2022 Tesla Model 3 Problems & Owner Complaints

Forward Collision Avoidance 528 15 crash 11 injury

“My family and I were in my Tesla Model 3 2022 and heading from Charlotte to Orlando on [XXX]. The car was in Full Self-Drive (FSD) mode while commuting through Daytona Beach. The rain was heavy in the area. While driving in Daytona Beach, FSD caused the car to change lanes and go to a lane that had standing rain puddles on [XXX]. After FSD caused the lane change, the car immediately hydroplaned out of control. The car's short clearance from it's bottom and the ground which traps water that exacerbates hydroplaning, along with its generative breaking feature made matters worse and uncontroll…”
NHTSA complaint #11693098, 2025 · crash · 4 injury(ies)

“I was in the carpool lane when traffic came to a complete stop. I pressed on the brakes but they were heavy as if I was not able to press it down all the way. There was no information prior to the accident from the Tesla trying to warn me about an incoming collision. It wasn’t until after the accident the Tesla acknowledged that there was damage done to the car. Prior to the accident there was a service required for the front passenger safety restraints. This accident could have been much worse as I tried to swerve out of the way to avoid traffic but wasn’t able to make it back in time.”
NHTSA complaint #11544619, 2023 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“the car started to abruptly accelerate when slowing down the car at a stop light and would not brake. the anti collision functions did not work. the car went into a truck.”
NHTSA complaint #11564754, 2024 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Vehicle Speed Control 171 14 crash 12 injury

“My family and I were in my Tesla Model 3 2022 and heading from Charlotte to Orlando on [XXX]. The car was in Full Self-Drive (FSD) mode while commuting through Daytona Beach. The rain was heavy in the area. While driving in Daytona Beach, FSD caused the car to change lanes and go to a lane that had standing rain puddles on [XXX]. After FSD caused the lane change, the car immediately hydroplaned out of control. The car's short clearance from it's bottom and the ground which traps water that exacerbates hydroplaning, along with its generative breaking feature made matters worse and uncontroll…”
NHTSA complaint #11693098, 2025 · crash · 4 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at 40-60 MPH and making a turn using the self-driving mode, the brake pedal was depressed. However, the vehicle accelerated inadvertently at a higher speed. The contact depressed the brake pedal several times but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle crashed into the front passenger's side door of another occupied vehicle. The air bags deployed. The contact briefly lost consciousness. The contact sustained soreness on the nose, the throat, the upper back shoulders, and increasin…”
NHTSA complaint #11466129, 2022 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“My wife had a collission on June 25th at 2 30PM CST while she was parking her vehicle in her office parking spot. The car suddenty sped and hit a tree. We suspect it be a misfire in Tesla.”
NHTSA complaint #11747194, 2026 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Service Brakes 167 14 crash 12 injury

“Driving on the freeway, husband driving, myself in passenger front seat and 1yr and 3yrs in back. Just touched a 70 zone when the car, without warning/prompt started to deviate from left lane to right lane, at same speed, my husband tried to control car at which point he realized that the steering wheel and brakes were locked and he had no control of the direction or speed and could do nothing to stop the car. The car continued at high speed to drag us to the left side of the road, we smashed at full force into a display maintenance board first, the airbags deployed, and we continued to smash…”
NHTSA complaint #11592116, 2024 · crash · 4 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at 40-60 MPH and making a turn using the self-driving mode, the brake pedal was depressed. However, the vehicle accelerated inadvertently at a higher speed. The contact depressed the brake pedal several times but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle crashed into the front passenger's side door of another occupied vehicle. The air bags deployed. The contact briefly lost consciousness. The contact sustained soreness on the nose, the throat, the upper back shoulders, and increasin…”
NHTSA complaint #11466129, 2022 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“I was in the carpool lane when traffic came to a complete stop. I pressed on the brakes but they were heavy as if I was not able to press it down all the way. There was no information prior to the accident from the Tesla trying to warn me about an incoming collision. It wasn’t until after the accident the Tesla acknowledged that there was damage done to the car. Prior to the accident there was a service required for the front passenger safety restraints. This accident could have been much worse as I tried to swerve out of the way to avoid traffic but wasn’t able to make it back in time.”
NHTSA complaint #11544619, 2023 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

Unknown Or Other 88 11 crash 8 injury

“While making a u-turn on a quiet culdesac at approximately 5 mph, the 1 week old brand new Tesla, suddenly speeded up at the end of completing the u-turn (in last 5% of u-turn). It jumped the curb and hit a tree. All these happened in a fraction of a second and driver had no control when this happened. No automatic emergency breaks got activated. Autopilot or Cruise control features were not activated when this incidence happened. Driver and passenger incurred minor injuries, but their safety was put at risk. If this had happened on a busy area, the outcome would have been lot worse. This is…”
NHTSA complaint #11480491, 2022 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“While driving home, my Tesla was operating in Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode and initially performed normally, stopping at a red light and proceeding smoothly when it turned green. Moments later, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own, lost control, and began spinning uncontrollably before sideswiping a parked car and coming to a stop on the wrong side of the street in oncoming traffic. I was fully awake, alert, and did not manually steer or accelerate at any point. The incident appears to have resulted from a malfunction in the vehicle’s FSD system and/or its steering and acceleration cont…”
NHTSA complaint #11693997, 2025 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint •Vehicle Information: •Make: Tesla •Model: Model 3 •Year: 2022 •Summary of Incident: On November 28,2024, I experienced an incident involving my 2022 Tesla Model 3 while it was stationary just outside my garage. I accidentally pressed the accelerator pedal instead of the brake. The car surged forward and crashed into the back wall of my garage. Despite Tesla’s advertised safety features, such as Collision Avoidance Assist and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), none of these systems intervened or activated during the incident. I expected the safety systems to det…”
NHTSA complaint #11634158, 2024 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Electrical System 56 6 crash 3 fire 6 injury

“Submitted Under 49 CFR §552.3 Request for Defect Investigation & Safety Recall Tesla Model 3 / Model Y: Interior High-Voltage Heater Fire Hazard, Missing Firewall, and Entrapment Due to Electronic Door Failures. My 2022 Tesla Model 3 experienced an interior flash fire caused by a design defect. Tesla placed the high-voltage PTC cabin heater and HV wiring inside the dashboard with no firewall. After a crash, I saw a straight “strip flame” shoot out of the HVAC dash vent, exactly like a gas heater. The fire began INSIDE the dash/HVAC ducting within seconds of impact, not from the battery. This…”
NHTSA complaint #11701894, 2023 · crash · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“During a head-on collision on [XXX] in Georgia, the electrical system in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 lost power and the electric door releases stopped functioning. The vehicle interior caught fire and I was trapped inside. I was unaware of the location of the hidden mechanical emergency door release because it is not visibly labeled, not explained upon delivery, and not intuitive in an emergency. I was forced to climb to the back seat and break the rear passenger window with my legs to escape while the interior was burning. I suffered a broken hip, broken arm, and later required a full hip replaceme…”
NHTSA complaint #11698174, 2023 · crash · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“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 upd…”
NHTSA complaint #11664877, 2025 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Lane Departure 44 8 crash 1 injury

“I was hit by a woman driving a Tesla with autopilot turned on. The system did not detect the red light, and she hit the right front quarter panel of my vehicle, totally my vehicle. The autopilot system malfunctioned and should have detected both the red light and the collision which was likely to occur. To my knowledge, the vehicle is in the control of either the driver's insurance company or the Police.”
NHTSA complaint #11478108, 2022 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11673159, 2025 · crash

“This incident is the result of poor operation of safety warning and navigation systems in a Tesla Model 3 leading to an accident. I rented a Tesla Model 3 from Hertz at Seattle Tacoma airport. At a traffic light I followed navigation directions making a left turn into Southcenter Mall in Tukwila WA. This turn placed me in the direction of a Subaru which hit me in the driver side rear side. The Tesla safely warning visual and audible system did not activate as designed. I owned a similar Tesla Model 3 at the time and was very familiar with its operation. The navigation and collision warnin…”
NHTSA complaint #11631508, 2024 · crash

Steering 33 12 crash 1 fire 8 injury

“Driving on the freeway, husband driving, myself in passenger front seat and 1yr and 3yrs in back. Just touched a 70 zone when the car, without warning/prompt started to deviate from left lane to right lane, at same speed, my husband tried to control car at which point he realized that the steering wheel and brakes were locked and he had no control of the direction or speed and could do nothing to stop the car. The car continued at high speed to drag us to the left side of the road, we smashed at full force into a display maintenance board first, the airbags deployed, and we continued to smash…”
NHTSA complaint #11592116, 2024 · crash · 4 injury(ies)

“During a head-on collision on [XXX] in Georgia, the electrical system in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 lost power and the electric door releases stopped functioning. The vehicle interior caught fire and I was trapped inside. I was unaware of the location of the hidden mechanical emergency door release because it is not visibly labeled, not explained upon delivery, and not intuitive in an emergency. I was forced to climb to the back seat and break the rear passenger window with my legs to escape while the interior was burning. I suffered a broken hip, broken arm, and later required a full hip replaceme…”
NHTSA complaint #11698174, 2023 · crash · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“My wife had a collission on June 25th at 2 30PM CST while she was parking her vehicle in her office parking spot. The car suddenty sped and hit a tree. We suspect it be a misfire in Tesla.”
NHTSA complaint #11747194, 2026 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Visibility/Wiper 15

“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The front windshield (Acoustic Glass) failed due to a spontaneous stress fracture. The crack originated from the edge of the glass without any external impact. The vehicle has been repaired, but the service records and high-resolution photos of the crack are available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The spontaneous crack occurred suddenly during a heatwave, significantly obstructing the driver’s forward visibility. Furthermore, the crack expa…”
NHTSA complaint #11733457, 2026

“My 2022 Tesla Model 3 experienced a heat pump compressor failure at approximately 89,457 miles. Tesla Service Center diagnosed an internal failure in the heat pump system. The heat pump system controls cabin heating, windshield defrosting, and thermal management for the vehicle. When the system failed, the vehicle lost heating and proper defrost capability. This can impair windshield visibility during cold or foggy conditions, creating a potential safety hazard while driving. Tesla quoted approximately $3,000 to repair the compressor and declined warranty assistance despite the system being cr…”
NHTSA complaint #11721824, 2026

“While using Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and other highways, the vehicle’s automated steering system repeatedly malfunctions by failing to maintain lane centering. Specifically, the car drifts or actively steers across double yellow lines into the lane of oncoming traffic. This issue is a persistent failure of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and Lane Keeping Assistance. The vehicle has attempted this maneuver multiple times at [Approximate Speed, e.g., 40-60 mph], requiring immediate and forceful manual steering intervention to…”
NHTSA complaint #11720201, 2026

Power Train 13

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11658650, 2025

“The following will happen in drive or reverse. Causing the vehicle to enter a free roll condition. If the vehicle detects both pedals are pressed. The vehicle will then disengage the motors and the brakes. And it will free roll. The vehicle does not successfully maintain stop and hold in this case. I was stopped at a red light and on an uphill. When the light turned green, I bumped the brake pedal when I went to accelerate forward in drive. My car rolled backwards downhill as a result. My instinct was to press the accelerator to try and go forward before I thought to hit the brake. My car…”
NHTSA complaint #11624121, 2024

“Vehicle suddenly and violently lost power to its front drive units while driving steady on neighborhood street at low speed, <25 mph. Vehicle shuddered to a stop, then put itself in park, rendering it immovable in the middle of the street. Vehicle indicated a critical failure on its screen. Vehicle towed to Tesla service center. Vehicle had front drive unit inverter and pyro fuse replaced. No prior indication or errors before the failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11593979, 2024

Air Bags 12 4 crash 8 injury

“VIN #: [XXX] INCIDENT: COLLISION – FAULTY SAFETY AIRBAG EQUIPMENT DATE OF INCIDENT: 09/04/23; TIME: 22:07:33 SUMMARY ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 VEHICLE WAS HEADING WEST ON ARROW HWY UPLAND PASSING 5TH STREET IN UPLAND, CA. VEHICLE PROCEDED WITH GREEN LIGHT. 2ND PARTY HEADED EASTBOUND ON TWO WAY STREET OF ARROW HWY COLLIDED WITH PARKED VAN. 2ND PARTY RICOCHETED FROM INITIAL COLLISION WITH PARKED VAN AND THEN COLLIDED WITH TESLA FRONT DRIVER SIDE. 2ND PARTY WAS HEADING NORTHBOUND WITH SPEED AND WRECKED ALL VEHICLES IMPACTED. THE SENSORS OF THE VEHICLE ONLY REPORTED TIRE PRESSURE AND NO OTHER SENSO…”
NHTSA complaint #11547832, 2023 · crash · 4 injury(ies)

“Vehicle was involved in a side collision on the driver side while stationary. Was hit by a 44 seat school bus traveling at or near highway speeds. Side Curtain Airbags failed to deploy, drivers side front, passenger side front, passenger side rear, driver side rear. Vehicle could be available for inspection, is currently being held by insurance adjuster but unsure where. When collision happened it caused head trauma with the window and window frame that could have ended up in death or severe cervical spine trauma. Manufacturer does not acknowledge issue with airbag system. Have not be…”
NHTSA complaint #11499098, 2022 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“The airbags of the vehicle did not inflate when the car was hit by a concrete stone when the car was running at 70 miles per hour on a freeway. The stone came flying on to the windshield and completely smashed the Tesla Model 3 windshield and created a hole in the windshield. This is a grave safety failure of the vehicle where the driver or front passenger did not get any protection or safety from the broken glass of the windshield that hit the passenger and the driver when it was hit by the stone. The vehicle should have been equipped with enough failsafe, warnings, protection against windshi…”
NHTSA complaint #11535946, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)

Seat Belts 12

“* Front passenger safety restraint system issue - sensors under passenger seat intermittently failing for months even after taking it in for service. * Safety of passenger is at risk as airbags might not fire due to occupant classification system failing. * Service center said nothing looks wrong even though car alerts multiple times per drive. Many reports online of Alert RCM2_a636 . * has been inspected by service center * alert from car beeps every 30 seconds to 1 minute intermittently, has been occurring for months”
NHTSA complaint #11695934, 2025

“Passenger safety restraint failure message came on so I made an appointment and took it to Pleasanton Tesla for repair 3/19/25; was under the 60,000 safety warranty. Then on 5/6/25, 6 weeks later, the passenger safety restraint failure message appeared again. I contacted Pleasanton Tesla and they told me I was now responsible for a different piece to be replaced, which was quoted over $1,000 to repair, as the 60,000 mile safety warranty was up and it is a different piece that needed to be replaced. I said it’s the same message, passenger safety restraint failure!”
NHTSA complaint #11683208, 2025

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11679129, 2025

Wheels 12 3 crash 1 death

“I am reporting this incident on behalf of our daughter who lost her husband in this Tesla 3 single-car accident. Photographs of what I believe is a failed left front wheel are attached. Sample pieces of the wheel are not in my possession. The accident occurred on a clear day in the late afternoon on a dry stretch of narrow, unlined road that was in a degree of disrepair. Video from the front camera of the vehicle does not indicate a high rate of speed prior to the final minute, which is not captured on the vehicle flash drive. (The flashdrive or specific video minutes can be submitted at y…”
NHTSA complaint #11470036, 2022 · crash · 1 death(s)

“At 7:50 this morning I had my first drive with Tesla FSD 12.3.4. It had been going very close to curbs on the passenger side on 12.3.3, but this is the first time it hit the curb and damages the tire rim. The current version of the software puts the car much too close to the curb, something not present in prior versions.”
NHTSA complaint #11583129, 2024 · crash

“On October 20th, 2023 around 3:00 pm I was driving eastbound on the highway 69 in Michigan. A friend of mine was seated on the front passenger side (no more other passenger). Autopilot was not installed on the car and the driver had both hands on the steering wheel. I was driving on the most left lane at speed about 75 mph. At about Exit#131, Suddenly, I felt the steering wheel turned right a little by itself and the car slowly drifted to the right a little, then the steering wheel quickly turned to left by itself and the car quick turned to the left. I tried to control the steering wheel but…”
NHTSA complaint #11551204, 2023 · crash

Fuel/Propulsion System 9 2 crash

“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 continu…”
NHTSA complaint #11679584, 2025 · crash

“My wife driving our Tesla Model 3. From her report, the car was accelerating on its own and would not stop despite her pressing on the brake pedal. She was unable to stop at the traffic light and crashed into another car at an intersection.”
NHTSA complaint #11576904, 2024 · crash

“My 2022 Tesla Model 3 experienced a heat pump compressor failure at approximately 89,457 miles. Tesla Service Center diagnosed an internal failure in the heat pump system. The heat pump system controls cabin heating, windshield defrosting, and thermal management for the vehicle. When the system failed, the vehicle lost heating and proper defrost capability. This can impair windshield visibility during cold or foggy conditions, creating a potential safety hazard while driving. Tesla quoted approximately $3,000 to repair the compressor and declined warranty assistance despite the system being cr…”
NHTSA complaint #11721824, 2026

Seats 9 1 crash 2 injury

“ISSUE BACK OF FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS DURING A REAR END COLLISION. CAR TOTALED. On December 4. 2023 we were rear ended while stopped at red. The van that hit us was doing 40 MPH, when it hit the Tesla we were driving. The two front seat backs collapsed backwards. As the driver and because of the seat collapsing backwards I suffered a fractured BACK and have spent the last six plus months in a cervical thoracic brace which we are still in.”
NHTSA complaint #11595793, 2023 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“I own a 2022 Tesla Model 3 that is just past the 5-year/60,000-mile warranty. I bought it used from Tesla inventory and picked up my vehicle on June 1st, 2026 with ~32,000 miles on the odometer. The front passenger safety restraint system alert (RCM2_a636) first appeared on June 5, 2026. On June 15 at 64,008 miles, Tesla Service confirmed the airbag alert and front passenger OCS issue. They found the occupant classification system module damaged and exposed, replaced it, and noted the passenger-side module shorting was also causing a driver-side error. Both cleared after the repair and test dr…”
NHTSA complaint #11754191, 2026

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11658350, 2025

Structure 9 1 crash 1 injury

“My wife had a collission on June 25th at 2 30PM CST while she was parking her vehicle in her office parking spot. The car suddenty sped and hit a tree. We suspect it be a misfire in Tesla.”
NHTSA complaint #11747194, 2026 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The vehicle has a manufacturing defect in the charge port body seal allowing water intrusion into the vehicle cabin and near high-voltage charging components. This has resulted in dampness and potential mold growth, posing a respiratory health hazard to occupants.”
NHTSA complaint #11701836, 2025

“The 2022 Model 3 Tesla does not have readily available emergency rear door release. Tesla's automated response to me was to locate the bolts and screws on the underside of the door armrest, then I need to remove the bolts and screw. Once that is done I can then remove the panel under the armrest so I can then reach inside and pull on the manual release cable. This could not be done during an emergency, you would need to have tools and in an emergency people panic and they would have to do everything by feel if they are trapped in the backseat of the Model 3 Tesla. This is a life safety haz…”
NHTSA complaint #11693470, 2025

Back Over Prevention 8 3 crash

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11666026, 2025 · crash

“Tesla summons was used to summons the car. Vehicle drove forward as directed and failed to clear car on left when pulling out of the parking space to go left. Vision systems and ultrasonic sensors failed to detect and perform safety measures resulting in vehicle collision.”
NHTSA complaint #11588595, 2024 · crash

“Was in a tight parking space. The mirrors auto-folded in. The cameras seemed laggy when backing up to a significant degree. (Many, many others on the web report the same. Any search for "Tesla backup camera delayed" or similar should work.) In my case, my vehicle collided with a pole. Very concerned about this as a safety hazard.”
NHTSA complaint #11458385, 2022 · crash

Engine 7 1 crash

“The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and merging into the right direction of the highway, the vehicle lost control, swerved from left to right, and spun. As a result, the contact crashed into the concrete divider where the vehicle came to a stop. No warning lights were illuminated at the time of the failure. No injuries were sustained. The police were at the scene however a police report was not filed. The vehicle was totaled by the insurance company. The contact mentioned an unknown recall being related to the safety failure exp…”
NHTSA complaint #11582246, 2023 · crash

“While driving my Tesla, Autopilot was engaged and navigating with the destination entered. At the time of the incident, my hand was on the steering wheel when the vehicle suddenly attempted to make a hard right turn toward a divider. This was not an exit or intended route, which raises serious concerns about what caused the vehicle to react that way. In addition, I have experienced multiple battery-related issues with this vehicle. The battery has already been replaced once, and on approximately 2–3 occasions the vehicle entered “Turtle Mode,” limiting the car to about 35–50 mph. This created…”
NHTSA complaint #11736685, 2026

“The following will happen in drive or reverse. Causing the vehicle to enter a free roll condition. If the vehicle detects both pedals are pressed. The vehicle will then disengage the motors and the brakes. And it will free roll. The vehicle does not successfully maintain stop and hold in this case. I was stopped at a red light and on an uphill. When the light turned green, I bumped the brake pedal when I went to accelerate forward in drive. My car rolled backwards downhill as a result. My instinct was to press the accelerator to try and go forward before I thought to hit the brake. My car…”
NHTSA complaint #11624121, 2024

Suspension 7

“Driving at low speed, the control arm became unfastened from the frame and the front driver's side wheel collapsed into the frame of the car.”
NHTSA complaint #11736793, 2026

“2022 Tesla Model 3 with approximately 19,373 miles. Third-party tire shop inspection on April 25, 2026 identified visible tearing of front lower control arm bushings on BOTH sides (bilateral failure). Rubber bushing material has separated from inner metal sleeve on both left and right front lower control arms in identical pattern. No impact event or curb strike. Symmetric bilateral failure indicates manufacturing/material defect, not impact damage. Failure occurred at mileage well below the 40,000-70,000 mile range commonly cited for this known Tesla Model 3 lower control arm bushing wear patt…”
NHTSA complaint #11733793, 2026

“I have experienced multiple tire failures on my 2022 Tesla Model 3, with at least 7 tires needing replacement due to air bubbles. These issues have occurred on both front and rear tires, and currently I have 3 more tires with visible bubbles and one tire is actually leaking air. Most of these tires failed within 2,000-6,000 miles of use, which is far below normal tire lifespan of 25,000-40,000 miles. Despite repeated service visits, no alignment or suspension inspection has ever been performed by Tesla to determine why this keeps happening. The tires are just replaced at my cost, with the pro…”
NHTSA complaint #11683845, 2025

Visibility 7

“The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that after having a software update completed on the vehicle, while the defroster was activated, the windshield failed to clear up as needed. The contact stated that the heater also failed to operate as needed. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact learned of a recall for the failure however, the contact was unable to confirm if the VIN was previously included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the next repair was not covered under the recall.…”
NHTSA complaint #11643931, 2025

“* The AC/Heat Pump Compressor and Supermanifold has failed at 64k miles. Vehicle is undrivable and parked at this time. * AC/Heat Pump Compressor and Supermanifold prevents the windshield from being cleared/defrosted/defogged, causing visibility issues and a danger to myself and others. * Vehicle remotely diagnosed and quote received totalling $3047.52 to repair the issue. * Components have not been removed from the vehicle yet. * There were no warnings prior to the failure of the AC/Heat Pump Compressor and Supermanifold.”
NHTSA complaint #11643728, 2025

“2022 TESLA MODEL 3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 22V-702.”
NHTSA complaint #11500070, 2023

Exterior Lighting 6

“I am filing a safety complaint regarding water intrusion into the rear tail lamp assembly of my 3-year-old Tesla Model 3. The rear tail light has progressed from minor condensation to active water accumulation and visible pooling inside the sealed housing. This is not light fogging — there is standing moisture inside the assembly. The vehicle has not been involved in any collision and there is no visible external damage to the lamp. I have already been pulled over, and drivers behind me have indicated that the affected tail light is not clearly visible. Reduced rear illumination creates a se…”
NHTSA complaint #11719385, 2026

“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”
NHTSA complaint #11641101, 2025

“i was driving after dark on a country highway with my wife. She was choosing music while I was driving. An oncoming car went by and afterwards I flipped to high beams... at the exact same moment she tapped to play a song on the display. Turns out the skip/play songs menu is exactly where the headlight adjust menu pops up when you switch from high to low beams. This caused her to turn the headlights off on the car while we were travelling at highway speeds. This causes an obvious significant safety risk because of a poorly thought-out UI design and could cause a crash very easily. I am includin…”
NHTSA complaint #11597267, 2024

Equipment 2

“The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the vehicle inadvertently activated the brakes independently after an image appeared on the display screen. The contact stated that the brake failure warning light was illuminated. The contact related the screen detection failure with a sensor failure, causing the brakes to independently apply. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 728.”
NHTSA complaint #11472562, 2022

“The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH in reverse, the Back Over Prevention camera lost connectivity and became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V296000 (Back Over Prevention, Equipment) for which the VIN was included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,724.”
NHTSA complaint #11464342, 2022

Latches/Locks/Linkages 2 1 crash 1 fire 2 injury

“During a head-on collision on [XXX] in Georgia, the electrical system in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 lost power and the electric door releases stopped functioning. The vehicle interior caught fire and I was trapped inside. I was unaware of the location of the hidden mechanical emergency door release because it is not visibly labeled, not explained upon delivery, and not intuitive in an emergency. I was forced to climb to the back seat and break the rear passenger window with my legs to escape while the interior was burning. I suffered a broken hip, broken arm, and later required a full hip replaceme…”
NHTSA complaint #11698174, 2023 · crash · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“When switch is pressed on the trunk to close and when as the trunk starting to come down but want to cancel closing it won't stop. Its so hard and it hit my head. Other cars like Mercedes if we want to cancel closing and if we just touch trunk it goes back and does not come down. But on this car trunk keeps coming down hard and hands can get crushed if trunk comes down like that.”
NHTSA complaint #11605670, 2024 · 1 injury(ies)

Engine And Engine Cooling 1

“The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of an excessive amount of fluid underneath the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle started to overheat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the HVAC system had caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11530436, 2023

Tires 1

“Both front tires are loosing chunks of tread toward the outside of the tire near the sidewall. I’ve never seen chunks of tread come off of a tire. These have quite about of tread life left as well. 235/40/R19”
NHTSA complaint #11634318, 2025