What 650 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Tesla Model 3 Bev

On July 1, 2026, the vehicle was serviced by the manufacturer for GPS and camera malfunctions, and the vehicle computer was replaced. On the morning of July 2, 2026, during the first use of Autopilot after that repair, the vehicle experienced repeated serious driver-assistance malfunctions over a short period while traveling on a highway. While Autopilot was engaged, the vehicle repeatedly moved/steered toward the center of the road and near the path of a truck in an adjacent lane. The truck nearly struck the vehicle. The driver had to manually intervene to maintain control and avoid a potential collision. Video of the incident is available upon request and shows the truck and manual intervention. The vehicle was returned to the manufacturer service center the same day. The service center reviewed logs, performed an inspection/test drive, and stated that no hardware faults or issues were found and that the test drive was normal. However, the incidents were intermittent, occurred during highway Autopilot use, occurred the morning after a computer replacement related to GPS/camera systems, and were captured on video.

NHTSA ODI 11748046

I was driving my car on full self driving. I press the brake to stop full self driving the car immediately accelerated and caused a crash.

NHTSA ODI 11746324

The forward-facing camera and Autopilot computer system on my 2021 Tesla Model 3 has failed. The dashboard first showed intermittent warnings that "Automatic Emergency Braking is currently unavailable" and "Adaptive headlight features are unavailable." Over several weeks the problem worsened from intermittent to constant, and the vehicle progressively lost its forward road visualization and all active safety features. Using the vehicle's Service Mode diagnostics, the Autopilot computer's Primary (A) processing node reports a "CRITICAL" status. The fault log records repeated alerts including dasMIA (driver-assistance system not responding), aebFault (automatic emergency braking fault), and fisheyeCamInitFault and fisheyeCameraStreamExit (forward camera initialization and stream failures). The cameras themselves are physically clean and unobstructed. Safety risk: the failure disables Automatic Emergency Braking and forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping/driver assistance, and the adaptive auto high-beam headlights. AEB is a critical crash-avoidance system; losing it leaves the vehicle unable to brake automatically for an imminent collision, and the loss of adaptive headlights reduces nighttime visibility. A Tesla service center inspected the vehicle, confirmed the diagnosis, and determined the Autopilot computer — a sealed, solid-state control unit — had failed and required full replacement at approximately $3,400. The vehicle is well under 50,000 miles. This failure appears consistent with the same car-computer power-component shorting failure for which Tesla issued a recall on its newer model-year vehicles. The vehicle and the failed component are available for inspection on request. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance.

NHTSA ODI 11743634

Component/System Failure: Total failure of the Autopilot ECU (DAS Computer) and the Front-End Module (FEM) wiring harness. Incident Description: My 2021 Tesla Model 3 (37,000 miles) experienced a catastrophic and "silent" failure of the entire vehicle vision suite and all active safety systems. A Tesla Service technician (Warrington, PA) inspected the vehicle and confirmed the root cause was a factory-defective (crimped) internal coaxial cable in the wiring harness. This manufacturing defect caused an electrical short that destroyed the primary safety-critical computer. Safety Risk: This failure resulted in a direct violation of FMVSS 111 (Rear Visibility), as the backup camera was rendered completely inoperable. Furthermore, all collision-avoidance features—including Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning, and Blind Spot Monitoring—were disabled. Critical Safety Concern (Silent Failure): The vehicle provided zero driver-facing alerts, dashboard warnings, or lamps to indicate that these safety systems were offline. I unknowingly operated a vehicle that was non-compliant with federal safety standards and lacked all primary crash-avoidance technology. The failure codes (APP_w045 and VCFRONT_a158) were only discoverable by manually entering the vehicle's "Service Mode." Manufacturer Status: Tesla Service has confirmed the hardware failure and the wiring defect but is currently refusing to cover the $2,800 repair cost, despite the failure involving systems currently under federal recall (SB-26-00-016). I am reporting this because a factory wiring defect causing a total, silent failure of federally manda

NHTSA ODI 11737610

When using cruise control, there has been 4 times that the car has engaged in “phantom braking”. We were driving on highways going the posted speed limit of 70 mph, when the car suddenly slammed on the brakes and decelerated to less than 30 mph – all four times we were thankfully not being closely followed by another vehicle or we would’ve had a devastating crash. One time when we looked at the screen, it showed the outline of a person in the median but there was no person/ other obstacle at all. We have reported this to the Tesla service center and they said it is a known issue, and what we have to do is just click the scroll bar and report it so that the engineers can mark the timestamp and collect data so that some patches can be sent over the air/ uploaded at a future date. Nothing has been done to fix the issue and we feel dismissed about our concerns about our family’s safety, and the safety of drivers around us.

NHTSA ODI 11737015

When using the cruise control or self driving function the car will, unprovoked, brake suddenly and severely. Hitting the acceleration pedal will disengage the cruise control or self driving and will stop the deceleration. The error happens about 1-2 times per 20 miles. I do not use these features often due to several near miss car crashes due to deceleration error. Sometimes the car will report other phantom alerts (like curvature assist on a straight road).

NHTSA ODI 11732389

2 problems 1,Phantom braking when cruise control is activated. 2, There's no rear door mechanical release in the event of a electrical power failure in the event of R.T.A

NHTSA ODI 11731767

The components involved are the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system and the airbag system. During the collision, the AEB system did not activate, and the airbags did not deploy. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I was driving on a main roadway with no stop signs or traffic controls in my direction when another driver entered from a side street with a stop sign and pulled directly in front of me. I was unable to avoid the collision, and my vehicle was struck the other vehicle. The failure of the AEB system to engage and the airbags not deploying increased the risk of injury to myself and could have posed a risk to others involved. The issue has not been reproduced, and it has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle has been inspected by police and insurance representatives. The other driver was determined to be at fault. I am in the process of addressing the incident with the manufacturer. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms indicating any issue with the braking or airbag systems before the collision.

NHTSA ODI 11728185

The rear camera malfunctions intermittently and causes other errors to happen, like Automatic emergency braking unavailable or forward collision warning unavailable. When the camera error happens, it says the camera is unavailable. I took my car to the Tesla dealership three times. The first time, they did a continuity check and said the harness was degraded, and they replaced the harness and the rear camera. A week later, it happened again. The second time they reset the camera calibration and it worked. The day after, it happened again. The car is at the Tesla dealership for the third time (02/20/2026).

NHTSA ODI 11719399

Central computer (motherboard), cameras (front/rear/side), autopilot/auto steer system. Error code: APS_w132. Description of Problem: On or around [XXX], Tesla pushed a mandatory over-the-air software update to my vehicle. Immediately after, multiple safety-critical systems failed: all cameras (including backup) became intermittent or non-functional, auto steer/autopilot stopped working, and the car emitted constant distracting beeping alerts due to a critical motherboard failure. This made driving hazardous—impaired visibility for parking/reversing, loss of collision avoidance features, and constant audio distractions that could lead to accidents. I had to drive in this unsafe condition for weeks while waiting for service. Tesla attempted a remote fix but it failed. I scheduled service on November 19 for December 3 (19-day delay). Diagnostics confirmed the update induced the hardware failure, a known issue reported by other 2021 Model 3 owners on forums like Reddit (e.g., software bricking motherboards post-update). Despite this, Tesla refused warranty/goodwill coverage, quoting $2,576.83 for repairs. Service advisors Josh and Andy were unprofessional: Josh was rude/condescending; Andy was aggressive, sarcastic, and retaliatory. After I mentioned filing complaints with the AZ Attorney General and News Channel 3, Andy threatened $100/day storage fees with an impossible deadline (called at 4 PM Friday, close at 5 PM, demanded pickup by morning, then noon). He closed my ticket without authorization, delaying fixes and forcing me to contact another location—prolonging my exposure to the unsafe vehicle. This defect poses serious safety risks: sudden loss of cameras/autopilot could cause crashes. Tesla's awareness (from prior reports) and poor handling (intimidation delaying repairs) exacerbates the danger. No crash/injury yet, but potential is high. Please investigate this update-induced failure as a widespread defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11703590

The car, with no known or evident driver, stopped the lane awareness, cruise control, etc. All of those just stopped working and per Tesla that's expected which is surprising since it's all part of the safety systems. The car's visual cues stopped identifying lanes and as a byproduct of that, none of the dependent features work.

NHTSA ODI 11702218

Tesla full self driving software malfunctioned and turned into oncoming traffic lanes instead of crossing over to the correct opposite side of the roadway. This occurred after getting off a on ramp in Ukiah, California around 2am Nov 15, 2025. This could have put others in serious danger if there were cars coming in the oncoming lanes heading in the different direction. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer or other entity. Yet This has happened to other tesla drivers as well using FSD as you are probably already aware. No inspection and it was sudden and unexpected.

NHTSA ODI 11699513

I drove into my neighbor’s driveway to drop her off. As I slowed down and applied the brakes to stop, the car failed to respond. It continued forward, running over the flower and plant pots at the edge of the driveway, crossing the backyard, and finally colliding with the trees and bushes at the rear of the property. All airbags deployed, and the vehicle was damaged beyond repair.

NHTSA ODI 11695420

Component/System involved: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems — FSD (Supervised)/Autosteer (Lane Keeping Assistance) and Adaptive Cruise Control. Possible failure to warn/stop (FCW/AEB). Vehicle and data are available for inspection upon request. I preserved dashcam files and requested Tesla to preserve engineering logs and EDR. What happened & safety risk: On [XXX] at ~[XXX] PDT on [XXX] near East Palo Alto, CA, with FSD (Supervised) engaged, the system appeared to misinterpret an exit ramp/gore area as a continuing lane at a highway fork and maintained ~60 mph (posted ~70). As soon as I saw the trajectory was unsafe, I braked and began manual steering takeover, but the vehicle contacted a roadside sign near the gore/shoulder before I could complete the maneuver. I then stopped safely. No other vehicles were struck. Airbags did not deploy. This posed a serious collision risk to me, my passenger, and nearby traffic. Reproduction/confirmation: NOT REPRODUCED. I have not attempted to reproduce the event. UNKNOWN whether the issue has been reproduced by Tesla or a service center yet. Inspection to date: Police responded (report pending). My insurer has opened a claim. I opened a Tesla Service request asking to PRESERVE Autopilot/FSD engineering logs for the incident window and to coordinate EDR extraction; engineering review pending. Vehicle remains drivable. Warnings or symptoms before failure: No audible/visual forward-collision warning was perceived by me and I did not observe automatic emergency braking. No prior warning lamps/messages were noticed before the departure toward the gore. UNKNOWN whether any internal/partial interventions were recorded in logs. Evidence available: Four-camera Tesla dashcam footage saved and backed up (see [XXX] ); precise time window ~[XXX] PDT on [XXX]. I can provide files and cooperate with data retrieval/inspection upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11681396

On [Wednesday, 07/09/2025], I was driving my Tesla Model 3 in rainy conditions when the vehicle suddenly swerved and crashed into a sidewall. The road was wet but not flooded, and I was traveling at a moderate speed. As I lifted my foot off the accelerator to slow down, the car's regenerative braking system engaged abruptly, which I believe shifted weight forward and caused the rear tires to lose traction. This led to hydroplaning and complete loss of control. There were no warning lights or alerts prior to the incident. The road surface did not have visible hazards or standing water that would typically explain a spinout. The tires were moderately worn but within usable limits. As a result of the crash, the car was declared a total loss. The insurance company now has possession of the vehicle. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the crash was severe. After the incident, I researched similar cases and found multiple reports and articles (e.g., AutoEvolution) linking Tesla’s regenerative braking to increased risk of hydroplaning or loss of control in wet or slippery conditions. The regen system eliminates coasting and applies braking force immediately upon throttle lift-off, which appears to be a safety risk in reduced-traction environments like rain, snow, or ice. I believe this issue deserves investigation, as it may affect the safety of other Tesla drivers in similar weather conditions.

NHTSA ODI 11676548

While using traffic aware cruise control or autosteer, the car occasionally detects a nonexistent person in the center of the lane I’m driving in, the proceeds to slam on the brakes when no hazard exists. It seems that tire markings in the road and certain lighting conditions cause the car to think there is a person in the road. Additionally, when driving on a highway with rolling hills, the car detects a forward collision alert and hits the brakes and disengages the autosteer. Both of these could cause a rear and collision at highway speeds. The dealer has claimed that the cause is functionally normally and I already tried to get it serviced but the car continues to have these issues. I do have video evidence of the car slamming on the brakes and detecting a forward collision.

NHTSA ODI 11671878

I was driving east on [XXX] in Bourne MA using the Tesla adaptive cruise control system called "Autopilot" in very light traffic conditions. The sun was low on in the sky (behind and to the right). The system automatically engaged the brakes while crossing the bridge without obvious reason, decreasing the car speed about 10 MPH in less than a second before I overrode by pressing the accelerator. I believe the car vision system mistook a shadow cast by the vertical girders on the bridge onto the road as an obstacle. The sudden deceleration was a hazard to those behind that had to brake, but there was no collision or loss of control. The manufacturer seems acknowledge and accept that the defect exists, but has not been able to resolve the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11635926

My Tesla has full self driving supervised. When I use this feature, since about three updates ago, my Car has started braking for no reason. It hasn’t happened on a freeway, but, but on secondary roads, it will brake and try to come to a stop. It seems to do this, when there is a shadow across the road, or when there is a puddle in or near the road. Sometimes it will brake for no reason at all. I I have come close to being hit from behind. I think this is a dangerous situation that needs to be looked into.

NHTSA ODI 11634962

vehicle constantly phantom brakes while driving. i have reported 100+ incidents thru my tesla "report bug" feature. It will read the speed limit sign on the off ramp and slow the vehicle down 20mps abruptly, it will see a car on an onramp and slam the brakes on thinking there is a collision coming. it is every single day using cruise control

NHTSA ODI 11628144

My Tesla was operating in Full-Self-Driving Beta when it experienced a sudden uncontrolled accelration event. I was driving on [XXX] at approximatley [XXX] this morning. The road speed limit was 40 mph. The car display was correctly showing that the road speed limit was 40mph. The speed offset in the cars setting was limited to 5 mph max above the speed limit. While the car was driving it suddenly accelerated very hard from approximately 40 mph to over 60mph before I was able to stab the brake pedal and kick the car out of full self driving mode. There were no errors, warnings, or signs that anything was wrong with the car. I have also notified Tesla via the service request function in the Tesla App under the section for "software performance". INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11621879

I started receiving messages that the cameras were occluded and that there was an error and ALL of my system safety features were disabled. No front forward collision warnings, no emergency braking available, nothing available and the system computer that showed all of the traffic and everything completely disappeared from the screen, the car has literally gone blind. All of this started happening on with the camera issues in May, but I thought that it was a software issue and would be addressed in the next update, although the critical disengagements were supposed to be sent to Tesla. I took the car to the service center on 9/4/24 at 9am, and they stated that the did a system test and saw that the triple camera was showing a fault and so they replaced the camera and gave it back to me the same day. Everything worked for the rest of that day for a service that took at least 3hours to figure out. Today after I get off of work at 1pm and I go to initiate FSD and I get 3miles from my residence( I live <8mi from my job) and the system disengages again asking me to take over and all of my critical systems have yet again been disabled. My whole safety is compromised at this point yet again. I immediately bring the car back and they tell me that it's going to take them an additional 30-45 mins to "diagnose" the issue although it's the same thing that's been happening that was supposedly fixed yesterday. After that wait time the service consultant comes back and tell me that the car is throwing all kinds of codes and that, "It's still safe to drive." When I told that it cannot be safe to drive if all of the critical systems were disabled he suggested that I take it and they can do a remote log pull so they can look more into the issue or I can leave it as the part that's needed needs to be ordered anyway. I don't know how they can order a part if they're claiming to not know what's wrong with it. Something else is going on that they don't want to take accountability for!

NHTSA ODI 11612862

Location: 35.084609,-92.414194 While driving through the roundabout north to south on Amity road, the car has twice now applied automatic emergency braking while exiting the roundabout. There is a billboard 200ft from the road with an image of a person on it. The car is confusing that as a person in the road. This has caused my dog to be thrown (thankfully buckled in) and us to almost be rear-ended both times. This is extremely dangerous issue.

NHTSA ODI 11607677

The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle experienced phantom braking, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The contact was driving in a rainstorm during the failure and stated that the vehicle had not hydroplaned nor had the accelerator pedal been released. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred another time during a rainstorm. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

NHTSA ODI 11604259

Ever since Tesla rolled out an update for everyone to beta test FSD, the adaptive cruise control has been changing speeds when near interstate type exits and entrances. I've had it change from 75 down to 40 mph which is dangerous in traffic. This change in speed some times is just a drop to the next 5mph increment, such as from 73 to 70. Sometimes it is more from 73 to 65 at the same place/exit. It is not consistent. The only thing consistent is it's near exits even when not in an exit lane or nearest lane to the exit. This "Feature" needs to be removed as it is unpredictable which makes it dangerous. Owners manual [XXX] Cruising Near or On Exits INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11595575

Tesla ADAS detects non existent objects and issues collision alerts and phantom brakes randomly if there is no cars in front of the Tesla, braking abruptly and almost getting me into rear end accidents. Tesla ADAS freaks out when making lane changes randomly, shaking violently and giving the driver and its passengers a fishtailing simulation. Auto wiper triggers randomly while it's sunny, distracting the driver and forcing an interaction on the center console to stop it. Auto wiper cannot be turned off as it reengages upon using Tesla ADAS. The rear view camera lags. It stutters and shows me a delayed view. Compounded by the Model 3's very small rear view mirrors and side mirrors, this is incredibly dangerous as I have no way of gaining sufficient visibility of the back of the car. Tesla service told me this is all normal.

NHTSA ODI 11586244