2018 Tesla Model 3
Common Problems
Ranked from 450 federal NHTSA complaints and 11 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
28 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
Phantom Braking During Autopilot
201complaintsSafety riskBrakesThe car suddenly applies the brakes for no reason, causing sudden deceleration and requiring immediate driver intervention.
- 2
Suspension Control Arm Failure
146complaintsSafety riskSuspensionControl arms and ball joints frequently break or fail, causing the wheel to detach from the car.
$300–$900est. control arm / ball joint replacement · 1.5–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 23V235000
- 3
Phantom Touch Screen Issues
45complaintsHigh severityElectricalTouch screen malfunctions cause blackouts, touch sensitivity issues, and other display problems.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 4
Safety Restraint System Fault
13complaintsHigh severityElectricalMultiple reports of front passenger safety restraint system faults, often requiring expensive repairs or replacements.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 5
Suspension Bolt Failure
11complaintsHigh severitySuspensionSuspension bolts have been found to become loose or fall out, leading to vehicle instability and potential loss of control.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 23V235000
- 6
Forward Collision Avoidance System Errors
10complaintsMedium severityOtherThe forward collision avoidance system is malfunctioning, failing to detect obstacles and causing unintended acceleration.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 7
Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault
9complaintsSafety riskOtherThe front passenger safety restraint system frequently malfunctions, causing airbags to be disabled and triggering error codes.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 8
Air Bag and Seat Belt Issues
8complaintsHigh severityOtherFaulty wiring and sensors are causing safety restraint system faults, potentially leading to non-deployment of airbags.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 9
Airbag and Seat Belt System Faults
8complaintsHigh severityOtherMultiple reports of airbag and seat belt system failures, including false alerts and actual malfunctions.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 10
Faulty Seat Sensors Causing Safety Restraint System Errors
8complaintsSafety riskElectricalFaulty seat sensors lead to errors in the front passenger and driver-side safety restraint systems.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 11
Air Bag Malfunction
7complaintsHigh severityElectricalAir bags fail to deploy or show intermittent faults, posing a safety risk in collision scenarios.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 12
Seating and Restraint System Issues
7complaintsMedium severityOtherDriver and passenger seat restraints malfunction, leading to potential injury in collision scenarios.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 13
Steering Assist Malfunction
7complaintsHigh severitySteeringSteering assist system intermittently fails, causing the steering to become stiff or locked up, posing a significant safety risk.
Related recall: 23V085000
- 14
Occupancy Sensor and Wiring Harness Faults
6complaintsMedium severityOtherFaulty sensors and wiring harnesses lead to intermittent safety system alerts and malfunctions.
$300–$1,500est. wiring harness repair · 2–8 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 22V798000
- 15
Air Bag and Seat Sensor Issues
5complaintsHigh severityElectricalMultiple reports of front passenger airbag and seat sensor malfunctions, often requiring expensive repairs or replacements.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 16
Airbag Deployment Issues
5complaintsSafety riskElectricalIssues with airbag deployment, including warnings and failures to deploy in accidents.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 17
Autopilot and Self-Driving Feature Failures
5complaintsHigh severityOtherAutopilot and self-driving features fail to respond appropriately, increasing crash risk.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 18
Steering Issues
5complaintsMedium severitySteeringSteering wheel becomes difficult to turn, and power steering occasionally fails, requiring repairs or replacements.
Related recall: 23V085000
- 19
Seat and Harness Malfunctions
4complaintsMedium severityOtherSeats and seat harnesses malfunction, causing safety restraint system faults and requiring expensive repairs.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 20
Back Over Prevention System Failure
3complaintsMedium severityOtherBack over prevention systems fail to function correctly, increasing the risk of accidents when reversing.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 21
Forward Collision Warning Malfunction
3complaintsMedium severityOtherForward collision avoidance system issues cause false warnings or phantom braking, leading to potential loss of control.
Related recall: 22V798000
- 22
Steering and Suspension Malfunctions
3complaintsMedium severitySteeringSteering and suspension malfunctions are causing unusual noises and loss of control, especially at higher speeds.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 23V085000
- 23
Steering Column Lock-Up
3complaintsHigh severitySteeringSteering columns lock up during turns, requiring immediate attention to prevent accidents.
$200–$1,500est. power-steering / eps repair · 1–6 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 23V085000
- 24
Steering System Failures
3complaintsMedium severitySteeringSteering assist malfunctions or fails at low speeds, requiring recalibration or replacement.
Related recall: 23V085000
- 25
Suspension Component Failure
3complaintsMedium severitySuspensionSuspension components such as control arms and stabilizer links fail, leading to unusual noises and vibrations during driving.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 23V235000
- 26
Suspension Issues Leading to Unusual Noises and Loss of Control
3complaintsHigh severitySuspensionSuspension components like control arms and lateral links are failing, leading to loud noises and loss of control at higher speeds.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 23V235000
- 27
Service Brake Issues
2complaintsMedium severityOtherService brake issues are causing unexpected braking or failure to engage, leading to potential collisions.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 22V798000
- 28
Wiring Harness Failures
2complaintsMedium severityElectricalIssues with seatbelt wiring harnesses causing 'front safety restraint system fault' alerts, often requiring expensive repairs.
$300–$1,500est. wiring harness repair · 2–8 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.