2023 Tesla Model 3
Common Problems
Ranked from 156 federal NHTSA complaints and 5 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
Phantom Braking
63complaintsSafety riskOtherThe car suddenly brakes without any visible cause or warning, posing a risk of losing control or causing a collision.
- 2
Unintended Acceleration
41complaintsSafety riskOtherThe car accelerates unexpectedly, often leading to loss of control or collisions.
- 3
Forward Collision Avoidance System Malfunctions
31complaintsSafety riskOtherThe forward collision avoidance system malfunctions, causing sudden and unexplained braking, posing a risk of rear-end collisions.
- 4
Steering Assist Failure
28complaintsHigh severitySteeringSteering wheel becomes unresponsive or difficult to control, often requiring a restart to recover.
Related recalls: 23V085000, 25V092000
- 5
Forward Collision Avoidance System Failure
21complaintsSafety riskElectricalThe forward collision avoidance system malfunctions, causing unexpected braking or lane departure warnings.
Related recalls: 23V434000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 6
Power Steering Failure
21complaintsHigh severitySteeringThe power steering intermittently fails, requiring significant manual effort to turn the wheel.
$200–$1,500est. power-steering / eps repair · 1–6 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 23V085000, 25V092000
- 7
Phantom Braking During Adaptive Cruise Control
11complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe car suddenly brakes without warning or reason, especially during adaptive cruise control.
Related recalls: 23V434000, 23V838000, 24V051000
- 8
Service Brake Malfunction
11complaintsMedium severityBrakesThe service brakes unexpectedly engage, causing rapid deceleration and potential loss of control.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 9
Steering Assist Malfunction
6complaintsMedium severitySteeringThe steering wheel becomes stiff and requires excessive force to turn, often accompanied by error codes.
Related recalls: 23V085000, 25V092000
- 10
Emergency Door Release Issues
4complaintsSafety riskOtherThere is no manual emergency release for rear doors, posing a risk during emergencies.
- 11
Suspension System Malfunction
4complaintsSafety riskSuspensionThe suspension system malfunctions, leading to excessive jarring or instability on bumpy roads.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 12
Windshield Wipers Fail to Operate Properly
3complaintsLow severityOtherThe windshield wipers fail to operate properly, reducing visibility during rainy conditions and increasing the risk of accidents.
- 13
Unexpected Acceleration
2complaintsSafety riskEngineThe vehicle accelerates uncontrollably, often due to a malfunction in the stop-start system, posing a risk of collision.
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.