2021 Tesla Model 3 problems
Owners have filed 1,225 complaints about the 2021 Tesla Model 3 with NHTSA. Forward collision avoidance accounts for 48% of them — far more than any other system, ahead of service brakes at 10.1%.
Complaints1,225
Crashes84
Fires9
Injuries41
Deaths14
What owners report breaking
Forward collision avoidance 48.0% · 588
Service brakes 10.1% · 124
Vehicle speed control 10.0% · 123
Unknown or other 7.6% · 93
Electrical system 6.3% · 77
Lane departure 3.3% · 40
Visibility/wiper 2.3% · 28
Steering 2.1% · 26
Severity
Of those complaints, 84 describe a crash, 9 describe a fire, 41 report an injury and 14 report a death.
Reading the numbers
Across the 8 model years of the Tesla Model 3 in this data, 2021 ranks 3rd by complaint volume — 2018 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 266 in the last three years against 956 in the three before. The issues here may already have been addressed.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 8,900 miles.
In owners' own words
The car keeps abruptly braking between 10-20 mph speed reduction while at highway speeds. Seems to be when there's minor hills or curves but otherwise entirely open road without nearby vehicles. Happening in a 4 lane and 2 lane highway with cruise control set (not self driving or autopilot) and the autopilot, autosteer, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking options are all confirmed OFF. Forward collision avoidance
The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with the cruise control activated, the vehicle would independently slow down without warning as vehicles on the opposite side of traffic would pass by his vehicle. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. Forward collision avoidance · reported at 1,000 miles
The Autopilot applies the brakes for no apparent reason, when there are no other vehicles in front of it, under good driving conditions; in clear daylight, on empty roads and on straight stretches of highway. My family could have been involved in a serious rear end collision, or caused other vehicles behind me to collide, if traffic was heavy at the time the system determined it needed to apply the brakes. Forward collision avoidance
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…
Other Tesla Model 3 years
2018 1,686 complaints · 16.8% forward collision avoidance 2019 1,050 complaints · 21.9% forward collision avoidance 2020 767 complaints · 28.0% forward collision avoidance 2022 1,496 complaints · 52.6% forward collision avoidance 2023 726 complaints · 32.4% forward collision avoidance 2024 329 complaints · 18.8% forward collision avoidance