2018 Tesla Model 3

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/31/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The NHTSA recently forced Tesla to perform a "recall" including an over the air update that made changes to the Tesla Full Self Driving features. Before the recall I felt very safe driving my Tesla on FSD mode. After the update my car feels much less safe with an almost exponential increase in the number of on screen warnings that distract me and do not increase the safety of the vehicle. We do not need these unnecessary notifications that cause constant distraction from the driver's ability to pay attention to the road. These need to be immediately removed as I feel they will directly cause me to become distracted enough to lose control of my vehicle. We need less distractions so we can maintain focus on the road. Any on screen warnings forces the driver to look away from the road to look at the warning, then we get an additional warning for looking at the previous warning. This causes an endless loop of micro distractions that on long drives lead to increasing frustration and increased sensitivity to them. This is a serious safety concern that that was implemented without Tesla vehicle owner feedback and needs to be immediately rescinded. We actually need to force Tesla to provide less on screen warnings and distractions instead of more to increase safety and driver attention to the road. Thank you for reading my concerns.

• 12/31/2019· SUSPENSION

  HERE IS A TESLA MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/60799809/PHOTOS IT HAS NOT BEEN IN A COLLISION, NO AIR-BAGS HAVE DEPLOYED. THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS SNAPPED APART. THE CAST ALLOY LOWER SUSPENSION ARM HAS BROKEN IN HALF. THIS IS CLEAR EVIDENCE OF A CASTING DEFECT. IT IS MOST INTERESTING THAT THE HIGH PROFILE LEGAL ACTION OVER A SUSPENSION FAILURE - HTTPS://WWW.BUSINESSINSIDER.COM.AU/ALADDIN-STARS-PROBLEM-WITH-TESLA-KNOWN-AS-WHOMPY-WHEELS-2019-6?R=US&IR=T HAS NOW BEEN SETTLED OUT OF COURT. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY CERTAINLY A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS IN ALL MODELS OF TESLA CARS AND IT IS OUTRAGEOUS THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO SWEEP THE PROBLEM UNDER THE RUG. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU NOW TAKE ACTION IN THIS MATTER. IF YOU NEED TO HAVE A FORMAL PETITION BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION THEN THIS WILL BE ARRANGED. THANK YOU. KEEF WIVANEFF

• 12/30/2023· SUSPENSION

  Front suspension components needed to be replaced, vehicle was out of warranty and had only 43000 miles. These parts should last for much longer the 4 years and 43000 miles. No incident, but car squeaked at all speeds. Repair cost was $1600

• 12/30/2023· SEAT BELTS

  Seat restrain system detected a fault with the back row seat buckle. This appears to be a repeated issue based on other drivers reporting same safety issue. Happy to provide photos.

• 12/30/2022· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  This is regarding NHTSA Recall Number21V-00D. This recall is from December 21, 2021 -- i.e., over a year ago. I scheduled an appointment with Tesla in August 2022 to get this taken care of, but at the time Tesla canceled the appointment. They told me that the parts aren't available yet, but they would reach out via email or the Tesla app "soon". It has now been 4+ months, yet they still have not reached out to me. On my Tesla app, when I click "Rear Harness Recall" button, it says "You will receive a notification in your Tesla App when parts are available for your vehicle." It is difficult to understand that it takes over a year to put in a simple cable harness.

• 12/30/2021· EXTERIOR LIGHTING,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURECrash

  The steering system failed. I'm not sure about the availability for inspection. My safety was put at risk when my car collided with another car. I had just pulled out of my driveway and turned to go down the street a short distance from a stop sign where I would turn left. From a video taken by one of the car's cameras, the car went to the left side of the street and started toward the intersection where the car hit another vehicle. I have driven to the intersection numerous times. There is no way that I would have pulled toward the left side of the street. I believe that something in the steering system malfunctioned. This put me and other drivers on the road at risk. I don't know if the the problem has reproduced. There was a policeman at the site, but he would not inspect the vehicle for a malfunction. My insurance company must have inspected the car as they called today to inform me that the car is totaled. The failure happened so quickly, that I had no warning.

• 12/30/2021· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER,LANE DEPARTURE

  Tesla changed the entire user interface with their software update to version 11. I believe that this software update will cause vehicle accidents since they removed quick access to critical features and replaced them with entertainment apps. As the driver of the vehicle I do not need quick access to video games / streaming services, and more importantly I should not have to go through several screens to access key functions like the window defrosters. Tesla removed quick access to the defrosters, the wiper controls, the seat heaters and tire pressure. Even the music player now causes driver distraction. This new update is an accident waiting to happen and is geared toward entertainment instead focusing on a safe driving experience. The windows that pop up on the screen even block critical features like wiper blade control. Tesla claims that since they removed the buttons for wipers and defrosters that I could use the voice command but with this new update the voice command feature usually crashes. The new icons for user interface a so small that they cause eye strain and make difficult to see the road after checking the screen. The bottom of the screen is stuck in night mode which also causes eye strain. Since this vehicle has no buttons just a touch screen this drastic change to the user interface is a serious safety hazard. Tesla needs to add an actual physical wiper control switch to their vehicles. The automatic wiper mode is defective because Tesla did not install rain sensors on their vehicles. Also the new software has a serious bug where the vehicle disables the safety systems (all cameras and the lane departure warning system). The vehicle safety systems were disabled on 12/26/21 and 12/30/21. I informed Tesla on both occasions and they saw this software flaw in my vehicle computer files. Please make sure that Tesla fixes their vehicle interface before someone crashes from distracted driving/difficulty using the touch screen interface.

• 12/30/2021· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  Tesla recently rolled out version 2021.44.25.2 of their vehicle operating system. This update introduced several major user interface changes. Including moving commonly used “virtual buttons” that had been permanently on the main screen, into buried sub-menus. This requires the driver to take their eyes off the road for a significant amount of time. Among the biggest concern is the windshield wiper controls. But also, seat heaters, and trip data.

• 12/30/2021· EQUIPMENT

  Latest software update from Tesla buried easily accessible features several layers deep into hard to manage screen menus. e.g windshield wipers. This now requires drivers to take their eyes of the road for many seconds to activate the functions. This can be extremely dangerous.

• 12/30/2018· STRUCTURECrash

  MY TESLA MODEL 3 WAS SO NEW THAT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE LICENSE PLATE YET. I'VE DONE SELF-PARK QUITE A FEW TIMES, AND EVEN WENT TO THE SALES CENTER TO CONFIRM THE WAY TO ENGAGE SELF PARK. WHEN THE VEHICLE SENSE THE SPACE AND YOU GO REVERSE, THE BLUE START BUTTON WILL BE ON SO YOU CAN PRESS AND LET THE AUTO SELF PARK. SADLY, THE SELF PARK CAUSED THE ACCIDENT ON 11/30/18 WHEN I WAS ON LYON STREET IN SAN FRANCISCO. WHEN PRESSED ON THE REVERSE 'START' BUTTON, THE CAR WENT UNCONTROLLABLY (LIKE A DEMON WAS IN THE CAR) AND HIT THE REAR PARKED CAR. I COULD BARELY HIT THE BRAKE IN TIME TO STOP THE ZOOMED REVERSE. THIS ACCIDENT NOT ONLY DAMAGED MY NEW MODEL 3 AND IT HIT THE BUMPER AND HEADLIGHT OF ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE, THE INCIDENT TRULY TRAUMATIZED ME ON THE TESLA CAR FUNCTIONS. THANKFULLY, THERE WAS NOT ANY UPCOMING REAR TRAFFIC, WITH THE SELF REVERSE SPEED, THE ACCIDENT COULD BE A LOT WORSE. TESLA INSISTED THAT IT IS NOT AN AUTO-PILOT OR SELF-PARK ISSUE. THEY SAID WE HAVE TO WAIT 4 WEEKS FOR THE ENGINEERING REVIEW AND REPORT. AFTER WAITING FOR THE TESLA REPORT FOR 4 WEEKS, THEY CLAIMED THE VEHICLE WAS 'NOT' ENGAGED IN THE 'SELF-PARK' FUNCTION - WELL, WHY WOULD THE BLUE START BUTTON IS AVAILABLE FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE SELF PARK WAS READY????? THEY MADE THE EXCUSE THE CREEP FUNCTION WAS ACTIVATED. THAT IS RIDICULOUS! YOUR BLUE START BUTTON WAS AVAILABLE FOR SELF-PARK, DRIVER WOULD ASSUME THE VEHICLE IS READY TO BE PARKED. WHO WOULD GUESS THE VEHICLE WOULD ZOOM BACK UNCONTROLLABLY? COULD YOU IMAGINE HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS FOR ALL THE SELF PARK DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS? THE ACCIDENT COULD BE MUCH WORSE. NHTSA MUST ISSUE INVESTIGATION AND FINING FOR SUCH TESLA SELF PARK ISSUE!

• 12/29/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS,BACK OVER PREVENTION

  Recall items not available

• 12/29/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCECrash

  I had come to a complete stop at the red light for about 1-2 minutes when, unexpectedly, my car surged forward and collided with the vehicle in front of me. Initially, I believed someone had rear-ended me and caused the accident, but that turned out not to be the case. Although I attempted to apply the brakes to prevent the collision, it was unfortunately too late.

• 12/29/2023· SUSPENSION

  At only 30,000 miles, the car began exhibiting terrible creaking sounds during colder temperatures whenever the suspension was active. Upon inspection, a Tesla technician claimed the ball joints on the upper control arms were “worn” and bushings on the lateral links were “torn”. Looking online, it’s clear this was due to defensive design/manufacture, as it’s happened to numerous vehicles. It appears that Canada and Europe have already forced Tesla to address these issues.

• 12/29/2023· SUSPENSION

  Tesla replaced the upper control arm assembly in February 2021 after I complained that there was a squeaking noise when moving the steering wheel. My car and components are available for inspection. I was concerned that the front suspension would break leading to an accident. Tesla inspected and confirmed the issue. No warnings or message were displayed by the car.

• 12/29/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Me and my wife cut the finger on vehicle door handle. The thin chrome covering the handles has peeled off cousin hazard. Can you fix your website, I’m unable to upload photos.

• 12/29/2021· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Recent software update to the vehicle has made the care unsafe to drive. They completely reworked where all car control buttons on the main screen were located. They removed essential car function from the main screen. Specifically, windshield wiper control and defroster control are now buried in submenus. I am having to take my eyes off the road for 2-3 continuous seconds to find commands in these submenus and I can't tell you how unsafe this feels. Car windows/windshield fogs up and I can't find the defroster touchscreen button. Suddenly starts raining and I have to scramble to find windshield wiper touchscreen button. The touchscreen buttons for turning on fog lights and regular car lights are buried. This happened with a version 11 software update within the past few days. Before this - no problems. Please help us.

• 12/29/2021· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The v11 software update buries many important buttons that were always up, to find basic functions needed for driving I now need to spend up to 15 seconds digging through multiple menus to say, turn on a defroster or the wipers.

• 12/28/2024· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMCrash

  I was at a stoplight behind a Toyota Tacoma. I must have stopped around 8 feet behind it. I was not using FSD and I was not one-pedal driving. My foot was on the brake. I must have been at a complete stop for approximately 10 seconds when my Model 3 suddenly accelerated full throttle on its own and rear ended the Tacoma, directly hitting its trailer hitch, causing my car's driver-side airbags to deploy. When it happened, the light was still red and my foot was still on the brake. I never touched the accelerator. Luckily I was driving alone. After the inital contact, my car sort of bounced off of his hitch then slowly lurched forward before it stopped. After that, it was immobile, leaving me stuck in traffic until it was towed away.

• 12/28/2024· SUSPENSION

  Control arm of the left front suspension system detached with no warning other than an occasional noise that started about 2 weeks before the incident, usually when turning the front wheels at slow speed. This was a potentially dangerous situation for the driver, passengers, and any other vehicles on the road as the tire could have come off at any time. Fortunately the car was being parked (0-1 mph) in a non-congested area when the control arm detached. The vehicle (total mileage approximately 42k) was towed to a Tesla Service Center 2 days later where the problem--first diagnosed by the tow truck driver--was confirmed by a Tesla service representative. There was no warning of any problem other than the occasional noise mentioned previously. If this parts failure had occurred at high speed on an interstate highway, it would likely have been deadly!

• 12/28/2023· SUSPENSION

  After taking in my Tesla Model 3 for a loud creaking noise coming from the front right suspension, the Tesla service specialist said the suspension control arms are cracked and the car is dangerous to drive. I asked how this is possible. The Tesla specialist said the suspension is made of aluminum and cannot support the weight of the car. He said this is a known issue. However I was told I need to pay $2,300 for the repair because the car is out of warranty by 1 year. Since my car has under 29,000 miles, and this is a known flaw that is not the fault of the driver, I feel Tesla should pay for the repair. At this point I cannot afford to pay for the full repair (I paid for only the creaking fix which cost $400), so I am forced to ground my car until I earn enough money to pay for the repair. In my view this is wrong, and ask for NHTSA to investigate why such a dangerous flaw is allowed to persist, with consumers forced to pay for its repair - even on a car with less than 30,000 miles. Thank you for your attention. PS, this webpage does not allow me to load any files (I am using Safari). I would like to upload the detailed Tesla service estimate.

• 12/28/2023· STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE

  I AM WRITING TO REPORT URGENT SAFETY CONCERNS WITH MY 2018 TESLA MODEL 3, SOFTWARE VERSION 2023.44.30.5.1, AFTER THE NHTSA RECALL ON AUTOPILOT FUNCTIONALITY. I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE FOR OVER 4 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD CONCERNS WITH THE ADAS / AUTO-PILOT / AUTO-STEERING FUNCTIONALITY UNTIL THE NHTSA REQUIRED CHANGES IN DECEMBER 2024. WHILE DRIVING ON I-405 IN GARDEN GROVE, CA, MY VEHICLE WHILE IN ADAS / AUTO-STEERING / AUTOPILOT MADE REPEATED AND UNUSUALLY PERSISTENT ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE FROM LANE 4 TO LANE 3. I HAD TO MANUALLY CANCEL EACH ATTEMPT, DESPITE MY SPEED BEING SET TO MATCH TRAFFIC FLOW. THIS ISSUE NEVER AROSE BEFORE THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE NHTSA RECALL. MOREOVER, THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY SIGNALED FOR DRIVER ATTENTION, DESPITE MY FULL ATTENTION TO THE ROAD, A CONCERNING NEW BEHAVIOR POST-UPDATE. THE NEED TO FREQUENTLY OVERRIDE THESE UNDESIRED MANEUVERS FORCED ME TO DISABLE THE ADAS AUTOPILOT/AUTO-STEERING. THIS PUTS ME AND MY VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AT RISK, AS I BELIEVE THE ADAS SYSTEM, FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY PRE-RECALL UPDATE, SAFELY MAINTAINED DISTANCE FROM VEHICLES AHEAD AND DID NOT MAKE UNINTENDED MANEUVERS TO CHANGE LANES. THESE ISSUES SUGGEST THE RECALL MODIFICATIONS ADVERSELY AFFECT AUTOPILOT FUNCTIONALITY, CREATING SAFETY HAZARDS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY ALARMING GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENTS DUE TO UNEXPECTED LANE CHANGES AND FALSE DRIVER ATTENTION ALERTS. I URGE THE NHTSA TO RECONSIDER THE RECALL MODIFICATIONS TO TESLA'S AUTO-STEER/AUTOPILOT ADAS FEATURES. IT'S CRUCIAL THAT RECALL ADJUSTMENTS DO NOT JEOPARDIZE VEHICLE AND VEHICLE OCCUPANTS SAFETY. A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE RECALL'S IMPACT IS NEEDED, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO AN AMENDMENT OR REVERSAL, TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF TESLA USERS AND OTHER ROAD USERS.

• 12/28/2023· SUSPENSION

  Front upper control arm ball joints squeaking noise. Turning the steering wheel produces loud squeaking noise. The ball joints seem susceptible to outside elements (ie water from raining) and lose internal grease and dried up creating frictions. 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range

• 12/28/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMCrash

  On November 30 at 6pm I was driving north on I-75 in the Tampa area with Navigate on Autopilot activated. I was in the middle lane, it was dark, and there was lots of traffic. My screen asked me to confirm the autopilot request to move to the left lane. I tapped the stalk to confirm. I did not look in the left lane and was not controlling the steering, though my hands were on the wheel. The car immediately turned into the left lane and side swiped a police vehicle. Nobody was injured and the damage to both cars was minor. Previously I had received alerts that my left pillar camera was "blocked", but the alerts went away, so I assumed that there was no problem. When the alerts appeared, auto steer was deactivated, but when the alerts went away auto steer worked again. I do not remember when the first alert appeared, but probably earlier in November 2021. Subsequently, the alerts have appeared and disappeared. I have requested service from Tesla, but the appointment is scheduled for next month. The officer in the police vehicle and two other officers who came to the scene looked at my vehicle and took pictures. I received accident report, Crash Number [XXX] from Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (Case Number[XXX]), but no citation. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

• 12/27/2024· SUSPENSION

  Under-torqued Lateral link bolt These bolts are known to fall out or cause damage to bushings from being installed improperly Failure of the suspension would result in the suspension collapsing and the car becoming uncontrollable, with serious risks at higher speeds Out of pocket repair has been made by Tesla Component has been inspected and tightened to spec No warning sings, other than loud, clunking noises At 40k miles on smooth roads, this is not a driver issue, but a manufacturer assembly issue. They already have a recall for other VINs in other years, but I believe this should be expanded to more VINs and years, as this appears to be a common issue.

• 12/27/2024· SUSPENSION

  Control arm issue and linkage cable.

• 12/27/2024· SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  On December 24, 2024 I was driving on Freeway 5 South and all of the sudden my vehicle came to an abrupt breaking without any reason. The traffic ahead of me was of normal traffic. This abrupt breaking happened twice within 5 minutes of time span. I have notified Tesla Service Center and the service center gave me a quote of $137.50 for diagnostic and to schedule the service. I felt that this issues should be taken care of by Tesla with no charge to me. This is a safety issue. I have experienced the abrupt breaking issues with my vehicle on many occasions since I own the vehicle in 2018. Each time I was told there's no problem with the vehicle when I notified Tesla Service Center.

• 12/27/2023· SUSPENSION

  Same exact issue as NHTSA ID: 23V235000 but for some reason my VIN is not part of the recall. Had to get it repaired by Tesla and paid out of pocket.

• 12/27/2023· SUSPENSION

  A bolt in the control arms of my Model 3 broke. I took it in for repair. They blamed me for hitting the bottom of the car. They changed both upper and lower control arms and charged me about $500 for it. This is a major safety problem that Tesla doesn’t accept the blame for, even though I have seen many complaints online about this issue. They should recall all the affected models and fix it before it causes dangerous situations on the road.

• 12/27/2022· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  We're a US Military family and are going to be stationed overseas. The US Army WILL NOT take our Tesla Model 3 into a storage facility while we are gone because there is still an outstanding safety recall notice associate with this vehicle. NHTSA Recall # 22V702. We are leaving in less than two weeks and we can't get our vehicle into storage without all safety recalls being fixed (even though it is only an over-the-air recall). We also can't even sell our car because it is illegal to sell a car that still has unfixed recalls! Argh!!! Can you please put pressure on Tesla to fix this issue and send out an over-the-air fix? We're stuck and stressed right now and we have to go overseas regardless of this Tesla matter being fixed or not. And no, we can't even leave our Tesla with someone without getting a power-of-attorney to let them put it into US Military storage in the future. This is a mess! Please get Tesla to fix the safety recall #22V702.

• 12/27/2021· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Latest Tesla UI update, V11 (2021.44.25.2) is less user friendly, especially for essential control operations while driving. - Front, Rear Defrosters, and Seat Heaters are now buried in multiple tap menus. Windshield wiper adjustment option buried in multiple tap menus or unreliable swipe motion to reveal options. Areas where these buttons used to be are now "blank" spaces that were done for "aesthetics" more than "practical utility". - Menu options and notifications are narrower and too low for quick visbility (e.g. Car alerts, Windshield wiper adjustment). - Speedometer number is too thin and small. - Autopilot notification icon is much smaller, so it is less obvious to the user if the system is active or when it can be activated. - "One tap dashcam recording" now missing on Map screen. "Honking to save clip" may cause confusion to other drivers if wanting to save footage, so that is not a proper solution. - Map at night time is now much harder to see smaller/non main roads. Poor map contrast/visibility - Supercharging locations view requires multiple taps to get to and gives less "map view" of charging stations overall. Compared to one tap or able to persistently see charging locations on the map. - Interface unnecessarily expands all differnet audio source as different "icon buttons", so it may take longer for someone to look and find the correct option - UI mostly requires swiping up/down to expand or close out menus. This is a longer action than pressing an "X" button in the corner that was previously there. Aware that pressing the same icon will close the menu, but X is more intuitive and quicker than doing a full gesture swipe motion that may fail at times to bring back the proper Map menu.

• 12/27/2021· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER

  Latest update from Tesla moved commonly used features several layers deep into hard to manage screen menus. e.g windshield wipers. This now requires drivers to take their eyes of the road for several seconds to activate the functions.

• 12/27/2019· SUSPENSION

  MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/60870519 BOTH FRONT SUSPENSIONS SNAPPED OFF. NOT IN A CRASH.... WHEELS SIMPLY FELL OFF. LOOKS LIKE THIS ALLEGED "SAFETY FEATURE" I.E SNAP-OFF WHEELS IS WORKING A LITTLE TOO WELL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THANK YOU KEEF

• 12/25/2023· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE

  Dear NHTSA Representative, I am writing to express my deep concerns and seek resolution regarding the latest version of autopilot enforced in the recent Tesla recall, identified under Campaign ID #23V-838. I am a Tesla owner that’s deeply invested in the safety and functionality of my vehicle. Recent reports indicate that the mandated autopilot update has rendered the car unsafe and nearly undrivable with autopilot engaged. Disturbingly, users have reported false warnings, causing drivers to divert their attention from the road and react to incorrect information. This poses a significant safety risk to drivers, passengers, and others on the road. I wish to bring to your attention that the autopilot feature in my vehicle is currently usable, and I am hesitant to compromise its functionality based on the reported issues with the mandated update. It is disconcerting that a safety recall mandated by the NHTSA could potentially make my vehicle less safe for me and my family. I urge the NHTSA to conduct a thorough investigation into the safety implications of the autopilot update and to consider the concerns raised by Tesla owners seriously. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to a swift resolution that prioritizes the safety and satisfaction of Tesla owners. Sincerely, A Tesla Owner

• 12/25/2023· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  I received the recall update for recall #23V-838 and am currently running version 2023.44.30.5.1 with the added Autosteer alerts. I am finding the alerts to be too frequent when I am just looking forward at the road. I have used this system for five years and never have I had so many alerts that I feel like the car is making me take my eyes off the road just to see what it is complaining about. Then it just says keeps eyes on the road. Well, I already was so now I'm being distracted by these added notifications. This NHTSA recall has created a safety problem as the new alerts are very distracting.

• 12/25/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  The latest Tesla software update (their “holiday update”) has buried important controls in menus where they are difficult to access. For example, defrost and wiper controls were available directly on the main screen prior to this update. They now require multiple taps to get to with the associated further distraction from keeping eyes on the road. Less critical but oft-manipulated control (such as seat heat) that were are the main screen are also now buried.

• 12/24/2024· SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Front suspension lateral link fasteners loosened, allowing the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame. I have a 2018 Model 3 and this seems to be the exact same issue that led to a recent recall with the help of the NHTSA. Recall no. 23V235000 SB-23-31-001 An expansion of previous recall number 21V-835. I noticed for months something was slightly off in the front right area of the car. I brought it into the Tesla service center, they drove it and didn't notice anything. About a month later the lateral link separated from the subframe rendering the car undriveable. I had it towed immediately.

• 12/24/2023· LANE DEPARTURE

  Since NHTSA forced Tesla to update their driver attention monitoring, I can no longer change the radio station without the car screaming at me. This is jarring and unsafe as it surprises me when there is no danger present! NHTSA’s requirement for Tesla change this behavior for “safety” is unsafe! Allow Tesla to roll back this change now!

• 12/24/2023· SEAT BELTS

  Seat belt sensor went off. Took vehicle to Tesla and was charged for a replacement of the seat buckle that you place the seat belt in. This should be a safety hazard and should not be a charge to replace a safety seat buckle. I have an invoice of the work done and what I paid to fix.

• 12/23/2025· SERVICE BRAKES

  Vehicle is 7 years old with 107,000 miles. I received a warning regarding low brake fluid with instructions not to drive the vehicle. Dealer is advising all brake lines are rusted out and need replacement. Rusted lines are apparently causing the brake fluid to leak. I've never heard of any vehicle, let alone a 7 year old vehicle, needing all brake lines replaced. After researching online, my 2018 Tesla Model 3 is not the only Tesla Model 3 with this issue. Specifically, it appears some early 2018 Model 3s have suffered this issue. I believe this is a design defect and safety issue, and that Tesla should be voluntarily repairing affected vehicles with this known issue, since it is a design/safety issue.

• 12/22/2019· SUSPENSION

  ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF A MODEL 3 WITH THE FRONT WHEEL AND SUSPENSION FALLEN OFF FOR NO GOOD REASON. NO AIR-BAGS DEPLOYED. NO OTHER DAMAGE TO CAR, WHEEL AND TIRE UNDAMAGED. IT SIMPLY FELL TO BITS. ALL THE BALL JOINTS AND STEERING ARM SNAPPED. NOT GOOD. PLEASE LOOK AT THE PHOTO. THIS IS INSANE/LUDICROUS. THANKS. HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS. KEEF

• 12/21/2025· SEAT BELTS

  Tesla refuses to fix recall NHTSA No: 22V798.

• 12/21/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS

  Passenger Safety Restraint system fault. Faulty wiring under the seat. Cost of repair is $1000. Passenger airbag requires replacement.

• 12/21/2019· SUSPENSION

  ANOTHER MODEL 3 WITH A BUSTED SUSPENSION THAT WAS NOT CAUSED BY CRASH DAMAGE. HTTPS://POCTRA.COM/2018-TESLA-MODEL-3/ID-AXDY8OZ8LQ7LEFQL/HOUSTON-TX/PHOTOS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO TO THE POCTRA WEBSITE WHICH HAS ARCHIVED PHOTOS AND DETAILS OF MORE THAN 4000 WRECKED TESLAS. A HUGE NUMBER OF THOSE CARS HAVE BROKEN SUSPENSIONS THAT CAN NOT BE EXCUSED AS BEING THE RESULT OF A CRASH. JUST TO RESTATE THE BLEEDING OBVIOUS ONE MORE TIME. TESLA SUSPENSIONS ARE TOO WEAK FOR THE POWER AND WEIGHT OF THE CARS. QUALITY CONTROL IS NON-EXISTENT. THE TOXIC CULTURE AT TESLA WHICH HAS EMPLOYEES LIVING IN FEAR OF ELON MUSK MEANS THAT THESE SYSTEMIC FAILURES ARE SWEPT UNDER THE CARPET. TESLA IS STILL USING NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT TO SILENCE CUSTOMERS. THE SUPPOSEDLY UPGRADED SUSPENSION PARTS WHICH ARE THE SUBJECT OF A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ARE NOT BEING FITTED TO CARS EXCEPT AFTER THEY FAIL. IF I CAN SO EASILY DISCOVER EXAMPLES OF THESE SUSPENSION BREAKAGES BY VISITING HTTPS://POCTRA.COM/ THEN SURELY YOU CAN HAVE SOME OF YOUR STAFF DO THE SAME THING. THANK YOU KEEF

• 12/21/2019· SUSPENSION

  HERE IS A TESLA MODEL 3 IN THE SALVAGE YARD. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/59959469/PHOTOS IT IS LISTED AS HAVING SUSPENSION DAMAGE. NO AIR-BAGS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED AND DAMAGE TO THE BODYWORK IS ONLY SLIGHT. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN BROKEN. THE WHEEL IS SERIOUSLY WHOMPY. WHILST THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE IS NOT 100% PROOF IT DOES APPEAR THAT THIS FAILURE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE THE OTHER REPORTS OF THE ALLOY SUSPENSION PARTS SNAPPING FAR TOO EASILY. THE FACT THAT THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE UNDAMAGED AND THERE BEING ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE BODYWORK MAKE IT FAR MORE LIKELY THAT THIS IS ANOTHER CASE OF SELF-INFLICTED INJURY CAUSED BY FRAGILE SUSPENSION PARTS. THERE IS NO PAINT DAMAGE NOR ANY TRANSFER OF PAINT FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL IS CONSISTENT WITH A DISRUPTED WHEEL WHOMPING AROUND AND BASHING THE WELL FROM THE INSIDE. I WOULD BE GRATIFIED IF YOU WOULD INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU. KEEF

• 12/21/2019· SUSPENSION

  HERE IS ANOTHER TESLA MODEL 3 WITH FRONT SUSPENSION THAT HAS FALLEN APART. HTTPS://POCTRA.COM/2018-TESLA-MODEL-3/ID-BJ9KVYNFMYGISLWP/WALDORF-MD/PHOTOS IT DOES NOT TAKE A ROCKET SURGEON TO SEE THAT THERE IS A REPEATING PATTERN OF FAILURES. ALL THE BALL JOINTS HAVE SNAPPED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU KEEF

• 12/21/2019· SUSPENSION

  MODEL 3 IN JUNKYARD. HTTPS://POCTRA.COM/2018-TESLA-MODEL-3/ID-BHRVGPBLESXTXTYF/PHOENIX-AZ/PHOTOS NO AIR-BAGS DEPLOYED THE ONLY DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE SELF-INFLICTED BY THE USUAL BROKEN BALL-JOINTS CAUSING THE WHEEL TO BREAK LOOSE AND WHOMP INTO THE BODYWORK. SAME FAILURES OVER AND OVER. PLEASE GET ONTO THIS. KEEF

• 12/21/2019· SUSPENSION

  HERE IS A TESLA MODEL 3 IN THE JUNKYARD. HTTPS://WWW.COPART.COM/LOT/60239049/PHOTOS IT HAS SOME FRONT END DAMAGE BUT WHAT IS REMARKABLE IS THAT THE ALLOY STEERING KNUCKLE HAS CRACKED IN HALF AND THE STEMS OF BOTH BALL JOINTS HAVE SNAPPED OFF. THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE BOTH UNDAMAGED. IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT SO MUCH FORCE CAN HAVE BEEN TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE RELATIVELY FRAGILE ALLOY WHEEL AS TO CAUSE ALL THAT DAMAGE TO THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THE MODEL 3 SHARES SIMILAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS TO THOSE USED IN THE MODEL S AND X. SO MANY EXAMPLES OF SUSPENSION FAILURES INDICATE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THESE HIGHLY DANGEROUS ISSUES. THANK YOU KEEF

• 12/20/2023· VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  Recently I noticed that the automatic windshield wipers are completely non-functional on my vehicle. Windshield wipers can still be turned on manually and work normally as expected in all speeds in manual control mode. But in auto control mode, they simply don't turn on at all, even in very heavy rain. This is critical because when driving the vehicle in Autopilot mode or Full-Self-Driving mode, the vehicle automatically puts the windshield wipers in auto control mode and the driver cannot change them to manual mode. So when driving using Autopilot in the rain, the windshield wipers just stay completely off all the time, even when Autopilot is displaying warning messages about severe weather. I contacted Tesla support about this and Tesla support immediately responded that this is a known issue and should be corrected via over-the-air update soon, but no ETA available.

• 12/20/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  Low coolant alert while in the hidden service mode only. Happens to all my 3 cars. Went to service to fill up the coolant and the warning didn’t go off. They said is a sensor gone bad and it’s $1000 to repair. What are the chances that all my 3 cars have that issue and all not actually having low coolant

• 12/20/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER

  The only cabin heating and defrosting mechanism in early model 3s, a PTC heater, is prone to failure leaving the vehicle without the ability to maintain clear vision through the front and side windows. This occurred on my model 3 in November of 2023 and Tesla was unable to source parts for several weeks, with a cost of $900. This failure is extremely common among model 3 in cold weather environments and is well documented online.