2019 TESLA MODEL 3 — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 605 complaints · 22 recalls
Most-reported system: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (135 complaints · 22.3%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 58
  • Fires 5
  • Injuries 27
  • Deaths 4
Compare with 2018 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE appears in 135 of 605 owner complaints (22.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: 135 complaints, 22.3% of reports FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 135 · 22.3% · 9 crash reports SUSPENSION: 72 complaints, 11.9% of reports SUSPENSION 72 · 11.9% · 5 crash reports 1 fire reports LANE DEPARTURE: 54 complaints, 8.9% of reports LANE DEPARTURE 54 · 8.9% · 2 crash reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 42 complaints, 6.9% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 42 · 6.9% · 2 crash reports 1 fire reports AIR BAGS: 28 complaints, 4.6% of reports AIR BAGS 28 · 4.6% · 5 crash reports SEAT BELTS: 28 complaints, 4.6% of reports SEAT BELTS 28 · 4.6% STEERING: 28 complaints, 4.6% of reports STEERING 28 · 4.6% · 2 crash reports 1 fire reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 28 complaints, 4.6% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 28 · 4.6% · 11 crash reports VISIBILITY: 23 complaints, 3.8% of reports VISIBILITY 23 · 3.8% · 1 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 316 complaints, 52.2% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 316 · 52.2% · 24 crash reports 2 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 135 22.3% 9 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 72 11.9% 5 crashes · 1 fires
LANE DEPARTURE 54 8.9% 2 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 42 6.9% 2 crashes · 1 fires
AIR BAGS 28 4.6% 5 crashes · 0 fires
SEAT BELTS 28 4.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 28 4.6% 2 crashes · 1 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 28 4.6% 11 crashes · 0 fires
VISIBILITY 23 3.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 316 52.2% 24 crashes · 2 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2019; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 2019. 2019-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2019-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2020-Q1: 29 owner reports 29 2020-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2020-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2021-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2021-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2021-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2021-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2022-Q1: 43 owner reports 43 2022-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2022-Q3: 69 owner reports 69 2022-Q4: 25 owner reports 25 2023-Q1: 28 owner reports 28 2023-Q2: 31 owner reports 31 2023-Q3: 21 owner reports 21 2023-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2024-Q1: 30 owner reports 30 2024-Q2: 34 owner reports 34 2024-Q3: 25 owner reports 25 2024-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2025-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2025-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2025-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2025-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2026-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2026-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2026-Q3: 16 owner reports 16 Owner reports Apr 2019 Aug 2026 Recall campaign 19V719000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V719000 Recall campaign 21V387000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V387000 Recall campaign 21V389000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V389000 Recall campaign 21V835000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V835000 Recall campaign 21V846000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V846000 Recall campaign 21V00D000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V00D000 Recall campaign 22V037000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V037000 Recall campaign 22V045000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V045000 Recall campaign 22V063000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V063000 Recall campaign 22V169000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V169000 Recall campaign 22V235000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V235000 Recall campaign 22V263000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V263000 Recall campaign 22V702000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V702000 Recall campaign 22V798000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V798000 Recall campaign 23V085000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V085000 Recall campaign 23V235000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V235000 Recall campaign 23V838000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V838000 Recall campaign 24V051000 ◆ Recall campaign 24V051000 Recall campaign 24V153000 ◆ Recall campaign 24V153000 Recall campaign 24V376000 ◆ Recall campaign 24V376000 Recall campaign 24V935000 ◆ Recall campaign 24V935000 Recall campaign 26V507000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V507000 Investigation DP20001 ● Investigation DP20001 Investigation PE21020 ● Investigation PE21020 Investigation PE21023 ● Investigation PE21023 Investigation EA22002 ● Investigation EA22002 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005 Investigation DP23001 ● Investigation DP23001 Investigation DP23002 ● Investigation DP23002 Investigation RQ24009 ● Investigation RQ24009 Investigation PE24031 ● Investigation PE24031 Investigation PE24033 ● Investigation PE24033 Investigation AQ25002 ● Investigation AQ25002 Investigation PE25012 ● Investigation PE25012 Investigation EA26002 ● Investigation EA26002 Investigation PE26006 ● Investigation PE26006
  • Campaign 19V719000 was reported 173 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V387000 was reported 461 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V835000 was reported 723 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V846000 was reported 372 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V037000 was reported 910 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V045000 was reported 818 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V063000 was reported 821 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V169000 was reported 22 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V235000 was reported 888 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V263000 was reported 894 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V702000 was reported 1,174 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V798000 was reported 1,110 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 23V085000 was reported 1,294 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 23V235000 was reported 1,245 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 23V838000 was reported 1,497 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 24V051000 was reported 1,546 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 24V153000 was reported 1,574 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 24V376000 was reported 1,695 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 24V935000 was reported 1,634 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V507000 was reported 1,808 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2019-Q2 Owner reports 5
2019-Q3 Owner reports 10
2019-Q4 Owner reports 17
2020-Q1 Owner reports 29
2020-Q2 Owner reports 5
2020-Q3 Owner reports 8
2020-Q4 Owner reports 15
2021-Q1 Owner reports 12
2021-Q2 Owner reports 10
2021-Q3 Owner reports 8
2021-Q4 Owner reports 14
2022-Q1 Owner reports 43
2022-Q2 Owner reports 29
2022-Q3 Owner reports 69
2022-Q4 Owner reports 25
2023-Q1 Owner reports 28
2023-Q2 Owner reports 31
2023-Q3 Owner reports 21
2023-Q4 Owner reports 23
2024-Q1 Owner reports 30
2024-Q2 Owner reports 34
2024-Q3 Owner reports 25
2024-Q4 Owner reports 18
2025-Q1 Owner reports 13
2025-Q2 Owner reports 10
2025-Q3 Owner reports 18
2025-Q4 Owner reports 13
2026-Q1 Owner reports 10
2026-Q2 Owner reports 16
2026-Q3 Owner reports 16
Recall campaign 1 19V719000
Recall campaign 1 21V387000
Recall campaign 1 21V389000
Recall campaign 1 21V835000
Recall campaign 1 21V846000
Recall campaign 1 21V00D000
Recall campaign 1 22V037000
Recall campaign 1 22V045000
Recall campaign 1 22V063000
Recall campaign 1 22V169000
Recall campaign 1 22V235000
Recall campaign 1 22V263000
Recall campaign 1 22V702000
Recall campaign 1 22V798000
Recall campaign 1 23V085000
Recall campaign 1 23V235000
Recall campaign 1 23V838000
Recall campaign 1 24V051000
Recall campaign 1 24V153000
Recall campaign 1 24V376000
Recall campaign 1 24V935000
Recall campaign 1 26V507000
Defect investigation 1 DP20001
Defect investigation 1 PE21020
Defect investigation 1 PE21023
Defect investigation 1 EA22002
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
Defect investigation 1 DP23001
Defect investigation 1 DP23002
Defect investigation 1 RQ24009
Defect investigation 1 PE24031
Defect investigation 1 PE24033
Defect investigation 1 AQ25002
Defect investigation 1 PE25012
Defect investigation 1 EA26002
Defect investigation 1 PE26006
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (22)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 19V719000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    Failure to provide the air bag warning information increases the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will notify owners, and Tesla Service Centers will inspect the visor and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 6, 2019. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-19-15-003.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 21V00D000

    Report date
    Component:
    BACK OVER PREVENTION
    Consequence:
    A rearview camera that does not function reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla Service will inspect and install a guide protector and new cable harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-17-008.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 21V387000

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    Consequence:
    Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla Service will inspect and tighten, or replace the caliper bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service online by visiting www.tesla.com/support/contact or by calling 1-877-79-TESLA (or 1-877-798-3752). Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-33-002.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 21V389000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    An improperly attached fastener may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Tesla Service will inspect and repair both fasteners if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service online by visiting www.tesla.com/support/contact or by calling 1-877-79-TESLA (or 1-877-798-3752). Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-20-001.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 21V835000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla Service will tighten or replace the lateral link fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-31-003.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 21V846000

    Report date
    Component:
    FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
    Consequence:
    Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla Service has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. The recall began October 25, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-00-004.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V037000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that disables the "rolling stop" functionality, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-001.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V045000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-002.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V063000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 5, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall has been superseded by Recall 22V-235. Tesla's number for the new recall is SB-22-00-003.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V169000

    Report date
    Component:
    BACK OVER PREVENTION
    Consequence:
    A delayed rearview camera image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-004.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V235000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes, including Summon and Smart Summon, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-003. Note: This recall supersedes recall 22V-063. Vehicles configured with Summon or Smart Summon and already remedied under 22V-063 will need to have the new remedy software installed.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V263000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    The driver may not know how fast the vehicle is traveling without the mph or km/h unit display, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-008.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V702000

    Report date
    Component:
    VISIBILITY
    Consequence:
    A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will perform an over-the-air (OTA) software update of the automatic window reversal system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2032. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-013.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  14. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V798000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Tesla Service will inspect and reassemble the seat belt anchors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-20-004.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  15. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 23V085000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-001.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  16. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 23V235000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla Service will tighten or replace the lateral link fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 30, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-31-001. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-835.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  17. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 23V838000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  18. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 24V051000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  19. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 24V153000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, release 2023.44.30.14, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-006.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  20. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 24V376000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-008.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  21. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 24V935000

    Report date
    Component:
    TIRES
    Consequence:
    Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-018.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  22. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V507000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    The remedy is currently under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 15, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-17-003.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 605 complaints · page 1 of 25

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources