What 411 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Tesla Model 3

While making a right turn from a near-stopped position, the steering wheel became stuck or extremely difficult to turn. The vehicle initially turned right normally, but when I attempted to steer back left/counterclockwise to complete the turn and straighten the vehicle, the steering wheel did not respond as expected. This caused the vehicle to continue in the wrong direction and resulted in a collision. I believe the electronic power steering assist system malfunctioned or failed. My concern is that the power steering assist experienced an overstress condition, causing a loss of power steering assist after the vehicle almost reached a stop and then accelerated again. This put my safety and the safety of others at risk because I was unable to steer the vehicle as intended during a low-speed turning maneuver.

NHTSA ODI 11742836

There's a problem with the airbags, and the steering wheel is hard to turn.

NHTSA ODI 11707074

The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the third floor of a parking garage, the vehicle suddenly accelerated to full speed unintendedly, and the steering wheel and the brake pedal were inoperable, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle crashed into a wall and crashed into the vehicle in front, and the vehicle stopped. No further information was available. No warning lights were illuminated. The front driver's side air bag deployed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A police report was filed. There was no injury sustained. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,000.

NHTSA ODI 11692370

While driving to work on a local road, I approached a red light where there were no vehicles immediately ahead. However, my vehicle unexpectedly steered off the road in front of a construction sign, entering a ditch. Despite my attempts to regain control of the steering and braking systems, I was unsuccessful. The vehicle subsequently stopped automatically on an incline. Fortunately, I avoided a collision with a gas station and intersecting roadway, but sustained damage to my car’s front bumper. Law enforcement and a towing service were contacted to remove the vehicle. I tried calling the dealership almost half day without an answer, then I went to the dealership where they told me that the hardware is fine but they can’t do anything about the possible software issues which leaves me in a situation where I’m nervous to drive the car. I reached out to the company about the accident and didn’t hear back yet from them. I request a thorough investigation into this incident to determine the cause of the unexpected, highly dangerous, autopilot behavior. I am disturbed mentally and emotionally due to the accident. I also require confirmation of the vehicle's roadworthiness and assurance that it is safe to operate before resuming driving.

NHTSA ODI 11677921

Car is disengaging Full Self Driving because of steering becoming difficult at slow speeds in a turn. FSD disengages and the car drive straight instead of staying in the turn, crash could be likely.

NHTSA ODI 11669183

Incident Summary: On [XXX], I was in an accident and dropped my Tesla Model 3 at Tesla’s North Phoenix Collision Center in Nov 2024. I received the car back in Dec/Jan. Immediately, I noticed dangerous swaying, bouncing, and veering when hitting dips—especially on the freeway. The car was unstable and unsafe to drive at high speeds. In Feb/Mar, Tanner (assistant manager at the collision center) drove the vehicle with me in the passenger seat. After hitting a dip on the freeway, he panicked, exited, and agreed something was wrong. I was later told they did a wheel alignment, but the issue remained. This was the second time they returned the vehicle in an unsafe condition. I nearly crashed due to how unstable it felt. In May 2025, I brought the car back again. Tanner suspected the steering column but said no diagnosis was done. He gave me a loaner vehicle, which had a flat tire. I had to drive my own unsafe car for nearly a month while waiting for another loaner and parts—no resolution during that time. On 6/13/2025, I contacted the Tesla Glendale Service Center. The advisor expressed frustration, saying this collision center often offloads unresolved issues. I also contacted Tesla Support (877-798-3752), who advised me to file this NHTSA complaint. As of June 2025, the issue is still unresolved. My car continues to sway and veer dangerously on the freeway, and Tesla North Phoenix Collision has failed to properly diagnose or fix it despite multiple returns. This vehicle is unsafe to drive, and I’ve been given excuses for over 7 months. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11666742

The volume control buttons and vehicle setting buttons on my car’s steering wheel are made of metal. In high atmospheric temperatures the interior of the car heats up. The buttons also heat up and can cause burns if touching the button for an extended (more than 30 seconds) amount of time. This is very distracting while driving while also causing a mild burn.

NHTSA ODI 11659830

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Steering Wheel. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Single vehicle accident. Driver suffered injury. No other person or vehicle was involved. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Don't Know. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? In progress. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No indications were visible.

NHTSA ODI 11650902

My dad was driving to work in the morning in the Tesla in the left lane of the freeway. Then the car started swerving on its own. He tried to regain control with the steering wheel but he couldn’t control it. The car wouldn’t turn when using the steering wheel and he was not using autopilot or lane assistance. He said it felt like the steering wheel and the car were not talking to each other. And the brakes weren’t stopping the car at all and because he couldn’t control the car it turned left into the divider and hit the divider and the car turn again to the right and automatically stopped in the middle of the second lane. The airbags deployed for the driver side. Thankfully there weren’t any other cars on the road at the time so there aren’t any injuries. But this crash could’ve caused serious injuries to him or other people. There were no warning signs, alerts, or noises before this happened. He has filed a claim with the insurance company. And a crash report was filed by the police.

NHTSA ODI 11648326

I was involved in an accident due to what I believe was a malfunction in my Tesla’s steering system. While driving, the car unexpectedly turned the wheel to the left on its own and collided with a parked car. Despite my efforts to regain control by turning the wheel to the right and applying the brakes, the vehicle did not respond, and I was unable to prevent the crash. Given the lack of control and failure of the braking system, I strongly believe there was a serious issue with the car that led to the accident.

NHTSA ODI 11647943

during a hydroplaning incident on a ramp, the tesla refused to budge or give any steer. Major issue was no air bags deployed during collision.

NHTSA ODI 11634754

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The steering system appears to have malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to consistently pull to the right, even after multiple alignments with perfect specifications. This issue is ongoing, and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The pulling to the right affects the vehicle's handling and requires constant manual correction by holding the steering wheel tilted to the left. This compromises my ability to control the car safely, particularly during acceleration or regenerative braking when the issue becomes more pronounced. I am concerned that this could lead to an accident or further mechanical failure. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the issue has been demonstrated and reproduced during test drives with Tesla service technicians. Despite this, I was told the behavior is "normal" or attributed to road crown, which does not align with my driving experience. Multiple alignments have not resolved the issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle has been inspected multiple times by Tesla service centers. Technicians have confirmed the pulling during test drives, but no definitive resolution or explanation has been provided. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps or error messages have appeared. The problem began in September 2024 after I returned from a 4-month military deployment. During this time, the car was parked in my garage and not driven. The issue was first noticed immediately upon resuming use of the vehicle, which had approximately 12,000 miles on the odometer at the time.

NHTSA ODI 11633501

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A COLLISION IN THE HIGHWAY

NHTSA ODI 11612707

Since I purchased my car in July 2023, I’ve had multiple false forward collision warning resulting in my insurance premium increasing by sizeable amounts and has caused me undue stress. I’ve reported this problem to Tesla but to no avail. Today 8/9/2024, between 5:17 and 5:21 pm, while driving my cars forward collision warning was activated while no vehicle was in front of my but instead to a parked car on the pavement. This has happened multiple times and Tesla denies being aware of any issues.

NHTSA ODI 11607626

This is a duplicate of the letter I sent to Tesla on June 25, 2024. “For the past two weeks I have traveled to New Jersey and back to North Carolina. I’m writing to you because of my experience with TESLAS FSD. On one occasion I was traveling on [XXX] (NJ) heading to [XXX] -with my navigation and FSD engaged, I approached north and south exit ramps, my Tesla could not make a decision - I had to bring my car to a full stop before the apex of the exit. Cars wizzing by me on both sides. On [XXX] heading home on [XXX] somewhere in Virginia- with NO ONE around me doing about 65 mph, my car almost came to an abrupt stop ON THE HIGHWAY - once again, FSD FULLY ENGAGED - MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND MY HANDS LIGHTLY ON THE STEERING WHEEL. WHY? I have NO CLUE - fortunately it reversed itself back into normal. Of course, both of the above incidents frightened me. I’m writing to you because I want a record of these events. I know my software is up to date and I’m not quite sure what to do about this. PLEASE ADVISE: Thank You [XXX] The above was sent to Tesla Inc 7101 Glenwood Ave Raleigh, NC 27612 0n June 25 and July 9, 2024 NO RESPONSE- INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11607538

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, and it became difficult to steer the vehicle. The contact stated the vehicle failed to respond while the brake pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle shuddered and almost caused the vehicle to crash against a guard rail. The contact stated that the auto steer avoided the rail but caused the vehicle to spin out. A Police report was filed but was not available. There were no injuries sustained. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11606441

On several occasions, the last being July 19,2024, auto correct on steering took control of my vehicle when no correction was needed. I’ve been taken by surprise and struggled on all occasions to gain full control of the vehicle. In addition, my car is not able to receive the over-air update to address the hood latch recall which leaves me more vulnerable to a catastrophic event. I can not reach a person in Service as Tesla pushes every communication through the app. My appointment was pushed out over three weeks and I still have not heard from Tesla to confirm this appointment nor reach out with any concern whatsoever regarding this horrific safety concern.

NHTSA ODI 11605314

This complaint is about a Tesla rental car from Avis which has just shown up in the salvage yard. Because the VIN of the wreck can not be identified I have used the VIN of another wrecked Tesla. Here is the wreck in question. [XXX] It is available for inspection. The front wheels have clearly fallen off BEFORE the crash since they are shown in almost undamaged condition apart from popped ball joints. Your database has thousands of perfectly valid complaints on Teslas. You are publishing those complaints but taking no action. I suspect political interference. Tesla whistleblowers have been silenced. Norway has now cleared a whistleblower and he reports that he has already sent his evidence to NHTSA. People are dying. Stop the cover-up. Here is the report about the whistleblower in Norway. [XXX] Even a proxy for this whistle-blower has been gagged. [XXX] GET ON WITH YOUR JOB. Regards [XXX] Please note that I have used a dummy USA address to satisfy yopur webmasters requirements. My correct contact details are attached. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11603943

The components that failed or malfunctioned include the braking system, steering system, and the airbag deployment mechanism. These critical systems experienced sudden and unexpected failures. Yes, the vehicle and its components are available for inspection upon request. -The sudden brake failure and steering wheel lock resulted in a complete loss of control over the vehicle. The inability to stop or steer the car properly led to it veering over the curb/grass area, posing a severe risk of collision. Additionally, the failure of the airbags to deploy during the impact further compromised my safety. This incident not only endangered my life but also posed a significant threat to the safety of other road users on Highway I676. -At this time, the problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Further investigation and inspection are necessary to determine the root cause of these critical system failures. -There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms indicating any issues with the braking system, steering system, or airbags prior to the sudden failure. The malfunction occurred without any prior warning, which exacerbates the concern regarding the vehicle’s safety systems.

NHTSA ODI 11601015

when I was driving my Tesla Model 3 with FSD exiting [XXX] , the FSD directed me to a wrong routing. I corrected the direction by taking over the FSD, the car then lost its full braking system. I was not aware of it until my car slipped backward at a stop and hit a car behind me. The other driver is good enough to let me go, but my Tesla back bumper was damaged. When I got home and read the message on the screen, I was told that the braking hold was disabled, autopilot was disabled, braking charge was disabled, and wheel alignment was disabled, and more. I contacted Tesla and make an appointment half a month later. I was also told that the Tesla recommends to have alignment adjusted every 6000 miles or every 6 months- while I was not aware of this, I thought Tesla is maintenance free. This was what I told Tesla representative then: If this disfunction is safety related, it should be mandatory, not recommended! I feel I was lucky that I only have a small accident, it could be worse. I just dropped my car to Tesla for repair yesterday, the estimated costs was originally $275, then it went up to ~$1500, then ~$1800, When I was talking to a representative, the costs increased to $2167 in a few minutes! I asked why the prices go up, they said the previous prices are mistakes, and if I don't want to pay, I can drive my car home! I believe this happens to many other Tesla users as well, it needs to be addressed before more accidents and damages. The fragile safety operation and the way Tesla treat its customer are not acceptable, at least to my case. Thanks for your attention, if you need more information about my report, or have any question, please feel free to contact me. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11589169

The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and merging right, the contact lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle stalled after crashing into the center median. The vehicle was totaled. No injuries were sustained. Medical attention was not sought. The contact stated that a Police report was not filed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 500.

NHTSA ODI 11582701

Constant lane change while driving has gotten out of control. A couple of instance the vehicle has changed lanes without manual manipulation. This is getting out of hand and has certainly put risks on my family while operating vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11582274

When using FSD beta, vehicle would fail to stop for red lights. Vehicle also attempted to merge me both into a tractor trailer traveling the opposite direction and a jersey barrier. This is a very dangerous and unsafe system that will lead to many fatalities

NHTSA ODI 11580447

The car went forward when in reverse mode. After going to other modes (drive/neutral/park) and back to reverse, the car kept going forward. Reset the system and the issue persisted. Finally resolved after third restart. The car bumped up against the driveway gate because it wouldn’t reverse despite the dashboard clearly indicating being in reverse. Contacted Tesla, who examined the system remotely and said no issue was identified. This was the second time this issue occurred, and Tesla offered no fix.

NHTSA ODI 11579796

Steering requires notably more effort to turn left than right, particularly as speed increases, putting vehicle control in question. Service Center was able to duplicate issue, but claims (after four failed service attempts) that the behavior is within limits, and "normal because the vehicle has 20" wheels." The service center claims that engineers from the company remotely inspected the steering system. There have been no associated warnings or indications, but the issue has been present since the vehicle was delivered with 3 miles on the odometer.

NHTSA ODI 11570228