Tesla Model 3 Complaints (2021)

674 consumer complaints on file.

#11699513November 15, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Tesla full self driving software malfunctioned and turned into oncoming traffic lanes instead of crossing over to the correct opposite side of the roadway. This occurred after getting off a on ramp in Ukiah, California around 2am Nov 15, 2025. This could have put others in serious danger if there were cars coming in the oncoming lanes heading in the different direction. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer or other entity. Yet This has happened to other tesla drivers as well using FSD as you are probably already aware. No inspection and it was sudden and unexpected.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698493November 10, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I have been very cautious on charging my Tesla Model 3 and have followed all of the manufacturer's recommendations. The HV battery recently failed at 105,050 miles. South Korea has noted a battery reliability issue for this year car and model, so I am reporting this to you so if a recall is needed, you can track this. I believe my battery is a Panasonic NCA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697191November 3, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
We were not able to open the door after the 12 V battery died; fortunately we were not inside the car else this could have been catastrophic. There was no way for anyone trapped inside to come out.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695420October 24, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I drove into my neighbor’s driveway to drop her off. As I slowed down and applied the brakes to stop, the car failed to respond. It continued forward, running over the flower and plant pots at the edge of the driveway, crossing the backyard, and finally colliding with the trees and bushes at the rear of the property. All airbags deployed, and the vehicle was damaged beyond repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691744October 6, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
This car is dangerous to rear passengers there's no mechanical door release cable so if there's a loss of electrical power and the car is involved in an accident the rear people or children are trapped
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688283September 19, 2025
STEERING
Steering wheel is peeling/degrading and causing difficulties with steering and control.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687821September 17, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:EXTERIOR
The passenger door handle is inoperable . The door handle is stucked open.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687029September 13, 2025
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Steering rack failure. Steering assist, auto pilot and lane departure prevention failed and would not work properly so this is a safety issue. Manual steering worked fine but the safety and auto pilot functions would no longer function. Paid for Tesla service over $3,000 to replace steering rack and now is working properly. Reporting this as this may happen to others and probably should be a proactive recall on the steering racks so others don't lose these safety features. Maybe related to computer as it failed, worked again and then failed again and was then repaired by Tesla service center.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685809September 8, 2025
SEATS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Resistive occupancy sensor consistently failing causing: -Bluetooth to not automatically connect anytime the vehicle is entered - vehicle puts itself in park to prevent rollback if seatbelt is not applied - car does not recognize when driver is in seat These are serious safety concerns as it could cause a domino effect in safety features if not applied when needed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11684327September 1, 2025
SEAT BELTS
Driver belt latch failed while driving
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683322August 27, 2025
STEERING, WHEELS
While driving a Tesla 2021 model 3 tonight at 8:45 P.M. turning left the wheels locked to the left and would not turn straight causing me to hit a concrete divider. After hitting concrete divider steering released to normal driving but driver side car front rim tire was damaged and wheel alignment misdirected.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681396August 18, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Component/System involved: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems — FSD (Supervised)/Autosteer (Lane Keeping Assistance) and Adaptive Cruise Control. Possible failure to warn/stop (FCW/AEB). Vehicle and data are available for inspection upon request. I preserved dashcam files and requested Tesla to preserve engineering logs and EDR. What happened & safety risk: On [XXX] at ~[XXX] PDT on [XXX] near East Palo Alto, CA, with FSD (Supervised) engaged, the system appeared to misinterpret an exit ramp/gore area as a continuing lane at a highway fork and maintained ~60 mph (posted ~70). As soon as I saw the trajectory was unsafe, I braked and began manual steering takeover, but the vehicle contacted a roadside sign near the gore/shoulder before I could complete the maneuver. I then stopped safely. No other vehicles were struck. Airbags did not deploy. This posed a serious collision risk to me, my passenger, and nearby traffic. Reproduction/confirmation: NOT REPRODUCED. I have not attempted to reproduce the event. UNKNOWN whether the issue has been reproduced by Tesla or a service center yet. Inspection to date: Police responded (report pending). My insurer has opened a claim. I opened a Tesla Service request asking to PRESERVE Autopilot/FSD engineering logs for the incident window and to coordinate EDR extraction; engineering review pending. Vehicle remains drivable. Warnings or symptoms before failure: No audible/visual forward-collision warning was perceived by me and I did not observe automatic emergency braking. No prior warning lamps/messages were noticed before the departure toward the gore. UNKNOWN whether any internal/partial interventions were recorded in logs. Evidence available: Four-camera Tesla dashcam footage saved and backed up (see [XXX] ); precise time window ~[XXX] PDT on [XXX]. I can provide files and cooperate with data retrieval/inspection upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679841August 11, 2025
TIRES
On [XXX], I was given a Tesla Model 3 loaner vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ) from the Knoxville, TN Tesla Service Center while my own Tesla was in for warranty repair. At pickup, I told the service advisor that the passenger-side tires looked unsafe. No inspection or warning was provided. After driving only 7.7 miles at normal speed on smooth roads, both passenger-side tires failed simultaneously. There were no potholes, curbs, or debris impacts. Tesla’s own service invoice states the cause was “not specified” and only speculates possible curb or debris damage without proof. Two tires failing on the same side so soon after hand-off suggests a pre-existing structural defect or safety issue. This incident posed a serious safety risk to myself and other motorists and could have caused loss of control at highway speeds. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678889August 6, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The 2017-2020 Tesla model 3's have a recall for the rear camera wiring harness. The recall ends with cars built until September of 2020. My car was built in December of 2020 and my 2021 tesla model 3 was just repaired and had the exact same issue. The coaxial cable wore out and my rear camera didn't work. Because my car wasn't included in this recall, i had to pay for it. This recall needs to be expanded to other year models of the tesla model 3. The problem isn't isolated to vehicles prior to 2020.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677290July 30, 2025
STEERING, POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - ABS, Automatic Emergency Braking, Traction Control, Stability Control failed while braking using the regenerative braking. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - While coming to a stop using the regenerative braking, the regenerative braking immedietely ceased to work, and the driver had to immediately apply the hydraulic brakes to avoid a rear end collision Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - No, they appeared while braking. This issue is not new to this vehicle and has happened in the past, however the errors cleared themselves out.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676548July 28, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On [Wednesday, 07/09/2025], I was driving my Tesla Model 3 in rainy conditions when the vehicle suddenly swerved and crashed into a sidewall. The road was wet but not flooded, and I was traveling at a moderate speed. As I lifted my foot off the accelerator to slow down, the car's regenerative braking system engaged abruptly, which I believe shifted weight forward and caused the rear tires to lose traction. This led to hydroplaning and complete loss of control. There were no warning lights or alerts prior to the incident. The road surface did not have visible hazards or standing water that would typically explain a spinout. The tires were moderately worn but within usable limits. As a result of the crash, the car was declared a total loss. The insurance company now has possession of the vehicle. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the crash was severe. After the incident, I researched similar cases and found multiple reports and articles (e.g., AutoEvolution) linking Tesla’s regenerative braking to increased risk of hydroplaning or loss of control in wet or slippery conditions. The regen system eliminates coasting and applies braking force immediately upon throttle lift-off, which appears to be a safety risk in reduced-traction environments like rain, snow, or ice. I believe this issue deserves investigation, as it may affect the safety of other Tesla drivers in similar weather conditions.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11675374July 22, 2025
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
Correction: Retrofit SBR in OCS Equipped Front Passenger Seat - Remove and Replace. FIRST ROW - SEAT BELT REMINDER SENSOR BOX CLIP (1130363-00-B), FIRST ROW OCCUPANCY SENSOR(1099592-00-F) FIRST ROW SEAT HARNESS ASSEMBLY - RIGHT HAND (1489060- 03-G). This car has 69k miles and I'm informed this is out of warranty and has a cost of $696.75 to repair on a car that is less than 4 years old. Saying the sensor failed is not accurate as the error does not exist unless there is someone in the passenger seat which tells me the sensor is working somewhat. Tesla will not inform me of what will and will not work in the event of a collision but that these items need to be replaced to ensure safety of occupant's. I am skeptical since safety is your number one concern and should be the concern of every auto manufacturer. Unless damage by the owner specifically, how and why is this not covered for the life of the vehicle?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672330July 9, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
The frunk keeps opening while driving or parked without me pressing the control to open the frunk
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671878July 8, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
While using traffic aware cruise control or autosteer, the car occasionally detects a nonexistent person in the center of the lane I’m driving in, the proceeds to slam on the brakes when no hazard exists. It seems that tire markings in the road and certain lighting conditions cause the car to think there is a person in the road. Additionally, when driving on a highway with rolling hills, the car detects a forward collision alert and hits the brakes and disengages the autosteer. Both of these could cause a rear and collision at highway speeds. The dealer has claimed that the cause is functionally normally and I already tried to get it serviced but the car continues to have these issues. I do have video evidence of the car slamming on the brakes and detecting a forward collision.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671084July 3, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
While backing up, the rearview camera feed occasionally displays a noticeable delay, which prevents objects and pedestrians from appearing in real time. This lag creates a significant safety risk, as the visual information on the screen does not accurately reflect the vehicle's current surroundings. Additionally, the display on the left side (vehicle proximity visualization) does not match the camera view or actual situation, further contributing to confusion and potential danger when reversing. This issue persists despite software updates and appears to be a systemic flaw that compromises driver awareness and vehicle safety. Cross-traffic alert appears impacted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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