2025 Tesla MODEL 3: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
114 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
9,840 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2025 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 35 of 114 complaints (30.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 41 | 36.0% |
| Braking behavior | 22 | 19.3% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 1.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 1.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 0.9% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 35 |
| Steering | 24 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 19 |
| Electrical System | 15 |
| Lane Departure: Assist | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 12 |
| Service Brakes | 12 |
Unknown Or Other: 35; Steering: 24; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 19; Electrical System: 15; Lane Departure: Assist: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 13; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 12; Service Brakes: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 107 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 |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 81 |
| 2026 | 30 |
2024: 3; 2025: 81; 2026: 30
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 41 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11623784 · 2024-11-06 (November 6, 2024)
Hi, my car computer completly stop(complete blackout) on the highway, no power, all doors and window blooked, reduce brake and steering wheel capacity. I changed line and went to the side of the road, but in an intersection or other road type, that could have been so much worst results. No hard reset nothing put back the power of the car.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11623784 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11629524 · 2024-12-08 (December 8, 2024)
My left and right turn signal buttons stick, and do not work randomly. I see that this is a very common problem on newer Tesla models with push button turn signals. Turn signals are important and this issue needs to get fixed ASAP.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11629524 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11631278 · 2024-12-17 (December 17, 2024)
The contact owns a 2025 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while his daughter was driving 30 MPH at night with Full Self-Driving(FSD) Supervised mode engaged, the vehicle suddenly made a left turn. The contact stated that the vehicle drove over a curb and onto the grass, and the vehicle drove into a residence's driveway, where the front of the vehicle crashed into the rear passenger's side of three unoccupied vehicles that were parked in the driveway. The front passenger's side and driver's side air bags deployed. The exterior hazard lights were…
Owner-reported narrative. 219 miles reported. Look up ODI 11631278 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11634160 · 2025-01-05 (January 5, 2025)
Turn signal buttons become inoperative. On occasion, the turn signal buttons cannot be engaged, they appear to be stuck and eventually become operative again. Also I believe the placement of the turn signal operators on the steering wheel instead of on stalks is a safety hazard as they are often difficult to engage like when the steering wheel is being turned and the buttons are therefor not in a position where they are easy to engage
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11634160 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11635245 · 2025-01-10 (January 10, 2025)
The horn does not work when wet or in snow. I was driving in a snow storm and needed to use the horn, but it did not work at all. I tried multiple times throughout the day and it still did not work. Once the snow was gone, the horn started working again. This seems like a serious safety issue.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11635245 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11637474 · 2025-01-21 (January 21, 2025)
Turn signal buttons on steering wheel intermittently fail to work.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11637474 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11638145 · 2025-01-23 (January 23, 2025)
Steering wheel mounted turn signal buttons intermittently do not work - even when pressed multiple times, nothing happens. This is not a daily occurrence but has happened often enough to be dangerous ~5% of the time and happens randomly / unexpectedly. To be clear - this issue is separate and distinct from the poor design and placement of these buttons which - even when working as designed - are regularly engaged unintentionally or wrong direction is mistakenly engaged (i.e., click right when going left). This complaint is prompted because th…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11638145 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11638740 · 2025-01-27 (January 27, 2025)
- Autopoilt/FSD had a failure and malfunction, the car speeded up on its own and hit the divider while driving on a highway exit road, which is a u shaped road. - Everyone in the car could be dead if I didn't pull the steer wheeling at the last minute to aviod fatal accident, it was horrifying - I have reported the claim to Tesla right after the incident, but they were not responsive in providing a solution, for more than month, they just kept me waiting - No, it has not been inspected - no warning or messages before the crash and the failu…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11638740 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
24V935000 · Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
Reported: 2024-12-17 (December 17, 2024)
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3, and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn the driver of low tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗25V002000 · Back Over Prevention:Software | Electrical System
Reported: 2025-01-06 (January 6, 2025)
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Model 3, Model S, 2023-2025 Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The computer circuit board may short, resulting in the loss of the rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Tesla will also identify any vehicles that experienced a circuit board failure, or stress that may lead to a circuit board failure, and replace the affected computers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-00-001.
NHTSA campaign record ↗25V690000 · Electrical System:Propulsion System:Fuses, Relays, Contacts, And Shunts
Reported: 2025-10-10 (October 10, 2025)
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2025 Model 3 and 2026 Model Y vehicles. The battery pack contactors may fail, causing a loss of drive power.
Consequence: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service will replace the battery pack contactors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-16-005.
NHTSA campaign record ↗