2022 TESLA Model 3 Problems & Complaints
Real owner complaints and problems reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). View common issues by component.
727
Complaints Reported
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Complaints by Component
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
260 complaints
While at a red light, my car was stopped with Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) on. When the car in front of me nudged forward, my car, still in FSD , accelerated and drove into the car in front. Looking at the event report of my car, the automatic emergency break did engage but too late. This means the sensors in front failed to recognize the vehicle ahead.
Sep 29, 2025
Tesla’s full self driving did not react to emergency vehicles approaching from behind.. vehicle was a police cruiser emergency lights, and sirens were active on freeway.
Sep 13, 2025
Then forward collision warning system inaccurately reported and reacted to a park car that was not in my lane. This caused my car to slam the brakes and subsequently almost cause an accident behind me. This also raised my car insurance premium so they can charge me more money
Sep 05, 2025
While driving on AutoPilot the I-10W on Wednesday July 16, 2025, the car suddenly and very harshly braked for no reason at all. The vehicle in front of me was visible on the vehicle's display, meaning it was keeping it distance and was actively adapting to its speed and distance, and at no time did I press the brake or move the steering wheel for the vehicle to use its emergency braking. It was so harsh, I felt the blood throughout my head and body lunge forward, and AutoPilot immediately turned off. If I wasn't aware of this sudden braking, I would have assumed AutoPilot would still be active, but knowing of Tesla's "phantom braking", I immediately took control once I noticed AutoPilot turned off on its own. I have a video of the dash cam available (over 10MB) if needed.
Jul 29, 2025
While traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour on an interstate, the vehicle's automatic emergency braking system engaged multiple times in rapid succession—approximately five separate braking events. Each time, the system falsely detected an obstacle, which it appeared to interpret as a person in front of the vehicle. In reality, there was nothing on the road; the system was reacting to a roof-mounted strap that was fluttering slightly in view of the forward sensors. These false positives caused the vehicle to brake suddenly and forcefully, creating a highly dangerous situation for vehicles behind me. Multiple drivers were forced to swerve to avoid a collision. Thankfully, no crash occurred, but the repeated unexpected braking posed a serious risk to my safety and the safety of others on the highway. Additionally, I had previously disabled the automatic emergency braking feature in the vehicle's settings. However, I later discovered that this system reactivates by default every time the vehicle is restarted. There is currently no option to permanently disable this feature, meaning drivers must manually turn it off for each individual trip, which is not clearly communicated by the system. This issue has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or a dealer. No warning lights or error messages appeared before or during the braking events.
Jul 01, 2025
+ 255 more complaints for this component
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
75 complaints
My family and I were in my Tesla Model 3 2022 and heading from Charlotte to Orlando on [XXX]. The car was in Full Self-Drive (FSD) mode while commuting through Daytona Beach. The rain was heavy in the area. While driving in Daytona Beach, FSD caused the car to change lanes and go to a lane that had standing rain puddles on [XXX]. After FSD caused the lane change, the car immediately hydroplaned out of control. The car's short clearance from it's bottom and the ground which traps water that exacerbates hydroplaning, along with its generative breaking feature made matters worse and uncontrollable. The car spun into the median three times and settled in the middle of danger interstate. The car is totalled. My family and I require medical attention and counseling due to the trauma. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Oct 13, 2025
Full Self Driving prominently suggests the user enable “automatic set speed offset”. When enabled it tries to guess the speed it should be going, and goes that speed. On city streets and rural highways the driver is unable to lower the speed with the normal cruise control speed dial. it is disabled. It recognizes when the speed limit lowers on the road, but does not adjust to that new limit. The only option is to hit the brakes or otherwise disable the system. On the interstate this resulted in it resetting to the maximum 85 MPH as it was setting itself to 86 at every deactivation. Turning cruise control back on, despite having previously set it to the speed limit, causes it to to immediately accelerate regardless of the posted limits or the previous setting.
Oct 05, 2024
The noted vehicle is one of 7 Teslas (6 Model 3s and 1 Model Y) that I have rented from Hertz for a round trip from Orlando Fl to Naples Fl. Over the last 7 months. Each of the Model 3 vehicles was different, I never got the same Model 3. Each of the vehicles exhibited the same or similar glitch when traveling on [XXX] at [XXX] when either the navigation and/or the adaptive speed control was engaged and traveling at or near the posted speed limit when nearing this specific exit. If only the navigation system is on it will direct the driver to take the exit and then return to the interstate using the on ramp. If the adaptive speed control is engaged, either with or without the navigation feature on, when the vehicle is on [XXX] near or under the overpass it will abruptly try to slow the vehicle to 35 MPH, the speed limit for traffic on the overpass. None of the rental vehicles has the full autopilot activated to my knowledge. This event will occur when traveling in either direction and has only occurred at [XXX] on my 200+ mile trip. Having this occur once or twice would be strange, but 7 times at the same location over 7 months in 7 different vehicles is more likely a glitch of some kind, and one that could result in a crash if a driver is unprepared for the unexpected rapid reduction in speed. [XXX] is heavily travelled with both local and out of town drivers in both personal and rental vehicles. I have no idea if this is occurring at other locations but it seems to be consistent here. Since the adaptive speed control must be using information from the navigation system to display and utilize the speed limit to regulate maximum speed, it is likely the problem is in the navigation system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Sep 13, 2024
While driving with the cruise control set, at times the care must sense that there is an issue ahead and slams the brakes on. This has happened on numerous occasions. This had led to cars following to do the same (hard braking). Although this has not caused an accident for me, I don't trust the system. I'm waiting for a rear end collision when this happens.
Aug 14, 2024
This car will suddenly slow down for no apparent reason when driving with the speed control set. I have experienced this multiple times at 2 specific intersections. It has also happened at other times but on roads I have traveled on less often. Traffic aware cruise control is always enabled on this car. There isn't an option to turn it off. I scheduled a service visit with Tesla explaining what was happening at these 2 specific intersections (I included the intersection specific information). They responded and said they performed a remote diagnosis on the Autopilot System in the vehicle and its affiliated hardware and all checks came back in good standing with no faults. They went on to state "just as a reminder as Autopilot/Traffic aware cruise control is under Beta, per owners manual, many factors can impact the performance of Autopilot/Traffic aware cruise control components. Autopilot/Traffic aware cruise control may occasionally cause vehicle to brake when not required or when you are not expecting it." They referred me to the owners manual where these warnings/limitations were reiterated. I replied and asked what Tesla was doing to improve this situation. I did not get a response. I am very concerned about this sudden braking/deceleration as it may result in a rear end collision if someone is following closely when it occurs. I believe Tesla should be more transparent about what they are doing to resolve the issue. They should also provide an option to turn off the Traffic Aware cruise control until the issue is resolved.
Jul 28, 2024
+ 70 more complaints for this component
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
72 complaints
Tesla Model 3 while using the “FSD” or auto pilot mode will do what’s called “phantom breaking” with its emergency breaking system. This is very scary and has almost caused more accidents than preventing them in my experience. Tesla had not addressed or fixed this issue even with their constant software updates. How is this FSD considered legal I wonder.
Sep 03, 2025
I was traveling northbound on [XXX} in Sugar Grove, IL with the traffic aware cruise control on. As I passed under [XXX] the car braked heavily for no reason. No cars in the area...thankfully. I could have easily been rear-ended. It has done this on more than one occasion at this location. I filed a "bug-report" via the right hand button on the steering wheel. I was also traveling [XXX] near Lasalle-Peru with the cruise control on at about 80 mph when the vehicle suddenly braked heavily. No cars around at all. The moment was extremely frightening. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Jun 17, 2025
When the vehicle is set to regenerative braking mode, lifting off the accelerator pedal causes the car to decelerate significantly. However, in many cases, the brake lights do not illuminate during this process. This could potentially create a safety risk, as drivers behind may not realize the car is slowing down and may not respond in time. tesla
May 11, 2025
Traveling on I35 South, approx 70 -75 MPH. Using adaptive cruise control/enhanced auto pilot. No vehicles present within a mile of my vehicle. Braking spontaneously engaged, reducing speed to 40MPH within seconds. If a vehicle were behind me they would have absolutely collided. I've not filed a report with Tesla. Vehicle did not display any warning, or any other sort of indication that a malfunction had occurred. The problem has not been reproduced by me, however an internet search returns multiple complaints of these exact symptoms.
Feb 25, 2024
Car slammed on the brakes on its own while the auto steer function was being used going 80mph. If someone was behind me they would’ve rear ended me.
Feb 05, 2024
+ 67 more complaints for this component
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
48 complaints
I'm not quite sure what component was affected, some module of some sort got water in or near it that wasn't supposed to. It is available for inspection. Yes my safety and others was out at risk. Yes the problem was fixed by service center supposedly. Yes the car has been inspected by the manufacturer. There were no warnings. What happened was on 12/29 I was driving the car and out of absolutely nowhere a bunch of warnings came up including loss of ABS, any and all safety features. And more importantly lost usage of brakes almost entirely when car came to a stop it was grinding and shakey. This problem all arises due to teslas negligence when it came to installing a new windshield on the vehicle. As stated in messages below, they made a mistake while installing my windshield that caused this major issue to arise. They have offered nothing as a solution but saying that their error is supposedly fixed.
Jan 08, 2025
On [XXX], I was driving from Victorville, CA to Las Vegas, NV on [XXX] northbound. Between [XXX] two incidents occurred. Both incidents involve phantom braking. My vehicle was in autopilot mode, which is essentially traffic aware cruise control. I was traveling at 70MPH and passed a semi-truck. I changed lanes back into the right lane after passing the truck. About 30 seconds later, the car slammed on the brakes. The semi-truck behind me took immediate evasive maneuver and swerved into the left lane to avoid hitting me. There was no obstruction in front of me. The nearest vehicles ahead of me were so far away that I could barely see their tail lights. This was a very unsafe condition. The second incident happened about 40 minutes later. No other vehicles were near me although the sudden braking gave me a scare. There were no warnings, messages, or any indication that the sudden braking was being applied. I was able to immediately depress the accelerator to increase speed and override the autopilot. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Mar 03, 2024
Please help Phantom braking is getting worse
Dec 11, 2023
I have been forced to stop using cruise control on my Tesla Model 3. Over the past few years, the car will repeatedly slam on the brakes for no good reason when I am driving on the highway. I understand this behavior is known as "phantom braking." The car will suddenly and unexpectedly drop speed by 10-20 mph on the highway. I am so worried that someone will rear-end my vehicle that I cannot use cruise control anymore. For some unexplained reason, the Tesla Model 3 does not currently have a "dumb" cruise control that I could use instead.
Oct 06, 2023
We took our first long-disance trip (Albuquerque NM to Arlington TX, round trip) in our 2022 Tesla Model 3 and experienced multiple (4-5) phantom braking episodes to and from Arlington when engaging adaptive cruise control or autopilot. The car had been driven 5,760 miles before the trip. There were no warnings before the braking. The car was travelling at 70-77 mph on interstate highways and suddenly the brakes would engage slowing the car to 40 or 50 mph before we pressed pressed the accelerator. It was a clear day with temperatures in the 90-100 range. One time the phantom brake episode occurred while passing. Fortunately, there no cars travelling close behind us or there could have been a serious multi-car accident. We contacted Tesla service and they told us the car had no discernable problems (attached message).
Sep 11, 2023
+ 43 more complaints for this component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
31 complaints
I own a Tesla 2022 Model 3 Long Range purchased in 2022 New and have been experiencing persistent issues with the HVAC units causing a persistent and prevalent smell of mold/must/vinegar that is causing myself and my passengers headaches and allergies. Tesla has failed to permanently repair and this is a widespread design issue with Tesla vehicles documented thoroughly online including Tesla’s own website, where condensation in the evaporator housing leads to mold and bacteria growth and odor in the cabin as a result. Despite multiple service appointments, Tesla has only provided temporary assistance by installing new filters and has recently offering to use a foam spray to clean the inside. I’ve already used over 15 filters in 3 years and have used numerous canisters of the foam cleaning spray and the problems have not subsided. They’ve refused to cover this under warranty even though this defect was reported initially in 2022 and the vehicle is still under warranty. The odor recurs every few weeks and presents air quality and health concerns as evidenced in our increased allergies and need to seek medical attention as a result and headaches from the mold build up. I’ve filed related complaints with the California BAR and Attorney General who have advised I file this report with your agency and as a result I am now following their instructions.
Oct 30, 2025
While driving home, my Tesla was operating in Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode and initially performed normally, stopping at a red light and proceeding smoothly when it turned green. Moments later, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own, lost control, and began spinning uncontrollably before sideswiping a parked car and coming to a stop on the wrong side of the street in oncoming traffic. I was fully awake, alert, and did not manually steer or accelerate at any point. The incident appears to have resulted from a malfunction in the vehicle’s FSD system and/or its steering and acceleration control mechanisms. There were no warning lights, error messages, or alerts before or during the event—it occurred without warning. This malfunction created an immediate safety hazard that endangered my life and posed a serious risk to other drivers, pedestrians, and surrounding property. The situation could have easily resulted in a fatal collision or injury. I promptly notified the police, and the incident was reported to Tesla Insurance, which serves as my coverage provider. Despite my repeated efforts to have the issue inspected and addressed, Tesla Insurance has refused to acknowledge fault, open a claim, or cover related damages. As a result, the malfunction has not been reproduced or confirmed by Tesla or any authorized service center. The vehicle has since been inspected by Collision Works, a Certified Tesla Collision Center in Long Beach, California (500 E. Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90813), which provided a preliminary repair estimate. I am currently responsible for repair costs out of pocket pending resolution with Tesla Insurance. The vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection by Tesla, investigators, or safety authorities upon request. The complete and unexpected failure of the FSD system to regulate acceleration and steering represents a serious safety defect that warrants immediate investigation to prevent future harm.
Oct 17, 2025
There is NO way to find the emergency manual release in the rear doors. WHERE ARE THEY!!!!??? There is no panel or cover to remove to find a release for the doors in case there is no power!!! This my friends car. I don't have his VIN so I grabbed on off the internet.
Sep 29, 2025
Tesla odometer discrepancy) combines the energy to run the car to count against the mileage. The car is often sitting parked and all of a sudden the mileage is shorter… Basically the odometer reading is wrong because weekly added miles are attached to odometer because the air is on or screen is used and that’s not fair for us because it’s incorrect.
Aug 28, 2025
my tesla 3 performance year 22 software problem My car defaults to 25 mpr in a 55 mpr area. This happens on secondary roads in North Carolina. This dangerous. I have taken my car to Charlotte and Raleigh service Centers with no fix for this software problem. This been going for almost 2 years. I have been by the service center managers that one day this software problems will be fixed one day. I have informed Tesla that this software issue is very dangerous but they do not care. Please help since I have not any success with this very important matter. This software problems make the car drive and behave very different. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Aug 20, 2024
+ 26 more complaints for this component
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
14 complaints
The accelerator pedal broke off completely while driving on the highway (this is the second time this has happened). Accelerator pedal felt as if it were stuck when going from full self driving to manual and pedal broke off when more pressure was applied. The car began coming to a rapid stop on the highway due to regenerative braking and I was forced to quickly get to emergency lane, narrowly avoiding other vehicles in the process.
Apr 29, 2024
See attached document for complaint
Mar 08, 2024
I was sitting at a red light with my foot resting lightly on the accelerator. I was completely stopped waiting for the light to turn and suddenly my car began to accelerate quite fast. I had to slam on the brakes which seemed to be malfunctioning. I managed to stop before I hit the car in front of me. I took it to the Teslas service station and was told by their engineer that nothing was wrong with the car. The experience was scary. I no longer feel safe in my car.
Feb 05, 2024
Phantom braking continues. This time the vehicle was traveling on an Interstate highway at 70mph, until the phantom braking occured, which caused the speed to drop immediately (within a few seconds) to less than 30mph. This safety problem was extremely prevalent when the car was within its first six months of use. It has improved, but has not gone away completely.
Oct 12, 2023
I was at a stop light. The car was stopped. The car suddenly lurched forward. I put my foot on the break but then it lurched forward again, and rear-ended the car in front of me. It appears that the car accelerated by itself. This caused an accident. The accident happened tonight. I have filed a police report and received a traffic citation for following to close. I have saved the dash cam footage of the incident to a computer and have requested that Tesla send me the EDR data. Looking at the car's logs in service mode I can see that the car was throwing several errors from before the accident with codes of "VCFRONT_a059_inputResistanceHigh," and "DIF_a018_hwLVSupplyUV" relating to the front vehicle controller and drive interface. I am attaching this plus photos of the damage.
Aug 15, 2023
+ 9 more complaints for this component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
14 complaints
Tesla vehicles autopilot. I know you already have a situation with Tesla over the basic Autopilot. My safety report is about red lights and stop signs. Tesla reserves this feature for their FSD package. While basic and enhanced AP cannot identify red lights or stop signs. For the basic AP, I suggest that Tesla be required to include red light and stop sign identification in their basic autopilot system. While geo-locking AP is a current temporary solution, it is not the correct solution IMO. The correct solution I believe is to force Tesla to include red light and stop sign identifying in the basic and enhanced AP software. In addition to including red light and stop sign identification in their forward emergency braking safety system. Imagine how many intersection related collisions can be prevented if you make the vehicle capable of stopping. Especially when the driver could be having a medical emergency and cannot stop their car. Two ways. Option 1: Vehicle stops at red light for the driver, everyone is safe. Option 2: vehicle runs the red light, not using autopilot, vehicle T bones someone in the intersection. I highly suggest a pro-active approach that promotes a safe environment on the road rather than a punishing approach that promotes human drivers to continue as they are. After 40,000 miles of Autopilot, I can confirm that it’s a better driver overall than any human. Humans will eventually make mistakes, software will do the same thing repeatedly. The only reason software makes a mistake is because it wasn’t designed to be used in an application, so basically it’s still human error. I suggest to require the software to take over in more ways to prevent human error from happening more often. The less humans need to do, the less chance you have of collisions. Summary: Basic AP should have red light and stop sign ID to stop. And forward collision stopping should also have red lights and stop sign identification.
Dec 18, 2023
This happens at 2 particular exits on a 65mph highway. One time the car slows down by 10mph and the other spot it will swerve over almost to the lane next to me and slow down. Just dangerous when someone is tailgating me (thats reality of driving these days) as they will not have time to react and more than likely hit me. It happened once and someone behind me started honking and flashing their lights at me. I have done a bug report for the times it "phantom braked"
Dec 13, 2023
I was traveling on Interstate 40 in Arizona in a 75 mph zone with my cruise control set at 77 mph. Suddenly and without warning the car’s emergency braking system activate despite nothing being in the roadway in front of me and no cars ahead at all. I had to take evasive measures to avoid being hit from behind by a semi truck. Approximately 10 seconds later I began receiving error messages for several systems including emergency braking, traction control, steering alignment, lane departure, stability control, cruise control, vehicle hold, and regenerative braking. In addition, other systems were not working, such as an alert tone for when traffic lights turn green would activate indicating the driver should go even if there was a car in front that has not moved. The car is currently at Tesla being evaluated, however I really don’t think these cars should be trusted.
Nov 09, 2023
The Tesla in vehicle navigation notified to turn the incorrect direction on to Canal Rd NW Washington, DC 20057 during one-way operation of the reversable parkway. The turn was notified from Clark Pl NW where there was no visual notification of the traffic being one-way. This culminated in a near head on collision in a 40 mph zone.
Jul 12, 2023
Trip to California and back from AZ. Had several instances of severe braking. If I did not press the accelerator immediately, the car would slow down under what seemed like nearly maximal braking. No reason was apparent for this behavior. Some braking instances were on long straight stretches of I-40 with no other cars visible. This issue was only occurring if I had the cruise control engaged. Under normal daily driving without cruise control this issue of emergency braking does not occur. Each time this happens, it is totally unexpected and is extremely disturbing. I have stopped using the cruise control function on the vehicle out of fear of it causing an accident.
May 23, 2023
+ 9 more complaints for this component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
13 complaints
Submitted Under 49 CFR §552.3 Request for Defect Investigation & Safety Recall Tesla Model 3 / Model Y: Interior High-Voltage Heater Fire Hazard, Missing Firewall, and Entrapment Due to Electronic Door Failures. My 2022 Tesla Model 3 experienced an interior flash fire caused by a design defect. Tesla placed the high-voltage PTC cabin heater and HV wiring inside the dashboard with no firewall. After a crash, I saw a straight “strip flame” shoot out of the HVAC dash vent, exactly like a gas heater. The fire began INSIDE the dash/HVAC ducting within seconds of impact, not from the battery. This shows an arc-flash failure of the HV heater or wiring inside the cabin. The flame entered the cabin instantly because there is no firewall separating HV components from occupants. During the fire, all electronic door releases failed. Tesla hides the manual front releases and provides NO rear mechanical releases. I was trapped inside a burning cabin and suffered major injuries trying to escape by kicking the rear passenger window before bystander helped me brake out the rear passenger window to get me out. Most people cannot escape this design. This is a dangerous combination of defects: (1) HV heater and wiring located inside the cabin with no firewall; (2) HVAC ducting becomes a flame pathway; (3) Electronic door releases fail during fire/crash; (4) No labeled manual rear-door exits; (5) No backup 12-V actuator power to open doors. Tesla must: relocate the HV heater outside the cabin (frunk), add a real firewall, add fire-retardant HVAC materials, add labeled manual releases on all doors, and include a 12-V backup to door actuators. Please open a defect investigation. This design nearly killed me and will kill others.
Nov 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in self-driving mode, the vehicle was supposed to merge into the right lane, however the vehicle accelerated into the left lane, and another vehicle collided into the front driver side of the vehicle. The contact stated that he did not sustain any injuries, however the passenger stated he sustained injuries, but the injuries were unknown. No medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to dealer where it was diagnosed that the software needs to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was still drivable after the incident. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,547.
Jun 04, 2025
Our car was parked in our garage for two days before August 25, 2024 not plugged in for charging and was clear of issues. On the morning of August 25, 2024 we woke up to the smell of smoke and evacuated our house as the source was coming from our Tesla in the garage. This incident burned our home and took 6 of our cats with it. We filed with insurance and they are reporting that they are not liable for the accident. They did not bother to show up to the joint investigation and paid the bare minimum for the market price of the vehicle. The company has been slow in responding and has shown zero remorse or care of the matter. Fire department pinned it as a 99.9% probability of cause that the front battery of the Tesla triggered the fire.
Jan 27, 2025
The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH with the full self-driving mode activated and making a right turn off the highway, the vehicle collided with the wall of the exit ramp and spun out. The contact stated that there were no prior alerts and or warnings of the collision. The contact sustained a right shoulder injury. Medical attention was not needed. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision shop where it was deemed totalled. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,669.
Dec 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while operating the vehicle in "Self-Driving" mode, the error message "Camera Malfunction" was displayed. During the failure the vehicle drove through red lights and erroneously steered the vehicle off the road and into the wrong lane. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the main computer was faulty and needed to be replaced. The computer was replaced but the failure persisted. No further information was available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,000.
Sep 13, 2024
+ 8 more complaints for this component
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE
12 complaints
Hi. My issue is partly related to case PE-22-002 and may also contribute to it as well. I will forward my dash-cam videos (the false detection of cars in-front of me for 63.5% of that drive is included here) to your email as support for the investigations. I have been noticing warnings that a car is in the lane I am changing into when there is no car present. This has happened several times, despite the camera showing no cars and checking for myself showed no cars. The first time it happened, it scared me so bad I jerked back into my lane and could have lost control of being safely in the lane. I filed a service request and was told it would cost me an est. $195.00 to have them look at it, but they said they think it is software related and tried to say they don't deal with software issues. It has experienced many occasions of decelerating for no cause when using the Full Self Driving, Autopilot and Cruise Control. It would cause me to have to disengage them as I felt it was effecting my distance efficiency. I found a new issue last night that caused concern. We have been getting high reports of following too closely, so I drove from Plainview, Tx to Amarillo, Tx in complete control myself while driving 100% perfectly and it reported that it claimed 63.5% of that drive was "Following To Closely" when in-fact any time a vehicle was in-front of me by (I think) 30 car lengths, I changed into the other lane where the was no vehicles in the lane at all. It is my personal opinion that it is a combination of the cameras not being infrared and not seeing well enough in low light situations, and the software unable to tell the difference between darkness/shadows and objects that should be avoided. These false alerts occur more for me in low light conditions, but the unneeded deceleration has occurred in all conditions.
Dec 03, 2024
The fix for recall 23V-838; TC2023-657 has made using the feature more unsafe to use than in previous iterations.
Dec 19, 2023
On 9-12-2022 we drove from Chandler AZ. to Carlsbad NM. returning 9-15-2022 in this time we had eight Phantom braking events two with cars in close proximity very dangerous I also noticed the blind spot warning chime isn't working and is enabled in the Autopilot menu. Thank you. Mike
Sep 19, 2022
my brand new tesla model 3's adaptive cruise control is unsafe and unusable while driving on a two lane highway, I took a 500 mile road trip last night and the entire time i was experiencing random hard breaking while driving. I have stopped using it since but it has me worried about my safety as well as other when using this program. I am also having issues with my lane keep assist activating despite it being fully disabled in settings, it pulls my steering wheel back into the lane when i am changing lanes, even with a turn singal, and the computer system screams like crazy telling me im departing my lane. This almost caused me to crash one time as I had to overcome the computer pulling me back into the lane I was already in, despite me intending to change lanes.
Jul 11, 2022
Phantom breaking system continuously is stopping out of no where. Happens when vehicle is on autopilot and also happens when vehicle is on cruise control. It slams the brakes and lowers speed approximately 20 MPH’s in a matter of a second. Seriously increasing the chance of being rear ended. It’s enough braking power to send you forward in your seat. On my current trip driving through Nevada to Idaho it happened approximately 5 times within 20 miles before I gave up and turned it off. I have also experienced problems before where the car merges lanes on the freeway but does not take into consideration the car in the lane that it’s merging into. Accident waiting to happen.
Jul 06, 2022
+ 7 more complaints for this component
SERVICE BRAKES
11 complaints
on Nov 26, 2023. I parked the car in driveway. After sometime started car to go someplace. The car could not move front or back and gave metal rubbing sound. Called tesla road side and arrange a tow truck. Car was towed to tesla service center in Springfield, New Jersey. On Nov 27, Tesla informed me on app to pick the car. I picked the car back on Nov 28. 2023. Tesla service informed by that they could not replicate the issue of brake jamming. They did some tests and told me that car is fine and safe to drive. At the time of pickup the technician told be that it could be software issue. (instances of brake switch mismatch) Want to inform that this is brake jamming issue and can stop the car any where. No clear or satisfactory explanation given be Tesla. I continue to drive the car.
Dec 01, 2023
During high speed vehicle would do sudden brake with no visible obstacles or cars ahead of vehicle
Jul 09, 2023
In about a dozen incidences with my 12,000 mile model 3 the breaks come on unexpectedly. In one case i was on I-70 being followed by an 18 wheel truck / trailer when the phantom breaking occurred. Except for the attention of the truck driver and him slamming on his breaks to avoid rear ending me, I wouldn’t be here. I’ve opened 2 service complaints with Tesla and their response is that it is a learned correction for the car - Well it isn’t working.
May 27, 2023
While driving, had cruise control on, not full self driving, the car suddenly breaks. No one was around us. This happened on two occasions a few hours apart.
Feb 04, 2023
The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while her husband was driving 35 mph on traffic aware/cruise control, he attempted to depress the brake pedal but it failed to stop the vehicle. The contact stated the brake warning light was illuminated. The driver purposely steered the vehicle into a tree to not hit a house. The air bags did deploy. The driver had bruising on both legs, lower abdomen, and pelvic areas. The driver sought medical attention with his primary care, four days later of the accident. The police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle was towed to towing lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,224.
Aug 02, 2022
+ 6 more complaints for this component
STEERING
8 complaints
During operation steering wheel becomes heavy and difficult to turn and becomes notchy. Very difficult to stay in ones own lane.
Jun 26, 2025
I was driving over an overpass on to the free way. It was about 11am. The steering wheel locked in a turning position, driving the car off the overpass. I was able to yank the wheel and get it back straight. The auto pilot was not on, the cruise control was not on. I drove it straight to the service center, i though i should call so i put the car in curise control to pull out my phone but decided against it and turned it off at 11:15. Now the service center says they can not duplicate it they are telling me nothing is wrong. This has never happened before. I have never had any issues with my car.
Feb 26, 2025
The car's steering wheel locked unexpectedly, rendering the vehicle undrivable. Additionally, multiple alerts appeared, indicating that the car's hold feature, traction control, and steering assist were reduced. This issue occurred while the car was parked but still running. When I shifted into drive, the car unintentionally rolled backward, forcing me to press the brake pedal to prevent a collision. If this had happened while driving, it could have resulted in a serious accident.
Dec 07, 2024
Constant alert of "Steering assist reduced" Steering rack replacement under warranty
Sep 05, 2024
Car was in the garage and showed alerts for Steering assist reduced, Traction control disabled,
Apr 14, 2024
+ 3 more complaints for this component
SEAT BELTS
7 complaints
* Front passenger safety restraint system issue - sensors under passenger seat intermittently failing for months even after taking it in for service. * Safety of passenger is at risk as airbags might not fire due to occupant classification system failing. * Service center said nothing looks wrong even though car alerts multiple times per drive. Many reports online of Alert RCM2_a636 . * has been inspected by service center * alert from car beeps every 30 seconds to 1 minute intermittently, has been occurring for months
Oct 27, 2025
Passenger safety restraint failure message came on so I made an appointment and took it to Pleasanton Tesla for repair 3/19/25; was under the 60,000 safety warranty. Then on 5/6/25, 6 weeks later, the passenger safety restraint failure message appeared again. I contacted Pleasanton Tesla and they told me I was now responsible for a different piece to be replaced, which was quoted over $1,000 to repair, as the 60,000 mile safety warranty was up and it is a different piece that needed to be replaced. I said it’s the same message, passenger safety restraint failure!
Aug 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the front driver's side seat belt warning chime was inoperable, failing to alert the driver that the front driver’s side seat belt was not secured while driving. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 35,400.
Aug 07, 2025
We received a Front passenger safety restraint system fault on our car. When a passenger sits in the seat the fault is not displayed. This was not a software update and the sensor was faulty and could cause the airbags not to go off. The sensor was faulty in the seat but because we were out of warranty we had to pay for the repair. Clearly they have seen this issue and said it was not a recall but a bulletins and bulletins were a caution, they made us pay for the repair.
Apr 22, 2025
The passenger seat belt no longer latches. The mechanism that pushes out the pin to hold the belt in is no longer working.
Dec 29, 2024
+ 2 more complaints for this component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
6 complaints
SAFETY CONCERN: for kids getting trapped in rear doors with no manual release in the rear of my 2022 Tesla model 3. Only the front has a manual release which is not practical for two kids in the back.
Sep 18, 2025
pedestrian warning system has failed for a second time. speaker was replaced once already. presents safety issue to pedestrians (this displays an error that it is not working, the error also states that the horn may not work, however this is for newer cars that do not have separate horns and PWS speaker) Horns are intermittent in functionality, sometimes high or low tone only works, other times no horn sounds, this is a separate device from the PWS speaker, there is no error message shown for this when the PWS is functioning as intended
Aug 22, 2025
Rodents Chew on Car Wires Consequences of Rodent Damage: Malfunctioning Components: Chewed wires can lead to a variety of problems, including issues with the engine, lights, sensors, and other electrical components. Expensive Repairs: Repairing or replacing damaged wiring harnesses can be costly, potentially running into the thousands of dollars. Safety Hazards: Damaged wiring can pose safety risks, potentially causing electrical shorts, fires, or malfunctions while driving.
May 19, 2025
Rear view camera display sometimes just a blank screen, other times delayed by 2-15 seconds. Has been in for service 3 times and Tesla Service will either say could not duplicate or acknowledge problem, but not repair. Seems like a widespread Tesla problem, but no resolution as of yet.
Feb 05, 2024
My tesla stopped on me in the middle of the interstate because the car thought it was not charged. Tesla assured me that the vehicle was fixed. A few weeks later the car started telling me again that it thinks it is not charged. Tesla is not providing no solution on what the problem is. This vehicle is a major highway hazard because it can stop suddenly with no warning.
Nov 17, 2023
+ 1 more complaint for this component
VISIBILITY
6 complaints
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that after having a software update completed on the vehicle, while the defroster was activated, the windshield failed to clear up as needed. The contact stated that the heater also failed to operate as needed. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact learned of a recall for the failure however, the contact was unable to confirm if the VIN was previously included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the next repair was not covered under the recall. The failure mileage was 83,000.
Feb 20, 2025
* The AC/Heat Pump Compressor and Supermanifold has failed at 64k miles. Vehicle is undrivable and parked at this time. * AC/Heat Pump Compressor and Supermanifold prevents the windshield from being cleared/defrosted/defogged, causing visibility issues and a danger to myself and others. * Vehicle remotely diagnosed and quote received totalling $3047.52 to repair the issue. * Components have not been removed from the vehicle yet. * There were no warnings prior to the failure of the AC/Heat Pump Compressor and Supermanifold.
Feb 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, she noticed that the driver’s side window would activate while the vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that window would roll down independently. There was no warning prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed about NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V702000 (Visibility). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to parts not being available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,812. Parts distribution disconnect.
Feb 24, 2023
2022 TESLA MODEL 3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 22V-702.
Jan 04, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that within the first week of purchasing the vehicle, he noticed that the front driver's side window would independently lower upon opening the front driver's side door. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred with the rear driver's side window and the front and rear passenger's side windows. The contact stated that the windows would lower when opening the doors and would roll up when closing the doors. The contact later received recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V702000 (Visibility), however, the parts were not available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200.
Dec 01, 2022
+ 1 more complaint for this component
AIR BAGS
6 complaints
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the contact heard an audible chime. The contact stated that the message "Driver Side Safety Restraint System Fault" was displayed. Additionally, the passenger’s side air bag warning light intermittently illuminated and after a week remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by the service App. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.
Oct 22, 2024
VIN #: [XXX] INCIDENT: COLLISION – FAULTY SAFETY AIRBAG EQUIPMENT DATE OF INCIDENT: 09/04/23; TIME: 22:07:33 SUMMARY ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 VEHICLE WAS HEADING WEST ON ARROW HWY UPLAND PASSING 5TH STREET IN UPLAND, CA. VEHICLE PROCEDED WITH GREEN LIGHT. 2ND PARTY HEADED EASTBOUND ON TWO WAY STREET OF ARROW HWY COLLIDED WITH PARKED VAN. 2ND PARTY RICOCHETED FROM INITIAL COLLISION WITH PARKED VAN AND THEN COLLIDED WITH TESLA FRONT DRIVER SIDE. 2ND PARTY WAS HEADING NORTHBOUND WITH SPEED AND WRECKED ALL VEHICLES IMPACTED. THE SENSORS OF THE VEHICLE ONLY REPORTED TIRE PRESSURE AND NO OTHER SENSORS AS INDICATED IN TESLA MOBILE APP. TIRE AXLE LEFT VEHICLE DAMAGED AND UNABLE TO DRIVE. UPON TOW REMOVAL FROM THE SCENE, VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE MANEUVERED BY USE OF THE STEERING WHEEL AS THE COLLISION IMPACT DAMAGED THE UNIT. DUE TO FAULTY SAFETY EQUIPMENT, TESLA AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT AND DID NOT ACTIVATE OR DETECT THE COLLISION. COLLISSION RESULTED IN ENTIRE FRONT DRIVER’S SIDE TO BE WRECKED. AS A RESULT OF THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING, PASSENGERS SUFFER FROM SUSTAINING INJURIES. DRIVER AND THREE (3) ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS SAUGHT MEDICAL HELP, TESTING AND XRAYS FROM E.D WITHIN 48 HOURS FROM THE ACCIDENT. PASSENGERS CONTINUE TO SEEK MEDICAL HELP DUE TO ACCIDENT. FARMERS’ ADJUSTER STATES VEHICLE IS SETTING AS A TOTAL LOSS DUE THE COLLISSION FROM 2ND PARTY. VEHICLE RECORDING OF ACCIDENT AVAILABLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Oct 02, 2023
My 2022 Tesla Model 3 was hit on a highway from behind the car with 100 mph , the car spun multiple times and hit the guard rail. The Car Rear and front side was heavily damaged due to the impact but the Air bags were not deployed. The Car is declared total loss. The car is less than a year old and does not have any issues. Police report says that the Car Air bags are not deployed. There are no warning sign or any failures before the crash. I want to bring this incident ( Tesla AirBags for Model 3) to you attention as this is a Safety and risk to other drivers driving the same car.Also, i do have the Crash report if required.
May 26, 2023
Vehicle was involved in a side collision on the driver side while stationary. Was hit by a 44 seat school bus traveling at or near highway speeds. Side Curtain Airbags failed to deploy, drivers side front, passenger side front, passenger side rear, driver side rear. Vehicle could be available for inspection, is currently being held by insurance adjuster but unsure where. When collision happened it caused head trauma with the window and window frame that could have ended up in death or severe cervical spine trauma. Manufacturer does not acknowledge issue with airbag system. Have not been able to get the manufacturer to respond to requests to look at the vehicle. Insurance adjuster took photos but does not have the tools necessary to inspect the airbag system to my understanding. Police did not inspect. No warnings lights or errors. Had a Tesla service representative out days before to run diagnostics on car for a separate issue.
Dec 27, 2022
The SRS indicator will come on and stay on. From my research there has been many other Teslas with same issue resulting in the chair having to be replaced at owner cost when out of warranty. This is a safety system that is known to be faulty so Tesla is obligated to fix it for whoever has this issue. Just adding a report so a recall happens. Mine is still under warranty so I’m fine.
Nov 09, 2022
+ 1 more complaint for this component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
6 complaints
When we're traveling on the highway at 55 mph plus and have cruise control engaged, the car will unexpectedly and suddenly brake for no reason. The problem is happening more often. This has even happened when there are vehicles behind us, but thank God they were not following closely. We may end up with whiplash, or worse, being rearended. We have complained to Tesla at least 3 times since February 2022 about this problem. The first time, they changed the front camera and said they thought that might help. It didn't. The next time, the service dept. said that there was no fix for the problem, but Tesla was working on it. Most recently in April 2023, the service tech., said there was no fix and he did not expect that there would be one anytime soon. This is unacceptable.
May 09, 2023
I’ve only had my car for 2 days and have had 6-7 phantom braking issues. First day I was driving home from KC, MO after picking up my new car. 4 random stops with the brakes. Some as we approach a (under) bridge, some the top of a hill. Is it falsely detecting radiant heat as an object? Second day same thing, but on new software update (6-25-22). Shorter trip, so fewer incidents. I recall one where no cars were in from of us and there was some asphalt patches on concrete highway. This triggered emergency brakes again.
Jun 26, 2022
Three times in 15 minutes during my road trip, while driving in autopilot my car braked for no reason with no obstruction. Fortunately, no one was hurt or injured but it could have caused major issues if there was more traffic.
Jun 24, 2022
While driving at high speed on a freeway the car started braking without driver touching the brake pedal. Adaptive cruise control and lane departure were on. Fortunately no one was following close or it could have cause a serious accident. This happened twice on one day.
Jun 04, 2022
2022 Tesla Model 3 Long Range. As already known the Tesla Model 3 has the issue of "Phantom Braking". Now that I have a $65,000 for 3 days I am very angry and concerned about the phantom braking. Here are some details. Within 10 minutes of initiating Autopilot or Cruise Control the vehicle brakes without any reason when driving highway or freeway speeds (I did not try it on city roads). For the most part the vehicle unexpectedly decelerates 2-5 mph. Although, it is just a little bit it makes for a very unpleasant ride. However, it happens repeatedly. And this happens all the time when Autopilot or cruise control is activated. I counted 5 occasions of phantom braking within less than 3 minutes. The last of those 5 was an unexpected and heart stopping deceleration from 84mph down to 52 mph in less than 2 seconds. This can really give you a heart attack because it is very unexpected. You cannot even drive 10 miles without this happening. There wasn't even a car in front of me for at least 1 mile. So no reason whatsoever for this braking "maneuver". Since I have read about this issue I only (if even) try cruise control or autopilot when there is no vehicle behind me within 1 mile to avoid someone rear ending me. But still.....it is a serious safety issue. One, because of following traffic rear ending the vehicle and second it is really HEART STOPPING when for no reason, out of the blue your vehicle decelerates very HARD. Thank you.
Feb 25, 2022
+ 1 more complaint for this component
LANE DEPARTURE
4 complaints
teslas have blind spot monitor cameras that activate when the turn signal is activated as a turn left or right. there seems to be a noticeable delay on older cars with intel processors where the cameras take longer to display on the screen in split second manuvers and lane changes that can lead to accidents
Oct 21, 2025
The central computer in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 failed unexpectedly. This is a critical component that controls essential vehicle functions, including safety alerts, battery management, regenerative braking, Autopilot features, navigation, and over-the-air updates. The failure makes the vehicle unsafe to operate. The car is only 2–3 years old, and such a major systems failure in such a short time frame suggests a defect or premature failure in a component that is expected to last the life of the vehicle. Tesla has not offered a remedy despite this being a safety-critical system. I believe this failure presents a serious safety risk to myself and others on the road and should be investigated.
Sep 10, 2025
Vehicle was being moved across the parking lot in Summon mode. It crossed a parking aisle and went into the next aisle, striking a parked vehicle with a passenger inside.
Jun 12, 2023
On a recent round trip between Reno and Salt Lake City on I-80 over the July 4th weekend I experienced several incidents (3 incidents driving from Reno to SLC and 5 incidents on the return trip) while using Tesla Autopilot where the car suddenly slowed from the posted speed limit of 75 or 80 mph to approximately 45-50 mph for no apparent reason. Both legs of the trip occurred in clear weather with light to no traffic and there was no type of warning preceding each of the events. I have used Autopilot for limited periods around the Bay Area without incident prior to this trip and this was the first extended road trip I have taken with the car.
Jul 07, 2022
WHEELS
4 complaints
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while approaching the vehicle, the tire was abnormally low. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who discovered a crack in the wheel, resulting in damages to the tire. The contact was informed that the wheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance because the wheels were not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was 20,000.
Sep 22, 2025
Vehicle steered erratically into a curb while FSD was enabled, causing damage to the rear passenger wheel and tire.
May 15, 2024
I ran over an object in the road too small to see. The tire burst and went flat. The burst also created a hole in the wheel itself. The alloy/material from which the wheel is constructed was not strong enough to keep a hole from being created when the tire burst
Mar 15, 2023
I am reporting this incident on behalf of our daughter who lost her husband in this Tesla 3 single-car accident. Photographs of what I believe is a failed left front wheel are attached. Sample pieces of the wheel are not in my possession. The accident occurred on a clear day in the late afternoon on a dry stretch of narrow, unlined road that was in a degree of disrepair. Video from the front camera of the vehicle does not indicate a high rate of speed prior to the final minute, which is not captured on the vehicle flash drive. (The flashdrive or specific video minutes can be submitted at your request.) The first reponder and witness at the scene of the accident described the vehicle approaching and accelerating very rapidly toward an impending curve. The sound of the acceleration frightened his children who were playing in the front yard. The witness indicated hearing a loud bang prior to the vehicle lifting up on its left side before exiting the road and hitting a tree resulting in the instantaneous death of the driver who was alone in the car. Although the driver had attended a bourbon festival prior to the incident, witnesses who participated with him and others who spoke with him after the fest and prior to the accident indicated no impairment in speech or movement. Component part photographs and accident report are included with this report. You will notice there is no apparent damage to the tire. A claim was registered with State Farm Automobile Insurance Company, which is attached, as well. State Farm Claims indicating that the vehicle associated with the referenced complaint is on hold at Insurance Auto Auction and available for review.
Jun 20, 2022
STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE
4 complaints
I took my car to Tesla service to have 3 tires changed. On the drive home for the service, the car automatically pulled the to right several times with the final time pulling so hard, the car jumped the curb and damaged the car. Speaking with the Tesla service associate after the accident, they admitted that they did not complete alignment of the tires and that the automatic lane correction mechanism uses the alignment to gauge if it should correct or not. Tesla service will not take responsibility for causing the issue.
Jul 13, 2025
Making a 90 degree right turn at an intersection traveling approximately 15 mph, my steering wheel suddenly got very stiff and unresponsive. This caused me to travel into the oncoming lane of traffic before wrestling the very stiff steering wheel back under control. This condition persisted for the rest of my drive home, accompanied by “Steering assist reduced” and “lane assist keep unavailable” error messages. This incident luckily did not result in an accident but easily could have if it happened at the wrong moment.
Jun 25, 2024
The steering wheel locked up while I was driving. I was driving on a country road and the road didn't have any painted lane stripes and the car got a lane departure warning and the steering wheel pull me hard to the left, I almost got out of the road and on the way of a incoming vehicle, I break and pulled hard to the right and managed to pull to the side. When I got into a complete stop I checked all the settings, I turned off the late departure Assistant and the steering wheel was still locked. There is no on or off button on the car so I walked away from the car, the car locked and unlocked to get back in and the steering wheel was back to normal. It was very scary, lucky I was driving slowly and I wasn't around heavy traffic.
Jun 02, 2024
Louisiana 425 North. Inside lane. Yellow line remained solid on my left. There wer no striped lines for the car to follow to continue straight as we approached on Full self driving. At highway speed the car veered into the turn lane. I immediately took control and prevented encountering the embankment. Dangerous situation. Tesla did what it was supposed to do. Louisiana highway engineers not so much. I have never encountered this in any of the other six states I have driven in. Tesla FSD will always stay in the lane if there are striped lines for it to follow on the outside of the lane,eg, when passing exit ramps. Thanks
Oct 04, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
4 complaints
My car just made 50k and is out of warranty and the headlight fail. I contacted Tesla and they quote $1800 to fix it. When I went on the internet and found out that this is very common and seems to be a bad design. Can you do anything so they redesign and recall so we consumers are not ripped off by Tesla? I know is a long shot now that Elon is running the government but I have nowhere else to complain. Thank you
Feb 06, 2025
i was driving after dark on a country highway with my wife. She was choosing music while I was driving. An oncoming car went by and afterwards I flipped to high beams... at the exact same moment she tapped to play a song on the display. Turns out the skip/play songs menu is exactly where the headlight adjust menu pops up when you switch from high to low beams. This caused her to turn the headlights off on the car while we were travelling at highway speeds. This causes an obvious significant safety risk because of a poorly thought-out UI design and could cause a crash very easily. I am including two photos of the UI problem one with music playing, and the second popup for headlight control when the light beam is changed from low-beams to high-beams.
Jun 27, 2024
My car is less than two months NEW. The headlight assembly, which includes blinker and running light, has been defective and not working for over a month. NO blinker, no headlight, no running light. This is a safety issue and can be issued a traffic citation, yet Tesla has NOT repaired/replaced this part.
Feb 23, 2022
Less than a month after I purchased my car, the whole diver's side headlight assembly stopped functioning, no blinker, no headlight, no running light. It's been over a month and Tesla keeps moving my service appointment to a later date. Tesla states it's a part issue, yet you continue to build cars with headlights ignoring current customers. I still have no working Headlight assembly.
Feb 14, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
4 complaints
On 19 July 2023 at approximately 4am in the morning, while with my wife traveling north on I-95, I was driving approximately 77 mph and my 2022 Tesla Model 3 SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. I had several cars directly behind me that had to slam on brakes and perform other evasive driving maneuvers as well. Luckily my reaction time was quick enough for me to SLAM ON THE ACCELERTOR to avoid a very serious wreck and pile up. This is the 3rd time this has happened but thankfully the first 2 times I did not have traffic directly behind me. Although I paid an extra $6000 for the Enhanced Auto Pilot, I do not use it, as I am now scared to death of this car at highway speeds. On the night/morning of 19 July, I was on just regular cruise control. The very next day (20 July) I applied for an appointment with the local Tesla Service Center here in the Richmond VA area. After a couple days, and I had not taken the car in yet, Tesla sent me a message and informed "that I am NOT to bring the car in." I have not heard from them since then... and today is 5 August 2023. Respectfully request that you weigh in to either get me a Refund for this car, or in some way restore my confidence in it. I am scared to ever put this car on the highway again. THANK YOU.
Aug 05, 2023
My car was set on navigate on autopilot, and normally it decreases speed when detecting change in speed limit. But for last couple of times, it's been not decreasing speed. On july 4th, 2023, I was driving and it did not change the speed limit based on the changes on the road. The speed limit had changed from 60 to 55, and it didn't change in the car. Also, Tesla just abruptly slowed down multiple times without any warning. There's no obstruction in the road, but it just keeps slowing down without a reason. Like the speed limit would be 45, and it's slowed down to 20. The car ahead is faster, and no one is walking across. it's just random.
Jul 06, 2023
Car will brake for no reason at all. Hazardous for any cars behind the vehicle when it randomly brakes.
Feb 23, 2022
Phantom Braking - Severe, very large number of instances since taking delivery of this auto in December 2021. Severe risk of rear-end collision should this occur when being followed closely. This occurs very often. On a 13 mile drive this morning, 2/19/2022, phantom braking occurred 12 times. The Tesla repair center repeatedly cancels an appointment made to address this issue, stating that 'it's normal for this to occur. Remember, autopilot is a Beta function'. The one time that I was able to have the vehicle seen by the repair center, this is what I was told. Warning chimes do sound. However, this extreme braking is unsafe, and could possibly result in loss of control if it occurs on slippery roads.
Feb 19, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
4 complaints
When driving on the interstate this morning our Tesla suddenly and aggressively applied the brakes. This happened many times. There was absolutely nothing near us. These were empty stretches of highway, These incidents were jarring, both emotionally and physically. We were fortunate that there were no cars near us, especially behind us. This has happened before driving around town but it was less dramatic because our speed was slower than on the highway, We thought maybe we had to get used to the car, This is our first highway trip. We’ve been on the road for 3-4 hours and it has occurred 8 or 9 times. We called Tesla to report it. They said they rarely hear this complaint, upon researching it we see that this is a known issue with our year and model but nothing is being done. The research says you are “investigating”. Tesla owners need to be told that this issue is under investigation. I’m Sure it is hugely underreported. Will it take personal injuries to get some action? At the very least Tesla owners need to told to be aware and to report any incidences of this random extremely dangerous breaking out of the blue. I am requesting a personal reply to this concern and compliant: [XXX]@yahoo.com and [XXX]@gmail.com. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”
Jun 11, 2022
I purchased my Tesla Model 3 six months ago and I have experienced the phantom braking event while on autopilot four times that I can recall. The most recent occurrence was this past Saturday afternoon, May 28th, 2022 southbound on I-35W around 2pm . I was driving on a clear sunny day and there was no traffic in front of me. There was a white pickup truck behind me about 5-10 car lengths. While traveling on auto-pilot at 70mph the car suddenly slammed on the brakes and created a situation where the truck behind me could have rear ended my vehicle if I had not disengaged the autopilot quickly. The forward collision warning sensor did not activate indicating any type of potential collision risk. The vehicle simply slammed on the brakes and decelerated from 70 to about 35mph before I could get the autopilot disengaged by tapping the brakes and taking manual control of the vehicle. This was by far the most startling incident but it has occurred on more than one occasion.
Jun 04, 2022
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at 40-60 MPH and making a turn using the self-driving mode, the brake pedal was depressed. However, the vehicle accelerated inadvertently at a higher speed. The contact depressed the brake pedal several times but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle crashed into the front passenger's side door of another occupied vehicle. The air bags deployed. The contact briefly lost consciousness. The contact sustained soreness on the nose, the throat, the upper back shoulders, and increasingly on the back. Additionally, the contact sustained emotional trauma. The contact stated that she was in the process of seeking medical assistance. The two passengers occupying the front driver's seat and the front passenger's seat of the other vehicle sought medical assistance. There was no further information provided. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 3,500.
May 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60-70 MPH, the vehicle independently stopped without warning. Also, while driving approximately 80 MPH, the vehicle decelerated independently to 20 MPH abruptly. The contact stated there was an abnormal beeping alert prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where they informed him, they were waiting for a firmware update. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Tesla (9140 E Independence Blvd, Matthews, NC 28105. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 7,826.
Feb 18, 2022
VISIBILITY/WIPER
3 complaints
This car uses auto-dimming rear view and side mirrors. However, the rear view mirror is only able to be dimmed automatically, or be disabled in the settings. The issue is that the dimming is not based on a light sensor at all, it is merely timed to dim around 30 minutes after sunset and return to normal 30 minutes before sunrise. I have confirmed this timing on many drives and it is repeatable. The safety concern is that there is no way to manually dim the rear view mirror, which is a big issue around sunrise and sunset when cars headlights turn on before the mirrors dim. This is especially an issue with larger trucks behind a sedan like my Model 3. The only option I have to fight the blinding glare from headlights is to manually move my mirror so that I can no longer see out of the rear window, which makes lane changes much more dangerous.
Dec 02, 2025
On 10/9/23 and prior on 9/17/22 while driving the windshield wiper blades will activate while there is no rain or water on windshield It will go on for several minutes which impairs visibility through the front windshield making it difficult to drive
Oct 10, 2023
Cabin heat and defroster not working. Blower works, but no heat, so windshield cannot defrost or defog - Car can be made available for inspection. Makes driving the car difficult and risky in cold weather. Tesla is aware of the problem. Nobody has inspected it. A warning light did come on, saying that heat was not working. Plus, Teslas service is ridiculous. This is a warranty issue, but I am going to have to get the car from about three hours away. This is not reasonable.
Dec 29, 2022
STRUCTURE
3 complaints
The 2022 Model 3 Tesla does not have readily available emergency rear door release. Tesla's automated response to me was to locate the bolts and screws on the underside of the door armrest, then I need to remove the bolts and screw. Once that is done I can then remove the panel under the armrest so I can then reach inside and pull on the manual release cable. This could not be done during an emergency, you would need to have tools and in an emergency people panic and they would have to do everything by feel if they are trapped in the backseat of the Model 3 Tesla. This is a life safety hazard and needs to be addressed by Tesla to provide a fix that will allow easy access and not require tools to open the door if there is no power to the door release. This needs to investigated and corrective actions taken to make Tesla comply with changes for safety.
Oct 14, 2025
The power lift‑gate strut PN 1551489‑00‑B failed, bent inward, and shattered the rear glass on 16 May 2025. A known defect: Tesla superseded the part to PN 1551488‑00‑C in Oct 2023. Local Tesla Service center declined goodwill coverage to resolve the issue.
May 16, 2025
The vehicle was sitting in my driveway during a lower than normal temperature (18 defrees f). The car ha d ot moved at all due to snow fall around the area. The car was warmed up with the automatic function and a U shaped crack appeared in the windshield almost fully closing on itself and there was a crack along the bottom of the windshield. There were no prior chips or issues. The window was since fixed but I feel this is a warranty issue. The windshield shouldn't just crack like that in cold weather.
Jan 27, 2024
SUSPENSION
3 complaints
Front and rear suspension bushings wear and rip at very low mileage
Jan 19, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Oct 23, 2024
The right front passenger side suspension started squeaking at 22586 miles. Service center replaced lower lateral links on 7/1/24. Repair did not fix the squeaking sound. Service center could not replicate the issue until a test drive with myself and a tech on 9/20/24 and made me make a third appointment for repair. On 10/16/24 the service center said the control arm was failing, but did not think it would be covered under warranty. A quick internet search turned up lawsuits, hundreds of complaints, and crashes resulting from failing control arms.
Oct 16, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
3 complaints
The Tesla model 3 from the factory does not have the option to get the trailer mode safety software. Aftermarket suppliers make and sell class 2/3 hitches for the model 3. And while the model 3 is not rated for towing. People still have the tow hitches installed and they tow trailers. The model Y with the tow package has what is called “trailer mode” which enables safety features for towing that allows the vehicle to do several things for safety while towing: - it adjusts the wheel braking and speed stability. - It routs to “pull through” charging stations for safe charging without having to unnecessarily and repeatedly unhook trailers. - auto steer, automatic steering, emergency braking, and following distance is all adjusted to account for the trailer and its weight. - light check, checking for functional trailer lighting. The Model Y that does not get the factory tow hitch does not get this tow package software. If you get the tow hitch added afterwards on the model Y or aftermarket, Tesla does not provide this safety enhanced software. The model 3 does not get this safety software regardless. And yet people are able to install after market tow hitches I believe Tesla should be required to offer the towing software to the Model Y base and Model 3 regardless if the vehicle it tow rated or not because the safety of the vehicle when towing is a necessity. I don’t think it should matter if they charge money or offer it free so long as you can have this trailer mode software option added for safety. Because people are going to tow with their cars. A lot of people don’t follow manufacturer recommendations. And U-Haul trailer rental among many other providers offers tow hitch installations and rents trailers to people with Tesla’s. So the easiest thing is to require Tesla to provide this safety enhancement to every vehicle and not just the model Y “if it gets the tow package from the factory.”
May 12, 2024
complete shutdown or blanking screen while driving causing GOD knows what is working and what not. definitely driver won't know his/her speed, car systems status like blinker, auto pilot,...etc until the system comes back to become available. 1st time this happened, Tesla sent me its service mobile service person who mentioned that he could not find anything wrong and if it happened again he will schedule the car for an in-house service center appointment for the main computer unit to be replaced. When the incident happened again Tesla scheduled the service appointment but after inspection the report came back that this is a recurring incident in many teslas and require a firmware update! Service report attached (Job number 4 and 5)
Mar 31, 2023
I was hit by a woman driving a Tesla with autopilot turned on. The system did not detect the red light, and she hit the right front quarter panel of my vehicle, totally my vehicle. The autopilot system malfunctioned and should have detected both the red light and the collision which was likely to occur. To my knowledge, the vehicle is in the control of either the driver's insurance company or the Police.
Aug 08, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
3 complaints
The contact owned a 2022 Telsa Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at 18 MPH, the vehicle veered to the right hitting an electrical pole. The contact stated neither the autopilot nor cruise control was set to on, and the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated it happened so fast he was unable to depress the brake pedal in time. No warning lights were illuminated and the air bags in the vehicle failed to deploy. The contact sustained a knee injury and later received medical attention at an urgent care. However, the contact stated he was traumatized from the crash. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,372.
Feb 13, 2024
the window is opening alone
Feb 24, 2023
Driving like normal, using autopilot on the highway when I got an alert ‘Automatic Emergency Braking is disabled’, and the autopilot stopped working. Made a service appointment with tesla, but it’s scheduled for June 20, so thought this might help…
Jun 08, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER
2 complaints
While driving, the center display intermittently goes completely black. When this occurs, I lose access to the speedometer and all driver information. The issue has been ongoing and progressively worsening. The vehicle was purchased new. The issue was reported during the warranty period and initially attributed to software updates. A recent service visit confirmed the vehicle computer is failing, and the issue immediately recurred after pickup. Loss of speed and driver information while driving creates a safety concern.
Dec 26, 2025
Shortly after purchasing my 2022 Tesla Model 3 RWD in February 2025, I began noticing a persistent musty, mold-like odor coming from the HVAC vents whenever the air conditioning or defrost was on. The odor worsens when driving with the windows down. I reported this issue to Tesla multiple times between May and October 2025. Tesla replaced the cabin filters but refused to perform a full evaporator or HVAC disinfection, stating the odor was “normal.” Despite the filter changes, the smell always returns within a few weeks. Between these visits, I also tried to resolve the issue myself by replacing filters, using odor-eliminating products, and placing moisture absorbers inside the vehicle, but nothing has resolved the problem. This ongoing issue has led to repeated respiratory and eye irritation, including a documented pneumonia case in April 2025. The symptoms clearly worsen after time spent in the car. Tesla has not offered any permanent fix, warranty repair, or replacement. The problem appears to stem from mold or microbial buildup within the HVAC evaporator and duct system, which could affect air quality and occupant health. This raises safety concerns regarding possible HVAC design flaws or moisture retention issues that may affect other Tesla vehicles. The issue is ongoing as of November 2025 and has been reported to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS Case #2511-00831) for further review.
Nov 05, 2025
AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS
2 complaints
Passenger safety restraint system fault error appears on and off without any correlation to driving conditions or passenger presence. This error is potentially deadly since it will cause the passenger airbag not to deploy in an accident.
May 02, 2025
car has a passenger safety restraint fault, got quote to replace a sensor for $455 parts and labor. when reading online, this appears to be a common failure in these vehicles and if you don't get repaired, air bags / seat belt restraint may not work properly. seems like should be a recall for this.
Oct 16, 2024
STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER
2 complaints
Dear NHTSA, I am filing a formal complaint regarding Tesla's refusal to properly address a critical safety recall on my vehicle (Recall Number 24V554). This recall involves a significant safety issue that Tesla is legally obligated to remedy free of charge under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. The required over-the-air software update associated with this recall repeatedly fails to install, getting stuck at 50% completion. I scheduled a service appointment and took the vehicle to Tesla for assistance. However, Tesla informed me that they will not diagnose the issue or investigate why their software update fails to install unless I agree to pay $255.00 for a general diagnosis. Additionally, they require me to pre-approve a total of $2,658.28, including the diagnostic fee, in case the computer needs to be replaced. This approach leaves me unable to proceed with a mandatory safety recall and directly contradicts Tesla’s legal obligation to repair safety-related defects at no cost to the consumer. I urge the NHTSA to investigate Tesla's practices concerning this recall and their apparent refusal to adhere to their obligations under the law. This situation raises concerns about Tesla’s commitment to addressing safety-critical issues in a manner that ensures public safety and compliance with federal regulations. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Jan 16, 2025
Tesla model 3 2022 rear side windows shattered all of a sudden with no other accidents. My 6 year old girl was sitting in the car next to it and we are all in a shock . We are trying to find the right way to report to Tesla . We checked online and saw more blog posts with same issue . Please help.
Apr 09, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE
2 complaints
This incident is the result of poor operation of safety warning and navigation systems in a Tesla Model 3 leading to an accident. I rented a Tesla Model 3 from Hertz at Seattle Tacoma airport. At a traffic light I followed navigation directions making a left turn into Southcenter Mall in Tukwila WA. This turn placed me in the direction of a Subaru which hit me in the driver side rear side. The Tesla safely warning visual and audible system did not activate as designed. I owned a similar Tesla Model 3 at the time and was very familiar with its operation. The navigation and collision warning systems in this rental vehicle did not in any way act or engage like my personal vehicle, and therefore I was placed in a dangerous situation causing an accident to occur. This was a low speed accident, as I was beginning to accelerate after the light turned green, with sufficient time for the systems to react and provide warning, which they did not. I was not cited in the accident. This may be a Hertz maintenance issue or a Tesla issue I'm not sure. I am loading both the Tukwila Police report and Hertz accident summary which contradict: Please note the Hertz report is correct in the Subaru hitting me and the damage on the left side
Dec 18, 2024
My Tesla has the latest update which includes the latest recall: 2023.44.30.5.1 08a3a7856854 I have discovered that the blind spot detection is intermittent, the red line indicator does not always work. This resulted in an accident where I changed lanes into another vehicle. I thought it was clear because the vehicle safety system didn’t properly indicate to me that it wasn’t. The right front of a Land Rover SUV contacted with my left rear fender above my left rear wheel. After the accident I have decided to check the blind spot indicator as I realized it cannot be trusted, and the vehicle behind you in the lane next to you can be at your rear corner and the car will 50/50 not report a car is there, and not give the red “unsafe” indicator. There were times a vehicle was side by side with me and the blind spot indicator did not light up at all. There are also times the side camera is either black with no image or with a delayed/frozen image when using the turn signal. The side fender cameras also fails to accurately show vehicle distance at night as they have excessive glair on the live view when changing lanes. However afterwards the dash cam recording on the HDD is crystal clear. Which means the live view with turn signal lacks the clarity required to be safe to use when driving. Either Software or hardware or both is lacking in keeping safety features functional. Recall? I believe Tesla should have another recall issued to address these problems. To make it safe for changing lanes by correcting the intermittent blind spot detection. By making the turn signal fender camera crystal clear for drivers when changing lanes. And by increasing the distance allowed before the blind spot detection says it’s safe to change lanes. And upgrading computer hardware to stop the lag and keep safety systems operational. Again this resulted in me changing lanes into another vehicle. I thought it was clear according to my cars safety features. It was not clear.
Jan 08, 2024
LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
2 complaints
Tesla needs to be required to implement trailer mode to all model 3/Y vehicles (not just those equipped with a tow hitch from the factory) because the basic autopilot and existing safety software does not correctly identify when the vehicle is towing a trailer. Legal Aftermarket tow hitch installations exist for small trailers, such as U-Haul trailer. However Tesla does not recognize these aftermarket installs. And Tesla needs to be required to add the required trailer software mode for vehicles with aftermarket hitches to provide the required safety software when towing. It is needed because of the cars emergency braking, collision avoidance, navigation, and autopilot modes need to know that a trailer is connected so that the vehicle software does not make an unsafe maneuver depending on the driving situation/condition.
Dec 07, 2024
Forward collision avoidance system triggered 4 separate times in a 70 minute/60 mile drive on a stretch of highway and rural roads. The highway consists of 40 miles of divided and undivided highway, with up to 2 lanes per side. Occasionally, the undivided section has center turning lanes. Junctions and turnoffs are common. 3 incidents of forward collision detection automatic braking were triggered by semi trucks in the oncoming lanes on 1 lane per side undivided highway. The vehicle automatically applied the brakes, taking the vehicle from roughly 60mph to 30mph quickly during each instance. The trucks were not particularly close, nor were they appearing to leave their lane into mine. The 4th automatic braking incident occurred seemingly randomly on a rural, undivided 1 lane per side state road. All of these had the potential to cause an accident if I were being closely followed. All incidents occurred using the Autopilot cruise control feature. The auto steer lane keeping feature was activated for at least 1 of the 1st 3 events, but I do not recall which. In all of these instances, the vehicle did not perform any other evasive maneuvers. The 1st, 2nd, and 4th incidents were completely unexpected. The 3rd occurred during a particularly narrow, curvy section of undivided highway, which we were actively anticipating. Due to a configuration issue, the onboard dashcam was not functioning during these events and no video of these events was recorded. This vehicle is expected to go into the service center late December for this and other trim quality issues. Customer service indicated interest in these events and advised me to file bug reports when these occur. For issues with lane keeping, the autopilot auto steer feature regularly under-steered during most curves (narrow canyon driving) and often strayed closer to the lanes to the left of me than I would under my control.
Dec 04, 2021
SEATS
2 complaints
Got this warning on my tesla model 3. Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault will get it fixed at appt on monday Had the exact same issue on our Model Y. Also happened to my friend's tesla. It is all over the internet. I think a recall should be issued and the warranty extended to ten years for this issue on all existing teslas
Oct 10, 2024
ISSUE BACK OF FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS DURING A REAR END COLLISION. CAR TOTALED. On December 4. 2023 we were rear ended while stopped at red. The van that hit us was doing 40 MPH, when it hit the Tesla we were driving. The two front seat backs collapsed backwards. As the driver and because of the seat collapsing backwards I suffered a fractured BACK and have spent the last six plus months in a cervical thoracic brace which we are still in.
Jun 21, 2024
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
2 complaints
Vehicle suddenly and violently lost power to its front drive units while driving steady on neighborhood street at low speed, <25 mph. Vehicle shuddered to a stop, then put itself in park, rendering it immovable in the middle of the street. Vehicle indicated a critical failure on its screen. Vehicle towed to Tesla service center. Vehicle had front drive unit inverter and pyro fuse replaced. No prior indication or errors before the failure.
Jun 12, 2024
I was manually driving my Tesla Model 3 on the interstate when without warning the car stopped in the middle of the interstate. The entire car locked up and I was unable to turn the wheel or even get it back into gear. I even tried to put on the hazards but the car just completely died. When the vehicle stopped it was at 60% charge on the battery. I sat in panic thinking I was going to get rear ended by the highway traffic. I called for police to come out and cut off traffic. They also had a tow truck company come and tow the vehicle to a local Tesla service center. This was a very dangerous incident because the normally on the interstate vehicles travel at high speeds. I was fortunate that it was rush hour traffic so cars were moving slower than usual and the car behind me was not following closely on my bumper. Tesla indicated that the failure I experience is not normal and that it was just a matter of bad luck that my car stopped like this suddenly. According to them a controller stopped reading in the car so it just shut the car down, but they are not completely sure this was the main problem or if there is another system issue in the vehicle. As well they have not communicated what would cause the computer system to think a controller is missing. Tesla trespassed and delivered the vehicle to my property essentially experimenting with my safety and of others if they identified the issue.
Oct 03, 2023
SEAT BELTS,SEATS
2 complaints
The seat weight sensors are failing in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 Long Range.” Multiple sensors are malfunctioning including the seat/seatbelt & forcing the car to stay on/act occupied. In addition, if the seat is unoccupied and unbuckled - safety warning & systems are triggering- and I have no idea what type of behavior this may cause (preventative breaking/accident prevention). I am concerned for my safety due to this seatbelt system malfunctioning.
Jun 07, 2024
When seat is wet or damp (from a wet water bottle or sweat), passenger restraint light comes on and system is confirmed to not work properly when that happens.
Jul 15, 2022
BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
2 complaints
Tesla summons was used to summons the car. Vehicle drove forward as directed and failed to clear car on left when pulling out of the parking space to go left. Vision systems and ultrasonic sensors failed to detect and perform safety measures resulting in vehicle collision.
May 14, 2024
Ghost forward collision warnings appear from time to time even tho there is no one in front of the vehicle. Sometimes when the vehicle in front of me is turning left/right the collision warning will alarm me of possible impact even tho there was no real threat for anything to happen. Also, it happens when you want to park behind a parked vehicle (it happened to me today) and alerted me of a possible crash, while i was crawling to park. I wouldn't mind these ghost warnings, but since I am using Tesla Insurance which gives monthly insurance premiums based on the safety performance of the driver (FCW is one of those and the most important one) this is always impacting me financially at the end of the month. Tesla should be forbidden to use a technology that is not perfect in order to determine the price of the insurance.
Dec 31, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,LANE DEPARTURE
2 complaints
After the recent 1-month free trial of FSD, my basic autopilot does not keep speed and will reset the programmed speed. This causes my car to slow rapidly and unexpectedly. This erratic change of speed creates a safety issue on the road due to the car slowing with no warning and without reason. Tesla has evaluated the vehicle remotely and has said it is performing normally despite this behavior just starting with the FSD trial. The previous 2 years of ownership have had no issues. I am told that this is due to different levels of autopilot having different performance and if I upgrade to the FSD this won't be an issue. No warning lamps are present.
May 10, 2024
I am renting this Tesla Model 3 on monthly basis Rental from Hertz. ON SEP 5TH, 2022 I was at a stop sign fully stopped and all of a sudden the car started accelarating by itself. I try to call Tesla about it and their answer was as I am not the owner they won't even talk to me. I tried to call Hertz but their Customer Service no available just in a circle of press this and press that for hours..Today Sep 16, around 10:58 am , I was Stopped at an intersection on a Red light waiting for the signal to turn Green , Then all of a sudden the Car Accelerated and Luckily no Cross Traffic and I proceeded through the Intersection. This is a Serious Issue.This car does not have Self Driving Feature, and twice in 10 Days this speed issue occur. Also on three different occasions while I was driving on a freeway other Cars from left and right swerved into my Lane and extremely close to my Car and the side Sensors didn't Beep.
Sep 16, 2022
ENGINE
2 complaints
The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and merging into the right direction of the highway, the vehicle lost control, swerved from left to right, and spun. As a result, the contact crashed into the concrete divider where the vehicle came to a stop. No warning lights were illuminated at the time of the failure. No injuries were sustained. The police were at the scene however a police report was not filed. The vehicle was totaled by the insurance company. The contact mentioned an unknown recall being related to the safety failure experienced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Apr 10, 2024
While driving, car just cut down in speed and prevented being driven faster than 50 mph. A yellow turtle appeared. Went to charge the vehicle. Vehicle wouldn't accept charging anymore. Manufacturer confirmed vehicle at fault and repaired under warranty.
Aug 01, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
2 complaints
the car started to abruptly accelerate when slowing down the car at a stop light and would not brake. the anti collision functions did not work. the car went into a truck.
Jan 10, 2024
The car slammed on the brakes while we were using auto pilot on the freeway, even though there was no one braking in front of us. This was the 2nd time this has happened. The ac and radio shut off for the rest of the ride and the ac has been working intermittently since. We have a baby and she was not in the car but she is in the car with us often. We have submitted a service request for this week.
Oct 12, 2022
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2 complaints
This car has demonstrated repeated incidents of moving/driving backwards when it is set in Drive/Forward via the steering wheel control. This was first reported to Tesla in December of 22. Their service center responded that they could not identify a cause or propose a repair. They commented that it was an engineering and/or software problem. I provided them with multiple date/time stamps. videos of the car performing this way. In the interim the car has demonstrated ghost braking at high speed on an empty freeway. A complaint regarding this concern was provided to NTSA and I have not had a response. The car has subsequently repeatedly moved backward when in Drive. I also have videos of these occurrences. I returned the car to the service center for these behaviors and was told that there was nothing that could be done. The service center said that I "canceled" my request for servicing, and noted that in the Tesla service files. I did not cancel my appointment. They refused to examine and service the car. We recently experienced the car steering wheel locking and inableing the wheel to be turned right, during a 3 point parking exit. I took the car in and was told that the problem was a "firmware" update problem. The problem of driving in reverse when the car is placed in Drive has repeated itself in the past 3 weeks, and I again have videos of this occurrence. This in particular is a dangerous action as it can result in a collision or injury to persons. It is a servo-motor and control problem.
Dec 06, 2023
this vehicle has regenerative braking. It used to have an option to reduce the regenerative braking but software updates removed it. During recent snow and ice, when letting off the accelerator pedal the regenerative braking kicks in and causes the vehicle to become unstable. If regenerative braking had a low setting this could prevent the vehicle from becoming unstable on snow and ice every time the accelerator pedal is let go. It is very un-nerving driving like this
Feb 26, 2022
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2 complaints
The contact stated that while renting a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the steering wheel suddenly turned left while accelerating. The contact attempted to gain control however the steering wheel seized. The vehicle ended up crashing in the middle of the highway on the left side of the vehicle and front-end mostly. The air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed however it had not been determined if the vehicle was totaled as of yet. The display of the front left safety restraint system fault message was displayed on the main control display. The contact received injuries to their arms, knees, neck, shoulder, and back. Medical attention was needed. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Sep 05, 2023
The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH with the "auto-pilot" engaged, the vehicle approached another vehicle in traffic from behind and had gotten too close. The contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal to slow down when the vehicle inadvertently accelerated at high speed. The contact steered to the left to avoid rear-end crash with the vehicle directly in front. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel had become hard to turn and the vehicle crashed into the highway divider. The vehicle's front end had crashed into the divider wall and the vehicle ricocheted across four lanes of traffic and ran off the roadway onto the right shoulder and was stopped by having crashed with small trees and bushes. The contact stated she did not notice any warning lights. The contact stated that she had been transported by ambulance to a trauma center. The contact stated that she had compression fractures of her spine, suffered soft tissue damage to her neck, and right wrist soft tissue damage, and rib fractures on the left side. The vehicle had been towed to an impound lot, and the police were on the scene and filed a report. The contact stated that her insurance provider had declared the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 4,400.
Jan 05, 2023
POWER TRAIN
2 complaints
On 3/16/23 at 3:30 PM, my car came to a complete and sudden stop on the highway and would not move. The only warning was a slight lurch the car made a few second prior to shutting down. The car would not restart or go out of park. I sat on the highway waiting to be hit from behind. I was on a bridge with no shoulder. Eventually the IL police arrive to block the lane behind me and use their truck to push me off of the bridge to where I could pull onto the shoulder. The trooper noted that they have had other calls of Tesla stopping in the middle of the highway and locking up. Currently the vehicle is in the Tesla service department and they have provided no diagnosis yet.
Mar 21, 2023
The seat weight sensors are failing in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 Long Range. I have been noticing this issue for several months now. I have owned the car since new (February 15, 2022) with 7 miles on the odometer. When I open the drivers door, the car powers up, screen turns on and HVAC system activates. When I close the drivers door while sitting in the drivers seat with the car in park and seat belt unfastened, the screen switches off and the HVAC system switches off. Only if I move around in the seat or depress the brake pedal does the screen power up and the HVAC system activate. I went to the Tesla service facility and they informed me that they are “seeing more seat sensors failing on newer cars” and “not sure how many are failing”. Based on what they observed with my car and my description of the issues they said my seat weight sensor is failing. Also, if I put the car in reverse with the seatbelt unfastened to move the car back a few feet in my garage, the car will sometimes automatically shift to park and display a caution message that “shifted to park to prevent roll away”. The service center informed me that they are replacing failed sensors with the exact same part. My concern is the manufacturer remedy does not replace failed parts with improved design and that this has the potential to cause other safety issues if occupant detection compromised by faulty sensors.
Jan 11, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
2 complaints
This vehicle along with many tesla vehicles has issues where it will randomly brake when in Autopilot mode going from sometimes high speeds such as 75mph trying to force the car down to as little as 35mph in a very fast manner, causing an increasing concern for vehicle collisions. As well as the automatic wipers not functioning properly and operating too fast when there is no precipitation as well as too slow when there is precipitation causing a potential visibility issue.
Jan 23, 2023
When cruise is turned on the wipers turn on. This was their response. Hello Dominic, This is Ken from Tesla virtual service center. We have been getting some push back on the most recent update doing what you are saying regarding autopilot/autowipers. Our auto wipers and sensors with our windshields need improvement and is still in beta. I am not sure why the factory has decided to lock in the auto wipers function during autopilot for that reason on last months firmware update. Your comments along with others have been reported back to the factory to provide feedback to them on the problems you are facing as a customer. Unfortunately, there is no way for us to override this or turn it off. hopefully it will no longer be the case after the next update but a mobile tech coming out on the 19th will not be able to rectify this concern.
Feb 18, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2 complaints
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving with the Adaptive Cruise control activated or while using the Autonomous Self-Driving feature, the vehicle experienced phantom braking in some areas with a posted Speed Limit. The dealer and the manufacturer were made aware of the failure and opened a case. The contact was instructed to reboot the vehicle. The contact performed the reboot several times however, the failure persisted. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.
Sep 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH with the self-driving assist feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The contact stated that the failure occurred approximately 6-10 times within 7 hours. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred 4 times within 4 hours while driving with self-driving assist and auto-steer mode the following day. The contact notified a Tesla Service Center who informed him to submit a service request online. The contact submitted a service request online and later received a remote diagnostic test report stating that no hardware issues were found and the vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,200.
Sep 02, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint
The vehicle has a manufacturing defect in the charge port body seal allowing water intrusion into the vehicle cabin and near high-voltage charging components. This has resulted in dampness and potential mold growth, posing a respiratory health hazard to occupants.
Nov 27, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
All safety and driver-assistance systems on my 2022 Tesla Model 3 failed due to an internal short in the vehicle’s computer, as confirmed in writing by Tesla’s technician. All cameras (rear, side, front) are non-functional, navigation does not work, and all ADAS features (Autopilot, lane-keeping, collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, emergency braking, etc.) are disabled. The vehicle has no visibility when reversing and no active safety protections while driving. Tesla documented the cause as an internal computer failure, not related to damage or misuse. This creates a dangerous condition on public roads since the car loses all safety systems. Tesla quoted ~$2,900 for a new computer even though the failure involves critical safety components. This may indicate a broader safety defect.
Nov 19, 2025
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
1 complaint
During a head-on collision on [XXX] in Georgia, the electrical system in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 lost power and the electric door releases stopped functioning. The vehicle interior caught fire and I was trapped inside. I was unaware of the location of the hidden mechanical emergency door release because it is not visibly labeled, not explained upon delivery, and not intuitive in an emergency. I was forced to climb to the back seat and break the rear passenger window with my legs to escape while the interior was burning. I suffered a broken hip, broken arm, and later required a full hip replacement. The mechanical emergency door release was concealed and unlabeled, resulting in entrapment during a fire, which is a violation of FMVSS 206 and presents a continuing and life-threatening safety hazard to all drivers and passengers. Tesla has not provided warnings, recall guidance, labeling, or owner education regarding how to exit the vehicle during a power-loss emergency. This defect can result in deaths. I am requesting a formal investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Nov 07, 2025
SUSPENSION,WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint
I have experienced multiple tire failures on my 2022 Tesla Model 3, with at least 7 tires needing replacement due to air bubbles. These issues have occurred on both front and rear tires, and currently I have 3 more tires with visible bubbles and one tire is actually leaking air. Most of these tires failed within 2,000-6,000 miles of use, which is far below normal tire lifespan of 25,000-40,000 miles. Despite repeated service visits, no alignment or suspension inspection has ever been performed by Tesla to determine why this keeps happening. The tires are just replaced at my cost, with the problem recurring again and again. Despite the pattern, Tesla service advisors continue to blame road conditions or driving habits. I want to be clear: I actively avoid potholes, drive cautiously, and have never experienced anything like this with any previous vehicle. Something is clearly abnormal here. In addition, I have noticed strange clicking and popping noises while driving, which seem to come from the chassis or steering area. It worries me that there may be a deeper mechanical or build quality issue. The vehicle often feels unstable, and I am genuinely concerned that a failure of a suspension component, battery mounting, or other structure could lead to a fire or loss of control. No warning lights have appeared, but the pattern of repeated air bubbles showing in my tire after just driving not even 1,000 miles and abnormal noises makes the vehicle feel unsafe to operate.
Aug 29, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
Tesla M3 RWD 2022 - 79750k miles. Touchscreen keep restarting throughout the day , in the morning when I am backing out of the garage, while I am driving, while I parked. It is dangerous specially while I am backing out of garage, car will stop sometime, because whole system reboots. I have no visibility I have to wait till its finish restarting. Tesla's main computer handles everything in the car, A/C, Turn signals, speedometer, backup cameras, forward collision warning and many more necessary function of the car. Tesla service center diagnose stats "The cause was identified as kernel panics detected in the system. The internal memory of the car computer is corrupt and will not allow enough data transfer and causing the computer to reboot to clear space" They suggested to replace the computer and its a out of warranty fix, since I drove 79k miles. This is a crucial of the car and it should not fail in 3 years, driving 79k in California is not unusual, Tesla service also blamed that we didn't extended our warranty after 50k. We couldn't find any correspondence from Tesla on service app or email regrading warranty extension. $3000 to replace a computer is a very high price.
Aug 16, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
I pulled up to a red light in a protected left turn lane. My car is set to use regenerative braking and hold/not roll once stopped. I felt my car roll forward a bit, which shouldn't happen when these settings are on. I quickly checked my rearview mirror, assuming someone had hit me from behind to cause me to roll forward. No one was behind me. I hit my brake and the car suddenly accelerated at full throttle speed, I would guess, into the intersection, despite the light being red for me. I quickly glanced down at my foot to confirm that it was on the brake pedal and it definitely was. I continued to repeatedly push the brake pedal down to no avail. I was steering and tried to navigate my way through 4 lanes of moving traffic because they had a green light. I hit the front end of a car, which didn't slow my car at all. I went on to hit another car's front end, which didn't slow my car at all either. My car then charged out of control to hit the curb on the opposite side of the street facing traffic. Hitting the curb stopped my car finally. I noticed that the airbags on the right side of my car were deployed. Components that failed/malfunctioned: brakes, fuel/propulsion system, speed control, automatic emergency braking, collision warning/avoidance, traffic signal detection Tesla Insurance has deemed the car a total loss. I also reported the malfunction to their Vehicle Support but haven't gotten the report or the data report from the car that I requested yet. I was told that the report would be complete by 8/7/25. The car was placed on a hold for the investigation, so it should be available for inspection. I do have the dashcam videos and photos of my car, if needed. This incident was terrifying because I had zero control of my vehicle due to the sudden unintended acceleration (SUA). I see on the internet that SUA is a problem with Tesla that has been reported repeatedly. It is a miracle that no one was hurt or killed. Tesla needs to address this immediately!
Aug 09, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION
1 complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse into a parking spot, the cameras failed to activate, along with the sensors, which included the backup sensors failed to alert that there was an object. As a result, the contact crashed in reverse into a cement pole on the front driver's side door and mirror. No property damage was reported, and the vehicle came to a stop upon the contact depressing the brake pedal. The air bags were not deployed. The vehicle was going 5 MPH at the time of the crash. The contact attempted to retrieve the recording of the crash, and there was no record. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not destroyed. No injuries were reported. The local dealer was contacted, however the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,290.
Jun 10, 2025
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
Wy wife and I drove our Tesla Model 3 from Palo Alto, CA to San Francisco downtown, to meet friends. I was the driver, and my wife sat on the passenger seat. The weather was clear, and the pavement was dry. I did not engage auto-pilot features during the entire trip. The car condition was normal with no signs of error or warning. I made a right turn onto [XXX] from [XXX] Shortly after I completed the turn, the car unexpectedly lost control. Without any prior warnings, it suddenly veered into the center divider, snapped a tree, dashed towards oncoming traffic on the other side of [XXX] , and finally stopped on [XXX] , labelled as location A on the attached drawing. Everything happened so quickly: I could not control the steering wheel, and I applied the brakes in vain. The vehicle seized control, no matter how hard I tried to stop it. I regained control of the vehicle at the intersection of [XXX] and [XXX] , and was able to park the car at location A. We were very fortunate and blessed that we did not hit people at the bus stop, that there were no cars in front of us, that the opposite traffic on [XXX] was stopped by a red light, and that the traffic was light on [XXX] Without such luck, my wife and I, and probably others, would have been seriously injured, if not worse. Because [XXX] is one-way, we decided to move the vehicle to [XXX] , and parked at location B in the drawing. I called 911 and spoke to a female dispatcher. She asked us to remain at location B and wait for police officers to arrive. We waited there for almost 3 hours, but no police arrived. The dashboard display indicated that we had a flat tire(s). We called mobile tire services. After their inspection, most of our tires were alright, except the rim of the front-left wheel was badly bent, as you can see in the attached photo. The mobile tire service staff was skilled enough to carefully patch the damage and said it should be OK to drive back to Palo Alto. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
May 04, 2025
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
If you are on a hill and you accidently press both the brake an accelerator, the car will fall to neutral and free roll. In whatever direction is downhill. I have big feet. Happened again to me, I bumped the brake pedal (but not enough to apply the brakes to stop) when attempting to pull forwards slowly and my car beeped with the "both pedals detected pressed" alert. and then it free rolled backwards (because I was on an uphill). THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR IS NOT SUPPOSED TO FREE ROLL BACKWARDS WHEN IN DRIVE, THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. It has been 4 years now, and no action has been taken to adress this software defect. a NORMAL gas car does NOT do this. If you bump the brake in a normal gas car, IT DOES NOT FREE ROLL IN ANY DIRECTION. This is a tesla software problem that tesla needs to promptly fix ASAP!!!!!
May 03, 2025
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1 complaint
Sometime I have power steering and sometime I don’t have power steering assist sometime came back and was driving and car just took my wheel to left itself on [XXX] 2 times on same spot was coming out of highway didn’t have no cruise or self driving On all was off INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Mar 10, 2025
WHEELS,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
The car was advertised at 312miles on the battery. It is 265. The charging takes 45 to hr and I was lied to about the mileage overage and the ability to purchase the car. This car isn't as advertised. I reached out to tesla and they do t offer any solution. I was scammed. I want to return the car. The tires do t last as the cars are too heavy. If the tires don't last 1 yr that's a defect.
Jan 30, 2025
TIRES
1 complaint
Both front tires are loosing chunks of tread toward the outside of the tire near the sidewall. I’ve never seen chunks of tread come off of a tire. These have quite about of tread life left as well. 235/40/R19
Jan 06, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint •Vehicle Information: •Make: Tesla •Model: Model 3 •Year: 2022 •Summary of Incident: On November 28,2024, I experienced an incident involving my 2022 Tesla Model 3 while it was stationary just outside my garage. I accidentally pressed the accelerator pedal instead of the brake. The car surged forward and crashed into the back wall of my garage. Despite Tesla’s advertised safety features, such as Collision Avoidance Assist and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), none of these systems intervened or activated during the incident. I expected the safety systems to detect the garage wall and mitigate the collision, but they failed to respond. Additionally, Tesla’s Obstacle-Aware Acceleration system did not seem to function as intended to limit acceleration in this scenario. •Injuries or Property Damage: There were minor injuries to passenger, but the vehicle and the garage sustained significant damage. •Steps Taken Post-Incident: I have contacted Tesla to request an analysis of the vehicle’s event data logs to determine why the safety features did not activate. I am waiting for their response. •Concern: I am filing this report because I believe this may indicate a potential safety issue with Tesla’s collision prevention systems in low-speed scenarios involving stationary obstacles. This raises concerns about the reliability of these features in real-world situations, particularly for drivers who may accidentally press the accelerator. •Supporting Information: If needed, I can provide photographs of the damage, repair estimates, and additional details.
Jan 05, 2025
STEERING,SUSPENSION
1 complaint
At low/no speed, turning the steering wheel to the extreme left or right produces a low-end creaking noise as if something is rubbing.
Dec 27, 2024
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
I was driving on the highway when the touchscreen lit up with multiple error messages including: - Steering assist reduced (Steering may require increased effort) - Traction control disabled (Drive with caution) - Stability control disabled (Drive with caution) - Parking brake functions degraded (Parking brake may not apply or release) - Lane Departure Avoidance features unavailable (Features may be restored on next drive) Also, the speedometer changed to 0 (while we were going 70 mph). When I pulled onto the next off-ramp the steering was very heavy and the regenerative braking was not working. Pressing the brakes (even slightly) felt like the ABS was pulsating. This was extremely dangerous and easily could have resulted in a serious accident in heavy traffic or if the road had not been straight. It was a rental car so I have not seen the car since the rental company towed it away. I have not heard from the rental company about the car's status or their findings. Prior to the catastrophic failure of multiple systems, there were two other warnings messages: - Left front fender camera blocked or blinded (Clean cameras or wait to regain visibility) - Autopilot safety/convenience features unavailable (Features may be restored on next drive) These had been coming on and off for a couple hours but I had assumed they were due to driving through heavy rain.
Dec 16, 2024
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
1 complaint
The following will happen in drive or reverse. Causing the vehicle to enter a free roll condition. If the vehicle detects both pedals are pressed. The vehicle will then disengage the motors and the brakes. And it will free roll. The vehicle does not successfully maintain stop and hold in this case. I was stopped at a red light and on an uphill. When the light turned green, I bumped the brake pedal when I went to accelerate forward in drive. My car rolled backwards downhill as a result. My instinct was to press the accelerator to try and go forward before I thought to hit the brake. My car rolled about 1.5 car lengths backwards. Luckily nobody was behind me. This is a safety issue that has existed for the 3 years that I have owned this car. Not once has this been corrected in a software update. This is a serious safety problem and I’m surprised nobody has free rolled into a pedestrian or vehicle because of it. Or if they have, maybe they don’t know that it was caused due to this vehicle behavior. The software needs fixed to prevent free rolling in drive or reverse. Normal gas cars don’t suddenly fall to neutral and free roll all over the place if you bump both pedals. like wow.
Nov 07, 2024
STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
All has been reported in writing to Tesla Corporate and Tesla Service Center SoDo Seattle, WA. Has not been repaired to date, with multiple attempts to bring car in for service: Emergency brake failed to engage on two occasions, [XXX] it was first reported that the car lost control of steering and emergency brake did not engage. Second time on [XXX]; car would not shift into any gear. Tesla Roadside said to have it towed (we did), Tesla had car for two weeks and did not address issues reported. Tesla has received extensive documentation for both times. They continue to tell us to drive car and just report issues as their resolution. Car has failed seals that have resulted in multiple times of mold and rodents in car (had professionally inspected). Tesla continues to insist I go inside vehicle and drive car. Tesla first discovered the mold in March 2024 during warranty service visit. They acknowledge smell in writing. Odometer was changed while car was brought in for service (shows on Tesla provided service records). Car arrived on 7/2/24 at 11:06am with 32,390 miles and left 7/2/24 at 11:07am with 32,687 miles. Manager was present and in the car for this visit. Car charger has failed and been replaced multiple times, battery is defective. Tesla will not inspect. Reported in writing loud thudding in trunk for months and Tesla took no action. Turned out to be live rats discovered during private mold inspection in trunk, frunk and inside of car; we believe we were exposed to rodents for months due to Tesla refusing to inspect properly. We have reported the car making us incredibly ill with heart and lung issues, unexplained hair loss, nausea, fatigue and Tesla has taken no action. We arrived at Service center 7/2/24 asking for water and ill from the car and they ignored until we said we would need to call 911. No warning messages for any of the safety issues reporting, Tesla maintains the car is in good condition. Continue to seek medical care. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Sep 16, 2024
AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS
1 complaint
The car continuously complains about front passenger safety restraint system faults. This has gone on and off since about 15k miles and car is now at 50k miles. Tesla has said it is software related at one point (different software complains about it differently) and most recently installed an occupant classification system filter module without it resolving the issue. Now they are saying that it needs an $1100 repair. From boards and forums this seems like a well known issue that many cars are having from Tesla and it seems they are avoiding properly handing the issue and fixing it at their expense. This issue seems to cause the passenger airbag to disable and turn off when there is a passenger actively sitting in the front passenger seat as well as it makes a chime and distracts the driver every time it flips its state - which can be multiple times a minute!
Aug 24, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1 complaint
My 2022 Tesla model 3 has a major issue that should be widely addressed and because the computer screen has completely turned off although there was never any damage done to the vehicle. The cost to fix this issue is $3,052.30. I went on a three day vacation and came back to the screen not turning on but the vehicle can still drive, the major issue is that the screen controls all major functions of the vehicle and is a major danger driving the car if you cant see how fast your going, how much battery is left or will basic safety equipment will deploy? How can a vehicle be driven under these basic safety standards and conditions when it’s a faulty manufacturing issue. In addition come to find out that the computer tried to update it’s software with out my consent and causing the computer to fail there fore leaving me in danger situation of driving the vehicle under these conditions and then having me to pay the financial repercussions although I caused no damage to the vehicle.
Aug 18, 2024
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
1 complaint
When switch is pressed on the trunk to close and when as the trunk starting to come down but want to cancel closing it won't stop. Its so hard and it hit my head. Other cars like Mercedes if we want to cancel closing and if we just touch trunk it goes back and does not come down. But on this car trunk keeps coming down hard and hands can get crushed if trunk comes down like that.
Jul 31, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1 complaint
Tesla has confirmed that the firmware of the high-voltage controller of the Model 3 is known to occasionally go "missing in action", causing regenerative braking to entirely cease to function and the driving performance of the car to drop considerably. This was expected to be resolved in a firmware update, but the problem continues. The service representative advised that they (Tesla employees) are not allowed to refer to the problem as a defect and instead must use the euphemism "firmware characteristic". The impact of the issue occurring while driving is that braking and acceleration are significantly reduced, thus reducing the ability of the driver to respond to unexpected situations and operate the vehicle safely. The impact of the issue occurring while parked is that the vehicle cannot start until such time as the controller resumes responding. The driver has no control over when/if this will happen, and the car may ultimately require towing. We encountered the while-parked case on 2024-07-07 and the while-driving case on 2024-07-27.
Jul 28, 2024
STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
Driving on the freeway, husband driving, myself in passenger front seat and 1yr and 3yrs in back. Just touched a 70 zone when the car, without warning/prompt started to deviate from left lane to right lane, at same speed, my husband tried to control car at which point he realized that the steering wheel and brakes were locked and he had no control of the direction or speed and could do nothing to stop the car. The car continued at high speed to drag us to the left side of the road, we smashed at full force into a display maintenance board first, the airbags deployed, and we continued to smash through a barrier and finally into a tree in a field about 100yards+ from freeway. We managed to escape the vehicle and get our screaming kids to safety where we then were picked up by ambulance and police. The car, of course, was unsalvageable. We, by some unknown miracle, made it out alive of this horrific, beyond imaginable experience. This was not normal behavior for a car. We had this car for 2.5yrs, we had no automatic driving capabilities turned on (we didn't have self-drive) and were driving home midday from a grocery store trip on a road we drive frequently. The brakes wouldn't push down, the steering wheel wouldn't move, we were totally at the mercy of the car.
Jun 03, 2024
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint
The deemed to be totaled/flooded from driving through a rainstorm on 03/09/2024. Luckily the car did not shut off until about 3 hours later of being parked where the rain completely turned off the car. The car was taken to a dealership service center but deemed unable to fix due to the liquid reaching the electrical wires. Tesla insurance has been notified of this incident and as of 2 months later, deemed to take any action besides totaling the car. There has been issues in my service records for this car where water was leaking in and the parts were replaced free of charge but not to this manner. There was no warning or lamps regarding liquid being in the car or anything. Cannot get in touch with anyone at Tesla or Tesla insurance except for Tesla emergency roadside where they were unable to assist or reach anyone from Tesla / Tesla insurance in this manner.
Apr 29, 2024
WHEELS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE
1 complaint
At 7:50 this morning I had my first drive with Tesla FSD 12.3.4. It had been going very close to curbs on the passenger side on 12.3.3, but this is the first time it hit the curb and damages the tire rim. The current version of the software puts the car much too close to the curb, something not present in prior versions.
Apr 15, 2024
SEATS,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
Driver's seat weight sensor not working properly. Causes car to slam on the brakes when seatbelt is not on (for example in a driveway or automated carwash, potentially causing a crash) and can potentially leave car running indefinitely (draining the battery). Since sometimes it gets stuck in the occupied or unoccupied state.
Apr 06, 2024
LANE DEPARTURE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1 complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated the Self-driving feature automatically turned on without the contact's engagement. The vehicle attempted to make unexpectedly appropriate lane changes due to traffic several times before the contact noticed it was in self-driving mode. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer/manufacturer was made aware of the issue and stated they sent an email with instructions regarding the self-driving mode prior to the activation of the self-driving feature. However, the contact had not seen the email and was not aware the feature was activated. The contact stated a notification was not sent to the car screen allowing the contact to read the instructions and activate the feature
Apr 04, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1 complaint
My wife driving our Tesla Model 3. From her report, the car was accelerating on its own and would not stop despite her pressing on the brake pedal. She was unable to stop at the traffic light and crashed into another car at an intersection.
Mar 12, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,LANE DEPARTURE
1 complaint
Have reported multiple times the safety hazard with the unnacuracy of the mileage given per charge. Vehicle will drain through battery leaving motorist standard. When using self drive option vehicle will not stay in appropriate lanes. Vehicle will overheat on battery and start making concerning sounds while driving. When reported to Tesla they acknowledged the issue but have failed to fix the issues on the vehicle.
Feb 22, 2024
STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
Something occurred with the steering, automatic braking, or lane keeping assistance on [XXX] at approximately 6:35am while I was driving my 2022 Tesla Model 3 Long Range North in the carpool lane just south of [XXX] in Sandy Utah. The roads were a little slick so was proceeding cautiously at around 65 MPH when the car turned to the left slightly, then immediately to the right, which caused it to do a 180 degree turn in the same lane, I wasn't sure what was going on as the car felt like it was driving itself. Before I knew what was happening, the car then veered to the East across three lanes of traffic while driving backwards, it then stopped just as it was struck in front of the wheel on the front drivers side by a two trailer semi-truck which spun the car around. Luckily I was conscious so could slowly limp across the last couple lanes to the right side of the road where I called 911. I've driven all kinds of cars in all kinds of conditions and in many countries in the nearly 32 years I've been a licensed driver and have never lost control of a vehicle, I'm sure the steering or lane assist was trying to intervene so must've somehow inadvertently caused the crash! It's only through the grace of [XXX] that I'm still alive to tell about it! Also, none of the airbags went off even though the impact from the semi was very jarring! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Feb 06, 2024
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
Accelerating with no input braking unsuccessful resulting in running a stop sign across two-way traffic. Vehicle stopped after approx. 100 meters after running the stop sign. I have discussed with Tesla service to run a diagnostic report (not completed at this time). No warnings or error messages. Vehicle resumed normal functional control after. Tested accelerating and braking at the same time gives error message did not present during the incident.
Jan 23, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
If you are on a hill and if the Tesla detects both pedals are pressed. The car will drop into neutral on its own and free roll. The Tesla “one pedal stop and hold” will fail to maintain a stop and hold state if it detects both pedals are pressed. I was on an uphill driveway and I accidentally bumped my brake pedal when I went to press my accelerator pedal. (Big feet). My car free rolled backwards until I let off the accelerator and hit the brake. Luckily nobody was behind me. I moved a good 8 feet backwards during the situation. I tested this on my own in my slanted driveway at home and this problem can be easily reproduced. It happens when the car thinks both pedals are pressed and the brake isn’t fully pressed, it causes the electric motor to disengage causing the vehicle to free roll in neutral, and if “one pedal stop and hold is enabled”, it causes the brake to let go and the vehicle no longer stays stopped. This free rolling downhill. Case 1: stop and hold, in reverse or drive. Both pedals detected pressed, vehicle switches to neutral and free rolls downhill. Case 2: vehicle moving slowly uphill Via accelerator pedal pressed, but the brake is detected as pressed. And the the vehicle falls into neutral and starts free rolling downhill. The safety risk is when the vehicle free rolls downhill when both pedals are detected pressed. The safety risk can happen when the driver accidentally lightly presses both pedals. Or if there is an electrical fault where the vehicle may think both pedals are pressed. Vehicle risks free rolling downhill into other vehicles, buildings, or people Before the driver can realize what has happened and hits the brakes. A software patch will need to be implemented to correct this fault condition. It should be changed to the following: Case 1: if vehicle is in stop and hold mode, the vehicle should remain in stop and hold mode. Case 2: if vehicle is moving. The vehicle should engage stop and hold mode and stop. Thanks.
Dec 14, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE
1 complaint
Over several occasions, this Model 3 Tesla has engaged the brakes heavily while using the autopilot, lane-assist function. This has always happened while going highway speeds. The braking is very abrupt and without any apparent reason (nothing in the front or beside the car). I do not recall this occurring unless the autopilot function is enabled. I am able to disengage the system and take control, but it's an alarming and unsafe glitch in the software.
Nov 10, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION
1 complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated there was wiring that was loosened from the ground unit. The camera was making an abnormal crackling sound when it was hot. The contact stated that the screen was pink or blank at times. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer six times, where it was diagnosed that the wiring was loosened. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 500.
Oct 27, 2023
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1 complaint
While driving on 4 lane Pkwy at 45 mph then slowing down to move into left turning lane, my model 3 gave warning of "parking brake failure" and stopped working at the same time. This means it slowed down to a stop on its own. I was "manually driving" the vehicle when this occurred. Luckily for me I was able to be in a "slower" left turn lane and I knew where the emergency blinker button was located and turned them on. The vehicle didn't even go into coast mode to allow me to move over to side of road. It just decided to stop where it was at. After reading about Tesla's stopping on their own in traffic and people crashing into them I knew this is a serious problem. Weather was clear, my car and its cameras were clean.
Oct 26, 2023
STEERING,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
On October 20th, 2023 around 3:00 pm I was driving eastbound on the highway 69 in Michigan. A friend of mine was seated on the front passenger side (no more other passenger). Autopilot was not installed on the car and the driver had both hands on the steering wheel. I was driving on the most left lane at speed about 75 mph. At about Exit#131, Suddenly, I felt the steering wheel turned right a little by itself and the car slowly drifted to the right a little, then the steering wheel quickly turned to left by itself and the car quick turned to the left. I tried to control the steering wheel but couldn't. The car zig-zagged forward and hit the center guardrail at about 45 degree angle. The car was pushed away from the guardrail and stopped in the middle lane. After the crush, the left side of the car tilted to the ground. The left side airbag was deployed and my head hit on the airbag (not injured). The bottom of the drivers side was steaming. At this point I thought the car was going to explode or catch a fire since EV's are known for doing that. My friend and I exited the car immediately and we called the police. No other car was involved and no people get injured. The wheel axle on the front left side collapsed and the wheel fell down on the ground but the tire did not blow up. There were severe damages on the left side of the vehicle: the lamp, the mirror, doors and charging port. The accident report can be retrieved at www.flinttownshippolice.org, report # [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Oct 21, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION
1 complaint
Tesla cars have a feature that when turn signals are used associated cameras also turn on and display image for blind spots of lane attempting to enter cameras have quite a delay in displaying image. When going in reverse cameras can also have a delay in displaying image there was a prior recall but issue still happens
Oct 16, 2023
STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,WHEELS
1 complaint
I was pulling into parking lot at REI car suddenly accelerated and jumped pavement and hit a wall.
Aug 11, 2023
AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint
The airbags of the vehicle did not inflate when the car was hit by a concrete stone when the car was running at 70 miles per hour on a freeway. The stone came flying on to the windshield and completely smashed the Tesla Model 3 windshield and created a hole in the windshield. This is a grave safety failure of the vehicle where the driver or front passenger did not get any protection or safety from the broken glass of the windshield that hit the passenger and the driver when it was hit by the stone. The vehicle should have been equipped with enough failsafe, warnings, protection against windshield glass so that the safety of passengers is not compromised. As a Tesla owner, I feel unsafe to be driving the vehicle any more and would expect the company to take urgent action on this dangerous and unsafe vehicle that could potentially lead to more injuries and trauma for Tesla owners driving on the roads.
Aug 01, 2023
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,WHEELS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
I was driving my 2022 Tesla Model 3 Long Range. This car does NOT have Autopilot (because we do not trust that technology). We were traveling eastbound on I-8 just east of Exit 61 from San Diego to Arizona on Sunday July 16 at about 2:30pm. The weather conditions were not an issue; it was sunny and warm. I was in the left lane doing 77mph with the Cruise Control on. I had passed a vehicle in the right lane and it was now maybe 500 feet behind us, still in the right lane. Suddenly, the Tesla Model 3 braked hard for no reason. The car braked so hard that the tires were starting to squeal. We were well inside the lane (had not drifted to either side). There were no obstacles in front of us. There was no discoloration on the highway from any repair or car fire. The road was completely visible. The car's speed had dropped from 77mph to about 57mph before I could press on the gas to resume normal driving. Had there been a car behind us, it's possible we could've been hit from behind. The car in the right lane did wind up passing us and I'm pretty sure they thought our driving was dangerous -- borderline insane. There were no warning sounds, no alerts on the monitor. It was completely random, completely sudden and completely dangerous. The car did this 2 more times before I disengaged the cruise control for the rest of the trip. I do not have a dashcam recording of this incident, but I do have one of a similar behavior from the car a few days earlier on July 13. It's hard to tell from the video exactly where it happens.
Jul 17, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
1 complaint
So here goes my story back in may I bought Tesla model 3 2022 46k from hertz clean title however, in the history, it showed a prior accident Long story short one day I was charging at Tesla supercharger I drive home the car did update and after that it wouldn’t charge or going in to drive so of course the car has warranty. I sent it to Tesla service first time. Coral cables The response was oh this car had an accident we can’t touch it the second service center after a week of diagnostic and charging me $590 for no help at all and the response to my issue first was because of the accident but when I was able to prove that the car was driving when I bought it and nothing wrong, they blamed it on the supercharger tesla supercharger that it overheated the batteries and now the motor and the high voltage battery needs to be replaced at my own expense, at no time the car told me pull over it could’ve caught on fire ,no warranty at all when I asked service why I didn’t see that me charging the car is overheating the batteries he said it’s internal warning messages this is at Miami Gardens service center Now I have been experiencing and Tesla‘s and how to do service and how they work and I’m pretty sure I can see that they are clearly I don’t want to say a lying , but they are not honoring their own warranty and they just want to blame it on me now keep in mind that I’ll myself. I am a read. The reason there is at least 20 or 30 people driving a Tesla right now. I was the first person in my own community. I was the first person in my office and everybody when they saw that car with me and how I love it, they decided to buy it but when I needed help, unfortunately Tesla was not there for me I have proof that the Pyro fuse is working condition not like it what is states in the estimate and also the rear inverter is in working condition
Jul 13, 2023
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1 complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of an excessive amount of fluid underneath the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle started to overheat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the HVAC system had caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
Jul 05, 2023
STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1 complaint
As I was driving the car today, I had a car ahead of me at a full stop, so in order to slow down the car I lifted my foot off the acceleration pedal. However, instead of slowing down it sped up. My car has regenerative breaking (and it was turn on) which usually applies break when the pressure is lifted from acceleration pedal. However in this instant my car started speeding up. I then applied pressure on breaks, however it didn’t work. Fortunately the car ahead of me moved ahead and an accident was averted. My break and accelerator started working as expected moments later. But this can cause accident anytime. I have booked service request with Tesla. Also note that the car was not on Autopilot.
Jun 21, 2023
STEERING,AIR BAGS
1 complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently turned to the right and then to the left. As a result, the contact stated that he momentarily lost control of the vehicle and collided with a barrier wall before careening to the right again into traffic. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were displayed on the instrument panel. A police report was not filed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the failure has yet to be diagnosed. The vehicle has not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 27,000.
Jun 15, 2023
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,BACK OVER PREVENTION
1 complaint
I have had several incidents of my car rapidly decelerating when in assisted driving mode and I am driving on the highway. I am driving at 65 and all of the sudden it decelerates, making it extremely dangerous. There are no apparent barriers or nearby objects causing this to happen. I am very concerned this will result in a significant accident. I have filed this claim previously without anything happening. Additionally, I had a problem with my rear warning signal not going off when I was in a parking garage, causing me to back into a car. I filed a claim with Tesla and never heard back from them.
Apr 16, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
The Tesla computer and especially the USER INTERFACE IS UNSAFE. More accurate to say I hate the UNFRIENDLY user interface. I am surprised NHTSA OKed this computer interface. It needs a GOOGLE quality voice activation feature. The current one is deaf to most words normally used to drive a car. E.G., to turn the lights on while driving on a road where “LIGHTS ON” is required. I must hit a button to see all controls. Then I must hit the “LIGHTS” button. Then I must hit the “LIGHTS ON”. All this while having trouble reading the small print on the screen. The reading is difficult. All this while taking my eyes off the road to even see the screen. This is just one of very many examples. The actual use of the computer is VERY OFTEN more user UNfriendly and UNSAFE than the “LIGHTS” button. Dangerous, DANGEROUS. I almost killed another driver when my car was new because I was WORKING the computer and I ran a read light. Fortunately my car stopped because I hit the breaks or because the car was, in fact, SMART??????? I am surprised NHTSA OKed this computer interface. The computer is smart but using the interface is dangerous. I want to bring this issue up to NHTSA, not to issue a recall, but to ADD on a user interface as good as GOOGLE? What is the chance that they will re-investigate a safety decision they have already made? Sincerely; [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Apr 10, 2023
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaint
TESLA MODEL 3 DUAL MOTOR-WITH AUTOPILOT ADDITION TO PURCHASE VEHICLE HAS REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATED ABERRANT BEHAVIOR WHEN IN “AUTOPILOT” MODE. DURING FREEWAY DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAS “MISSENSED” LANE SPACING AND UNEXPECTEDLY ATTEMPTED TO DIVERGE OR SWERVE, EXIT OR TURN OUT OF OR OFF OF THE LANE WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING IN. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN AN OFFRAMP OR CHANGE IN THE LANE DEFINITION OCCURS AND IS NOT “REGULAR”. SUCH AS A LANE THAT FOR SOME REASON IS NOT MARKED WITH A NORMALLY DEFINED WIDTH, OR A BREAK IN THE LINES THAT DEFINE THE LANE. DURING FREEWAY DRIVING THIS VEHICLE HAS SUDDENLY AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON, DRASTICALLY REDUCED ITS SET SPEED DURING AUTOPILOT DRIVING. WE WERE DRIVING IN RELATIVELY STRAIGHT, CLEAR AND UNOBSTRUCTED LANES ON OPEN HIGHWAY WITH NO TRAFFIC OBSTACLES. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS OUR VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED BACKWARDS WHEN SET IN DRIVE. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN WE ARE BACKING UP TO MAKE A 3 POINT EXIT UP OUR DRIVEWAY. AFTER BACKING UP, STOPPING WITH OUR FOOT ON THE BREAK, AND SETTING THE CAR IN DRIVE, IT REPEATEDLY MOVED BACKWARDS. WE HAD TO RESET THE POWER, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, PHYSICALLY GET OUT AND PUSH CAR FORWARD IN NEUTRAL TO AVOID BACKING INTO OUR GARAGE. THIS CONCERN WAS REPORTED WITH VIDEO EXAMPLES TO TESLA REPAIR CENTER. WE TOOK THE CAR THERE, THEY EXAMINED IT AND DID NOT FIND OUT WHY IT WAS DOING THIS. SINCE IT WAS EXAMINED, THE CAR HAS REPEATED THIS BEHAVIOR. I HAVE NOT YET REPORTED THE REPEATED INCIDENT, AS I HAVE 0 CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL SOLVE THIS CONCERN. I COULD NOT UPLOAD VIDEOS THAT I HAVE OF THE CAR BEHAVING THIS WAY.
Feb 21, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY
1 complaint
The contact leased a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the passenger’s and driver’s side windows failed to close completely. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with the window rolled down and his hand outside the vehicle, the window inadvertently rolled up. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer arrived at the residence, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 25,015.
Jan 25, 2023
SEATS,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
While driving the car suddenly the car applied sudden breaks & moved opposite road. luckily no traffic opp side otherwise we are having the same day as last day.
Dec 10, 2022
ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
Tesla model 3 year 2022, making too much noise while driving noise.
Dec 10, 2022
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint
My brand new model 3 stopped in the far left lane of the highway in Camp Pendleton this October 7th. There was 139 miles in range left (40% battery), and it clearly was not out of charge. It was towed to Tesla Santa Monica service center, and the battery slowly drained in the 5 days before it was looked at. Once the Tesla service center looked at the car for the first time on the night of October 11th, the battery had dropped to 5%, and the service center tried to give it back to me after a simple charge. They would not listen to me when I told them it was charged when it stopped on the highway, and something else was wrong. They closed the case and told me to pick up the car. I refused to pick up the car and left it in their service lot. I made a few social media videos on October 13th about this. Tesla saw the videos, and re-looked at my car and found the rear drive unit had to be replaced. If I had not made this video, Tesla never would have found the faulty rear drive unit, and I would have been forced to take back my lemon car. In summary, Tesla tried to give me back an UNSAFE car after accusing me of causing the breakdown by not charging it. But the rear drive inverter needed to be replaced.
Oct 28, 2022
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint
On Wednesday, 8/24/2022 around 1:30pm, when I tried to park my Tesla Model 3 on a residential street, suddenly and without any warning the steering wheel lost control, accelerated, made a right and then a left turn, hit an electric box and landed on the neighbor's driveway. No one else was injured, only myself with severe back pain and I could not move. Several neighbors came out of their house and checked on me and called the Homeowners Association Office and called 911, the homeowners experienced power outage. An ambulance came & took me to the Irvine Hoag Hospital Emergency Center. The medical staff took X-Ray for me and gave me Tylenol pills and ice pack on my back. I was diagnosed with compression fracture of T12 vertebra, per doctor's exam: It will take two-to-six-month to heal my back. A police report #[XXX] was filed on 8/31/2022. CA resident since 1976 very healthy, enjoy working, and helping school and do community services. Do not take drag, no alcohol with over 46+ year's careful driving skill, and a safe driver with good driving record.
Sep 15, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint
I recently got into a car accident with a Tesla. I was injured and my car crashed against a residence’s entrance putting myself and others in danger. The components or systems that failed are the regenerative breaking on the Tesla, the torque or force that is distributed to each wheel, and the rear passenger tire shows more wearing than any of the other tires of the vehicle (not only on my car, but also on one of my friend’s Tesla.) It was raining. I was driving at a normal, slow speed, on a straight line on the road. I stopped pressing the gas pedal, the regenerative breaking activated, and my car glided and crashed. In the past, I have had some experiences where even on a dry road, sunny day and no rain, my car would slide and loose traction when letting go of the gas pedal therefore activating the regenerative breaking and making the car loose traction and slide. I have videos and pictures, filled a police report, and recently filed a claim with my insurance. The vehicles components have been inspected by the police. They have not been inspected by the insurance as of now. The only lights/car signals that turned on automatically after the incident occurred were the emergency lights. I do not recall any lights/signals showing up on the dashboard or screen while the incident was happening.
Aug 29, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1 complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while at a stop light with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle accelerated and crashed into a Dodge Ram. There were no warning lights illuminated. There was no reported injuries, fire or air bag deployment. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and then to a collision center. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 135
Aug 29, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES,EQUIPMENT
1 complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the vehicle inadvertently activated the brakes independently after an image appeared on the display screen. The contact stated that the brake failure warning light was illuminated. The contact related the screen detection failure with a sensor failure, causing the brakes to independently apply. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 728.
Jul 06, 2022
WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
While backing out of my garage the car accelerated uncontrollably and climbed the curb of my driveway. I tried braking without any success. A message saying, to the best of my recollection, "Automatic Braking Disabled" appeared on the dashboard. After climbing the curb the vehicle came to a stop and "Hazard Lights" came on. There were less than 50 miles on the odometer at this time. After waiting for a few minutes I gently pulled the car off the curb and slowly drove it back into the garage. I discovered broken lug nut and what appeared to be its casing lying in the driveway. Tesla Service Center sent tow-truck to tow the vehicle away to its service center. I handed over the broken lug nut and and its casing to the Tesla Tow-Truck Person. While towing my car suffered even more damage as the passenger side front wheel became almost horizontal and it considerably damaged the front bumper. The photos of all these are uploaded with this incident report.
Jun 25, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1 complaint
Got in vehicle in driveway and upon turning on there was a large thump in rear of vehicle, proceeded by a message to pull over safety indicating rear drive unit failure. Tesla replaced the rear inverter unit. Vehicle only had 3k miles. Similar experience have been documented globally see attached article https://www.autoevolution.com/news/tesla-recall-for-127785-model-3s-in-china-due-to-rear-motor-inverter-defect-185844.html
Jun 17, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
Driving on freeway, very little traffic, no cars near me. Speed 73 mph. Sudden loss of power, coasting to stop making a lane change and seeking shoulder space. At about 30 mph power was regained. Sudden loss of power. ( electric motor, motor controller, battery or software failure ) Difficult rapid maneuver to get to side of road. Dealer has made an appointment. Nor warning lamps or warning sounds. There was another incident 2 days earlier when the cruise control would not engage. Two trips no cruise control. yellow warning symbol with "Cruise control unavailable" Made an appointment with Tesla, they cancelled saying that the car did not do that, and my appointment cancelled. Tesla or vehicle software lies.
Jun 14, 2022
EQUIPMENT,BACK OVER PREVENTION
1 complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH in reverse, the Back Over Prevention camera lost connectivity and became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V296000 (Back Over Prevention, Equipment) for which the VIN was included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,724.
May 12, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER
1 complaint
When putting the car into reverse, the rear camera comes on, while reversing pulling up the climate controls to turn on heated steering wheel, after exiting the climate control screen (while still reversing) the camera doesn’t come back on automatically… there is risk for crash
Mar 25, 2022
LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION
1 complaint
Was in a tight parking space. The mirrors auto-folded in. The cameras seemed laggy when backing up to a significant degree. (Many, many others on the web report the same. Any search for "Tesla backup camera delayed" or similar should work.) In my case, my vehicle collided with a pole. Very concerned about this as a safety hazard.
Mar 25, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 complaint
Drive Unit inverter failed. Yes my safety and the safety of my passenger and drivers behind me was at risk Problem was confirmed by Tesla repair center. They diagnosed this as the problem. No accident happened so no police, insurance reps, etc. Warning lamps came up after the car stalled. Or at least that's when I noticed them. while I was driving the car started jerking and came to a complete stop in traffic. No warning, just stopped. It wouldn't start or roll or anything and I was blocking traffic until I could get Tesla Roadside service to tell me on the phone how to put it into Transport Mode to push it to the side. This took 2 hours. My safety was DEFINITELY at risk. If I had been travelling at a high speed, it could have been fatal. The dealer/service center said it's the failure of the rear drive unit inverter and it was a US made part by Tesla. Warnings showed up on the screen but after the call stalled. It is currently at the dealership being replaced but now I am afraid to drive it as I have lost confidence in the company. I really hope you put pressure on Tesla to correct this problem. It is terrifying.
Mar 05, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE
1 complaint
The vehicle suddenly brakes quite significantly and without warning periodically when cruise control or automatic steering is in place. It happens most often on two lane roads when a truck or a vehicle with headlights on approaches in oncoming traffic. There is no warning and it is so startling that it causes the driver to overcorrect or worry that the car will completely stop with traffic moving behind us. It is totally unpredictable and unanticipated. Once the vehicle has passed, it rapidly resumes speed. It feels as if the car has total control, not the driver. I have not notified Tesla, but plan to. Very dangerous and unnerving.
Feb 18, 2022
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE
1 complaint
Power steering and full power to the vehicle failed - these failures can be seen upon requested inspection. Power steering failed during operation - meaning that while i was driving the vehicle i was not able to change the direction of travel at a high rate of speed. Then the vehicle came to a sudden stop, stranding the driver/passengers in the middle of the road which has a high speed limit. Since full power failed quickly afterward, hazard lights or other warning lights (brake lights) could not be activated. Emergency manual exits had to be used to exit the vehicle This problem has been reproduced in both Model 3 and Model Y and has been confirmed by a dealer service repair center. The vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer and the problem has been confirmed - a full steering console replacement is required due to electrical and hydraulic issues in the steering system and battery system. There was no message prior to the vehicle failure, the error is sudden and unexpected which makes it even more dangerous
Feb 14, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1 complaint
I was driving on a two lane road using auto pilot. I was going 55mph when all of a sudden my car slammed on the brakes down to 32mph as a school bus approached us. There was no reason to brake. The school bus never entered my lane. If a car had been following me closely I would have been rear ended for a system malfunction. Very scary.
Feb 03, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
1 complaint
Sunday, January 2nd, on the way back from Vegas back to Sacramento, on the highway with Lane assist driving, the car suddenly braked going from 70+ miles to almost a complete halt. I was able to steer it into the oncoming lane to avoid the pick up truck from hitting us from behind. The braking system again slowed the car down significantly a few more times on this trip and wee have not used this feature since. Car was bought on December 26th and we are fairly new owners of a Tesla.
Feb 02, 2022
Frequently Asked Questions
How many problems does the 2022 TESLA Model 3 have?
The 2022 TESLA Model 3 currently has 727 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.
What are the most common problems with 2022 TESLA Model 3?
The most common problems reported for the 2022 TESLA Model 3 are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.
Where does this 2022 TESLA Model 3 problem data come from?
All problem and complaint data for the 2022 TESLA Model 3 comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.
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