Tesla Model 3 Complaints (2021)

674 consumer complaints on file.

#11485065September 18, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Unexplained sudden braking while using adaptive cruise control. Almost got rear-ended as a result.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11484437September 14, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Unexpected phantom braking occurring randomly but on multiple occasions during a 2000 mile multi day trip. Several incidents of a hiccup resulting on a jolt but at least three incidents of rapid and sudden deceleration without an observed corresponding hazard. Occurred a couple times while cresting a hill on single and multi lane roads. One severe incident occurred while passing a semi truck on a multiple lane highway. Causes high anxiety and potential for a crash, especially from behind. This has not been inspected by Tesla or others but note many reports of this online. No warning prior to event but cruise control did not work properly after event and required reseting.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11484195September 13, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Cruise control (Autopilot) phantom braking events have gotten very bad. About once every few miles on an empty 2 lane highway the car slams on the brakes. I’ve made numerous bug reports over the years and if anything it’s gotten worse. It seems to have gotten worse with the software update a few days ago (v11.0 2022.24.6 40a0d11b18af).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11483949September 12, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I was driving in Oklahoma on a straight interstate highway at 75 mph using cruise control (not autopilot) and experience a sudden application of full brakes. The application was so sudden the tires "chipped" and decelerated to below 45 mph before I could take control by applying throttle. On the same trip, I was near Midland, Texas and experience another serious phantom braking on a clear straight highway. By this time I experienced 10 additional minor braking issues. On my return trip, I did not use cruise control or autopilot and didn't have a single incident. I reported the incident to Tesla Service and reported ever incident via the feedback button (when it worked). I'm a retired Boeing engineer experienced in flight controls, fly-by-wire control, and aircraft subsystem design. I have no confidence in this design.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11483916September 11, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
On an empty freeway I5 southbound over a crest, the car emergency braked from highway speed with no obstacles or cars in front of it. The weather conditions were sunny, 98f, and some mirages were on the road surface. Autopilot was engaged and set to the speed limit. Emergency braking alert sounded and the car applied full power braking. Car is running software version 2022.24.6. prior versions of the software with radar support did not exhibit this phantom breaking behavior. The current version disabled radar and used "Tesla vision"
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11483586September 8, 2022
STEERING
The steering system malfunctioned. Yes it is available for inspection. The car turned across oncoming traffic turning the vehicle 180 degrees leaving me facing oncoming traffic during rush hour. I could have died in a horrific accident. The service center for the vehicle sulfate they will not evaluate vehicle until body damage to vehicle are repaired. The vehicle had no notifications or warnings prior to the incident.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11483402September 7, 2022
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The adaptive cruise control (Tesla "autopilot") system has unexpectedly disengaged and applied light to heavy braking numerous times. The system frequently mistakes a particular highway sign for a stopped vehicle and applies moderate braking. The system has also applied light to heavy braking in circumstances where I simply cannot figure out what the camera is interpreting as a hazard. This puts me and other drivers around me at risk as it is unnecessary and unpredictable braking at highway speeds in traffic. Tesla has not been able to remedy this problem and I do not consider the cruise control system to be safe to use. This has happened more than 10 times.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11483211September 7, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Was driving about 35-40mph on city street when car abruptly applied emergency braking. Car automatically slammed on brakes (screeching) and came to complete stop. This action was dangerous because it could have caused an accident if another car was behind me. Caused fear and panic as I believed something or someone had hit my vehicle, it also scared a pedestrian that was walking along the sidewalk. The sudden braking also caused my body to violently jerk forward and backwards. This has not been reproduced or confirmed by dealership or service center. It has not yet been inspected by anyone. I have made an appointment for car to get inspected, appointment is 9/16. No warning lights or symptoms came on prior to this incident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11483204September 7, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While using my Tesla's Full Self Driving (FSD) feature (Navigate on Autopilot) on a recent road trip through West Texas, the vehicle, on multiple occasions, would automatically brake while cruising at speeds of 80 mph (speed limit was 75 mph), which consequently dropped the vehicle's speed over 20 mph within seconds. The result was being forcibly slammed forward with such a jarring, unexpected force that would have easily slammed me as the driver and my front seat passenger into the wind shield if we were not wearing our seatbelts. This happened multiple times on the trip. The only way to recover was to depress the accelerator and forcefully hold on to the steering wheel until the braking system released and control was returned to the driver. If this had occurred on a crowded highway rather than on the open spaces of the West Texas interstate system, I am convinced there would have been a rear impact collision. This "phantom breaking" as Tesla claims, is a serious issue that will no doubt lead to fatalities if not corrected. This issue manifested without warning and with no alerting. The issue can be easily reproduced and the component has yet to be inspected by any 3rd party. I fear people will die because of this issue until it is resolved. Thanks, Sean Merino
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11482981September 6, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I was driving SB on N Gate Rd in Vacaville, approaching the gate for Travis AFB. There was traffic backed up at the gate and I put the car into Autopilot to negotiate the stop and go traffic. I had been in Autopilot for maybe 50 yards when the car suddenly accelerated on it's own and veered to the right. The brakes would not work to stop the car and the steering wheel would physically turn but it wasn't changing the direction of the car. The car veered off the road to the right and into a utility pole.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11482074August 30, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While driving with the Autopilot system engaged at 55 MPH, on a clear, sunny day, the vehicle applied the brakes and rapidly decelerated to 40 MPH before I could press the accelerator pedal to restore my set speed. There were no objects of any kind on the road. No hills or curves were involved. I was fortunate that no vehicle was closely following me or they might have run into me due to my unexpected and unnecessary brake application.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11482070August 30, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
When car was engaged in Autopilot the barking system was activated without warning or cause. The vehicle slowed rapidly and sudden. Had to disengage Autopilot to get vehicle back to safe driving speed. No others vehicles where in front or behind me and no obstructions were in the path of vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11481947August 30, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Driving in autopilot during daylight hours (8:30am) about 70mph the vehicle suddenly braked long and hard, tires screeched when there was nothing around me or in the road. It could have caused a serious accident if anyone was behind me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11481466August 26, 2022
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This is a complaint about the unacceptable fire risk that affects all Teslas due to the dangerous battery chemistry and the vulnerability to impact damage that can trigger an instantaneous fire . The VIN of a random Tesla has been used. This problem affects every Tesla. Here is a video of a test conducted by a European testing authority which shows the Tesla igniting almost immediately after a deliberate crash that only caused a minor strike to the underside. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRDCKfCdh90 When NHTSA and many other testing authorities perform crash tests on Teslas they should do so with a fully charge battery that is warm from charging or from having being driven. This is a much more realistic scenario than using cold depleted batteries that are less prone to instant ignition. By comparison with a Tesla the Pinto was just a damp squib. And yet it was recalled and grounded. Please do the right thing before even more people get burned alive. Thank you
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11481098August 24, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING
This is a complaint about Tesla using unqualified drivers to test Atopilot Beta on the public roads. Please note that the VIN of a random Model 3 Tesla has been used to enable this submission to be completed. Here is a video of a driver testing Autopilot on what is in his own words the most dangerous road in Virginia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VBhdrj1CqM He is driving hands free around sharp bends and against oncoming traffic entirely hands free but just giving the wheel a little nudge with his finger every 30 seconds to defeat the nag. At one point the car does swerve towards an oncoming car but corrects itself just in time. The driver is alert and monitoring the situation but because he does not have his hands on the wheel he is playing russian roulette with many lives. Please do not allow this madness to continue for one day longer. Elon Musk thinks this is all a joke which is why he has called it release 69. Smutty and unamusing. I will be posting a copy of this report on social media where it will be widely read. If you fail to take action there will be consequences. Thank you. I have archived this video in case the owner or Tesla decides to delete it. If that happens I will make another complaint with a link to my copy. A dummy USA address has been used to enable this submission. My true email address is used and you may contact me on this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11480915August 24, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The screen keeps freezing while I’m driving. It freezes and after a while the screen shuts off and resets. The most dangerous situation was when while I was on the interstate between Barstow and Baker. The screen screen recently froze while driving on August 20th around 255pm
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11480913August 24, 2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
My Tesla will repeated and randomly brake strongly. This happens on regular streets and on the highway at speed. It’s not like slamming on the brakes with the wheels screeching. But a quick and strong deceleration and then it lets go. There has never been anything in front of me when this happens.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11480083August 18, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
In Autopilot there has been a phantom braking problem (automatic emergency breaking due to object avoidance) since day one. It happened more than just regularly and would be uncalled for, scary, and dangerous. Ever since the update I have done that the company sent though, this has become now not just more than regularly but more than frequently and uncontrollably dangerous. It has done it around 30 times on a 9 and a half hour road trip. It has done a 20 mph slowdown from the speed limit FOR NO REASON in as fast as about two seconds frequently. The ONLY thing that has saved us from getting rear ended is due to driver diligence and pure luck of being on an open interstate because of the road trip instead of it being through the congested part of a city…where it still can happen easily.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11479097August 13, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Unexpected acceleration while driving my car at about 20 mph and making a right turn the car suddenly accelerated. Using the brake immediately worked. This has happened a few times with my car. The sudden acceleration surprised my wife and she asked what happened. The car does not have Full Self Driving installed and Autopilot had been off for several miles. There were no warning messages or chimes. T
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11478932August 12, 2022
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
After updating to Tesla software 2022.20.6 (and 20.7 and 20.8) sometimes the regenerative braking fails to activate when lifting your foot off the go pedal. Sometimes the car just coasts at full speed, and sometimes it almost feels as if the car continues accelerating after the pedal is lifted. This obviously creates serious safety issues -- if you are expecting your car to brake after lifting your foot off the pedal and it doesn't, you risk slamming into the car in front of you. The brake pedal still works, but a feature of EVs is one pedal driving, which has been broken.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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