2019 Tesla Model 3
Common Problems
Ranked from 252 federal NHTSA complaints and 14 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
13 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
Forward Collision Avoidance Failure
92complaintsSafety riskElectricalThe forward collision avoidance system fails to slow down or brake appropriately, leading to potential collisions with obstacles or vehicles.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 2
Phantom Braking During Autonomous Driving
65complaintsSafety riskBrakesThe car brakes unexpectedly during autonomous driving modes, causing sudden deceleration without any detected obstacles.
Related recall: 21V387000
- 3
Phantom Braking During Autopilot
41complaintsSafety riskBrakesThe car experiences unexpected and unexplained braking, especially while using Autopilot.
Related recall: 21V387000
- 4
Lane Departure and Incorrect Lane Positioning
25complaintsSafety riskSteeringThe vehicle incorrectly positions itself in the lane, veering into adjacent lanes or failing to stay in the correct lane during turns and merges.
Related recall: 23V085000
- 5
Suspension Issues Leading to Instability
21complaintsHigh severitySuspensionSuspension components such as control arms and lateral links become loose or break, leading to vehicle instability.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 21V835000, 23V235000
- 6
Passenger Restraint System Fault
20complaintsSafety riskOtherThe passenger restraint system fails to detect the presence of front passengers, potentially leading to non-deployment of airbags in a crash.
Related recalls: 19V719000, 22V798000
- 7
Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault
16complaintsSafety riskElectricalThe front passenger safety restraint system frequently malfunctions, potentially impairing airbag deployment.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 8
Control Arm Issues
5complaintsHigh severitySuspensionControl arms and related components often fail, causing loud noises and requiring expensive repairs.
$300–$900est. control arm / ball joint replacement · 1.5–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 21V835000, 23V235000
- 9
Defective Sensors
5complaintsLow severityElectricalVarious sensors, including seat occupancy and airbag deployment, frequently fail, leading to false alerts and potential safety concerns.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 10
Electrical System Malfunction
3complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe car's electrical system malfunctions, causing issues like loss of display functionality and intermittent power loss.
Related recalls: 22V037000, 22V045000, 21V00D000, 22V063000, 22V235000, 22V263000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 11
Back Over Prevention System Failures
2complaintsMedium severityOtherIssues with the back over prevention system, including rear camera failures and trunk malfunction, reduce safety during reversing operations.
Related recalls: 19V719000, 22V798000
- 12
Rear Camera Malfunction
2complaintsMedium severityOtherRearview cameras fail to detect objects in the blind spot, leading to collisions with stationary objects.
Related recalls: 19V719000, 22V798000
- 13
Suspension Component Failure
2complaintsMedium severitySuspensionUpper control arms and lateral links can fail, leading to creaking noises and potential safety risks.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 21V835000, 23V235000
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.