What 982 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Tesla Model 3 (all Variants)

I was traveling about 10-15 mph and my car unexpectedly activating the automatic emergency braking system. It was very scary and dangerous

NHTSA ODI 11554697

My car has has very loud creaking sounds coming from stabilizer links and upper control arms. This is a known defect and there are already service bulletins about this. Those bulletins are: SB1831005R1, SB-20-31-006 R3, SB-18-31-005 Unfortunately, when I took my vehicle into be repaired, they said that my VIN isn't covered by this recall... Yet, I am having the same issue. Tesla charged me $2,186.46 to fix it when it should have been free.

NHTSA ODI 11554568

Car no under warranty anymore. Front left safety restraint system failed (It looks like the cable is a little too short to accommodate the full range of the seat and ends up getting damaged) . It looks like a widespread issue on online forums.

NHTSA ODI 11553841

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the Front Passenger Safety Restraint System (FPSRS) fault warning illuminated. The contact continued driving and later contacted the manufacturer. The contact was advised by the manufacturer that he had the option to repair the Safety Restraint System by a mobile technician or the vehicle could be driven to a dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the Restraint System fault warning failure was intermittent at first but had become a recurring failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to the FPSRS wiring located under the seats, which was being damaged by the seat auto adjustment feature. The seat adjustment feature moved both seats to an upright and back position to allow ease of entry of the driver and passenger. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,900.

NHTSA ODI 11553466

I was parallel parking the vehicle and I heard a loud "thunk" sound. I looked under chassis and came to learn that arm connected to wheel had completely fallen off. Luckily, this was not on freeway or with my family. Vehicle was taken to Tesla for inspection, they mentioned this should NOT have happened and they couldn't explain for how this would have been undone, initially. They stated they'd replace both arms but would be fee on customer $1200+ which I was bewildered that not only is this part not supposed to easily come off but that this would be something I needed to pay for. I asked that they take this up with management, they came back 20min later to state they notice slight deterioration and sent me an image, which I could barely see and now explained this "could" have been the cause. I've had some folks share that this may be a known issue with 2018 Model 3, which is also same year my vehicle was made it. I'm really disappointed as this is our second Tesla and this has been first huge incident and luckily it wasn't with others inside, as this could have turned out very differently

NHTSA ODI 11553117

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message was displayed alerting the driver to a passenger safety restraint fault. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular failure. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V389000 (Seat Belts) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11552627

For the past 2-3 weeks, my vehicle has been intermittently displaying an error message that reads “Front left safety restraint system fault,” accompanied by the error code RCM_a021. This error has been appearing nearly every day and seems to indicate a malfunction in the Restraint Control Module, specifically relating to the front left safety restraint system. Importantly, the vehicle has not been in any accidents, and no recent repair work has been done that could explain the onset of this issue. This malfunction poses a significant safety risk. The front left safety restraint system, which includes crucial components like the seat belt latch sensor and the pretensioner system, is designed to protect the driver in the event of an accident. Given the critical nature of these safety features, the issue at hand could compromise the vehicle’s ability to protect its occupants, thereby placing both the driver and passengers at considerable risk. The vehicle has not been inspected or diagnosed by a Tesla dealer, an independent service center, or any other entity such as police or insurance representatives. This absence of professional evaluation further underscores the urgency for a thorough investigation into the root cause of this fault. There were no precursors or warnings prior to the appearance of this error message. The issue spontaneously manifested and has been consistently reoccurring. This lack of predictability elevates the risk associated with the fault, making it vital to investigate and resolve it expediently. The intermittent but consistent fault code RCM_a021 affecting the front left safety restraint system in my 2018 Tesla Model 3 is a significant safety concern. Given the absence of any recent repair work or incidents or recalls that could account for this problem, along with the lack of any professional diagnostic evaluation it’s my hope that NHTSA and Tesla take appropriate action to investigate and resolve this potential safety defect.

NHTSA ODI 11552387

I received a warning message that displayed, “Front Left Safety Restraint System Fault.” This is an engineering problem as the cables associated easily detach under the driver’s seat. Tesla has been long aware of this problem. They came out to my home and replaced the wire connection by installing sturdier connectors. I was subsequently was charged $329.40.

NHTSA ODI 11552118

The front passenger seat driver occupancy system started sporadically malfunctioning and showing the "air bags disabled" warning even while the seat was occupied. This would put the passenger at risk in the event of a crash. The manufacturer's technician arrived to inspect the vehicle and upon hearing the description of the problem said it was likely that a cable in the seat's wire harness probably wore out from friction and that "it was a common issue in these vehicles". Upon examining the wire harness the technician confirmed that this was the issue, and the harness had to be replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11551941

I was turning into a parking spot when I heard a loud clanging sound, and I was unable to complete the turn. When I came out to look, the front driver's side wheel was slanted, as if in a turn, the passenger side wheel was straight. I had returned the steering wheel to center before I came out. I found a bolt behind the car, and through visual inspection saw that the front driver's side wheel was no longer attached to the steering shaft. The tow truck driver found another bolt under the car. Neither nut was recovered despite searching. Tesla support told me to tow it to their service center, where they repaired it for me for free, despite the fact that I was no longer under warranty. 1) Component that failed: Front Driver's Side control assembly 2) Safety at risk: the car was unsteerable at that point, at a higher speed, it would have cause d a crash 3) Confirmed by dealer, repaired by dealer. Invoice attached. 4) Has not been inspected by anyone other than the dealer, and superficially by the tow truck driver. 5) no warnings or symptoms observed before the incident. Attached: a) picture of the steering arm on the ground, disconnected from the steering shaft. b) picture of one of the recovered bolts. c) repair invoice from Tesla.

NHTSA ODI 11551466

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at various highway speeds with the Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking, causing the vehicle to stop abruptly in the middle of the highway. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on four separate occasions. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 27,000.

NHTSA ODI 11550774

I tried to open the back door (the rear drivers side.) I could not get the handle to pop out as it normally does when I push in. I hand to push it very hard to get the handle out and once I grasped the handle I cut my hand on the handle. It seems the chrome wrap on the handle had started to come off some how, which is what was preventing the handle from opening in the first place. This must be a defect as there is no way a person could possibly damage this chrome wrap, as the handles are always tucked away.

NHTSA ODI 11550799

When driving couple of days back an alert "UI_a020 stating steering assist disabled" appeared on screen and the steering became stiff. Luckily I was on local road; so I slowed down and pulled over. This could cause a big safety issue if I am on a highway and unable to steer easily at high speed. I contacted Tesla; they suggested getting the steering rack replaced for ~$3000. This is a basic safety issue; fixing it should be covered by Tesla.

NHTSA ODI 11550875

Car swerved into my lane and horn failed to work to notify them that they were serving. The large push area at the bottom of the horn on my model 3 does not work. Service told me this was the design in the older models, and has been corrected only in newer models. So that means all older model 3's have a horn that does not work properly.

NHTSA ODI 11550894

Power steering assist failed. I drove to work just fine but after briefly putting the car in park and then back into drive, an error message appeared on the screen (UI_a020 Steering assist reduced) and I could no longer steer the vehicle. I was fortunately able to drive straight ahead into a parking spot and turn it off. I tried waiting a few minutes but was unable to regain any ability to steer the car. He error message only showed after the condition occurred. There were no other warning signals ahead of the failure. Had this happened at speed the outcome could have been catastrophic. This just happened and I have not yet had the car inspected.

NHTSA ODI 11550566

Received a Front passenger safety restraint system fault warning on my Tesla that went away but the service tech claims that they don't see that warning when brought to service center. I am concerned that they are not transparent or not seeing something that I clearly saw. Or if there is some software/technical glitch that displayed it. They were not clear on why it showed to me. The other issue is related to A/C compressor failing due to their software for cabin overheating. I had to pay for the A/C compressor to be replaced but feel that their software contributed to the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11550630

"Front safety restraint system fault" message comes up sporadically and then regularly. Tesla has address this issue at least four times but it has not been resolved. I was told they ordered a new seat but now they are backtracking on this.

NHTSA ODI 11550207

Steering well locked up after parking . Unable to turn wheel. Error code power steering failure . UI a020. Forced reset and then had to power down car. Waited 10 minutes. Then steering resumed. Drove to repair shop.

NHTSA ODI 11549799

while driving my Tesla Model 3, using the ACC and self-steering option, I occasionally get "forward collision warnings" when going over a hill, where you can't see the road until you get over the hill. I have also had the same "forward collision warnings" on a flat stretch of road when there is clearly nothing in front of me in my lane. I have also been experiencing "phantom braking" episodes, noticing a pattern where they will happen as I approach a bridge overpass, as if the car thought the bridge overpass was perhaps an obstacle. These occur on a fairly regular basis, as in, at least 5-10 times per month. I drive a lot of highways, and drive approx 20,000 miles per year

NHTSA ODI 11549649

The brake lines rusted out and caused the brake to go out while my wife was driving with our newborn baby. The car is not even 5 years old. I have read of other cases of this happening.

NHTSA ODI 11549677

While traveling approximately 20mph, I heard a loud noise from the front of the vehicle. It sounded like I hit a road hazard, but the road was clear. I inspected the front of the vehicle and there was no visible damage. However, from then on, the vehicle would make a loud clunking noise whenever I made a turn, no warning lamps or messages. I was able to drive to a Tesla Service Center and they diagnosed it as a failure of the Front Lower Lateral Link. There have been recalls associated with the lower lateral link (SB-21-31-001) for 2018-2019 Model 3 vehicles, but my VIN was not part of that recall. It should have been part of recall.

NHTSA ODI 11548525

On 9/25/23 I was driving the Tesla Model 3 and had entered a parking garage when the steering suddenly locked and would not work while I was in drive mode. The Tesla screen gave a warning that additional force may be required to manouver. It was with a lot of difficulty that I was able to safely park the car in the garage and called Tesla support. I was instructed to power off the car and reboot. It was a situation that could have potentially put my life in danger and led to an accident had there been other vehicles nearby. I have owned the Tesla since April 2018 and have 39,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11547236

The front suspension started making a lot of loud noises, the service center acknowledged that it's a control arm issue potentially however my VIN is not listed in a recall that was conducted for this manufacturer and they're doing more recalls on it but the manufacturer says that I have to pay for the repair despite it being a safety issue for the control arm not being tightened to the frame and suspension and potentially dislodge.

NHTSA ODI 11546794

I have had a safety restraint fault on the vehicle once before and Tesla came and replaced something. It never came back. Until I'm a couple thousand miles over the warranty and I "randomly" get another safety restraint fault. I filed the service report for them to tell me it's the seatbelt. I replaced the seatbelt and the error continues. This is a safety issue that needs to be addressed as thousands of people are having the same "fault" codes. This is a known problem teslas have and they are doing nothing to address it. I'm in shock this is allowed to happen

NHTSA ODI 11546511

Front passenger safety restraint alert continuously stayed on with and without passenger seated. Took vehicle to solve problem immediately on 9/4/2023. After it was diagnosed, the occupancy sensor was faulting and the concerned technician had to retrofit the sensor system to address the problem. Technician replaced the front AIR BAG AND THE SEAT HARNESS for the new sensor costing approximately $1,300. This was thought to have been covered since it was seat belt/air bag issue but I had pay to have them replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11546149