Tesla Model 3 Complaints (2022)

761 consumer complaints on file.

#11679584August 9, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I pulled up to a red light in a protected left turn lane. My car is set to use regenerative braking and hold/not roll once stopped. I felt my car roll forward a bit, which shouldn't happen when these settings are on. I quickly checked my rearview mirror, assuming someone had hit me from behind to cause me to roll forward. No one was behind me. I hit my brake and the car suddenly accelerated at full throttle speed, I would guess, into the intersection, despite the light being red for me. I quickly glanced down at my foot to confirm that it was on the brake pedal and it definitely was. I continued to repeatedly push the brake pedal down to no avail. I was steering and tried to navigate my way through 4 lanes of moving traffic because they had a green light. I hit the front end of a car, which didn't slow my car at all. I went on to hit another car's front end, which didn't slow my car at all either. My car then charged out of control to hit the curb on the opposite side of the street facing traffic. Hitting the curb stopped my car finally. I noticed that the airbags on the right side of my car were deployed. Components that failed/malfunctioned: brakes, fuel/propulsion system, speed control, automatic emergency braking, collision warning/avoidance, traffic signal detection Tesla Insurance has deemed the car a total loss. I also reported the malfunction to their Vehicle Support but haven't gotten the report or the data report from the car that I requested yet. I was told that the report would be complete by 8/7/25. The car was placed on a hold for the investigation, so it should be available for inspection. I do have the dashcam videos and photos of my car, if needed. This incident was terrifying because I had zero control of my vehicle due to the sudden unintended acceleration (SUA). I see on the internet that SUA is a problem with Tesla that has been reported repeatedly. It is a miracle that no one was hurt or killed. Tesla needs to address this immediately!
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679129August 7, 2025
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the front driver's side seat belt warning chime was inoperable, failing to alert the driver that the front driver’s side seat belt was not secured while driving. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 35,400.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677008July 29, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
While driving on AutoPilot the I-10W on Wednesday July 16, 2025, the car suddenly and very harshly braked for no reason at all. The vehicle in front of me was visible on the vehicle's display, meaning it was keeping it distance and was actively adapting to its speed and distance, and at no time did I press the brake or move the steering wheel for the vehicle to use its emergency braking. It was so harsh, I felt the blood throughout my head and body lunge forward, and AutoPilot immediately turned off. If I wasn't aware of this sudden braking, I would have assumed AutoPilot would still be active, but knowing of Tesla's "phantom braking", I immediately took control once I noticed AutoPilot turned off on its own. I have a video of the dash cam available (over 10MB) if needed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673159July 13, 2025
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
I took my car to Tesla service to have 3 tires changed. On the drive home for the service, the car automatically pulled the to right several times with the final time pulling so hard, the car jumped the curb and damaged the car. Speaking with the Tesla service associate after the accident, they admitted that they did not complete alignment of the tires and that the automatic lane correction mechanism uses the alignment to gauge if it should correct or not. Tesla service will not take responsibility for causing the issue.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11670491July 1, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour on an interstate, the vehicle's automatic emergency braking system engaged multiple times in rapid succession—approximately five separate braking events. Each time, the system falsely detected an obstacle, which it appeared to interpret as a person in front of the vehicle. In reality, there was nothing on the road; the system was reacting to a roof-mounted strap that was fluttering slightly in view of the forward sensors. These false positives caused the vehicle to brake suddenly and forcefully, creating a highly dangerous situation for vehicles behind me. Multiple drivers were forced to swerve to avoid a collision. Thankfully, no crash occurred, but the repeated unexpected braking posed a serious risk to my safety and the safety of others on the highway. Additionally, I had previously disabled the automatic emergency braking feature in the vehicle's settings. However, I later discovered that this system reactivates by default every time the vehicle is restarted. There is currently no option to permanently disable this feature, meaning drivers must manually turn it off for each individual trip, which is not clearly communicated by the system. This issue has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or a dealer. No warning lights or error messages appeared before or during the braking events.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11669363June 26, 2025
STEERING
During operation steering wheel becomes heavy and difficult to turn and becomes notchy. Very difficult to stay in ones own lane.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667444June 17, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I was traveling northbound on [XXX} in Sugar Grove, IL with the traffic aware cruise control on. As I passed under [XXX] the car braked heavily for no reason. No cars in the area...thankfully. I could have easily been rear-ended. It has done this on more than one occasion at this location. I filed a "bug-report" via the right hand button on the steering wheel. I was also traveling [XXX] near Lasalle-Peru with the cruise control on at about 80 mph when the vehicle suddenly braked heavily. No cars around at all. The moment was extremely frightening. 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
#11666026June 10, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse into a parking spot, the cameras failed to activate, along with the sensors, which included the backup sensors failed to alert that there was an object. As a result, the contact crashed in reverse into a cement pole on the front driver's side door and mirror. No property damage was reported, and the vehicle came to a stop upon the contact depressing the brake pedal. The air bags were not deployed. The vehicle was going 5 MPH at the time of the crash. The contact attempted to retrieve the recording of the crash, and there was no record. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not destroyed. No injuries were reported. The local dealer was contacted, however the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,290.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664877June 4, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING:SOFTWARE
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in self-driving mode, the vehicle was supposed to merge into the right lane, however the vehicle accelerated into the left lane, and another vehicle collided into the front driver side of the vehicle. The contact stated that he did not sustain any injuries, however the passenger stated he sustained injuries, but the injuries were unknown. No medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to dealer where it was diagnosed that the software needs to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was still drivable after the incident. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,547.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11661955May 19, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rodents Chew on Car Wires Consequences of Rodent Damage: Malfunctioning Components: Chewed wires can lead to a variety of problems, including issues with the engine, lights, sensors, and other electrical components. Expensive Repairs: Repairing or replacing damaged wiring harnesses can be costly, potentially running into the thousands of dollars. Safety Hazards: Damaged wiring can pose safety risks, potentially causing electrical shorts, fires, or malfunctions while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661529May 16, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
The power lift‑gate strut PN 1551489‑00‑B failed, bent inward, and shattered the rear glass on 16  May 2025. A known defect: Tesla superseded the part to PN 1551488‑00‑C in Oct 2023. Local Tesla Service center declined goodwill coverage to resolve the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660263May 11, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
When the vehicle is set to regenerative braking mode, lifting off the accelerator pedal causes the car to decelerate significantly. However, in many cases, the brake lights do not illuminate during this process. This could potentially create a safety risk, as drivers behind may not realize the car is slowing down and may not respond in time. tesla
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11658826May 4, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Wy wife and I drove our Tesla Model 3 from Palo Alto, CA to San Francisco downtown, to meet friends. I was the driver, and my wife sat on the passenger seat. The weather was clear, and the pavement was dry. I did not engage auto-pilot features during the entire trip. The car condition was normal with no signs of error or warning. I made a right turn onto [XXX] from [XXX] Shortly after I completed the turn, the car unexpectedly lost control. Without any prior warnings, it suddenly veered into the center divider, snapped a tree, dashed towards oncoming traffic on the other side of [XXX] , and finally stopped on [XXX] , labelled as location A on the attached drawing. Everything happened so quickly: I could not control the steering wheel, and I applied the brakes in vain. The vehicle seized control, no matter how hard I tried to stop it. I regained control of the vehicle at the intersection of [XXX] and [XXX] , and was able to park the car at location A. We were very fortunate and blessed that we did not hit people at the bus stop, that there were no cars in front of us, that the opposite traffic on [XXX] was stopped by a red light, and that the traffic was light on [XXX] Without such luck, my wife and I, and probably others, would have been seriously injured, if not worse. Because [XXX] is one-way, we decided to move the vehicle to [XXX] , and parked at location B in the drawing. I called 911 and spoke to a female dispatcher. She asked us to remain at location B and wait for police officers to arrive. We waited there for almost 3 hours, but no police arrived. The dashboard display indicated that we had a flat tire(s). We called mobile tire services. After their inspection, most of our tires were alright, except the rim of the front-left wheel was badly bent, as you can see in the attached photo. The mobile tire service staff was skilled enough to carefully patch the damage and said it should be OK to drive back to Palo Alto. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 5
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11658650May 3, 2025
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES
If you are on a hill and you accidently press both the brake an accelerator, the car will fall to neutral and free roll. In whatever direction is downhill. I have big feet. Happened again to me, I bumped the brake pedal (but not enough to apply the brakes to stop) when attempting to pull forwards slowly and my car beeped with the "both pedals detected pressed" alert. and then it free rolled backwards (because I was on an uphill). THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR IS NOT SUPPOSED TO FREE ROLL BACKWARDS WHEN IN DRIVE, THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. It has been 4 years now, and no action has been taken to adress this software defect. a NORMAL gas car does NOT do this. If you bump the brake in a normal gas car, IT DOES NOT FREE ROLL IN ANY DIRECTION. This is a tesla software problem that tesla needs to promptly fix ASAP!!!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11658350May 2, 2025
AIR BAGS, SEATS, SEAT BELTS
Passenger safety restraint system fault error appears on and off without any correlation to driving conditions or passenger presence. This error is potentially deadly since it will cause the passenger airbag not to deploy in an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656184April 22, 2025
SEAT BELTS
We received a Front passenger safety restraint system fault on our car. When a passenger sits in the seat the fault is not displayed. This was not a software update and the sensor was faulty and could cause the airbags not to go off. The sensor was faulty in the seat but because we were out of warranty we had to pay for the repair. Clearly they have seen this issue and said it was not a recall but a bulletins and bulletins were a caution, they made us pay for the repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11651170March 27, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Forward collision warning was falsely triggered causing the car to inappropriately apply the brakes twice in one drive. This causes the car to brake harshly and causes cars behind me to either swerve or slam their brakes. This causes a chain reaction of extremely dangerous behavior. The forward collision warning system is far too sensitive when there’s literally no obstacles to cause a collision or avoid.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11650616March 25, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The cars forward collision warning system is far too sensitive and braked extremely hard when there was nothing to collide with. This caused the car behind me to slam their brakes and they got rear ended. This needs to be forced on Tesla to be addressed
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11649834March 21, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Two false collision warnings were triggered when in fact, there was nothing to collide with. This caused the car to brake extremely forcefully nearly causing another can to rear end me in midday traffic. If they would have hit me, it easily would have caused a 10+ car accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11648420March 14, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The forward collision warning system is too sensitive. When cars are in a completely different lane, the car will sometimes think they are in your lane when they’re aren’t. This forces the FWC warning to alert and the brakes to slam. When this happens cars behind you sometimes swerve or nearly rear end me. This happened twice today march 14th.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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