2021 Tesla Model 3: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1186 complaints
1186
Total Complaints
8,900mi
Median Mileage
Adaptive Cruise Control
Top Issue
78
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

1,900 25th Percentile
8,900 Median Mileage
18,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Adaptive Cruise Control
275
Automatic Emergency Braking
225
Service Brakes
123
Vehicle Speed Control
119
Unknown Or Other
89
Warnings
73
Electrical System
59
Visibility/Wiper
28
Steering
24
Assist
18

Severity Assessment

78
Crashes
9
Fires
41
Injuries
6
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHEN I TEST DROVE THE TESLA MODEL 3, THERE WAS AN OPTION TO TURN REGENERATIVE BRAKING TO LOW. THIS ALLOWED THE CAR TO HAVE MORE OF A COASTING EFFECT WHEN ONE LIFTS THE FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN I RECEIVED DELIVERY OF THE CAR, THE ABILITY TO REDUCE THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING EFFECT WAS NOT AVAI..."
"WHEN I TEST DROVE THE TESLA MODEL 3, THERE WAS AN OPTION TO TURN REGENERATIVE BRAKING TO LOW. THIS ALLOWED THE CAR TO HAVE MORE OF A COASTING EFFECT WHEN ONE LIFTS THE FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN I RECEIVED DELIVERY OF THE CAR, THE ABILITY TO REDUCE THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING EFFECT WAS NOT AVAI..."
"WHEN I TEST DROVE THE TESLA MODEL 3, THERE WAS AN OPTION TO TURN REGENERATIVE BRAKING TO LOW. THIS ALLOWED THE CAR TO HAVE MORE OF A COASTING EFFECT WHEN ONE LIFTS THE FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN I RECEIVED DELIVERY OF THE CAR, THE ABILITY TO REDUCE THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING EFFECT WAS NOT AVAI..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Adaptive Cruise Control 275 complaints
25th: 1,700 mi Median: 14,169 mi 75th: 23,021 mi
Automatic Emergency Braking 225 complaints
25th: 10,111 mi Median: 12,722 mi 75th: 27,032 mi
Service Brakes 123 complaints
Median: 18,000 mi
Vehicle Speed Control 119 complaints
25th: 8,900 mi Median: 12,400 mi 75th: 33,000 mi
Unknown Or Other 89 complaints
Median: 1,600 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 294 TX: 86 FL: 83 AZ: 69 CO: 57 WA: 44 MI: 35 VA: 32 NY: 29 NC: 28

Who Files Complaints?

0.5%
Original Owners
99.5%
Second+ Owners

Tesla Model 3 — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
2017523
20181614202
201999793
202072594
2022145297
2023696139
202428733
202516839

Active Recalls (20)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Software
Campaign 22V037000 | 27/01/2022
Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
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.
Curtain
Campaign 21V834000 | 25/10/2021
A twisted side curtain air bag may improperly deploy, increasing the risk of injury or occupant ejection during a crash.
Tesla Service will inspect and realign the left and right side curtain air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-21-20-006.
Critical Fasteners
Campaign 21V835000 | 25/10/2021
A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Software
Campaign 22V045000 | 01/02/2022
The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
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.
Caliper
Campaign 21V387000 | 25/05/2021
Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
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). Tes
Camera
Campaign 21V846000 | 29/10/2021
Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Software
Campaign 22V050000 | 02/02/2022
Decreased defrosting performance may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
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-22-18-002.
Software
Campaign 22V063000 | 04/02/2022
Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 1-877-798-3
Software
Campaign 22V235000 | 12/04/2022
Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 se
Instrument Cluster/Panel
Campaign 22V263000 | 18/04/2022
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.
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.
Automatic Emergency Braking
Campaign 22V317000 | 09/05/2022
Swapped camera views can prevent the vehicle's cameras from detecting crossing objects and high-curvature lane lines, impairing the Autosteer and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) performance, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla Service will correct the swapped terminals and recalibrate the cameras, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-17-007.
Power Window Devices And Controls
Campaign 22V702000 | 19/09/2022
A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Anchorage
Campaign 22V798000 | 21/10/2022
An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Automated/Adaptive Steering
Campaign 23V085000 | 15/02/2023
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.
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.
Software
Campaign 23V838000 | 12/12/2023
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.
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.
Instrument Cluster/Panel
Campaign 24V051000 | 30/01/2024
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.
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.
External/Pedestrian Alert
Campaign 24V153000 | 27/02/2024
Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Warning Light/Devices
Campaign 24V376000 | 28/05/2024
A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
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.
Latch
Campaign 24V554000 | 24/07/2024
An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.
Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
Campaign 24V935000 | 17/12/2024
Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
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.

General Vehicle Maintenance

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

  • Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule in your owner's manual
  • Don't ignore warning lights — early diagnosis prevents expensive repairs
  • Keep records of all maintenance and repairs
  • Use OEM or equivalent-quality parts for repairs
  • Address unusual noises, vibrations, or smells promptly

Vehicle Rankings

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28