2018 Tesla MODEL 3 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,012 owner complaints analyzed
19 distinct recall campaigns
16,115 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 221 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Suspension is the most frequently named component, appearing in 180 of 1,012 complaints (17.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 191 | 18.9% |
| Steering behavior | 110 | 10.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 104 | 10.3% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 0.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 0.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 180 |
| Unknown Or Other | 172 |
| Electrical System | 160 |
| Air Bags | 135 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 131 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 116 |
| Seat Belts | 101 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 90 |
Suspension: 180; Unknown Or Other: 172; Electrical System: 160; Air Bags: 135; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 131; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 116; Seat Belts: 101; Vehicle Speed Control: 90
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 138 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 41 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 24 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 14 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 138; 25,000 to 49,999: 41; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 14; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (138). 791 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 30 |
| 2019 | 63 |
| 2020 | 64 |
| 2021 | 71 |
| 2022 | 223 |
| 2023 | 219 |
| 2024 | 186 |
| 2025 | 85 |
| 2026 | 71 |
2018: 30; 2019: 63; 2020: 64; 2021: 71; 2022: 223; 2023: 219; 2024: 186; 2025: 85; 2026: 71
Pattern summary
Suspension leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 191 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 110 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 104 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11091970 · 2018-05-04 (May 4, 2018)
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. ISSUE DESCRIPTION: ISSUE OCCURRED ON 05/04/18 AT APPROX. 11:52 AM WHILE TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT OF A GROCERY STORE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARKING SPACE POSITION WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED HOWEVER THEY FELT INOPERATIVE. IT FELT AS THOUGH THE DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL OVER BRAKING AND THE VEHICLE HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. THE DRIVER TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID DIRECTLY HITTING A DUMPSTER WHILE TRYING TO BRAKE. THE PA…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11091970 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11092830 · 2018-05-10 (May 10, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY ON ITS OWN WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO PART OF A STORE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED TESLA'S SERVICE CENTER AT [phone removed], BUT THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11092830 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11092162 · 2018-05-07 (May 7, 2018)
HERE IS A VIDEO THAT HAS JUST BEEN UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=4GUHSMIPIQ4 THIS OWNER THINKS IT IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO JAM SOME FRUIT IN THE STEERING WHEEL TO ELIMINATE THE "HOLD STEERING WHEEL" NAGS. HE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A COMPLETE IDIOT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT HE HAS BEEN MISLEAD BY THE HYPE SPREAD BY TESLA AND CEO ELON MUSK. DESPITE SEVERAL FATAL CRASHES MUSK IS STILL SPREADING THE MESSAGE THAT NHTSA FOUND AUTOPILOT IS 40% SAFER THAN A HUMAN DRIVER. NHTSA HAS NOW REVEALED THAT THE CLAIM WAS BASED ON TESLA'S OWN …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11092162 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11102352 · 2018-06-18 (June 18, 2018)
SAFETY ISSUE WITH REAR DOORS. REAR PASSENGERS AND SPECIALLY CHILDREN WHO ARE UNABLE TO EXIT THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAN BECOME TRAPPED IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE OR MAJOR COLLISION THAT DISABLES THE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE DOORS. FRONT DOORS ARE EQUIPPED WITH EMERGENCY RELEASE LATCH HOWEVER, REAR DOORS HAVE NO SUCH SAFETY BACKUP IN A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11102352 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11105184 · 2018-07-02 (July 2, 2018)
I HAVE HAD A SERIES OF ESCALATING INCIDENTS (SEE ATTACHED PDF) THAT HAVE EACH INVOLVED THE VEHICLE DISABLING AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS), TRACTION CONTROL, PARTIAL STEERING CONTROL, REGENERATIVE BRAKING (FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE), AND MOST RECENTLY EXPERIENCED COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING FUNCTION WHILE REVERSING AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL WARNING THAT MY AIRBAG WAS DISABLED. INITIALLY I WAS ADVISED TO RESET MY CAR SINCE IT MAY BE A SOFTWARE GLITCH SIMILAR TO A COMPUTER OR PHONE NEEDING A RESTART. AFTER SEVERAL INCIDENTS, I WAS ADVISED T…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11105184 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11300204 · 2020-01-17 (January 17, 2020)
ON JANUARY 10, 2020 APPROXIMATELY 09:30 AM, WHEN IN A PARKING GARAGE I STOPPED THE CAR AND WENT TO PUT IT INTO REVERSE TO BACK INTO A STALL WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD IMPACTING A PILLAR WHEN I LOOKED DOWN THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ON. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE AND IT WAS DEEMED 'AT FAULT' REPAIRS TO BE DETERMINED
Owner-reported narrative. 27,241 miles reported. Look up ODI 11300204 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11301634 · 2020-01-24 (January 24, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL S. WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED, JERKED AND STALLED. THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SAFETY RESTRAINT FAULT MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA 6701 AMADOR PLAZA RD, DUBLIN, CA 94568, (925)361-1173 WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SAFETY SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,…
Owner-reported narrative. 19,241 miles reported. Look up ODI 11301634 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11203866 · 2019-04-26 (April 26, 2019)
VEHICLE HAS A "BRAKE HOLD" FEATURE. THIS FEATURE IS ENGAGED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR, STOPPED, AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AN ADDITIONAL DISTANCE. THIS FEATURE KEEPS THAT VEHICLE AT A STANDSTILL WITHOUT A NEED TO CONTINUE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. PER THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL, BRAKE HOLD CAN BE RELEASED BY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, BRAKE, OR BY SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO "NEUTRAL". THE RIGHT STEERING COLUMN STALK, HOWEVER, CAN BE USED TO SWITCH THE VEHICLE FROM BRAKE HOLD INTO THE OPPOSITE TRAVEL DIRECTION (D TO R OR R TO D) BY M…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11203866 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11217590 · 2019-06-03 (June 3, 2019)
IN ORDER TO CANCEL CRUISE CONTROL OR AUTOPILOT IN A TESLA MODEL 3, THE PRIMARY MECHANISM IS TO PUSH THE RIGHT STALK UPWARDS AS FAR AS IT WILL GO. HOWEVER, PUSHING THE SAME STALK UPWARDS ONLY PART OF THE WAY WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THIS CAN CAUSE A DRIVER TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE IT IS UNDERWAY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN A TESLA BECAUSE IF THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL REGENERATIVE BREAKING IS DISABLED AND IT IS THE COMMON DRIVING HABIT TO USE REGENERATIVE BREAKING AS THE PRIMARY BRAKING MECHANISM. ESSENTIALLY, A DRIV…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11217590 at NHTSA ↗