2018 Tesla Model 3 fuel, hybrid & EV propulsion problems

Related recalls

No recalls on file.

What owners say

1. Filed May 16, 2026CAFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   Potential safety defect: high-voltage battery and battery management system (BMS) appear to overestimate available energy and remaining range, creating risk of unexpected 0% state of charge or loss of motive power without warning. Across 20 documented charge/discharge cycles between January and May 2026, the vehicle has consistently delivered approximately 135-150 miles of real-world range against an EPA-rated 310 miles, under routine driving conditions. The vehicle's own…

   NHTSA complaint #11738357 · source
2. Filed Jul 15, 2025CTElectrical SystemEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   Tesla failed to properly diagnose a high-voltage battery isolation fault in my 2018 Model 3. Despite safety-critical BMS_a027 and BMS_a142 faults indicating multiple isolation failures, they skipped required insulation resistance testing, falsely blamed sand in a connector, and charged me $174.95. After the issue returned, they reversed course, replaced an internal battery contactor, and reduced the $1,173 estimate to $356—admitting fault without owning it. Days later, a…

   NHTSA complaint #11673763 · source
3. Filed Apr 3, 2025PAElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionVisibility & Wipers

   1. PTC Heater, old part is available for inspection 2. PTC heater failed while driving, experienced loss of power and slow loss of secondary electrical systems (the 12v battery was not able to recharge itself with the PTC heater not functioning). When attempting to restart car after pulling into a parking lot, the entire car died (12V battery was drained so it couldn't start up) and had to get towed to Tesla service center. PTC heater is critical for car to operate as it is…

   NHTSA complaint #11652498 · source
4. Filed Apr 3, 2025PAElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionOther / Unknown

   1. The Power Conversion System (PCS), still in the vehicle and not available for inspection 2. 2 of the 3 controllers have failed, resulting in limited AC charging (16A out of 48A max). The PCS helps regulate AC and DC electricity and connects the 12V batter to the HV battery. If it fails, it could lead to dangerous situations since the electricity from the HV battery wouldn't be as controlled. I'm worried that if the final controller fails while driving it could lead to a…

   NHTSA complaint #11652488 · source
5. Filed Dec 28, 2024CACrashBrakesFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionAcceleration & Cruise Control

   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…

   NHTSA complaint #11632896 · source
6. Filed Mar 20, 2024IDFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   Salt Lake City Tesla Service Center [phone removed] I purchased a 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD, VIN [XXX] . The car’s battery and motor drive train units are still within the warranty. On [XXX], the car’s POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM (PCS) stopped working spontaneously, without any physical damage caused by the owner. The PCS is required to charge the car. A broken PCS rendered my car essentially unchargeable, thus undriveable, and unusable. The PCS is a critical component…

   NHTSA complaint #11578462 · source
7. Filed Nov 25, 2023NVElectrical SystemEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   The Power conversion system (PCS) failed during driving, disabling the rear motor and regenerative braking. This severely affected the driving characteristics of the vehicle, including top speed, braking profile and handling.

   NHTSA complaint #11556810 · source
8. Filed Apr 6, 2023CAElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionOther / Unknown

   My Tesla Model 3 without any warning stopped working suddenly. I could not put the car in drive and there were error messages about climate control and electrical system. I had to get the car towed to the service center as it was blocking my other car in the driveway. The service center in Sunnyvale, CA diagnosed the problem to be a faulty PTC heater and has charged me over $1100 to replace it. I beileve it is quite absurd to have a fault in the HVAC system render the whole…

   NHTSA complaint #11515708 · source
9. Filed Jan 23, 2023NYFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   PCS Charger (Onboard) is failing on numerous early build Model 3 cars (2017-2019). Telsa is claiming that this is not included in battery warranty, however Tesla's own service manual shows this part specifically in the HV Battery System. I still have the fault PCS charger in the car, it is limited to 32Amps but several forums and webpages state its only a matter of time before I am limited to 16Amps The car is unable to charge at a reasonable recovery rate in which you can…

   NHTSA complaint #11503192 · source
10. Filed Jan 16, 2023CAFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

    On December 27, 2022, in light evening street traffic, my car accelerated briefly without the accelerator pedal being applied. I took my foot off the accelerator pedal to decelerate for an upcoming red light. While my foot was off the pedal, the car accelerated and lurched forward. The car was towed to the Tesla Sacramento Service Center. The technician incorrectly cited the "creep mode" as being involved. The car was in motion when it unexpectedly accelerated. "Creep Mode"…

    NHTSA complaint #11502032 · source
11. Filed Jan 10, 2023WVElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionTransmission & Drivetrain

    The Power Conversion System is failing, this makes charging the car difficult. The charge rate is reduced and charging fails without warning. There is no warning from the vehicle that the part is failing but instead says the power grid is the issue. The issue started while the car was still under warranty, but falsely claimed the problem was with the evse or the wiring to the evse. Had the failure been properly reported rather than being misleading, the vehicle could have…

    NHTSA complaint #11501150 · source
12. Filed Oct 23, 2022ALElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

    I reported charging problems over the last several months to Tesla. You can only report problems via the App. They do not provide a phone number. They tried to fix my charging issue three times and each time said it was fixed. It was not and today I almost ran out of battery on the interstate because it would not charge. Today, after waiting an hour for their roadside service to respond they came and towed it. This is the fourth attempt to fix it.

    NHTSA complaint #11490484 · source

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. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology