Tesla Model 3 Complaints

2,178 consumer complaints on file.

#11643254February 17, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
After installing Tesla OTA software update 2024.45.32.15, my vehicle experienced critical system failures. Upon entering the car the next morning, I noticed that all cameras were non-functional, and navigation had completely stopped working. This posed a serious safety concern, as features like Autopilot, parking assistance, and basic visibility enhancements (such as rearview camera functionality) were unavailable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643186February 17, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS
This is the 3rd or 4th time I have observed sudden unexpected acceleration when at a full stop at a light while using FSD Supervised (v13.2.7 just updated). It first happened 2 or 3 times on FSD v13.2.6 when mine was the lead car at stop lights. This time I was at a stop light but obviously not the lead car. The truck in front of me was blocking view of the traffic lights. Each time, I have hit the brakes immediately, so I don't know if the vehicle would stop on its own during these situations, but I have no issues with it safely braking at any other time. Other than this intermittent glitch, FSD has been flawless on the HW4 next generation computer, which may lead to driver complacency not expecting this. I am reporting for awareness & hopefully correction. I have MP4 video files of the incident, but I cannot upload them here.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643083February 17, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
During freeway driving, turn signal buttons located on the steering wheel, which when working properly produce a tactile click, fail to click and engage the turn indicator. A service visit to Tesla resulted in technician unable to replicate the issue. I was instructed to date stamp the problem. The next time I drove the car on the freeway, the problem repeated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11642371February 12, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Turn signal stalk has been removed. Directional activation is now done by pressing arrows on steering wheel spoke. I have to take my eyes off the road to locate the spot that turns the directional on or off. These arrows are next to the radio controls and I inadvertently turn them on all the time. If your turning you cannot find the flat markings that activate them. I cannot safely drive this car after weeks of trying to adjust. In addition they have placed a turn signal stalk on the new model Y due to customer feedback.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641861February 11, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, STEERING
Turn signal capacitive buttons are incredibly hazardous for safe driving. They are failing to register inputs for me regularly as resting your finger on one as is natural in a normal driving position, locks the signal out for a period of time. I had to look down trying to work out why the signal button was not registering my intent to change lanes on a freeway causing significant distraction at a critical time. Manufacturer refuses to do anything as they say it is just normal for the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641828February 10, 2025
STEERING
Vehicle was functioning normally prior to this event. Around 17:30 on 02/10/25 I arrived at airport terminal to pick someone up. I exited vehicle, opened trunk then went back inside vehicle. Upon putting the vehicle in drive I noticed problem with power steering. I had to use excessive force to turn the wheel. I drove forward 100 feet, then pulled over and called Tesla Support. After describing the issue to the agent, she instructed me to put vehicle in park and press and hold both scroll wheels on steering wheel to perform system reset. After 2 attempts the issue persisted. I then exited the vehicle, locked it manually from the app. After 5 seconds I opened the vehicle, put it in drive and steering worked properly. Dry conditions - outside temperature about 30F I noticed that NHTSA is already investigating this issue for certain Tesla Model 3 and Model Y where power steering stopped working. While my issue happened while vehicle was stopped, I am concerned about it happening again while driving on highway
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641696February 10, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This vehicle has push button turn signals that have replaced traditional steering wheel stalks. These can be difficult and dangerous to use as the steering wheel is being turned especially when you are trying to signal direction in the now numerous round-abouts that are installed in Florida and around the nation. They are also dangerous to operate during night time driving. I believe Tesla should recall these vehicles and install steering wheel stalks similar to their older model cars and which have been in use on all the vehicles I have operated in the past 60 years. It is not a matter of just getting used to their operation. It is a bad design.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641101February 6, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
My car just made 50k and is out of warranty and the headlight fail. I contacted Tesla and they quote $1800 to fix it. When I went on the internet and found out that this is very common and seems to be a bad design. Can you do anything so they redesign and recall so we consumers are not ripped off by Tesla? I know is a long shot now that Elon is running the government but I have nowhere else to complain. Thank you
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640269February 3, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The full self driving is very dangerous. I had several events that put me in danger. Like, going to the wrong lane. Going to the wrong way. Changing lanes that almost hit a car good thing I took over right away. It made the other car upset and honk at me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640233February 2, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Computer system improperly triggered two false forward collision warning while changing lanes, today, on 02/02/2025. These forward collision warnings and applied excessive braking for no reason causing an increased chance of being rear ended or losing control. In heavy traffic, the car is constantly creating dangerous situations like this and the sensitivity of the forward collision warnings needs to be dialed back when the blinker is on or while in between lanes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639791January 31, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
Specifically when in somewhat cool and cold temperatures the Front Drive Unit is emitting abnormal high pitched sound that is intermittent at times and that is causing a distraction while driving and is very bothersome. Tesla acknowledged they hear it but nothing is being done about. Front Drive Unit should be replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639558January 30, 2025
WHEELS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The car was advertised at 312miles on the battery. It is 265. The charging takes 45 to hr and I was lied to about the mileage overage and the ability to purchase the car. This car isn't as advertised. I reached out to tesla and they do t offer any solution. I was scammed. I want to return the car. The tires do t last as the cars are too heavy. If the tires don't last 1 yr that's a defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638856January 27, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I charged a 2021 Apple Macbook Pro with factory charging cable from the front USB-C charging port in a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The laptop charged up to around 70% but ended prematurely due to a melted charging cable and usb-c port (the connections from the usb-c port that the cable plugs into, and the part of the cable itself (male end) was melted and so hot that it burned my finger. I brought it to Tesla Service and they said it's not covered under warranty and are charging $377 + tax to replace it. The manual does not state any limitations as to what can/cannot be connected to the usb-c port. This issue has also been reported on Reddit: [XXX] 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
#11638815January 27, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Our car was parked in our garage for two days before August 25, 2024 not plugged in for charging and was clear of issues. On the morning of August 25, 2024 we woke up to the smell of smoke and evacuated our house as the source was coming from our Tesla in the garage. This incident burned our home and took 6 of our cats with it. We filed with insurance and they are reporting that they are not liable for the accident. They did not bother to show up to the joint investigation and paid the bare minimum for the market price of the vehicle. The company has been slow in responding and has shown zero remorse or care of the matter. Fire department pinned it as a 99.9% probability of cause that the front battery of the Tesla triggered the fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638799January 27, 2025
STEERING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The indicator buttons randomly disable and also disable if the user rests their finger lightly on an indicator button for some number of seconds. The car is available for inspection on request. Tesla looked at it and said it's "normal" and "expected" for the buttons to disable if you simply rest your finger on the button for too long prior to clicking it in. When this occurs, BOTH indicator buttons will be disabled for upwards of 12 seconds. Neither button will physically click, and the indicators themselves will not activate no matter how many times you try pressing the button. This put the safety of others (AND MYSELF) at risk three times in my one month of owning the car. Tesla did nothing the first time I tried to get it fixed and said it's "normal", and wanted me to leave the service center with nothing done. I refused, so they replaced the entire steering wheel for me. The new steering wheel exhibited this same behaviour this morning - nearly resulting in a car smash as I was trying to navigate around an existing car smash on the highway. No warnings, messages or anything. I've only owned the car for a month.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638740January 27, 2025
STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, SERVICE BRAKES
- Autopoilt/FSD had a failure and malfunction, the car speeded up on its own and hit the divider while driving on a highway exit road, which is a u shaped road. - Everyone in the car could be dead if I didn't pull the steer wheeling at the last minute to aviod fatal accident, it was horrifying - I have reported the claim to Tesla right after the incident, but they were not responsive in providing a solution, for more than month, they just kept me waiting - No, it has not been inspected - no warning or messages before the crash and the failure, the system all of sudden speed up on its own, causing the crash This is a seriously malfunction and faulty on Tesla's FSD system, they must recognize this issue and take responsibility over it. Yet they keep failing to take any responsibility on it.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638685January 27, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH:EMERGENCY MECHANICAL RELEASE
The Tesla model 3 has a manual release lever for each door in the front. The passenger side lever doesn't work, creating a safety issue if the car were to lose power then that door would not be able to be owned in case of an emergency. It was never used before and just doesn't work. I've heard this is a common issue on the 2021 model as it was the first refresh or re design.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638547January 25, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The front camera that is known as Tesla vision consistently stays fogged up. This creates an issue when using auto-pilot that makes the car beep loudly and disengage auto-pilot putting others at risk if the car disengages and the driver is not quick enough to respond to the the disengagement. After several months of this and the problem does not go away after following Teslas advice per their user manual of pre conditioning the car and de fogging the windshield for a long period of time, I have scheduled a service appointment. The vehicle I own has not been inspected by Tesla, nor a third party service at the moment. There is no warning when the system will deactivate and I have had it happen several times on corners which is very concerning and scary when in the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638145January 23, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Steering wheel mounted turn signal buttons intermittently do not work - even when pressed multiple times, nothing happens. This is not a daily occurrence but has happened often enough to be dangerous ~5% of the time and happens randomly / unexpectedly. To be clear - this issue is separate and distinct from the poor design and placement of these buttons which - even when working as designed - are regularly engaged unintentionally or wrong direction is mistakenly engaged (i.e., click right when going left). This complaint is prompted because there are occasions where they simply and unexpectedly do not work after repeated attempts. Please force a recall - I know there are many Tesla owners who are encountering the same safety issue and have similar concerns due to these unreliable turn signal buttons.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637474January 21, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Turn signal buttons on steering wheel intermittently fail to work.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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