Page 6 of 21 · complaints 251–300 of 1,036

2018 Tesla Model 3 complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2018 record →

Unknown or OtherCrash
Filed Jul 2, 2024CA

My Tesla Model 3 Made an Accident on [XXX] on [XXX] exit at [XXX] . The Tesla Model 3 is driving under Full Auto Drive. The Model 3 was waiting at traffic light at [XXX] exit at [XXX] . There is an other car stopped in the middle of cross road waiting on traffic. The light goes green, my tesla start to move trying to make left turn. But the other car still block the way. My car first stop and about 1 second the car suddenly run into the car and driver side mirror and door hit the other car’s tails light and rear bumper. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 2, 2024KS

While driving on the highway with FSD on, the car severely amalfunctioned with sudden deceleration at 4 separate ocassions. At 68 mph when changing lanes, the car suddenly decelerated. There were several cars behind us and it could have been a major multi car collision. At all 4 ocassions, I immediately took over control on steering and acceleration, thus avoiding any accident. This problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center yet. My vehicle or component(s) have also not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others yet. Additionally, there were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 1, 2024TX

Apparently faulty sensor that then needs to replace airgbag and now it’s costing $1833!

Air Bags
Filed Jun 27, 2024CA

Started receiving Error RCM_a056 Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault. The vehicle shows that the passenger airbags are DISABLED after the alert is issued. I am working under the assumption that all passenger airbags (front, side, overhead) are currently disabled at all times. This puts my family at risk if there were to be a collision. Tesla seems to know exactly what the problem is because the estimate came back shortly with a list of fixes required at a cost of $1,768.35 to 1) Correction: install an Occupant Classification System (OCS) filter Module, 2) Correction: Retrofit SBR in OCS Equipped Front Passenger Seat - Remove and Replace, and 3) Correction: Replace Front Passenger Airbag and Update Vehicle Configuration - Remove and Replace. Quick internet search shows this is a SYSTEMIC problem with a bad part (Tesla forums and search your own databases for the past year or so... these are the people who know to report this to you, there are probably a lot of others). I'm 6 months out of warranty for a sensor that should not have wear and tear. Furthermore a retrofit demonstrates that they are replacing a KNOWN problem part. Additionally, there is no rational reason to replace a perfectly good airbag. Replacing the airbag because it is incompatible with a retrofit sensor should be free. Retrofitting a sensor that has a known problem should not be a cost to the consumer for a part that is not subject to wear and tear. Adding a filter to a sensor line shows that the s

Air Bags
Filed Jun 22, 2024CA

Received an alert about front seat safety restraint system fault. Decided to see what was needed for the fix and address my other trunk harness recall. Received invoice stating the airbag needed to be replaced along with $1900 quote. Knowing this info, if this doesn’t get fix the safety of my passengers are at risk so now I definitely can’t have any passengers. Not sure how I should be responsible for a safety seat airbag sensor defect.

Electrical System
Filed Jun 17, 2024CA

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle independently accelerated with an unknown message displayed on the Phone APP but not on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that a screw had detached from the undercarriage which resulted in an abnormal, squeaking noise coming from the vehicle while driving at various speeds. Additionally, the contact also stated that the automatic walk-away lock feature intermittently failed to operate as needed; as a result, the vehicle remained unlocked while away from the vehicle. The vehicle had been taken to a Service Center for repair; however, the failures persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control
Filed Jun 16, 2024OH

Autopilot FSD 12.3.6 in Ohio is interpreting state route signs as speed limit signs. In Milford Ohio, the speed limit is 25mph. While traveling on [XXX] each state route sign had the max speed jump to 50mph. Then back to 25 at the next actual speed limit sign. An [XXX] sign was interpreted as 20mph. Errors is speed are dangerous in either the car going too fast or risking a rear end collision by incorrectly slowing down. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 15, 2024CA

Drivers door opens at. random

Air Bags
Filed Jun 12, 2024WA

My 2018 Model 3 started giving me the error "RCM_a056_passengerFrontOCS" today. This is caused by a faulty passenger occupancy weight sensor. This has been an ongoing issue in these models evidenced by SB-23-20-002 being revised 6 times. Tesla has resisted fixing this safety issue because the air bag also needs to be replaced to maintain compatibility with the redesigned Occupant Classification System (OCS) weight sensor evidenced in Tesla SB-23-20-001. Tesla has redesigned the known bad sensor part no. part 1121234-70-B with an updated part no. 099592-00-F which is only compatible with an updated airbag. The OCS weight sensor was defective from the point of manufacture. The RCM_a056 error only appeared after applying the latest firmware update that addresses NHTSA recall 24V-376. The firmware update made the firmware more sensitive to analog sensor readings which revealed the originally defective OCS weight sensor triggering the error message. Nearly half of the recent NHTSA complaints for this model involve this exact issue. This OCS hardware sensor was always defective and poses an ongoing safety concern. The defective system never should have been approved as it did not function as intended originally. The NHTSA must issue a new recall that covers the defective hardware instead of just the software as in NHTSA recall 24V-376. Without corrected hardware the OCS system will not work as intended which is allowing the airbags to prevent injury and death in the event of collis

Seats
Filed Jun 11, 2024CA

The car issued me a "front left safety restraint system fault" saying service is required. The code it flashed was RCM_a021. I am able to get the code to go away by adjusting the seat, however, if i shift my weight or i hit a bump in the road, the warning will appear once again. This leads me to believe that there is a component in the seat that is defective. I took vehicle to the Tesla service center where they found a "broken wire in the pretensioner connector" and they replaced the wiring harness. Upon doing investigation it appears that there are multiple components that are used to determine the firing intensity of the airbags should they go off. If either are damaged the airbags will not fire correctly. Some of these components can be easily damaged due to the seats constant back/forth motion if the easy entry mode is enabled on the car. As the car was outside the warranty period, Tesla refused to cover the costs for repair even though there was a TSB (technical service bulletin) already out on this same issue (reference SB-21-17-005). Total cost for repair including parts, labor and tax was $631.10.

Seats
Filed Jun 6, 2024CA

Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault. From Invoice: Tesla to Replace Front Passenger Airbag And Update Vehicle Configuration Passenger Airbag error malfunction!!! Passenger Airbag Harness Malfunction!!! Correction: Retrofit SBR in OCS Equipped Front Passenger Seat - Remove and Replace Seatbelt issue!!! FIRST ROW SEAT HARNESS ASSEMBLY - RIGHT HAND FIRST ROW - SEAT BELT REMINDER SENSOR BOX CLIP FIRST ROW OCCUPANCY SENSOR Giving an error and now they are charging me to fix this defect in my Tesla Model 3

Air Bags
Filed Jun 3, 2024CO

My car started giving me an alert for a "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault". There has been no accident to cause an issue. I'm being told by the service center that it is a known occurrence and certain models/years, require a new safety vent type front passenger airbag to maintain compatibility between the front passenger seat and the front passenger airbag.

Steering
Filed Jun 3, 2024CA

Without warning, it became extremely difficult to turn the wheel while I was driving. An alert simultaneously appeared stating that steering assist was reduced. I was able to park the car, with difficulty, and then updated the software. The warning disappeared and the steering seemed to work again. Tesla recommended a remote visit only since the car didn’t appear to have any current warnings, however I requested an in-person evaluation. It was determined that the car had a faulty steering rack. They stated that this did not appear to be from damage, and instead an internal fault.

Suspension
Filed Jun 1, 2024CA

The first time was rattling and squeaking from front driver's side wheel. It got progressively worse so I took it in and they replaced the control arms. About 10 months later the rattling is back. This time Tesla says it's a different problem. I need to replace the lateral links, the compliance links and get a wheel alignment.

Electrical System
Filed Jun 1, 2024WA

1. There is an open recall since Dec 2021 (21V-00D) which Tesla has still not fixed! 2. The automatic wiper system on the car is unsafe as it takes a long time to activate when its raining, and sometimes it activates without any rain!

Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise ControlCrash
Filed May 26, 2024FL

I may have figured out the common link between Tesla Autopilot crashes. Distracted operators have the accelerator pressed while the TACC is engaged, thinking (for many reasons) that the vehicle will stop if there are any obstacles in front of them. However, when the accelerator is being pressed, the vehicle will not stop. It will happily run into a wall. One second before impact, the forward collision warning turns on, followed by the ABS and the slamming of the brakes, but by then it's too late for a distracted driver. The raw Tesla "Vehicle Data" on Column D, shows "Accelerator Pedal Position (%)." I strongly encourage you to take a look at the data for the autopilot crashes and review this column to see how many had the accelerator pressed until 1 second before the accident, even if the autopilot was engaged. The 4/25/24 update to Investigation EA22002 states that in 82% of the crashes, the operator did not apply the brake until <1 second prior to impact. Tesla's Director of Autopilot Software Ashok Elluswamy also made a claim that the vehicle can switch pedals if the accelerator is pressed instead of the brake, and that technology saves 40,000 crashes per year: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Structure › Body › Door › Handle › Exterior
Filed May 20, 202430,000 milesWA

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the chrome trim became loose on all four doors, which caused injuries to the contact and daughter while opening the doors. The vehicle was diagnosed by an onboard App, that determined that all four door handles needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that it was a known issue since the manufacturer had changed the chrome trim for the newer model vehicles. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and informed the contact that he had to pay out of pocket for the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Seat Belts
Filed May 20, 2024NC

Keep getting a safety restraint system fault error displayed and the estimate is more than $2000.This error just came out of the blue and I am not sure if the vehicle is safe to operate.

Air Bags
Filed May 16, 2024CA

I'm receiving an error "Front Passenger Restraint System Fault". According to online forums, this issue is PREVALENT amongst many Tesla vehicles. This seems like a serious defect that Tesla should be responsible for fixing.

Air Bags
Filed May 14, 2024CA

Safety Restraint System fault warning, passenger airbag off on display. 1) 4/10/24 Dealer replaced Occupant Classification System components for front passenger seat for $184.26. Dealer assured issue being resolved. 2) 5/5/24 Same fault warning, passenger airbag off on display reappeared for 2nd time and dealer replaced front passenger airbag for $1089.18. Dealer assured issue being resolved. 3) 5/10/24 Same fault warning, passenger airbag off on display again reappeared for 3rd time and dealer is now proposing to replaced front passenger seat back and seat cushions for $1248.07.

Seats
Filed May 14, 2024TX

The buttons in the interior seem to be degrading much quicker than it should be. The window levers become lose and can break off. This is a safety hazard as in not able to raise the window if it allows to lower it. One has to park in order to raise windows in the mobile application. The plastics are breaking too quickly. There is also an issue with levers for the seat adjusting. Also, when canceling service requests in their application, Tesla deletes or hides them without an ability to see what was written to show proof later of their faults.

Air Bags
Filed May 12, 2024CA

The vehicle showed an alert "Front passenger safety restraint system fault/Service is required". The vehicle never had an accident, nor abnormal usage, which may have caused this system fault. The manufacturer's service department gave a repair plan including an air-bag replacement at the owner's cost. It is not fair to force vehicle owners to be responsible for the cost to repair the manufacturer's safety system problem. The repair should be done under a safety recall.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 10, 2024WA

The rear-passenger door handle decorative chrome came detached in a strip from the middle of the underlying stronger material. It was *SHARP* and cut my wife's hand. Web searches showed others with the same issue, even one reporting being cut by it. Tesla said it was not a warranty item and cars break but did say it was odd to see it break in the way it did.

Suspension
Filed May 9, 2024NC

My car began making a loud creaking noise that was palpable in the gas pedal on turns, especially when turning into an incline. I requested service from tesla who gave me an appointment approximately a month after my request. The noise grew louder and more frequent so I messaged service again to make sure the car was safe to drive and see if an earlier time was available. They replied that yes it was safe and no there was no earlier time. Soon thereafter I pulled into a parking spot and heard a very loud noise from the front left and got out to find the left front wheel bent inward and support components hanging from the bottom of the car in contact with the pavement. Per Tesla service's report, "front suspension damage and driver side front finder damage...left front strut damage, front sub-frame assembly damage, lower lateral links damage, aero shield is damaged, and both front lateral and compliance link brushings torn." Recommend to replace front suspension lower lateral and compliance links, both front upper control arms, left front strut, front sub-frame assembly and perform four wheel alignment. Steering rack feels harder than normal while turning on the lift. Recommend to replace steering rack assembly" The technician stated that this appeared to be due to "collision damage". The car was hit while parked a year ago, but a Tesla-authorized collision repair facility did not identify damage to any of these components at the time of repair. The quote for repair currently

Air Bags
Filed May 9, 2024CA

While driving normally, an error warning was received that stated "Front Left Safety Restraint System Error" and the icon for an airbag fault would come in simultaneously. This error would disappear and reappear, sometimes up to 10 times per minute, creating a driver distraction due to the loud error chime. The error code identified for the fault when checked on the Tesla service screen corresponded to pretensioner wire harness. The pretensioner harness connects the seat sensors for driver weight and positioning to the car's airbag control system, which then classifies passengers and ensures that the airbags fire correctly in the event of a collision. For example, if a smaller female driver was operating the car but was incorrectly classified as male, the airbag could fire with excessive force and cause injury. The set of symptoms occurs commonly in Tesla Model 3s and are caused by the wear over time of a poorly designed wiring harness, which chafes as the seat is moved forward and backward until it breaks. This is a known problem by Tesla and they have a specific service bulletin designed to address it, which I have attached below. When taken in to address the issue, Tesla performed the procedure in the attached bulletin and identified a damaged harness, which was subsequently replaced. I retained the damaged harness for inspection. The invoice for this service is attached. No other defects were identified that could have caused the issue. This is a safety related issue occu

Steering
Filed May 7, 202443,000 milesVA

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal grinding sound emanating from the front driver's side of the vehicle, after which he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring that the steering wheel be manually returned to center. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 43,000.

Steering
Filed May 5, 2024NJ

Power Steering stopped working suddenly while driving. This was a OEM part replaced on 2021 Aug 30. The car was unable to be controlled and luckily I was driving at slow speed when I realized this issue. This issue happened without any warning and there should be monitoring if this fails and warn the customer to take necessary precautions. Also wondering if the warranty of 1 year for a part like this is sufficient and customer to bear 2750$ cost to replace is a big burden to an average consumer especially if not his fault.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 4, 2024MA

I engaged the vehicle's automatic parking function when prompted by the car. The process initiated as expected, and the car began to back into an open spot. In the process of parking, the automated system steered into a curb, damaging the left front wheel in the process. As an aside, the list of "Problem Parts" above should include "autonomous driving system".

Seats
Filed May 2, 2024CA

Passenger Airbag and seat are faulty. Received error message on my car “front passenger safety restraint system faulty”. Tesla is wanting to replace the airbag and passenger seat and seat belt and it will cost few thousands dollars.

Steering
Filed May 1, 2024CA

My 2017 Tesla Model 3 was unable to be successfully updated with the OTA firmware update remedy in compliance with NHTSA Recall No. 23V-838. The Tesla Service Advisor claims the computer is the cause of the failure and needs to be replaced at an estimated cost of $2,740.28 because it is no longer covered under warranty. Tesla replaced the original computer with Autopilot Hardware 3.0 at its discretion and expense in 2020, presumably to enable full FSD functionality as the FSD option was part of the original purchase. The computer controls all driving functions of the vehicle without fault and successfully communicates with the Tesla server so the diagnosis that it is defective and the cause of the OTA update failure, as opposed to a "buggy" software update, is highly suspect. Independently verifying the validity of Tesla's diagnosis is not possible given the proprietary nature of such work. In response to my query about the uniqueness of this problem, the Tesla Service Adviser admitted that other customers have paid to have their vehicle computers replaced for this same reason which, if true, is most troubling. It leads me to believe that Tesla is using the safety recall to exploit and profit from unwitting customers for an expensive and unnecessary fix when the root problem is an inadequately written firmware patch.

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 29, 2024CA

I was parked on a flat street and got in my car and began driving. I went one city block at a slow pace because cars were stopped ahead. I pressed my brake pedal and it went all the way to the floor with no tension or braking. It was “floppy”. I was able to stop in the road (in traffic) and since it was a quiet street I decided I should try to reboot the car (thinking maybe it was a software glitch). Luckily only 2 cars passed me as this was happening because even the hazard lights go off during a reboot. Once the car was started up the brakes felt tight again so I drove another block, still going under 20 MPH. At the next intersection the brakes stopped working again and were “loose”My foot would go all the way to the floor with no effect. I saw a space at the corner to pull into (not a legal parking space but my car could fit so I could pull out of traffic). The regenerative brakes worked and I rolled to a stop. I called Tesla. They agreed the car was not safe to drive and asked me to tow it to them. They worked on the car for about a week and half. They told me the Hydraulic Control Unit failed and was replaced. They said the unit is in a protected area and did not fail because of impact or because of my breaking habits. They said it is possible that it might just fail overtime. But there was no warning, light or indicator that it was failing, and the brakes just stopped working suddenly it could’ve been much worse. If I had parked on a hill that day or made my way to a fr

Steering
Filed Apr 29, 2024CA

My steering wheel on my 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, began to groan louder and vibrate periodically when the steering wheel was turned, especially at lower speeds. At speeds roughly under 50 MPH, the front wheel fender area would vibrate frequently, and more often when I encountered speed bumps or dips in the pavement surface. I contacted Tesla early 2024 through my Tesla app, explained what I was experiencing. Tesla determined I may set a mechanical appointment for 01/14/2024 with a "repair estimate" that was approximately $175.00. Upon preview by the service-intake representative (I do not remember name), he pushed down on my front fender area, heard the "groan" and informed me that my vehicle's issue was "very common and easily correctable, that should not cost me more than $200” in his estimation. A couple hours after dropping off my car, I got a call from another representative from the Berkeley Tesla Service center, informing me that the damage was more extensive and would be approximately $2100 (labor included), which involved a broken control assembly, replacing Front Upper Control Arm Assembly, Right hand and Left hand, Front Lower Compliance Link Assembly Right and Left sides, Lateral Lower Front Links Right and Left sides, an alignment, and various bolts & nuts parts.. or if I choose to not move forward with repair, I can come back to pick up my vehicle without repair costs. On the phone, I brought up that I read the NHTSA and Tesla issued a recall on some vehicl

Air Bags
Filed Apr 27, 2024CA

My car has 98,000 miles and out of warranty. When driving 10 days ago I saw a message on the screen "Front Passenger Restraint System Fault" I took the car to the Tesla Garage and was advised that it might be the air bag. They said it could cost as much as $$1,826.66. They kept the vehicle and sent a message asking me to authorise my credit card pay this amount when done. First of all I note on the Tesla Motors Club that I am not alone. Second I have to rely on Tesla being honest about this. They have their own propriety testing system so I could not take it to another mechanic. Last of all I have never experienced a failed air bag in my vehicles before and it seems that Tesla has problems and this should have been paid by them as a recall item

Air Bags
Filed Apr 25, 2024NV

A defect in manufacturing causes the seat sensor (in this case: passenger) connection to fail. The connection has no retaining clip and falls out. This disables the airbag deployment calculations. Error code: RCM_a056 Telsa wants to replace seat and calibrate airbag at consumer's cost, Quoted ~$1500 I've pushed the connector back in several times over the past few years, one day it's going to hurt someone.

Seat Belts
Filed Apr 24, 2024TX

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Front left safety restraint system fault, must replace first row seat harness assembly for seat belt. It is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Potential Seat Belt Malfunction, Tesla states "Service Required" Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, common issue all over Tesla forums covering both Model 3 and Model Y. The problem/warning is reproducible on personal vehicle. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Tesla diagnostics showed service is required to replace front row seat belt assembly due to fault. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, warning on display "Front left safety restraint system fault/Service is required" first appeared on personal vehicle 1 year ago intermittently, but online forums show this issue on similar vehicles dating back to 2019

Seat Belts
Filed Apr 24, 2024TX

This is a follow up to issue 11584898. Tesla Service states that due to the seat belt fault, the vehicle is not safe to drive until repair is complete. Tesla is also not providing a loaner vehicle until the vehicle is repaired. This puts many Model 3 and Model Y Drivers at risk due to limited Tesla and 3rd party service centers, limited service center schedule availability, and high cost of repair.

Suspension
Filed Apr 24, 2024NJ

My car began producing very loud creaking noise at low speed. I brought the car into a Tesla service center and the technician said that this was a well known issue with the upper control arm of the front suspension. He mentioned he performs this repair every day. I was given an estimate of approximately $200 to repair the suspension. I later receive an updated estimate of $1,850. Tesla states there was extensive damage to the front suspension. In addition to the upper control arms; the compliance and lateral links of the front suspension were torn. The technician confirmed that the torn components posed a safety risk. This was shocking as the car only had 33,500 miles on it. I asked about the expected wear life of these components. Tesla was unable to provide me with an answer. Later I was reading discussions of this issue on an owner's forum. Many owners report this issue and have replaced their front suspension two or three times only to have the issue reoccur. It appears that Tesla knowingly sold vehicles with defective components, creating a safety issue; and have placed the burden of repairing and replacing these components on consumers.

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 22, 2024CO

Following an over-the-air software update, all audio in the vehicle stops working. This includes entertainment services, but more importantly turn signal indicator "clicks", forward collision warnings, parking assist chimes, shift confirmation and warning chimes, and various ADAS notification sounds. In some instances, the problem corrected itself within 24 hours. In another instance, it persisted for nearly a week before I discovered that unplugging the USB cable for the dashcam fixed the problem. The dashcam hard drive has been installed for over 4 years, per the instructions in the user manual, without problems until early 2024. There were no error notifications or anything else to indicate that there was a problem with the car's safety systems, or what the cause of the problem was, except for the lack of audio. I chatted with Tesla service about the issue. After discovering and sharing that disconnecting the USB drive fixed the issue, they were persistent in wanting to cancel my appointment without gathering any additional information. Here is the transcript of our interaction: Me: Unplugging my dascham hard drive from the USB port fixed it. Weird. Tesla: Oh interesting. Good to know! Do we have permission to cancel this appointment? Me: Since it keeps happening I'd like to keep it open. I turned on remote debugging in case that helps you to report the bug or something. Tesla: We have nothing else to diagnose if your vehicle is operating as expected. Me: Ok. If it keeps h

Seats
Filed Apr 19, 2024WA

The 2018 Tesla model 3 has no manual release for rear passenger doors. Rear doors often fail to open due to door panel alignment or actuator for door. Doors will feel like they are opening but will be stuck. passenger will be unable to exit the rear of the vehicle incase of fire, power loss or due to an accident with no ability to exit the rear of the vehicle.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 19, 2024AZ

Front passenger seat restraint safety system fault. My car only has 40,000 miles is out of warranty. $2200+ estimate from Tesla. This safety issue happens often according to Tesla Owner sites.

Suspension
Filed Apr 17, 2024NJ

Left and right upper control arms failed, as did both front lower lateral links. Same issues as the vehicles recalled as part of 2 different recalls by Tesla: [XXX] Car requires over $2,000 of out of warranty repairs despite this clearly being a manufacturer defect and car should have been included as part of the previous recall(s). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Apr 16, 2024TX

The most recent software update v11.1(2024.3.10 9d92fb944d7f) was downloaded automatically and I installed it. The next time I drove, the car made uncommanded and unwanted lane changes, apparently because I could "go faster" if I passed the traffic in front of me. I did not want to go faster due to congestion and aggressive drivers where I live. I then discovered that "Full Self Driving" had been activated after the download and without my knowledge or authorization. I believe that this was an unsafe condition and wish to report it. I immediately turned "FSD" off.

SteeringCrash1 injured
Filed Apr 16, 2024MD

Tesla Model 3 autopilot engaged. The car steered itself off the road and into a tree as it was accelerating on a residential street from 8 mph to approx. 30 mph.

Seat Belts
Filed Apr 16, 2024105,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message displayed reading "Left from passenger safety restraint system fault". The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: SB-21-17-005. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 105,000.

Electrical System
Filed Apr 14, 2024NJ

I have a 2018 Tesla Mode 3. It is one of the early Model 3 on roads. I have had around 10 issues in the car over the past 6 years of ownership; and most of them were fixed during warranty. My car has no accidents, no water damages (only hand washed), single driver driven and well maintained. Around a month ago, I got an alert in the car “Condition Detected with Controller”. Tesla Service did remote check and stated that VCFRONT (Front Body Controller) needs to be replaced for $900. I took the car for this fix and then heard that VCFRONT Controller is fine, but I need a replacement of Harness and Steering Rack for $4200, as they see corrosion. I told them that I have no issues with driving or anything else, as $4200 is around 25% of the value of the car. I was advised, pay for this amount or take the car. I got my car without fix. My concern include (i) if this is corrosion issue (Model S 2018 and before also had the same issue and there was a recall), then is it their part quality or design quality issue or is it a normal car’s aging issue? (ii) I see malpractice of charging exorbitant $4200 for something I do not see any issues in driving or anything else, and importantly, not sure how are my future repairs going to look like $$ wise. I have request for NHSTA – can I show my car to any entity like yours (and not Tesla Service) to get an advise whether (a) this is a corrosion issue by manufacturer or normal car’s aging issue (b) is it critical car to replace one or both parts

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 13, 2024NJ

Tesla is unable to remediate recall 23V-838; TC2023-657, the over-the-air software update will not install on my car and is asking me to pay at least $200 to diagnosis the issue and then potentially $1000 to fix failed hardware.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 12, 2024TX

Experienced safety restraint system failure on all four seats. Had them all fixed for ~$2,000. Front passenger restraint failed again next month. Know. Issue among the message boards online. Investigation into number of these repairs is likely merited.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 8, 2024FL

Car displayed safety restraint system fault RCM_a094. Tesla diagnosed as rear seat buckle sensor failure. Additionally, car displays an intermittent fault RCM_a056. Tesla diagnosed this as a front passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor fault. Tesla stated the front passenger airbag would need to be replaced as the new sensor is not compatible with the older airbag. This renders the entire airbag system inoperable due to this component failure. The critical safety issue is extremely expensive as the incompatible sensor requires expensive airbag replacement. Furthermore, the safety system is prone to failure with 2 safety system faults occurring at <80k miles. Service rep stated that the 2018 model year has had issues with the airbag system that is why they updated the module. I asked for recall or replacement at Tesla cost but was denied. Facebook group discussions and search indicate others have intermittent OCS sensor failure and this is likely a defective part for that year.

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 4, 2024CA

Front passenger safety restraint system fault. This is the second time this has happened.

Structure › Body1 injured
Filed Apr 3, 2024MA

There are 2 separate issues with our door handles. The first issue is that they are slow to retract, and in the cold, the often remain in an open position. This has happened numerous times over this winter when my child gets in her car booster. The second issue relates to the method in which tesla adhered the chrome to the handles. There is a small seam on the bottom of the handle that peals off, This results in a VERY sharp metallic layer on the handle. I have now sliced my hand twice on this handle. (I’ve scheduled Tesla to replace this handle. Unfortunately this is coming at a cost to me as the consumer.

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NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2018 Tesla Model 3 → · Every Model 3 year → · How the figures are calculated →