2026 Tesla MODEL 3: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
20 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2026 model year. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 20 complaints (35.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 5 | 25.0% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 15.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 5.0% |
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 | 7 |
| Back Over Prevention: Warnings | 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 4 |
| Steering | 4 |
| Lane Departure: Assist | 2 |
| Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection | 2 |
| Structure:Body | 2 |
Unknown Or Other: 7; Back Over Prevention: Warnings: 4; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 4; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 4; Steering: 4; Lane Departure: Assist: 2; Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection: 2; Structure:Body: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 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: 0; 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
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 20 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 |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 20 |
2026: 20
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 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 11711494 · 2026-01-16 (January 16, 2026)
The vehicle's FSD system malfunctioned and initiated an unintended reverse toward a closing garage door. To prevent a total-loss event (the door crushing the glass roof and trunk), I was forced to perform an emergency manual takeover. Due to the vehicle's position caused by the malfunction, I had to maneuver through a confined space, resulting in the side-scrape. I am filing this as a malfunction claim because the damage was a direct consequence of the car's autonomous failure
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11711494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11730303 · 2026-04-10 (April 10, 2026)
On February 5, 2026, at 12:21 PM PST, my 2026 Tesla Model 3 (Hardware 4) collided with a 5-inch wooden pillar while using the Autopark feature. The system failed to provide any audio chimes or visual warnings prior to the impact. I officially requested the driving logs from Tesla to investigate the cause of this failure, but Tesla refused to provide any logs or data. Furthermore, Tesla Service Center technicians insisted there were no hardware defects, effectively confirming that the collision was caused by a software/algorithmic failure of th…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11730303 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11732730 · 2026-04-21 (April 21, 2026)
I was involved in a rear-end collision while stopped at an intersection. The impact was significant. During the crash, the front airbags did not deploy. More importantly, the seat belts in both front seats (driver and front passenger) failed to function as expected. Instead of tightening during impact, the seat belts appeared to loosen, allowing excessive forward movement of the occupants. As a result, I was thrown forward and struck the steering wheel. The lack of seat belt pretensioning raises serious concerns about a potential failure of t…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11732730 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11733346 · 2026-04-23 (April 23, 2026)
The vehicle's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system was actively controlling the vehicle while executing a reverse maneuver into a residential garage , a routine the system had successfully performed on multiple prior occasions. During this session, the FSD system misjudged the maneuver and the vehicle struck the wall of the garage, causing damage. The failed component is the FSD software/sensor system. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety was put at risk because the system was in full control of vehicle movement in a confined …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11733346 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11741020 · 2026-05-30 (May 30, 2026)
We bought the new 2026 Tesla Model 3 and picked it up on 5/3/2026. The next date 5/4/2026, I was trying to drive it to work. I got in the car and used the Tesla’s Full Self-Driving function and let it drive the car by itself. It started moving forward and tried to make a U turn. Since there was not enough space for it to make a U turn because there was a car parked on the sidewalk, so it stopped for a moment. But unfortunately, it continued to move forward and hit the car parked on the sidewalk. It supposedly backed up a little after the stop, …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11741020 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11744965 · 2026-06-18 (June 18, 2026)
Tesla Model 3 Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature I was using Self-Driving mode in my Tesla Model 3 while traveling on [XXX]. The vehicle suddenly turned right without warning, struck a mailbox, broke the right-side mirror, and came to a complete stop. There were no vehicles in front of or behind my car at the time of the incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11744965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11745391 · 2026-06-20 (June 20, 2026)
While the vehicle was parked outdoors and the powered rear trunk lid was fully open, I leaned/bent forward into the trunk to retrieve an item. The edge of the trunk lid near the taillight assembly made contact with my scalp, causing a laceration. The wound bled significantly。The trunk lid’s fully-open position, combined with the geometry/edge of the liftgate near the taillight, creates a head-strike hazard for an average-height adult bending into the cargo area. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether the powered trunk lid’s open-positio…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11745391 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11748263 · 2026-07-04 (July 4, 2026)
Lane keeping assistance turns on with every drive no matter how many times I set it to off. Where I live there are many potholes and poorly paved roads, along with poorly marked roads. As I am swerving around obstacles the car will fight the steering inputs I am giving it, trying to steer me back into whatever I was avoiding. This is a safety issue, and is not a problem on our older Tesla model 3 performance, as once that vehicle is set to off, it stays off. Now, as I start every drive I am navigating through a couple screens to turn off thi…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11748263 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
25V410000 · Seats:Critical Fasteners
Reported: 2025-06-18 (June 18, 2025)
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The fasteners attaching the seat back to the seat bottom may have been improperly tightened.
Consequence: The seat may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Tesla Service Centers will inspect and tighten or replace the seat assembly fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-13-003.
NHTSA campaign record ↗