Tesla Model 3 Complaints

2,178 consumer complaints on file.

#11753275July 28, 2026
WHEELS, SUSPENSION
A front wheel of this vehicle and/or its suspension is undergoing extremely dangerous vibrations at highway speeds (65-70+ mph). It is enough to shake the entire vehicle multiple times per second. The local service center, without looking at the vehicle, stated it "would be fine to drive on until your appointment" and scheduled an appointment nearly a month out into the future after I brought up concerns that the vehicle is unsafe to drive. They also would not recommend any third party service centers to look at the vehicle in order to address the concern more urgently, nor offered any alternatives such as rentals or loaner vehicles to use in the meantime. I understand that car issues will come up; my complaint is due to how it is being handled (long wait time for an appointment, dismissal over safety concerns, no alternatives to drive safely in the near month-long wait for the appointment).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752822July 25, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
After a recent Tesla software update, a mandatory Full Self-Driving disengagement feedback window appears every time I disengage FSD while the vehicle is still moving. The feedback window covers a large portion of the display with a black overlay, noticeable enough something popped up. There is no setting to disable it, dismiss it immediately, or postpone the response until the vehicle is stopped. I am required to select a disengagement reason before I can access the controls and information behind the overlay. While this window is displayed, I cannot properly view or control functions such as music and other touchscreen features behind the area. This is especially dangerous because it appears immediately after I take manual control from FSD—a moment when my full attention should be on the road and the vehicle. The system effectively requires me to look away from the road and interact with the touchscreen before I can make another needed adjustment. This occurs every time I disengage FSD and is consistently reproducible. This behavior began after software version FSD v14.3.3. My vehicle is a 2026 Model 3. The problem occurred everytime while traveling at any speed. I believe this mandatory, non-dismissible overlay creates a serious driver-distraction hazard by obstructing the center display and requiring touchscreen interaction while the vehicle is in motion. Tesla should allow the feedback request to be dismissed, delayed until the vehicle is parked, or disabled entirely.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752414July 23, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
COMPLAINT SUMMARY: CRITICAL SAFETY REGRESSIONS IN TESLA FSD SOFTWAREI am filing a formal safety complaint regarding severe, high-risk behavior regressions introduced across the last three consecutive builds of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. These defects create immediate collision hazards, cause major route disruptions, and require frequent, urgent driver intervention to prevent accidents.1. INTERSECTION AND TRAFFIC CONTROL VIOLATIONSRed Light Violations: The vehicle correctly identifies a red traffic light and comes to a full stop. However, after a brief pause, the software erroneously treats the steady red light like a stop sign and attempts to accelerate directly into active cross-traffic.Green Arrow Dead-Stops: When approaching a dedicated turn lane with an active, protected green turn arrow, the vehicle frequently applies aggressive braking and comes to a complete stop, creating an immediate rear-end collision hazard for drivers behind me.Phantom Braking: The vehicle aggressively brakes without warning for empty crosswalks, shadows, or distant roadside elements.2. ILLEGAL LANE NAVIGATION AND ROUTING ERRORSErroneous Turn Lane Diving: The vehicle frequently dives into dedicated left or right turn lanes even when the navigation route explicitly commands the vehicle to continue straight. This behavior forces improper turns, requiring backtracking and causing significant destination delays.Incorrect Lane Turning: The system regularly misses dedicated turn lanes entirely. It then attempts to execute sharp left or right turns directly from middle lanes or straight-only lanes, cutting off adjacent vehicles.Turn Signal Failures: The software initiates a turn signal to merge but then cancels the action, or conversely, attempts to execute a physical turn blindly after disabling the turn signal.3. RESTRICTED SPACE TARGETINGHandicap Parking Violations: Upon arriving at destinations, the automated parking software fails to recognize painted stencils and act
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752257July 22, 2026
SUSPENSION
Air Suspension Failure - Damping Control Disabled (Code TAS_a313)" Description: "Vehicle is 2 days old. Suspension control module lost communication with CAN bus. Vehicle is in 'fail-safe' mode. Tesla Service Center has refused to assist. Safety risk due to loss of adaptive ride control." Manufacturer Response: "No response / Ignored."
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751698July 21, 2026
AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I am writing to report an accident involving my son who was driving Tesla 2024 Model-3 on July 18th 2026 approximately 10:15 AM EST. He was returning home from his volunteering with Emergency medical Service(EMS) when the vehicle's steering wheel suddenly froze. while attempting to maneuver the vehicle to safe location , it collided with a roadside barrier. fortunately , my son was not injured , but the vehicle sustained significant damage, including deployment of airbag and damage to front passenger side. this incident occurred at a speed of approximately 26 MPH
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751612July 20, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a severe braking and stability control failure that resulted in unpredictable, highly dangerous vehicle behavior. While driving, the vehicle displayed a cascade of critical system failures, throwing error codes APP_w009 (AEB disabled), DI_a222 (Stability control disabled), DI_a223 (Traction control disabled), ESP_a080, and ESP_a067 (ESP/ABS sensor faults). This concurrent breakdown caused a total loss of critical safety features: Anti-lock Braking (ABS), Automatic Emergency Braking, Traction Control, "Vehicle Hold," and "Hill Start Assist." Because the vehicle completely lost its ability to hold its position, it unexpectedly free-rolled backward on an incline when I anticipated it to remain stationary or move forward. This uncommanded movement created an immediate collision hazard. Of serious concern is that despite a total breakdown of vital braking and stability assists, the vehicle remained fully drivable and only advised me to "drive with caution." Allowing a car to remain operational under these severe fault conditions is an unacceptable risk. A driver expecting normal EV behavior (like vehicle hold and regenerative braking) is placed in immediate danger when the vehicle suddenly free-rolls without warning. The software should classify a multi-system ABS/ESP failure as a critical emergency requiring an immediate safe shutdown, rather than suggesting it is safe to continue driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751588July 20, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
I am reporting a safety concern regarding the glovebox fascia on my Tesla Model 3. The material on the glovebox trim is peeling and separating, which appears to be caused by prolonged exposure to heat inside the vehicle. The peeling fascia creates concerns about the durability and integrity of the interior component, as the material may continue to deteriorate over time. Loose or damaged trim could potentially interfere with the proper use of the glovebox, create sharp edges, or become a distraction while driving. I am requesting that Tesla inspect the affected area and determine the appropriate repair or replacement to ensure the vehicle remains safe and maintains proper interior component quality.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751359July 19, 2026
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While out on vacation in [XXX] on XXX at around 11 am I had just finished charging the Tesla at a supercharging station. I was headed to go eat breakfast at the intersection of [XXX] and XXX on the right lane. I stopped briefly prior to making a right onto [XXX]. Upon making the right turn the vehicle kept turning all the way right and making a sharp right turn instead of a soft right. When I noticed the sharp right turn I tried to turn the steering wheel towards the left but the steering wheel was locked and it wouldn't respond. The car drove me into a concrete barricade and caused a collision. My children were in the car and thankfully no one in my vehicle was seriously injured nor were there any pedestrians on the sidewalk near the barricade. I contacted Tesla for the repair and investigation into why the steering wheel locked. Tesla has not provided a loaner vehicle in the meantime despite my frequent requests. This incident is a serious and critical safety issue that may have caused deaths had I been traveling at a higher rate of speed or been on the highway heading back to [XXX]. The strange thing is that this vehicle is still under warranty with Tesla and had been working just fine without any issues since I got the vehicle in XXX. No warning messages, or symptoms to indicate any malfunction. 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
#11751300July 18, 2026
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Firstly, we were driving in the center lane on I-84W (three lanes), with Full Self Driving (FSD) at 55 mph. The car veered left on it owns (under FSD) into the center median with the front driver side of the vehicle struck the metal beam guardrail causing both air bags to deploy on the driver and left rear passenger sides. The car continued to move forward in the next 4-6 seconds under FSD (approximately 10-20 feet range) and then came to a complete stop with flashing warning screen asking driver to take over the steering wheel immediately.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751194July 17, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
On XXX, while Full Self-Driving (Supervised) was engaged, my 2022 Tesla Model 3 RWD abruptly decelerated without any visible vehicle, pedestrian, debris, or other obstacle requiring braking. Based on my best recollection, this occurred on approximately five separate occasions in clear daylight with clean cameras. On XXX, the first event occurred near XXX while traveling from [XXX] toward the [XXX]/[XXX] area. I took manual control for about 30 minutes. After I re-engaged FSD, a second event occurred and included approximately three rapid braking pulses. The occupants lunged forward during both episodes. On XXX, the drive from [XXX] to the Ukiah Costco was normal. On the return toward [XXX], FSD suddenly braked hard at approximately 63 mph and reduced the vehicle's speed by about 25 mph, to approximately 38 mph. Family members and friends in the vehicle were startled and moved forward. Later that day, there were two additional unexpected braking episodes while traveling from XXX toward XXX. I used accelerator input to override the unwanted braking. The unexpected highway-speed deceleration created a risk of being struck from behind and made the system unpredictable to supervise. No crash, fire, injury, or property damage occurred. I do not recall a warning message before the braking. The vehicle has not been inspected or diagnosed for this issue and is available for inspection upon request. As of XXX, the vehicle reports Tesla software 2026.20.3 and FSD (Supervised) v12.6.4; it has Hardware 3. 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
#11750955July 16, 2026
STEERING
The steering rack in my 2023 Tesla Model 3 is defective and I can show it for inspection. 1.5 years ago it failed and the torque sensor in the rack is showing that there is a constant demand (even when parked and my hands off the wheel) to turn the wheel to the right that you can see in the cars diagnostics menu. I took it in and showed the service advisor the raw data and took a drive with the tech who both acknowledged the data and the car wanting to drive off the road. They did an alignment on the car but the issue still persists even after I told them the night I drove it home in their survey. I live on very narrow country roads with little run off room and often times less than foot between cars as they pass. Several times I would get the 'corrective steering applied' warning as the car falsely thinking I was turning to drive off the road on the right and applied steering to pull the car left. A few of these times it was right as a oncoming car was approaching almost causing me to run into other cars multiple times because you have to get close to the edge of the road to make room for other cars to pass. I took it to a independent service center who confirmed that the steering rack torque sensor is at fault. I took it back again this week, showing them that the car is turning to the right 30-45% easier than to the left and they did another alignment with the same exact outcome. The car wants to drive right off the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750946July 16, 2026
PARKING BRAKE
2024 Model 3, under 20k miles; burning smell and brake drag from right rear wheel while driving; parking brake fault alerts UI_a019, EPBR_a176, EPBR_a182; dealer inspection found cracked EPB caliper case housing near the electrical connector; Tesla SB-20-33-002 documents this same crack occurring without external impact.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750698July 15, 2026
SEAT BELTS
Front Seatbelt On March 13, 2026, at approximately 7:51 PM EST (23:51 UTC), the driver of a 2021 Tesla Model 3 was killed in a head-on collision on SR 741 in Warren County, Ohio. Two people died in this crash — the Tesla driver and the driver of the oncoming vehicle. Tesla's own telematics data (provided to the family post-crash) reveals that the driver's seatbelt unlatched at Row 5115 / 23:51:03.269 UTC — exactly 14.15 seconds before the collision. The driver was actively driving at the time, as confirmed by 66 separate steering torque readings between the seatbelt unlatch and the crash, ranging from −1.59 Nm to +2.15 Nm in constantly alternating directions — the signature of active lane-holding. The seatbelt released on its own while the driver was actively steering based on tesla data at approximately 66 mph. No rational driver unbuckles their seatbelt while driving 66 mph on a busy two-lane road. The telematics data proves continuous active driving before, during, and after the seatbelt event. The seatbelt failure is a separate and independent defect from the Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK) system failure that caused the collision (which is the subject of a separate NHTSA complaint). Even if the collision was unavoidable, a functioning seatbelt may have saved the driver's life. The seatbelt failure independently contributed to the fatality. The following data is from Tesla's own telematics file provided to the family: Timestamp (UTC)RowEvent 23:51:03.269 5115 Driver seatbelt status changes from LATCHED to UNLATCHED 23:51:03.269 – 23:51:17.420(row 5115–5311)66 steering torque readings confirm active driving (−1.59 to +2.15 Nm) 23:51:17.4205311ELK system activates (separate defect) ~23:51:19.0—Head-on collision — driver unrestrained — two fatalities Pattern of identical complaints from other 2021 Model 3 owners (ODI 11713076, 11738583, 11684327)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
2
#11750627July 15, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, SEAT BELTS
Component: Lane Support System — Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK) Part of standard Autopilot safety suite (not FSD) activated without valid lane detection data and pushed the vehicle into the oncoming lane of traffic on Ohio State Route [XXX]. The system then aborted mid-intervention (LSS_STATE_ABORT), leaving the driver in the oncoming lane. The resulting head-on collision killed both drivers — the [XXX] Tesla driver and the driver of the oncoming vehicle. Two people died because of this ELK malfunction. Tesla's own telematics data confirms the following sequence: 5At 23:51:17.420 UTC, the Lane Support System activated Emergency Lane Keeping (LSS_STATE_ELK). 6At 23:51:17.652 UTC (232 milliseconds after activation), the system logged ALC_UNAVAILABLE_NO_LANES — confirming it had no valid lane detection data during the intervention. 7At 23:51:17.755 UTC (335 milliseconds after activation), the system logged LSS_STATE_ABORT — the system cancelled itself mid-intervention. 8During the 335-millisecond intervention, the vehicle's steering angle reached -16.79 degrees leftward and lateral acceleration measured +1.200 m/s² leftward — both confirming the vehicle was pushed into the oncoming lane. 9The driver responded with the largest steering torque (-5.08 Nm rightward) and largest rightward steering angle (+19.50 degrees) recorded in the entire telematics file — confirming he was actively attempting to recover. 10 The head-on collision killed both him and the driver of the oncoming vehicle. We requested additional telematics data from Tesla through the Tesla app. A forensic expert has examined the vehicle's ECU motherboard— missing critical fields including continuous yaw rate, high-resolution steering data, ELK steering commands, and lane detection confidence scores. A subsequent request for additional data produced an error message and Tesla has not provided further data. This crash is the exact behavior under PE25012. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
2
#11750373July 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The high voltage battery on my 2021 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range suddenly failed without any prior warning or gradual degradation. The vehicle was consistently achieving approximately 180 miles of range per full charge. Overnight, the battery charge was restricted to approximately 30% capacity, reducing usable range to roughly 30 miles. No warning signs or symptoms appeared prior to this failure. The failure was sudden and immediate. The vehicle displayed the alert "Maximum Battery Charge Level Reduced / OK to Drive, Schedule Service." The battery has been confirmed by a Tesla Service Center as having an internal fault. The only remedy offered by Tesla is full battery replacement at a cost of approximately $9,000 to $14,000 depending on the option selected. This failure poses a safety risk as the severely limited range can result in the vehicle becoming stranded unexpectedly, particularly during highway driving or in areas without nearby charging infrastructure. The failure occurred approximately 6 months after the battery warranty expired with no prior indication of degradation, suggesting a potential defect in the battery unit. The vehicle has been inspected by a Tesla Service Center and the fault has been confirmed. The component is available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750177July 13, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Complaint Title: Defective Horn System on 2026 Tesla Model 3 - Ineffective in Rain or Highway Conditions Description: The horn on my 2026 Tesla Model 3 Highland is dangerously inadequate. It uses a single pedestrian warning speaker instead of a proper horn, which is easily overpowered by road noise, tire noise from large trucks, and especially rain. I cannot reliably alert other drivers, including 18-wheelers, when they are drifting into my lane or failing to yield. This creates a serious safety risk in wet conditions and highway driving. Traditional horns have been effective for decades — this design fails basic safety expectations. I am requesting immediate investigation and a fix.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749677July 11, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Incident involving my 2026 Tesla Model 3 equipped with HW4 hardware and the latest FSD (Supervised) software. During a garage reverse maneuver performed under FSD supervision, the vehicle had sufficient time to assess the surrounding environment before initiating the maneuver. There were no pedestrians or moving obstacles nearby. An adjacent parked vehicle was present next to the intended reversing path. During the maneuver, the vehicle made initial contact with the adjacent vehicle. At no point did the vehicle provide any collision warning, alert, or indication that a collision had occurred. After the initial contact, the vehicle continued moving and a second impact occurred shortly afterward, resulting in additional damage. Immediately after the second impact, the driver intervened and took control of the vehicle to stop the maneuver, before further damage is caused. My main concerns are: 1. Why did FSD fail to identify the adjacent vehicle before the maneuver? 2. Why was no collision warning provided before or after the initial contact? 3. Why did the vehicle continue the reversing maneuver after the first impact instead of stopping till driver intervention? 4. What if is pediatrician who qualify ADA, children, elder was in the position of the adjacent vehicle, this failed sensing would cause imparable result. I would appreciate a technical review of this event and a detailed explanation of Tesla’s findings.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749349July 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The center touchscreen/camera display system in my 2021 Tesla Model 3 is malfunctioning. The vehicle’s camera views do not work properly on the center display, including camera visibility needed for reversing and safe operation. The failed system is available for inspection upon request. This creates a safety risk because the vehicle relies heavily on the center screen to display camera views and vehicle information. When the camera display does not work properly, rear and surrounding visibility is reduced, especially while reversing, parking, changing lanes, or maneuvering around pedestrians, vehicles, curbs, and other obstacles. Tesla has refused to repair or cover the repair. The problem has been reported to Tesla. Tesla has not provided a satisfactory safety-related repair solution. It is unknown whether Tesla has fully inspected the failed component or confirmed the exact cause. There were no known warning lamps before the failure. The symptom is that the camera display/center screen camera views do not function properly when needed. The issue appears to involve the center display, camera display system, camera hardware, wiring/harness, vehicle computer, or related software. The exact cause is unknown. I am reporting this as a potential safety defect involving loss or malfunction of the camera display system in a 2021 Tesla Model 3.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749288July 9, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
i was using FSD and my vehicle braked suddenly, with nothing in front of me, on the highway going over 50mph with a car close behind. the car to my right was swerving into my lane, so it was trying to help, but my vehicle should have veered left - not brake hard in the fast lane.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749219July 8, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My Tesla's FSD turned off midway through a curve at highway speeds. I hit the guard rail and scratched the right side of the car. I could have run straight through the guardrail from the inertia or made the back car hit me due to the slowing down, though thankfully I took control of the vehicle to limit the damage. I visited a Tesla repair center, but they said they didn't address these types of issues and referred me to the Tesla.com/legal page and a body shop they work with. Obviously, every time FSD turns off there is a chime, but that sudden alert for an event that spanned 5 seconds, 2 for me to take control, failed to be enough.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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