Tesla Model 3 Complaints

2,178 consumer complaints on file.

#11534805July 27, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My tesla Model 3 has Full Self Driving software with FSD Beta testing enabled. Tesla refuses to update my old, outdated, obsolete, less safe software to newer, safer software. My car makes dangerous decisions, incorrect lane choices, random, sudden lane changes, will run stop signs and an occasional red light. The problem is tesla charges their customers full retail price, but doesn’t actually give us the new software they offer to us. They give new software only to a few select customers and the majority of their customers receive only old, dangerous software. I believe they do this only for compliance reasons and have no intention to give everyone the newer, safer software. My car has become very dangerous and the “Full Self Driving” is basically useless at this point. FSD version 11.3.6 is too dangerous to use on public roads.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11534804July 27, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the “Full Self-Driving Beta” allowed the vehicle to drive unsafe. The contact stated that while in the left lane going straight through an intersection, while in a turn only lane, the vehicle inadvertently launched 45 degrees into the right lane and almost caused an accident. No warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and performed an Over the Air (OTA) software update; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had performed as designed. The contact stated that he disengaged the Full Self-Driving Beta. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 31,945.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11534463July 25, 2023
STRUCTURE:BODY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
The rear door jammed shut. It would not open and we discovered there is no mechanical way for a passenger to open the back doors of a Tesla model 3. The car’s electrical system has to be on and functioning properly in order to exit from the back. This is terrifying.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11534448July 25, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On Adaptive cruise control mode about a set speed of 70-75mph on I-5 , the car was suddenly decelerating or braking on Freeway for no reason. I.e. No vehicle or obstacles was there which required braking during approx 3 occurrences happened on a same day of 200+ miles drive. It was deadly dangerous and increases risk for a nasty rear-end crash.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11534358July 25, 2023
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
While traveling on the interstate using cruise control, my vehicle abruptly started to break which caused the vehicle behind me to brake as well. I did not touch the brake, accelerator, or the cruise control itself during this incident. And there were no cars in front of me or to the right of my position (I was in the far left lane).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533985July 24, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Since purchasing this vehicle in May 2023 I have had four (4) instances of the vehicle automatically braking (phantom braking) while traveling at a higher speed on the interstate using cruise control (Autopilot). This has occurred during both daylight and nighttime driving. At the time it occurred, only once was there a vehicle in front of me, but far enough away that the auto braking should not have activated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533902July 23, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The car was parked and the. windshield spontaneously cracked, involving approximately half of the length of the windshield
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533681July 21, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 400.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533607July 21, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
While driving on freeway with adaptive cruise control engaged, the vehicle suddenly slammed on the brakes with the wheels initially locking up (there was an audible screech from the tires). There was no traffic obstacle that would have suggested that there was a reason to do this. It was daytime and the weather was clear. I was able to immediately take control of the car and re-accelerate to prevent vehicles behind me from rear-ending me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533441July 20, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The issue is not from my car, but someone that has the same vehicle as I. I was reading online that the acceleration pedal is made of some Sort of Plastic and the owners pedal snapped. I'll attach the link. When I inspected mine, I was amazed that indeed it feels plastic, at this time it's not broken but I'm concerned for the years to come, is it safe and was this made to cut corners? I drive my vehicle a lot and would hate for anything like this to happen, it seems dangerous. I'm sure a lot of people are going to start contacting you guys due to this. Here is the link https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModel3/comments/1541yl2/i_dont_think_i_pressed_it_that_hard/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533171July 19, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while using a self-driving mode at 50 mph, it would not stay in the lane and drive slowly into the next lane. The contact stated on April 9, 2023, while using a self-driving mode at 15 mph, a pedestrian walked into the lane and the vehicle did not detect the person and hit the pedestrian. No air bags deployed. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The pedestrian sustained an unknown fractured leg and a fractured arm and sought medical attention for his injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla collision shop and had the front windshield replaced. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer but was informed no failure was detected. The vehicle was not repaired and continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,570.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11533168July 19, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This is a report of the accident I was in on July 15, 2023 at 3:00 PM. I was going south on two lane Hwy 160 a couple south miles of Hwy 12 when I pulled out onto a wide, long pullout. When I decided to get back on the highway, I looked back to see a long line of cars coming. My Tesla’s Full Self Driving has Auto Lane Change which switches lanes for you when safe. I figured I would use Auto Lane Change to merge onto the road when safe. I already had the Tesla Navigation on. I turned on the Full Self Drive and my blinker, thinking that it would be a while before the Tesla decided it was safe to merge onto the road. However, the car started moving toward the road almost immediately. I realized that there couldn’t have been a break in traffic already. I turned in disbelief. Just then the left side of the was smashed. I looked ahead to see a SUV swerving back and forth down the road trying to regain control. Then the blur of another car. The SUV was sailing through the air, then it was sliding on its roof. I rushed to the SUV feeling like there was a good chance that people were really hurt or dead. I couldn’t see inside because of the airbags.The driver’s door wouldn’t open. I rushed around the back of the car and saw a dog getting out of the front passenger door followed by a man. The man helped his wife out. Thankfully, they were not hurt. While waiting for the tow truck, one of the fishermen who were hanging around for some reason asked me for my ID. I asked why. He said his car was in the accident and pointed across the highway to over a 15 foot embankment and to about 500 hundred yards away where I saw his car. He said that his car had been parked and was hit by the SUV. With the stress and adrenaline of the accident and because there was only my car and the SUV on the side of the road, I realized that this was the car I had seen in a blur during the whirlwind accident.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533083July 18, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
While I was driving along a freeway using autopilot cruise control, the car suddenly slammed its brakes even if there was no cars in front of us. I thought it was just a fluke but it happened at least twice if not thrice during that trip. There was at least an approximate of 3 miles gap between us and the car in front, so practically no cars in front. Had there any vehicles behind us, it would for sure rear ended us.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533054July 18, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stopped suddenly without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 5,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533039July 18, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
My car is braking hard while I'm on the highway. It's happened on this trip 7 times already. In one of braking, My wife almost got rear ended
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532892July 18, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While driving, both while using Adaptive Cruise Control and while using "Autopilot" (automatic lane centering), the car has severely emergency braked with no input from me. The conditions were bright sunlight, with mirages on the roadway in front of the car. I believe the car cannot tell the difference between these mirages and actual obstacles. The emergency braking is severe enough to potentially cause an accident, with speed rapidly dropping from 70 mph to 45mph. This is a serious defect that needs addressed ASAP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532777July 17, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Electrical system rebooted in the middle of driving: screen went off couldn't signal i swayed to the side and waited till the screen came back on after 3 minutes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532650July 17, 2023
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, WHEELS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532334July 14, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I have had this car for 6 months. Three times within the past month sudden braking (phantom braking) occurred while driving on the high way with cruise control engaged. The car slowed from 70miles/hour to 35-40 miles/hour without warning on a clear day on a clear road. Then the car picked up speed. The cars in the front and the rear were far away to cause any incident. This happens in a random fashion and cannot be reproduced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532257July 14, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
My Tesla Model 3 has had 3 phantom braking episodes since I bought the car new in June 2023. All 3 episodes were when the cruise control was on. Without any warning, the car will violently slow from 70mph to about 25mph in a very short time. My guess, less than 2 seconds. The tires loose grip on the road surface and the car will come to a stop. In all 3 instances, I needed to apply the accelerator to get the car moving again. During all 3 phantom braking episodes, there were no vehicles behind me that could of rear ended me. If so, the vehicle(s) behind me would have no doubt rear ended me. All 3 instances occurred on clear warm days close to Yermo CA on Interstate 15. I reported this phantom brake issue with the local Tesla location and they reviewed my cars software and said nothing was wrong. The system is working as intended. Once my Tesla Model 3 phantom breaking started, I have researched the issue online and noted a tremendous amount of complaints and reports to your agency. This phantom braking needs to be fixed and until then disclosed when a customer buys a Model 3.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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