Tesla Model 3 Complaints

2,178 consumer complaints on file.

#11569012January 31, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I turned into a parking lot across a gutter filled with ice from a snow plow and drug a block of ice under the car about 50 feet. When I stopped there was a blue fluid leaking out from under the car. I had the car towed to a collision repair shop. Estimated cost to repair $21,591.79. Damage seems excessive for a low speed collision.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11568903January 30, 2024
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My car computer touchscreen has been rebooting with every entry since/start since software update 2023.44.30.5.1. in mid December, 2023. Software update 2023.44.30.8 did not resolve the issue. During the reboot process I am able to move my vehicle but the safety systems (parking sensors, back-up camera, wipers, etc) are inoperable for up 3 minutes during the reboot process. I have reported the issue to Tesla and brought my vehicle in for service 1/29/24. The service center claims that reboot issue is due to a software bug and is a “known characteristic” with this release. They also claim that the lack of the ability to use cameras/sensors while operating the vehicle is convenience related, not safety. Tesla can give me no ETA on when I can expect a software update to remedy the issue which has been outstanding for 5 weeks now.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11568838January 30, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am encountering a serious problem with FSD 2023.44.30.8 06f534d46010. When navigating to a destination the vehicle will drive in a clearly identified bus turn off stop on the right side of the right driving lane. It then abruptly stops and is unsure what to do. The vehicle should not navigate to a bus turnoff stop. The vehicle repeatedly does this at not one but numerous bus turnoff stops in my area. The abrupt turnoff and stop is a hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11568777January 30, 2024
STEERING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I decided to take my first road trip in the new Telsa Model 3. The trip was from Seattle to Portland down [XXX] which is a pretty straight and easy road. Because of this I decided to use the Autopilot feature (I purchased the FSD package) to help take the stress out of driving. (Note, this is my first Electric Vehicle AND even my first vehicle with a screen, so I stayed very aware and present the whole time driving with hands on wheel). After a while of driving I noticed the 'Arrow' icon on the maps, which indicates my car, wasn't centered on the road and was in fact about quarter to half an inch to the right of the road. I didn't think much of it as I've seen my Google maps do this before and after a little bit it readjust and fixes it. As the car was driving, it performed a SUDDEN deceleration and then put on the blinkers to turn left (which I'm on the interstate so there was no left turn). What I noticed was that because the icon on the map wasn't centered on the road, it thought I was off the side of it. When it came up to a side street, it then thought I was on the side street. Thus it rapidly slowed me down to the side street speed limit (35 mph vs the 70 on the interstate), and then thought it needed to turn left to get on to an on-ramp to get me back on the interstate highway. Luckily I was able to catch it in time, but I had to fight with the blinkers for almost a full minute to get them to turn off. After this happened again several more miles down the road, I decided to manually drive the rest of the way. Once I got to a charging station and powered the car off and on, the icon then was centered on the road again. I have noticed a few times since, that it 'gets confused' on what road I'm on and it is concerning that this has a lot of control over the car. It would be great to have a manual way to tell the map that I am currently on which road so it can then note that. 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
#11568651January 29, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The Autopilot feature of my Tesla Model 3 was safe and effective prior to the update mandated by NHTSA. With the recent update, I now receive multiple warnings during my drive on a daily basis for checking my mirrors or adjusting the radio. These are loud and startling. This update was completely unnecessary and counterproductive to my safety. I'm sure some Tesla drivers drive recklessly, but it makes just as much sense to require ICE vehicle manufacturers to install hardware/software to prevent drivers from doing donuts. Please reconsider the "recall" you mandated of Tesla. It was unhelpful. Respectfully, [XXX] Palmdale, CA 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
#11568538January 29, 2024
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
On December 24th 2023, I was reversing into a parking spot with a protruding wall that was only 4 feet high, but the Tesla Model 3 reverse camera was unable to detect the wall. From the angle of the mirrors, it was difficult for me to tell there was a protruding wall, so I was relying on the reverse camera to warn me about any obstacles. However, there was no warning sound as I backed up the car, even as it collided with the protruding wall and shattered the rear roof glass. This ended up costing me almost $700 in repairs out-of-pocket to replace the rear roof glass.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11568520January 29, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The recall you required has made my Tesla car far less safe to drive. I am an attentive driver and had grown accustomed to using Tesla autopilot to help me drive more safety to and from work. Without it I feel that I drive more aggressively and less safe. You should consider supporting Tesla in it's efforts to improve safety through technology
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11568375January 28, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The cruse control is unable to keep its speed and sometimes the vehicule breaks suddently on the highway, especially when the road is wet. The cameras are obstructed by mist or other dirt and the system does not work properly. Related to this problem, the wipers are dangerous to operate. When the cruse control is engaged, then the wipers are forced to automatic mode, which does not work properly. It could start to swipe the dirty mist and actually reduce visibility. Operating the wipers with the touch screen is a hazard, forcing the driver to leave the eyes from the road. I contacted Tesla about these problems last year and the company did nothing. Even worst, on their new cars they removed the stalks completely, which is a non sens. The NHTSA has to intervene.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11568223January 27, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11567734January 25, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
While driving down the highway at less than 60 mph the rear drivers side window spontaneously exploded. There was no one next to me at the time. Nothing hit the window. It exploded and most of the glass blew out of the car onto the highway. I have video of the incident but can't upload that.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11567452January 24, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
While using adaptive cruise control, at highway speeds, there was aggressive, automatic braking when there was no vehicle in front of me. It happened about half a dozen times on a three-day trip from Indiana to Florida. Luckily, in each case there was no vehicle directly behind me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11567311January 23, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11567124January 22, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Ever since software release 2023.44.30, there has been a serious issue with automatic wipers and visibility during driving. It has been documented by drivers on the internet, however I simulated driving conditions in a car wash that has triggered auto wipers atleast a dozen times in the past. Today I recorded a 4 minute and 30 second video where there was zero activation of wipers at all with torrential rain simulated as well as soap fully covering the field of view. Since the auto wipers are tied to the autopilot and FSD system this could cause serious injury or death if not rectified.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11566722January 20, 2024
SEATS
Driver seat will adjust itself while driving down the road. While the seat is moving by itself it will also roll the da window down and no way to roll it up. While all things happening the heat will also stop working.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11566451January 19, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Heat failed a second time in a few days. There was no heat in -7 temperature for 60 miles until I could get it to a supercharger. The car was at 60% charge when heat failed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11566447January 19, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY/WIPER
Heating failed in -10 temperature for approx 40 miles. Window became ice covered and would not clear. Interior of car was 33 degrees and heat came back on when plugged into charger.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11566155January 17, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car windshield cracked when the defrost run after snow fall. Car was parked in the driveway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11566149January 17, 2024
STEERING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I am writing to report several safety issues that I have experienced with my Tesla Model 3. These issues pose a significant risk to my safety and the safety of other road users. I kindly request that you investigate these matters thoroughly and take appropriate action to address them. 1. Steering Wheel Failure: On three separate occasions, the steering wheel of my Tesla Model 3 suddenly stopped working. Two of these incidents occurred while driving on the highway, which made it extremely difficult for me to maintain control of the vehicle. This sudden loss of steering functionality is a serious safety concern and could potentially lead to accidents and injuries. 2. False Forward Collision Warnings: The car's forward collision warning system has been providing false warnings, which has had a negative impact on my insurance premiums. Despite the fact that my insurance company is aware of the issue and acknowledges that it is a system failure, they have been automatically increasing my insurance rates on the leased vehicle. This has resulted in a significant financial burden, with my insurance premium increasing from $120 to almost $400 per month. Furthermore, I have been informed that next month, my premium will be raised to $600. I would like to emphasize that I have a clean driving record with no previous accidents or traffic violations. 3. Slow Charging Speed: Another issue I have encountered is the extremely slow charging speed of the vehicle. Despite the fact that the Tesla Model 3 is rated at 160 kW/h, it consistently charges at a maximum rate of 50 kW/h, regardless of the charging location or time. This significantly limits the usability. Took the vehicle to the Tesla service center twice. However, they said that they have been unable to replicate the steering wheel failure which would be crazy if they could replicate it every time the car is driven. and they have dismissed the slow charging speed as a normal variation and it's not. Disregarding safety!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11566085January 17, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On Jan. 1, 2024 at around 2:19-2:20PM, the vehicle in front of me made a sudden brake causing my vehicle to trigger the Automatic Emergency Brake. My foot was on the brake pedal as well, I even floored the pedal to make my car stop right away but it continued anyway, the pedal felt so loose/soft. My car almost made a full stop but when the vehicle in front of me started moving, the car started to somehow accelerate, I was confused as to why the car was moving when my foot was firmly pushing the brake. This unexpected move caused me to rear-end the vehicle in front when they abruptly stopped for the second time. My thought is since the car in front moved, the Tesla thought the vehicle in front was no longer a threat and stopped applying the brake to make a full stop. I watched a lot of AEB videos online. 1. Automatic Emergency Brake - malfunctioned, maybe, the car log has it but I took a photo that AEB was in progress during the incident 2. My experience is similar to a car without a brake - no matter how hard I pushed the brake pedal, the car didn't stop. It's frightening because I'm out of control over the situation. 3/4. My car was already repaired but I haven't taken it to a Tesla Service Center to inspect the system - the manual brake is working though 5. There were chimes and screen notifications that an Automatic Emergency Brake was in progress. I can upload the dashcam recording if you need it.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11565611January 15, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
I was driving my daughter to school on the freeway when we heard a loud bang toward the back of the vehicle and the vehicle alarms started going off. It said the car was powering down and would not restart. The car immediately reduced speed from 65 to 35 mph and I had to maneuver across 4 lanes of rush hour traffic to safely park on the side of the freeway. Thankfully this did not cause a collision but we were lucky. Even though the car was charged at 55% within 10 minutes the car was completely dead and powered off. I was able to take a picture of some of the error messages on the screen quickly before it died. VCFRONT a191 Electrical system power reduced vehicle shutting down, VCFRONT 192 Electrical System is unable to support all features switching off features to conserve energy, BMSa 059 Vehicle May not restart, BMS a170 acceleration and top speed reduced, HVP w028 Vehicle May not restart. There was no visible damage to the outside or undercarriage of the car. At the dealership when I had the car towed there I was specifically asked if I had washed the car or gotten it wet, which I had not. It has been a week and I have not had a response from Tesla as to the cause of this terrifying event. I have only been told that it has been escalated to the “higher ups” and they are still diagnosing the problem and will not tell me what defect they have found in the car or any date as to when they might have answers. The life and safety of myself and my child were put in danger due to this total shut down of my car on the freeway. Thankfully I was able to safely navigate to the side of the freeway at reduced speed but I do not want this to happen to anyone else. I hope I can get some answers to prevent this from happening in any other 2023 Model 3 .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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