Tesla Model 3 problems by model year

Updated from NHTSA data · How we count

NHTSA has 4,220 owner complaints and 36 recalls on file for the Tesla Model 3 (2017–2026). The 2018 Model 3 has the most serious complaints, most often about driver assistance & safety tech.

Complaints
4,220
Recalls
36
Model years
10
Worst year
2018

Complaints by model year

26201793720185852019448202066720217662022427202321920241172025282026
NHTSA complaints per Tesla Model 3 model year. Click a bar for details.

Newer model years have had less time on the road, so they naturally have fewer complaints. Compare a year against its neighbors rather than against brand-new models.

Worst Tesla Model 3 years to buy

Ranked by our severity-weighted complaint score (crashes, fires and injuries count extra — how it works).

  1. 2018 Tesla Model 3 — 937 complaints, 78 crashes, 4 fires; top problem: Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
  2. 2022 Tesla Model 3 — 766 complaints, 53 crashes, 4 fires; top problem: Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
  3. 2021 Tesla Model 3 — 667 complaints, 46 crashes, 5 fires; top problem: Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
  4. 2023 Tesla Model 3 — 427 complaints, 72 crashes, 1 fire; top problem: Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
  5. 2019 Tesla Model 3 — 585 complaints, 52 crashes, 2 fires; top problem: Driver Assistance & Safety Tech

Fewest serious complaints among years at least 3 years old: 2017 (26 complaints).

Every Tesla Model 3 model year

YearComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuriesRecallsTop problem
2026 Model 3289031Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2025 Model 311725093Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2024 Model 3219271195Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2023 Model 34277215012Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2022 Model 37665344518Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2021 Model 36674651922Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2020 Model 34485423321Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2019 Model 35855222122Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2018 Model 39377843719Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
2017 Model 32610116Driver Assistance & Safety Tech

Most common Tesla Model 3 problem areas (all years)

  • Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
    1,959 complaints
  • Acceleration & Cruise Control
    611 complaints
  • Brakes
    558 complaints
  • Electrical System
    540 complaints
  • Steering
    388 complaints
  • Suspension
    346 complaints
  • Seats & Seat Belts
    332 complaints
  • Airbags
    307 complaints
  • Visibility & Wipers
    198 complaints
  • Body & Structure
    167 complaints

Complaint trend

2020202120222023202420252026
Complaints about the Tesla Model 3 received by NHTSA each month.

Tesla Model 3 recalls

  • Recall 26V507000Aug 4, 202620,349 vehiclesModel years 2017–2023

    Risk: Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 26V445000Jul 7, 202615 vehiclesModel years 2024

    Risk: A noncompliant vehicle may have reduced occupant protections, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

  • Recall 26V283000May 4, 2026218,868 vehiclesModel years 2017–2023

    Risk: A delayed rearview image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 25V690000Oct 10, 202512,963 vehiclesModel years 2025

    Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 25V410000Jun 18, 202548 vehiclesModel years 2026

    Risk: The seat may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

  • Recall 25V092000Feb 14, 2025376,241 vehiclesModel years 2023

    Risk: A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 25V002000Jan 6, 2025239,382 vehiclesModel years 2024–2025

    Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 24V935000Dec 17, 2024696,281 vehiclesModel years 2017–2025

    Risk: Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 24V554000Jul 24, 20241,849,638 vehiclesModel years 2021–2024

    Risk: An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 24V376000May 28, 2024125,233 vehiclesModel years 2017–2023

    Risk: A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

  • Recall 24V284000Apr 19, 20241 vehiclesModel years 2024

    Risk: Without a deflector, the air bag may deploy improperly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

  • Recall 24V153000Feb 27, 20246,557 vehiclesModel years 2018–2022

    Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 24V051000Jan 30, 20242,193,869 vehiclesModel years 2017–2023

    Risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 23V838000Dec 12, 20232,031,220 vehiclesModel years 2017–2023

    Risk: In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.

  • Recall 23V434000Jun 19, 202326 vehiclesModel years 2023

    Risk: A defective battery disconnect may not isolate the vehicle's high voltage battery after a crash or fault detection, increasing the risk of electrical shock and injury.

  • Recall 23V235000Mar 31, 2023422 vehiclesModel years 2018–2019

    Risk: A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 23V085000Feb 15, 2023362,758 vehiclesModel years 2017–2023

    Risk: FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 22V844000Nov 15, 2022321,628 vehiclesModel years 2023

    Risk: A taillight that fails to illuminate may reduce the visibility of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 22V798000Oct 21, 202224,064 vehiclesModel years 2017–2022

    Risk: An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  • Recall 22V702000Sep 19, 20221,096,762 vehiclesModel years 2017–2022

    Risk: A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.

  • Recall 22V317000May 9, 20227 vehiclesModel years 2021

    Risk: Swapped camera views can prevent the vehicle's cameras from detecting crossing objects and high-curvature lane lines, impairing the Autosteer and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) performance, and increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 22V296000May 3, 2022129,960 vehiclesModel years 2022

    Risk: A lagging or restarting CPU may prevent the center screen from displaying the rearview camera image, gear selection, windshield visibility control settings, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 22V263000Apr 18, 202248,184 vehiclesModel years 2018–2022

    Risk: The driver may not know how fast the vehicle is traveling without the mph or km/h unit display, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 22V235000Apr 12, 2022594,894 vehiclesModel years 2017–2022

    Risk: Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • Recall 22V169000Mar 18, 2022947 vehiclesModel years 2017–2020

    Risk: A delayed rearview camera image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Other Tesla models

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. Methodology