Tesla Model 3 Recall History

Complete Recall History

32 recall records are listed below.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recall Database.

NHTSA Safety Ratings (2024)

2024 Tesla Model 3 4 DR AWD

Overall

N/A

Front Crash

N/A

Side Crash

N/A

Rollover

N/A

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Owner Complaints (2024)

222 complaints on file with NHTSA. The first 25 records are shown below.

1. STEERING,POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — 10/11/2026 (Crash reported)

   Subject: Vehicle Safety Complaint — 2024 Tesla Model 3 RWD — Sudden Loss of Steering Control and Total-Loss Crash I am submitting this complaint concerning a serious safety incident involving my 2024 Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive. While driving manually on a wet highway in [XXX], my vehicle suddenly moved sideways and began to lose control. I was not using Autopilot or Full Self-Driving. Despite my attempt to maintain control using the steering wheel, I was unable to steer the vehicle back under control. The vehicle left the roadway and entered a pond, resulting in a total loss. I have video footage documenting the incident and surrounding road conditions. I am concerned that this incident may have involved a vehicle safety defect, potentially involving the steering system, electronic stability control, traction-control system, or another vehicle system responsible for maintaining directional control. I understand that wet-road conditions and hydroplaning are possible explanations; however, I believe the reported inability to regain steering control warrants a thorough technical investigation rather than assuming that weather alone caused the crash. I request that NHTSA review this incident for potential safety implications involving the 2024 Tesla Model 3 RWD and determine whether similar complaints or technical findings may indicate a broader safety issue. I also request that Tesla preserve all available vehicle telemetry, diagnostic logs, fault codes, steering-system data, wheel-speed information, and electronic stability-control records associated with the incident. Vehicle information * Make and model: Tesla Model 3 * Model year: 2024 * Drivetrain: Rear-Wheel Drive * Driving mode: Manual * Incident location: [XXX] * Weather: Wet roadway / rain * Outcome: Vehicle left the roadway and entered a pond; total loss * Evidence available: Video footage INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2. STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 10/20/2026

   On October 16, 2026, my 2024 Tesla Model 3 initiated a standard, factory-prompted over-the-air (OTA) firmware update. During this automated install process, the car's firmware crashed. Following the crash, the vehicle was left unresponsive. Tesla Service conducted a diagnostic review and isolated the problem to a physical failure of the internal hardware: Assembly - Power Conversion System - 48Amp - 1Phase. The vehicle was performing flawlessly and charging efficiently prior to the software update execution. The PCS module did not break due to driver abuse, mechanical wear, environmental damage, or physical aging. It failed strictly because Tesla’s proprietary software update process overtaxed, corrupted, or bricked the internal semiconductor boards during a forced rewrite command. A consumer should not be financially penalized for hardware damage caused by a manufacturer's remote software push.

3. STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE — 10/08/2026

   On XXX at approx. 10:30 AM EST, my 2024 Tesla Model 3 was operating on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) on [XXX]. Without warning, the vehicle steered off the paved roadway. The driver attempted to take control by [turning the steering wheel / pressing the brake], but the vehicle did not respond to her input and FSD did not disengage. The car left the road and struck [the curb / roadside edge] before coming to a stop on the grass. Damage: rims cracked and bent, tires deflated and unseated from the rims, grass and soil packed into the wheels, wheel covers torn off, and scrape damage to the fender/wheel arch. The car could not be driven and was towed. Photos attached. Injuries: [none / describe]. Component/system: Full Self-Driving (Supervised) - steering control and driver override. The vehicle is at the Tesla Service Center in [LOCATION] and is available for inspection upon request. I have asked Tesla in writing to preserve all vehicle logs, event data and camera footage, and submitted a data privacy request for the incident data on XXX Safety risk: The driver could not regain control of the vehicle. With oncoming traffic, pedestrians or a deeper roadside hazard, this could have caused serious injury or death. Reproduced/confirmed by dealer: UNKNOWN. Tesla has not provided a diagnosis yet. Inspected by: Tesla Service (in progress). Warning lamps or messages before the failure: [None observed . I believe FSD failed to keep the vehicle on the road and failed to yield control when the driver intervened. I request NHTSA review this incident as part of its ongoing FSD investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

4. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 10/05/2026 (Crash reported)

   Tesla FSD rear ended vehicle stopped at red light.

5. UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE — 09/01/2026 (Crash reported)

   My Tesla displays a mandatory FSD (Supervised) disengagement feedback survey on the center touchscreen while the vehicle is in motion. Whenever I disengage FSD and resume manual control, the vehicle automatically asks me to select a reason for the disengagement. On one occasion, after disabling the software due to fsd getting too close the construction, while being flustered,I attempted to disable the prompt and select a random option to get rid of it but kept pressing the wrong area of the screen due to trying to keep paying attention to the road and simultaneously trying to get rid of the prompt, in my frustration to do so,I side swiped one of the big construction cones, it was not a collision and there was no damage but it could have been worse, so I am selecting collision in the questionnaire. Attached as a file is the full complaint, the 2000 char limit is not enough.

6. VISIBILITY/WIPER — 04/30/2026

   As of an OTA update to the Telsa early this summer, a prompt stating "Why did you intervene" appears over critical display information on the infotainment console. FSD v14.3.2 and onward. (released as part of software update 2026.2.9.9) The prompt appears at the instant you retake manual control. It covers or prevents access to navigation/other driving-relevant controls, like shifting, speed display, mileage, other warning indicators. It remains until you interact with it. The screen demand occurs during a potentially safety-critical transition.

7. SUSPENSION,WHEELS — 08/05/2026

   BOTH FRONT TIRES ON MY 2024 TESLA MODEL 3 PERFORMANCE DEVELOPED STRUCTURAL BULGES ON THE INBOARD SIDEWALL AT UNDER 19,000 MILES. THE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PIRELLI P ZERO 235/35R20 DELIVERED WITH THE VEHICLE ON 12/07/2024. ON 08/05/2026 AT 18,951 MILES, TESLA SERVICE IN DORAL, FLORIDA INSPECTED AND ROAD-TESTED THE VEHICLE FOR A METALLIC RUBBING NOISE THAT INCREASES WITH SPEED AND ALSO OCCURS AT LOW SPEED AT FULL STEERING LOCK UNDER ACCELERATION. TESLA'S OWN REPAIR NOTES ON INVOICE 3000S0017877728 STATE THAT THE NOISE WAS DUPLICATED ON THE ROAD TEST AND APPEARS TO ORIGINATE FROM DEFORMED FRONT TIRES. TESLA TOOK NO ALIGNMENT MEASUREMENT AND THE INVOICE CONTAINS NO CAMBER, CASTER OR TOE READINGS. THE SAME INVOICE RECORDS TIRE PRESSURES OF 40.2, 39.9, 40.6 AND 39.9 PSI, SO UNDERINFLATION IS NOT A FACTOR. THE FAILURES ARE SYMMETRIC: SAME AXLE, SAME INBOARD FACE, BOTH SIDES, AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH ISOLATED INDEPENDENT ROAD HAZARD IMPACTS. THE BULGES ARE ON THE INNER FACE AND ARE NOT VISIBLE DURING A NORMAL WALK-AROUND INSPECTION. TESLA STATES IT PROVIDES NO WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR TIRES AND DECLINED ANY VEHICLE-SIDE DIAGNOSIS. A SIDEWALL BULGE IS A SUDDEN BLOWOUT RISK, AND TWO OF THEM ON THE STEERING AXLE OF A HIGH PERFORMANCE VEHICLE CAPABLE OF HIGHWAY SPEED IS A SAFETY DEFECT CONCERN. OTHER TESLA OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME INBOARD SIDEWALL BULGE PATTERN AT LOW MILEAGE ON 20-INCH WHEELS, SOME AS EARLY AS 7,000 MILES. I REQUEST THAT NHTSA REVIEW WHETHER FRONT SUSPENSION GEOMETRY OR THE TIRE AND WHEEL PACKAGE ON THIS VEHICLE CONTRIBUTES TO PREMATURE INBOARD SIDEWALL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE REMAINS UNDER ITS 4-YEAR/50,000-MILE BASIC VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY.

8. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — 05/30/2026 (Crash reported; Fire reported)

   Client left the road and the vehicle hit a tree by the roadside. The vehicle caught fire and client was incapacitated and unable to operate the door handle from the inside or unlock the doors. Bystanders attempted to open all four doors from the outside, but they were all locked. Bystanders noted that the handles themselves were functional and believe it was an electrical issue keeping the doors locked. Bystanders broke the windows and attempted to open the doors from the inside, but they were unable to access the emergency door release because the driver door panel was on fire in proximity to the emergency release. Bystanders began mechanically disassembling the door to get him out and he was eventually extracted by the fire rescue team. The inability to open the door delayed our client being extricated from the vehicle and as a result he suffered severe injuries, including the loss of both legs, due to severe burns. The vehicle is currently being held by Copart Miami South and is available for inspection. So far, it has been inspected by the insurance company and our experts. Warning lamps, symptoms, etc.: UNKNOWN. Vehicle is badly damaged, so we are not able to recreate/confirm the problem at this time.

9. UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,BACK OVER PREVENTION — 08/24/2026 (Crash reported)

   On XXX at approximately 12:56 PM Pacific on [XXX], my 2024 Tesla Model 3 VIN [XXX] was operating in Full Self-Driving (Supervised). The system detected oncoming traffic, stopped, then reversed to yield and backed into a parked 2015 Ford Transit van that had an occupant inside. I am the registered owner. [XXX] was the driver. TeslaCam saved events at 12:56:33 and 12:56:43. There was little visible damage, no injuries logged, and no police report. Tesla's consumer privacy form does not accept a crash narrative. I requested a Vehicle Data Report / copy of my data on XXX. USAA/[XXX] claim XXX later assigned 100 percent fault to the Tesla driver for backing, treating this as a conventional reverse collision rather than an FSD commanded maneuver. I am reporting this as a safety defect in FSD (Supervised) because the vehicle reversed into a parked occupied vehicle while the feature was engaged. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

10. UNKNOWN OR OTHER — 08/20/2026

    Muffled or significantly quieter horn during rain. Users on Reddit generally agree that the sound typically returns to normal once the area dries out. Why This Happens: Speaker Design: Newer models (such as recent Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y versions) utilize electronic pedestrian warning speakers or integrated units for the horn function rather than traditional enclosed metal horns. I have an issue with my car where every time I wash it or drive it even in light rain, the horn is extremely muffled. So muffled that I was sounding it driving down my road with people out walking, and no one heard it. I took it to the service center and they basically said “we confirmed your complaint, it’ll work when it dries out”. My car now has two notations on file from two visits to service center. This is a very wide spread problem - hundreds of comments online. Google: Tesla horn rain.

11. UNKNOWN OR OTHER — 06/16/2026 (Crash reported)

    On June 16, 2026, while operating the "Autopilot" self-driving system, my vehicle autonomously activated the right turn signal to enter a parking space. Subsequently, the vehicle experienced an unexpected acceleration. Despite my immediate application of the brakes, the vehicle collided with a storefront window, resulting in property damage. My insurance provider covered all associated damages, including vehicle repairs. Immediately following the incident, I informed Tesla and requested access to the vehicle's electronic records, which were made available at a Tesla service center. Tesla is currently rescheduling my vehicle, acknowledging the severity of the self-driving system's malfunction. Concurrently, Tesla continues to charge me for the self-driving capability, despite having advised me to refrain from using it until all necessary vehicle tests have been completed. What further actions should I undertake, and how can the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provide assistance in this matter? Thank you.

12. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 08/03/2026

    Tesla’s replacement of physical steering column turn signal stalks with capacitive touch buttons on the steering wheel face creates an active safety hazard. First, the capacitive sensors frequently become entirely unresponsive. If a driver rests a finger near the buttons, the system triggers a timeout/lockout, rendering the signals non-functional for several seconds when pressed. They also fail to register inputs under normal pressure or when wearing gloves. Second, because the buttons rotate dynamically with the steering wheel, it is structurally impossible to signal by muscle memory during sharp or sequential maneuvers, like navigating roundabouts. To signal while the wheel is turning or when buttons fail to respond, the driver must repeatedly look away from the road to visually target the wheel. This defective layout causes delayed signaling, severe driver distraction, and elevates the risk of a collision.

13. FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 07/31/2026

    I have been driving Tesla using FSD from [XXX] to [XXX] and passing [XXX] (XXX around 5 pm). We took an exit for rest room break near Gas Station. As soon as Car took exit using FSD, the car completely stopped suddenly in the middle of the road without any reason and warning. There was not any rain, visibility issue or driver distraction. There was not any alert or recording. As far as I remember, there was not a vehicle on the front 100ft. It was on a small bridge. My family was in the car (with [XXX]). This was a scary moment (had it happened on the highway or a vehicle behind crash) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

14. UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 08/10/2026

    Date: XXX, Time: 5.09.2026 State: [XXX] Location: [XXX] We were on Full Self Service Driving Mode A [XXX] came and hit my car in the passenger side behind the front wheel and front buffer. We were on left/fast moving lane and two semi-trucks were in the right lanes slight ahead of us (one had overweight sign). Something came out of the direction of trucks and hit our car with a big sound (moving object). When we stopped and checked the car later, it was evident that the damage was a sizable, it would have been something solid or heavy. Our concern is the Tesla was on Full Self Driving Mode, and it did not generate any alert, recording or more importantly, it did not break, change the driving direction nor try to avoid being hit by the object. This diminishes the reliability of Tesla FSD and raises serious safety concerns. We are in the process of filling insurance claim. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

15. FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE — 06/01/2026

    After disengaging Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) and taking manual control of the vehicle, a feedback popup appears on the center touchscreen asking the driver to select a reason for disengaging FSD. The popup does not automatically disappear and remains on the screen unless the driver interacts with it. I believe this creates an unnecessary driver-distraction risk. The moment immediately following an FSD disengagement is precisely when the driver has resumed responsibility for manually controlling the vehicle and should be focused entirely on the road and surrounding traffic. Presenting a nonessential survey at that moment encourages the driver to look at and interact with the touchscreen. There should be an option to disable this feedback request, dismiss it without touchscreen interaction, or have it automatically disappear after a short period. I am reporting this because I believe requiring or encouraging touchscreen interaction immediately after transitioning from FSD to manual driving is a safety concern and should be reviewed.

16. FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 08/05/2026

    When disengaging Full Self Driving (FSD), a feedback notification pops up on the bottom left corner of the infotainment screen that fully blocks the media control panel and does not disappear until the driver provides feedback to Tesla for why FSD was disengaged. By forcing the driver to answer the feedback question in order to access the media controls, Tesla causes a distraction to the driver, who is forced to take their eyes off the road and select a feedback response to why they chose to disengage FSD, increasing the chance of an accident. This is an intentional but dangerous design decision.

17. STEERING — 07/18/2026 (Crash reported)

    On July 18, 2026, at approximately 10:00 AM EST, my son was manually driving a 2024 Tesla Model 3 at approximately 26 MPH when the steering suddenly became extremely stiff and difficult to turn. He attempted to steer away from a roadside barrier but was unable to turn the steering wheel sufficiently, resulting in a collision. There was no warning or indication observed on the dashboard before the steering suddenly became extremely stiff. Autopilot, cruise control, and Full Self-Driving were not activated; the vehicle was being driven manually. Fortunately, my son did not sustain any physical injuries. However, a sudden loss of normal steering control is a serious safety concern and could potentially cause severe injuries to the driver, passengers, pedestrians, or occupants of other vehicles. After the accident, the vehicle was towed to the insurance-designated facility and is currently being examined by the insurance adjuster. Within a few minutes of the accident, the vehicle also became completely locked, preventing us from retrieving personal belongings. I previously reported this incident to NHTSA under complaint number 11751698, but all required documentation was not available at that time. I am therefore submitting the complaint again with the additional information and documentation now available. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this incident and determine the root cause of the sudden steering stiffness and whether there is a safety-related defect or condition that could affect other vehicles.

18. SUSPENSION — 08/05/2026

    Creaking noise coming from front of car when going over speed bumps or driving through a dip at low speeds. Tesla SC says normal but many others have replaced lateral and compliance links and issues has been solved. Known issue and raises a safety concern over safety of suspension.

19. SUSPENSION,WHEELS — 07/30/2026

    The tesla service center in Ridgepoint drive in Austin TX has repeated safety issues and almost cost my wife her life in the tire inspection and undercarriage check after a full service including full tire failures after 4 tire checks and in building service center.

20. VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 07/29/2026

    When cruise control is engaged on a Tesla (all models to my knowledge) the Auto Wipers automatically come on and then randomly wipe. There is no option to disabled the Auto Wipers, as you can only disable by manually selecting control panel and then turn off each time you engage cruise control. This creates a significant risk to driver safety as I have had numerous instances of wipers randomly starting (without any rain) and smearing the windshield. This forces me to look away from the road and go through a manual disable every time I use cruise control. NOTE: this is a software default that cannot be removed

21. UNKNOWN OR OTHER — 07/23/2026

    COMPLAINT SUMMARY: CRITICAL SAFETY REGRESSIONS IN TESLA FSD SOFTWAREI am filing a formal safety complaint regarding severe, high-risk behavior regressions introduced across the last three consecutive builds of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. These defects create immediate collision hazards, cause major route disruptions, and require frequent, urgent driver intervention to prevent accidents.1. INTERSECTION AND TRAFFIC CONTROL VIOLATIONSRed Light Violations: The vehicle correctly identifies a red traffic light and comes to a full stop. However, after a brief pause, the software erroneously treats the steady red light like a stop sign and attempts to accelerate directly into active cross-traffic.Green Arrow Dead-Stops: When approaching a dedicated turn lane with an active, protected green turn arrow, the vehicle frequently applies aggressive braking and comes to a complete stop, creating an immediate rear-end collision hazard for drivers behind me.Phantom Braking: The vehicle aggressively brakes without warning for empty crosswalks, shadows, or distant roadside elements.2. ILLEGAL LANE NAVIGATION AND ROUTING ERRORSErroneous Turn Lane Diving: The vehicle frequently dives into dedicated left or right turn lanes even when the navigation route explicitly commands the vehicle to continue straight. This behavior forces improper turns, requiring backtracking and causing significant destination delays.Incorrect Lane Turning: The system regularly misses dedicated turn lanes entirely. It then attempts to execute sharp left or right turns directly from middle lanes or straight-only lanes, cutting off adjacent vehicles.Turn Signal Failures: The software initiates a turn signal to merge but then cancels the action, or conversely, attempts to execute a physical turn blindly after disabling the turn signal.3. RESTRICTED SPACE TARGETINGHandicap Parking Violations: Upon arriving at destinations, the automated parking software fails to recognize painted stencils and act

22. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE — 07/18/2026 (Crash reported)

    I am writing to report an accident involving my son who was driving Tesla 2024 Model-3 on July 18th 2026 approximately 10:15 AM EST. He was returning home from his volunteering with Emergency medical Service(EMS) when the vehicle's steering wheel suddenly froze. while attempting to maneuver the vehicle to safe location , it collided with a roadside barrier. fortunately , my son was not injured , but the vehicle sustained significant damage, including deployment of airbag and damage to front passenger side. this incident occurred at a speed of approximately 26 MPH

23. PARKING BRAKE — 07/15/2026

    2024 Model 3, under 20k miles; burning smell and brake drag from right rear wheel while driving; parking brake fault alerts UI_a019, EPBR_a176, EPBR_a182; dealer inspection found cracked EPB caliper case housing near the electrical connector; Tesla SB-20-33-002 documents this same crack occurring without external impact.

24. STRUCTURE — 07/02/2026 (Crash reported)

    On two separate occasions, June 4 at approximately 5:35pm and July 2 at approximately 3:40pm, the vehicle backed into a carport pole at my home while a Tesla driver assistance feature was engaged. I reported both incidents to Tesla and filed complaints with NHTSA.

25. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 06/26/2026

    While turning right, I slowed down and put on my turn lights. The vehicle accelerated all of a sudden and did a sharp right. There was a vehicle in front of me in the opposite direction and my car turned very sharply to avoid it. The accelerator pedal was fully pressed down and for that fraction of a second, it didn’t allow me to control the speed.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.