Tesla Model 3 Complaints (2022)

773 consumer complaints on file.

#11773438October 24, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
There are hundreds of reports regarding Tesla HW3 computers overheating following the software update to Full Self-Driving (FSD) Lite V14. On 19 SEP 2026, I was required to replace the HW3 computer on my 2022 Model 3 Performance; the total price was approximately ($2,700.00). As the computer was perpetually stuck in a reboot status, the car's safety and security systems weren't functioning properly (e.g. forward collision assist, lane-keeping assist, cameras, Sentry Mode, etc.). Additionally, while parked overnight, the car drained 2-3 times more power as the computer remained stuck in the reboot loop. The computer clearly failed following a software update that increased the performance outside of the design tolerances. However, because my vehicle was out off warranty (both years and mileage), Tesla required me to pay out of pocket for the repair as it was deemed to be normal wear & tear. Of note, we bought the vehicle brand new in June 2022 and it had 62,652 miles at the time that the computer was replaced; Tesla's New Vehicle Limited Warranty is 4 years / 50K miles. I, like many other owners across multiple forums, believe that Tesla needs to take accountability for this failure and reimburse the owners who lost critical safety capabilities as a result of a poorly designed software update that was rushed through production. Additionally, leading up to the failure, I had not used FSD for more than a one month trial period, but I did regularly use Autopilot. Also, Tesla replaced the failed HW3 computer with another HW3 computer, which has me stressed that this issue is likely to happen again in the near future.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11773387October 24, 2026
STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES
In a rented 2022 TESLA MODEL 3 entering a right veering on-ramp, the vehicle failed to respond to driver steering inputs at normal speed. I released the accelerator and there was no degenerative braking. I applied brakes, but the ABS was violently shaking without stopping and I noticed something illuminate on the computer screen. Unable to turn the steering wheel at all, we made severe impact with the left guardrail injuring both my wife([XXX]) and I. The Steering Assist Reduced warning light remained illuminated after the accident and I took a picture. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11773065October 22, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] in Baker, California, my 2022 Tesla Model 3 contacted charging equipment and protective barriers while moving slowly into a charging space during what I observed to be an Autopark maneuver. I was watching the vehicle camera display and was not manually steering or accelerating. The car did not show or sound any warning before impact. It was not raining. No one was injured, there was no fire, and no police report was filed. There was visible damage to the side of the vehicle. No one has inspected the damage yet. The vehicle will be available for inspection after my trip. I reported the incident to Tesla and requested preservation and review of available records. The data export I received did not contain incident-specific camera recordings, Autopark/control logs or EDR data that I could identify. No recording USB drive was located. I have damage photographs and a charging-session record. The cause has not been independently determined, and I have not received a substantive engineering finding. I am reporting a possible safety issue with Autopark for investigation. 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
#11772197October 19, 2026
STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My Tesla was operating with Full Self-Driving (FSD) (Supervised) engaged when it initiated a left turn across the path of an oncoming vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, resulting in a collision. During the incident, FSD was controlling the vehicle's driving behavior and initiated the left turn despite the presence of oncoming traffic. The Tesla collided with the approaching vehicle while executing the turn. I am concerned that the FSD system failed to properly recognize or respond to oncoming traffic, failed to determine whether the left turn could be safely completed, or made an unsafe decision to turn across the path of another vehicle. This incident created a significant safety risk for the occupants of both vehicles. I believe the collision may indicate a safety-related problem involving FSD's intersection handling, left-turn decision-making, detection of approaching vehicles, or collision avoidance capabilities. I request that NHTSA review this incident as a potential FSD safety defect and obtain relevant FSD engagement records, vehicle telemetry, camera footage, steering commands, and collision data from Tesla to determine why the vehicle initiated the left turn into oncoming traffic.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771940October 18, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
FSD failed to completely stop. I have video footage from Tesla showing the FSD stayed active and never disengaged yet the Tesla disengaged the brake. I can text or email the video pricing the car was actively using FSD until impact. I had the self driving enabled the vehicle decelerated from about 45 mi down to 0 MI but when the vehicle reach 1 mile it disengage the brake allowing the car to roll into the car in front of me I literally had less than one second to react I really believe the car will stop on its own. I have video proof the video was in full self driving mode and we all know the Tesla's are designed not to run into the back of any vehicle. I posted the video online and received numerous comments saying that the gas pedal and the brake were pressed at the same time however per Tesla you cannot press the gas and brake at the same time on any Tesla. My car has also pulled off from Red light intersections if I'm the first one at the light with the light still being read the car just accelerates on it's on it goes right through the intersection this is also messed up and I'm sure Tesla is aware of this as well. I'm terrified to drive this car with the self-driving engage. I want Elon musk to respond to me personally and apologize. PLEASE follow up with me so I can send y'all the video.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771494October 15, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH with Autopilot engaged, another vehicle cut in front of the contact's vehicle and applied the brakes, but the contact's vehicle failed to decelerate and required manual driver intervention. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770166October 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds during peak sunlight, FSD failed to operate as intended, causing the contact to drive manually in daily traffic. The message "Full Self-Driving Not Available" was display with an audible chime. In addition, the contact stated that while the FSD feature suddenly deactivated independently, causing the contact and his family passengers to violently jerk forward while transition into manual Hands-On driving. The failure mileage was approximately 82,573.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769364October 6, 2026
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING
"Subject vehicle (2022 Tesla Model 3, VIN: [XXX]) was deployed for commercial rideshare passenger transportation by fleet operator Hertz/Uber with active catastrophic life-safety system failures. Onboard Tesla Service Mode telemetry confirmed: (1) Restraints Control Module (RCM) is powered OFF with status 00, leaving primary front and knee airbags and seatbelt pretensioners completely inoperative during public commercial transit; (2) Master Cylinder Hydraulic Brake Pressure telemetry is registered as 'Unavailable' under iBooster (IBST) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP); (3) Steering torque calibration offsets of -97 Nm and -14° angular pulling bias were applied to compensate for structural suspension collision damage; (4) Active diagnostic trouble code VCFRONT_a611 radiator heat rejection failure causing severe battery and powertrain thermal throttling; and (5) Non-functional windshield wipers and blocked camera sensors violating FMVSS 104 and FMVSS 208." 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
#11765729September 20, 2026
SEATS
When the chair automatically moves to the easy in and out setting it does so without any safety measure to stop it moving when blocked. It is so strong that it crushed my hydroflask water bottle when it was stuck beneath. If that had been a foot or arm of a person, or if they were just unable to move away then it could cause serious injury like broken bones or crushing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762112September 4, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, VISIBILITY/WIPER, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
At approximately 32,916 miles, the powered trunk lift strut on my 2022 Tesla Model 3 separated from its mounting ball stud during normal use. There was no collision or external impact. When the strut separated, it struck the rear glass and caused the glass to break. Tesla inspected and repaired the vehicle. Tesla’s final service invoice states: “Strut failure was responsible for breaking back glass.” I am concerned that failure of the powered trunk strut attachment on a relatively low-mileage vehicle can cause broken glass and may create a safety risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760929August 31, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My 2022 Tesla Model 3 Long Range has developed a failure of the Autopilot/ADAS computer. The AP computer remains installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. The vehicle operated normally before software update 2026.26.6. Following the update, Driving Visualization and Autopilot began going offline, along with automatic headlights, automatic turn signals, emergency braking, collision and traffic warnings. The failures have continued despite software/firmware reinstall, DAS reset, camera calibration, and hard reset. Tesla Service inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the AP computer is defective and recommended replacement at approximately $2,600. I paid $120 for Tesla's diagnostic assessment. Service Mode has recorded repeated AP watchdog/kernel-panic events, including APS_w169_TurboA_SCS_LKUP, APS_w134_appMIA, APS_w135_appCritical, and PM_a041_dasMIA. The vehicle has also recorded simultaneous exits of multiple camera streams, sometimes causing camera feeds to go black while driving. Service Mode has shown the AP ECU in Coreboot/INIT, intermittent loss of communication between the AP ECU and infotainment ECU, missing GNSS Ethernet communication, and unavailable AP temperature telemetry. This creates a safety concern because multiple safety-related driver-assistance and camera-dependent systems can unexpectedly become unavailable while driving. The vehicle remains manually drivable, but the driver must unexpectedly operate without previously available functions. The failure can also affect automatic headlights and turn signals, requiring manual operation. I am reporting this as a potential safety defect because multiple ADAS/camera systems fail simultaneously and the AP computer repeatedly crashes/reboots. The failure began after a software update, although Tesla has stated that some alerts predated the update. Due to the GPS board contacting the autopilot first before the infotainment, precise location is off and navigation is unavailable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760774August 30, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
With its latest upgrade, 2026.20.6.11 with full self-driving V14 Light, Tesla no longer allows users to set a max speed. This is very dangerous, especially in school zones where the vehicle, with Full Self-Driving, consistently misreads the speed limit. There is no way to revert this "upgrade." Many people have posted about this concern, but Tesla is ignoring it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11759883August 26, 2026
WHEELS
The Tesla service center in San Antonio Texas installed new tires and a new wheel on my vehicle and one of the tires was installed inside out based on the manufacturer’s specifications. I’ve been driving this vehicle for about 4 months /5k miles with the risk of this tire malfunctioning and causing an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11759469August 25, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
To Whom It May Concern, I am reporting what I believe is a foreseeable child-safety risk involving Tesla’s Toybox feature. Tesla allows parents to PIN-restrict Arcade, Theater, and the web browser, but Toybox remains accessible. Recently, I briefly went inside my home to use the bathroom, and my child slipped outside and climbed into my parked Tesla specifically to use the touchscreen and Toybox. Fortunately, I discovered him quickly. In hot weather, however, a child remaining unnoticed inside a parked vehicle could face serious injury or death, particularly if climate control were disabled, changed, or failed. Tesla already has the software infrastructure to restrict entertainment features. Adding Toybox to Parental Controls appears to be a straightforward safety improvement. I believe this omission creates an unnecessary and foreseeable risk to children and warrants review as a potential vehicle safety concern. Sincerely, [XXX] Tesla Model 3 Owner 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
#11758289August 20, 2026
STEERING
My 2022 Tesla Model 3 has experienced recurring intermittent loss/reduction of power steering assistance. The vehicle displays “Steering assist reduced – Steering may require increased effort.” The problem has occurred multiple times over a period of months and may disappear after the vehicle is power cycled or the alert clears. Tesla previously evaluated the vehicle for this condition. On July 8, 2026, Tesla documented the steering-assist-reduced complaint and recommended replacement of the RWD steering rack/steering gear, with an estimated repair cost of approximately $3,018. On August 20, 2026, the warning occurred again. Tesla Service Mode recorded fault EPAS3S_a005_sent2Mia, described as “Torque Sensor 2 signal not received,” with the potential impact listed as “Steering assist reduced.” The vehicle simultaneously generated UI_a020_SteeringReduced. The warning subsequently cleared again, but this is a recurring intermittent failure involving the vehicle’s electronic power-assisted steering system. I am concerned that the steering assistance could become reduced or unavailable while driving. Tesla has already determined that replacement of the steering rack is required, but the repair is customer-pay. I am reporting this because this appears to be a recurring safety-related steering defect and I am concerned that other vehicles may experience the same failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756922August 14, 2026
SUSPENSION
the suspension lower lateral links bushings are wearing down without much usage. my car had 31k miles and the bushings already need to be replaced. this is very dangerous.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756842August 13, 2026
SUSPENSION, STEERING
I am the owner of a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The front control arms on this vehicle are defective as manufactured. From the factory, these components have demonstrated premature failure, abnormal noise, loosening, and/or separation risk that is not consistent with normal wear on a low-mileage vehicle of this age. Symptoms experienced include [describe your exact symptoms clearly and factually — examples: progressive clicking, clunking, popping, or creaking from the front suspension/wheel area; especially noticeable during low-speed turns, reverse, or over bumps; any feeling of looseness, pull, or change in handling; any actual detachment or near-detachment]. These symptoms began at approximately 75000 miles on July 27th 2026. This is not isolated wear. Front control-arm and related suspension-link failures (including lower lateral links that can detach from the subframe) have been the subject of multiple owner complaints, prior Tesla recalls (including NHTSA campaign 21V-835 for improperly torqued lateral-link fasteners on certain Model 3/Y vehicles and the later 23V-235 expansion), technical service bulletins addressing water intrusion and noise in upper control arms, and a current NHTSA preliminary evaluation (opened 2026) into front lower lateral-link detachment on a large population of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Owners report that failures can occur with little or no prior dashboard warning, only possible audible cues, and can render the vehicle undrivable or cause sudden changes in alignment and directional control. A sudden separation or failure of a front control arm/lateral link while the vehicle is in motion creates an unreasonable risk of loss of vehicle control, crash, or injury to the driver, passengers, and other road users. Because the condition appears to originate from factory assembly, design, or component durability issues rather than owner abuse or ordinary high-mileage wear, and because similar failures are widely reported across Tesla owners.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755531August 7, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a loss of camera and safety feature functionality for eight hours daily. The message "Adaptive Headlights Feature Unavailable" was displayed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The contact was referred to a service center that was over an hour away. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755527August 7, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The horn on the steering wheel rarely works UNLESS it is pressed directly in the middle. I have tried to honk the horn when there is a safety event but it rarely works. This is definitely a safety issue. This has been going on since I bought the car June 2022. Full self drive is also unsafe and it will make sudden turns, accelerate too quickly, or have phantom braking. This can be unsafe for other drivers. I heard that this is improved with newer models, but if it is unsafe for older models like my 2022, it should not be available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755495August 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was unoccupied, the vehicle independently started while parked in the driveway and caught on fire. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the failure. The contact stated that the fire spread to the residence and the residence burned down. The contact's daughter and her significant other were able to exit the residence safely. The local Fire Department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire. The contact stated that the fire had started near the charging port. A Police Report was not filed. In addition, the contact stated that his daughter and her significant other suffered severe mental distress. Medical attention was not sought. A Fire Report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0

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