025, Tesla further improved vehicle performance by adding object detections from a separate neural network through OTA SW-580514. Owners of the affected vehicles received all six OTA SW updates. Tesla also released these SW updates to production vehicles. See online public file for detailed descriptions of all six OTA SW updates. Due to low incident occurrence and low incident severity, this preliminary evaluation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. For additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete online public file.Read more

EA, Closed , Model Year: 2023

Loss of steering control

On July 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23014) to investigate instances of loss of electronic power-assisted steering in MY 2023 Tesla Model 3 and MY 2023 Tesla Model Y vehicles manufactured by Tesla, Inc. The complaints allege a sudden and unex... pected inability to turn the steering wheel or an increase in effort required to turn the steering wheel. These conditions were alleged to occur both during the drive cycle, at various speeds, and at vehicle start up. Consumers reported receiving the warning message “Steering assist reduced” either before, during, or after the loss of steering control, and some consumers described their steering begin to feel “notchy” or “clicky” either prior to or just after the incident. On February 1, 2024, PE23014 was upgraded to EA24001 to further investigate the alleged defect in the affected vehicles. Tesla identified the cause of the increase in steering effort as an overvoltage breakdown (the voltage applied exceeds the maximum design limit), which can overstress motor drive components on the printed circuit board of the vehicle’s steering Electronic Control Unit (ECU). If the primary motor drive components experienced an overvoltage breakdown occurrence while the vehicle was traveling above 0 mph, electronic power-assisted steering would be diverted to secondary motor drive components. The secondary, or backup, motor drive components would maintain electronic power-assisted steering until the vehicle reached 0 mph. If the vehicle was operating on the secondary system and reached 0 mph, the driver would lose electronic power-assisted steering with manual steering remaining available. Only manual steering would remain until the vehicle’s steering ECU is replaced. On February 19, 2025, Tesla filed safety recall 25V092 to address the loss of electronic power-assisted steering. The recall filing documents state that a steering ECU software update, identified as 2023.38.4, was introduced into production vehicles and provided to affected fleet vehicles through an over-the-air (OTA) update beginning in October 2023. The updated software was designed to prevent overvoltage breakdown and overstress of motor drive components on the printed circuit board. ODI’s analysis of related Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) and Tesla field data found that complaint traffic declined following the 2023.38.4 software release. In view of the recall action taken by Tesla, ODI is closing this EA. ODI will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the remedy as is consistent with the Agency’s authority and practice. NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2023

Loss of steering control

On July 28, 2023, The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23-014) after receiving 12 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) reporting loss of steering control in model years (MY) 2023 Tesla Model 3 and Y vehicles. During PE23-014, ODI interviewed complainants, sent ... an Information Request (IR) letter to Tesla, and convened technical meetings with Tesla that included a joint inspection of a crashed vehicle. The investigation identified 2,388 total complaints regarding the alleged defect, including 124 complaints through VOQs and 2,264 complaints through manufacturer data. ODI is associating 1 crash to this investigation (11544655), where a driver was unable to complete a right hand turn in the intersection and hit a vehicle. This vehicle was subject to a joint inspection by ODI and Tesla. The steering rack was recovered by ODI with the consumer’s permission. ODI’s interviews of allegations supplied to the agency, in the form of VOQs, identified patterns of the incoming complaint traffic. Complaints allege an inability to turn the steering wheel, while other complaints allege an increase in required effort to turn the steering wheel. These conditions were reported to occur during the drive cycle as well as at start-up. Approximately one-third of complaints with a reported speed occurred at vehicle start-up or speeds less than 5 mph. Interviews with failures reported at speeds over 5 mph, half reported an inability to turn the steering wheel. A majority of complaints with a reported speed reported between 5 mph and 35 mph with approximately 1 in 10 occurring on open roads at speeds 35 mph and over. The highest reported speed regarding an alleged inability to turn the steering wheel is 75 mph. A majority of allegations reported seeing a warning message, “Steering assist reduced”, either before, during or after the loss of steering control. A portion of drivers described their steering begin to feel “notchy” or “clicky” either prior to or just after the incident. There have been multiple allegations of drivers blocking intersections and/or roadways. ODI is aware of over 50 vehicles which were allegedly towed as a result of the condition from a variety of areas including, driveways, parking lots, side of road and intersections. Multiple complaints state they were able to temporarily remedy the condition by power cycling the vehicle, but the issue reoccurred until the steering rack was replaced. Tesla supplied four steering rack part numbers on the subject vehicles. The investigation identified part numbers, 1044832-00-A and 1188832-00-A accounted for 2,187 of the complaints and 4 did not have original part number in the information request. ODI has upgraded PE23-014 to an Engineering Analysis (EA24-001) due to continued complaint traffic and to characterize the system conditions leading to- and stemming from- the alleged defect in vehicles supplied with steering rack part numbers 1044832-00-A and 1188832-00-A To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.Read more

DP, Open , Model Year: 2017

Sudden Unintended Acceleration

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting that ODI reevaluate its decision to deny DP20-001 on the basis that intermittent high electrical current demands on the vehicles' 12VDC systems may have caused some or all of the incidents examined by ODI in DP20-001. The petit... Read more

DP, Closed , Model Year: 2017

Defect Petition Interlock Request

On March 21, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting a “recall of all Tesla cars” produced from 2013 to the date on which the petition was filed due to what Petitioner considers to be the increased likelihood of pedal misapplication. Attached to the Petitio... Read more

EA, Closed , Model Year: 2017

Autopilot System Driver Controls

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) upgraded PE21020 to EA22002 on June 8, 2022, to extend work and deepen the PE21020 crash analysis, to supplement that analysis with additional data, and to perform vehicle evaluations to understand how Tesla’s Autopilot system may exacerbate human factors ... or behavioral safety risks by undermining the effectiveness of the driver’s supervision. To support this work, ODI collected additional crash information and assessed vehicle control authority, driver engagement technologies, and related human factors considerations associated with partial automation via analysis of peer vehicle data and hands-on vehicle evaluation, assessments from NHTSA human factors subject matter experts, and reviews of related publications dedicated to partial driving automation. Autopilot is the simultaneous use of the features that Tesla calls Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) and Autosteer. TACC is a type of adaptive cruise control that, like traditional cruise control, maintains a set speed but also slows or accelerates as necessary to maintain the vehicle’s following distance from a vehicle in front. As designed, Autosteer detects lane markings and the presence of other nearby vehicles and objects to keep the vehicle in its driving lane. Autopilot is characterized by Tesla as an SAE Level 2 (“L2 system”) partial driving automation system that provides driver assistance through steering, propulsion, and braking within a specified driving environment under direct supervision of the driver. L2 systems should be designed to support the driver’s need to monitor the system in response to the constantly changing driving environment and, if necessary, take over the dynamic driving task. To ensure sufficient driver engagement, vehicles with L2 systems should employ driver engagement systems and usage controls that are appropriate and sufficient for the L2 system design and driver expectations. ODI completed an analysis of 956 crashes reported up to August 30, 2023. In approximately half (489) of those crashes, ODI found: 1.) that there was insufficient data to make an assessment; 2.) the other vehicle was at fault; 3.) Autopilot was found to not be in use; or 4.) the crash was otherwise unrelated to EA22002. Of the remaining 467 crashes, ODI identified trends resulting in three categories: collisions in which the frontal plane of the Tesla struck another vehicle or obstacle with adequate time for an attentive driver to respond to avoid or mitigate the crash (211), roadway departures where Autosteerwas inadvertently disengaged by the driver’s inputs (111), and roadway departures in low traction conditions such as wet roadways (145). ODI observed this pattern across all Tesla models and hardware versions. Crash and human factors assessment showed that Autopilot controls did not sufficiently ensure driver attention and appropriate use. At the same time, peer analysis and vehicle evaluations established that Autopilot invited greater driver confidence via its higher control authority and ease of engagement. This mismatch of weak usage controls and high control authority was evident in these crash categories, which included indications of driver disengagement from the driving task. This mismatch was also evident in roadway departures when the system was engaged in low traction conditions outside of Tesla’s recommendations.Additional information regarding NHTSA’s crash analysis is available in the EA22002 file. ODI reviewed these findings with Tesla during several conversations in Quarter 4 of 2023. On December 12, 2023, Tesla filed a Defect Information Report (DIR) (Recall 23V838) applicable to all Tesla models produced and equipped with any version of its Autopilot system. Tesla’s DIR described the functionality of this system, stated that the prominence and scope of the system’s controls may be insufficient to prevent driver misuse, and described a remedy to improve the effectiveness of driver warnings and to reduce mode confusion. ODI completed an extensive body of work via PE21020 and EA22002, which showed evidence that Tesla’s weak driver engagement system was not appropriate for Autopilot’s permissive operating capabilities. This mismatch resulted in a critical safety gap between drivers’ expectations of the L2 system’s operating capabilities and the system’s true capabilities. This gap led to foreseeable misuse and avoidable crashes. During EA220002, ODI identified at least 13 crashes involving one or more fatalities and many more involving serious injuries, in which foreseeable driver misuse of the system played an apparent role. ODI’s analysis conducted during this investigation, which aligns with Tesla’s conclusion in its Defect Information Report, indicated that in certain circumstances, Autopilot’s system controls and warnings were insufficient for a driver assistance system that requires constant supervision by a human driver. Given Tesla’s recall (23V838) of all vehicles equipped with Autopilot for insufficient controls to prevent misuse, ODI is closing EA22002. Concurrent with that closing, ODI has opened a Recall Query (RQ24009) to assess the effectiveness of the 23V838 remedy. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2018

Unexpected Brake Activation

On February 16, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22002) to investigate reports of unexpected deceleration while driving with the adaptive cruise control system engaged in Model Year (MY) 2021 – 2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured by Tesl... a. The subject systems include Autopilot (all versions), Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC). These complaints have been colloquially referred to as “phantom braking”. ODI opened PE22002 to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to assess any resulting safety issues in the subject vehicles. The alleged defect is an unexpected and unrequested vehicle deceleration triggered by the subject system during subject system engagement. The alleged defect does not occur when the subject system is not in use and is separate and distinct from Automated Emergency Braking (AEB). During vehicle operation, AEB is actively monitoring in the subject vehicles regardless of subject system and its intervention is accompanied by audible and visual collision warnings. A Vehicle Owners Questionnaire (VOQ) trend originating in November 2021 prompted ODI to open PE22002. VOQ narratives reported unexpected brake activation while using TACC, Autopilot or FSD. The trend grew from 99 by the end of 2021 to 314 by February 16, 2022, when PE22002 was opened. ODI sent Information Request (IR) Letters to Tesla on May 4, 2022, and July 11, 2024, to request salient data to quantify vehicle production, field incidents, and the physical parameters of the phantom braking reports. ODI also requested information pertaining to Tesla’s internal assessments, problem resolutions, and their assessment of the alleged defect. Typically, the complaints to ODI and Tesla allege a 10-20 mph speed reduction at highway speeds over a 1-3 second time period.No collisions were identified. Drivers reported seeing no vehicles ahead in the travel lane that would have triggered the deceleration. Many complaints reported the conditions taking place on higher speed roadways in sunny conditions with shadows on the roadway. Complainants typically applied the accelerator to override the unexpected deceleration, and subject vehicles did not come to a complete stop or steer out of their travel lane. ODI analyzed data provided by Tesla in addition to consumer complaints submitted to ODI. Tesla’s complaint and field data exhibited some behavior that aligned with the transition from a radar-vision fusion system to vision-only in mid-2021. VOQ traffic coincided with public events such as Recall 21V846, the opening of PE22002, and several related media publications. In February and March of 2022, Tesla released firmware updates 2022.4.5.1 and 2022.4.5.17 respectively to target aspects of the subject system programming that affect unexpected deceleration. Incident traffic has dissipated substantially in the past years, with 45 incidents reported in 2024, 19 in 2025, and 3 since the beginning of 2026. The conditions reported, while concerning to the drivers, did not alter the vehicle’s lateral positioning in their lanes and did not cause significant loss in distance between the subject and following vehicle to lead to a collision. Complaint traffic to both NHTSA and Tesla reported the same conditions- vehicles traveling with the subject system engaged at higher speeds decelerating suddenly with no commensurate vehicle or obstacle ahead in the same lane. In view of these points, and a low demonstrated hazard to drivers, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2017

Tesla Passenger Play

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE21-023) on December 21, 2021, to evaluate the driver distraction potential and use frequency / circumstances of in-vehicle game-play functionality referred to as ?Passenger Play? in certain model year (MY) 2017-2022 Tesla Mod... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2017

Autopilot & First Responder Scenes

On August 13, 2021, NHTSA?s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE21-020) to assess the performance of Tesla?s Autopilot system (a system characterized by Tesla as an SAE Level 2 driving automation system designed to support and assist the driver in performing the ... Read more

DP, Closed , Model Year: 2017

Sudden Unintended Acceleration

On December 19, 2019, NHTSA received a petition from Mr. Brian Sparks requesting that the Agency recall all [Tesla] Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles produced from 2013 to the present due to sudden unintended acceleration (SUA). In his petition and follow-up submissions, the petitioner identifi... ed a total of 232 non-duplicative complaints to NHTSA, including 203 reporting crashes. On January 13, 2020, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition DP20-001 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI's evaluation included reviews of all complaints and supporting information referenced by the petitioner, as well as 14 additional complaints to NHTSA related to SUA crash allegations that were either not selected by the petitioner or were submitted after the petitioner's most recent submission. The review also included analyses of available crash data (EDR, Tesla log data, and/or video data) the Agency acquired as part of the evaluation.After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into SUA in the subject vehicles. In every instance in which event data was available for review by ODI, the evidence shows that SUA crashes in the complaints cited by the petitioner have been caused by pedal misapplication. There is no evidence of any fault in the accelerator pedal assemblies, motor control systems, or brake systems that has contributed to any of the cited incidents. There is no evidence of a design factor contributing to increased likelihood of pedal misapplication. The theory provided of a potential electronic cause of SUA in the subject vehicles is based upon inaccurate assumptions about system design and log data.NHTSA is authorized to issue an order requiring notification and remedy of a defect if the Agency?s investigation shows a defect in design, construction, or performance of a motor vehicle that presents an unreasonable risk to safety. 49 U.S.C. ?? 30102(a)(9), 30118. Since the information before the Agency is not indicative of a vehicle-based defect, it is unlikely that any investigation opened because of granting this petition would result in an order concerning the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect. Therefore, upon full consideration of the information presented in the petition and the potential risks to safety, the petition is denied. The denial of this petition does not foreclose the Agency from taking further action if warranted or the potential for a future finding that a safety-related defect exists based upon additional information the agency may receive.The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP20-001. Those complaints and the 14 complaints ODI added to its evaluation can be viewed at NHTSA.gov. The reference numbers for the complaints added by ODI are: 11385350, 11383955, 11383233, 11383180, 11378492, 11378458, 11302076, 11299698, 11290006, 11190595, 11174504, 11115496, 11096644 and 11000097. The attached report, further detailing NHTSA?s reasons for denial of the petition, will be published in the Federal Register.Read more

TESLA MODEL 3 - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the TESLA MODEL 3 across all model years (2017, 2026).

131 Total Recalls

7,417 Total Complaints

12 Investigations

534 Reported Crashes

74 Reported Fires

17 Reported Deaths

TESLA MODEL 3 - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026	1	17	View
2025	3	196	View
2024	4	307	View
2023	11	721	View
2022	17	1,475	View
2021	21	1,213	View
2020	20	745	View
2019	21	1,031	View
2018	18	1,657	View
2017 (current)	15	55

Other TESLA Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
MODEL S	283	5,158	View
MODEL X	259	2,303	View
MODEL Y	186	6,639	View
CYBERTRUCK	31	187	View
SEMI	2	6	View
ROADSTER2	1	2	View
ROADSTER	1	3	View
NEMA 10-30 ADAPTER	0	2	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

2017 TESLA MODEL 3

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2017 TESLA MODEL 3

Safety Technology

Technical Service Bulletins, 2017 TESLA MODEL 3

Most Affected Components

NHTSA Safety Investigations, TESLA MODEL 3

TESLA MODEL 3 - All Years Overview

TESLA MODEL 3 - Year by Year

Other TESLA Models