NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
This page covers 21 recalls, 638 owner complaints and NHTSA crash-test ratings for the 2021 Tesla Model 3.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Forward collision avoidance dominates complaints for the 2021 Model 3 by a wide margin, with the overwhelming majority of reports describing sudden, unprovoked hard braking while using Autopilot or adaptive cruise control on highways. Owners consistently describe the vehicle decelerating sharply from highway speeds, sometimes from 70 mph down to 30 mph or below, with no obstacle present, a pattern commonly called phantom braking. The frequency varies, but several owners report it happening multiple times per trip, and many say they've stopped using the assisted driving features because of near-miss situations with following traffic. Electrical system complaints are a distant second, with owners reporting charging failures, including the vehicle limiting charge capacity and refusing to charge altogether. A smaller set of reports describes complete loss of drive power, with the motor cutting out while the vehicle was moving.
638
Total Complaints
43
Crash-Related
5
Fire-Related
16
With Injuries
By System
The 2021 Tesla Model 3 has 21 recalls, the most serious involving Full Self-Driving Beta software that can cause the vehicle to exceed speed limits or roll through stop signs without stopping, and loose brake caliper bolts that can allow the caliper to separate and puncture a tire.
Several other recalls touch on active safety systems. Front suspension lateral link fasteners can loosen and separate from the subframe, shifting wheel alignment and causing instability. A software bug can trigger false forward-collision warnings or cause the automatic emergency braking system to fire unexpectedly, stopping the car without warning. On certain vehicles, swapped camera cable connections can blind the collision avoidance and lane-keeping systems to crossing objects and tight curves. The Autosteer driver monitoring system also has a recall covering situations where the system may not adequately prompt a driver to re-engage when needed. The hood latch sensor can fail to detect an unlatched hood, allowing it to fly open and block the driver's view.
On the occupant safety side, side curtain airbags may be improperly secured and could deploy incorrectly in a crash, and rear seat belt anchors on some vehicles may have been reassembled incorrectly during service. Two separate recalls cover the pedestrian warning sound system, which can be silenced by a factory reset or overridden by the Boombox feature, leaving pedestrians unaware of the approaching car.
Several lower-severity issues round out the list: the heat pump can trap refrigerant and reduce defroster performance, the rearview camera image can be delayed when shifting into reverse, the
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 4 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may be delayed when you shift into reverse, affecting your ability to see behind the vehicle.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update to your vehicle over-the-air to fix the camera display delay.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The tire pressure warning light may turn off between trips even when tire pressure is low, so you won't get alerted to underinflated tires.
What the fix does
Tesla sends a free software update to your vehicle that keeps the warning light on when tire pressure is low.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The hood latch assembly may fail to sense when the hood is unlatched after being opened, potentially allowing the hood to open while driving.
What the fix does
Tesla released a free over-the-air software update to fix the latch detection system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat belt warning light and chime may not activate when the driver is unbelted, failing to alert the driver to fasten their seat belt.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a software update over the air to fix the warning system so it activates properly for unbelted drivers.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A factory reset can silence the Pedestrian Warning System sounds, which alert pedestrians to the vehicle's presence. The vehicle then fails to meet federal sound requirements for electric vehicles.
What the fix does
Tesla releases a free software update (2023.44.30.14) over-the-air to restore the Pedestrian Warning System sounds.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System warning lights on the instrument panel display in an incorrect font size, which does not meet federal brake system safety standards.
What the fix does
Tesla is releasing a free over-the-air software update to correct the warning light font size display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Autosteer controls may not be prominent or clear enough to prevent drivers from misusing this advanced driver-assistance feature when it's engaged.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over the air to improve how Autosteer controls are displayed and managed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The FSD Beta software may drive unsafely at intersections—going straight in turn-only lanes, not stopping at stop signs, or proceeding through yellow lights without caution. It may also not properly adjust for posted speed limits or account for driver speed changes above limits.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over the air to fix the FSD Beta system's intersection and speed-limit handling.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The second-row left seat belt buckle and center seat belt anchor may have been incorrectly reassembled during service, affecting proper fastening.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will inspect and reassemble the seat belt anchors as needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The automatic window reversal system may fail to stop the window when it detects an obstruction, potentially trapping or injuring occupants.
What the fix does
Tesla will update the automatic window reversal system software over-the-air at no cost to fix the detection and reversal response.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fisheye and narrow camera cable terminals in the harness connector were installed in swapped positions, causing camera views to display incorrectly.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will reposition the swapped terminals and recalibrate the cameras at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The speedometer may not display the speed unit (mph or km/h) when Track Mode is active, making it unclear what speed is shown.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over-the-air to fix the speedometer display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Boombox function can play sounds through an external speaker while driving, which may mask the Pedestrian Warning System sounds that alert nearby pedestrians.
What the fix does
A free software update will disable Boombox when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral, or Reverse modes, including Summon and Smart Summon features.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Boombox function plays audio through an external speaker while driving, which can mask the Pedestrian Warning System sounds that alert pedestrians to the vehicle's movement.
What the fix does
A free software update will disable Boombox when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral, or Reverse, restoring pedestrian warning sounds.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software error may cause a heat pump valve to open unintentionally, trapping refrigerant in the evaporator and reducing defrosting performance.
What the fix does
Tesla will install a free over-the-air software update to fix the valve control error.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The audible chime that alerts the driver to an unbuckled seat belt may not sound when the vehicle starts.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free software update over the air to restore the chime function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Full Self-Driving (Beta) software's rolling stop feature may allow the vehicle to pass through all-way stop intersections without fully stopping.
What the fix does
Tesla will send a free over-the-air software update that disables the rolling stop functionality.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software communication error may cause the forward-collision warning to activate falsely or trigger the automatic emergency brake system unexpectedly.
What the fix does
Tesla released a free over-the-air software update to fix the communication error.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The left and/or right curtain air bag may not be properly secured to the roof rail, causing it to twist. This affects side impact protection and ejection mitigation.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will inspect and realign both curtain air bags as needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Front suspension lateral link fasteners may loosen, causing the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will tighten or replace the lateral link fasteners as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts securing the brake calipers may loosen, causing the caliper to separate and rub against the wheel rim.
What the fix does
Tesla Service will inspect the caliper bolts and tighten or replace them as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
