2018 Tesla Model 3 Problems & Complaints

Most common 2018 Tesla Model 3 problems

• Driver assistance~35,000 miles
  24624%
• Suspension~20,000 miles
  19018%
• Other / not specified~14,000 miles
  17517%
• Electrical system~28,000 miles
  16816%
• Air bags~20,000 miles
  14314%
• Seat belts~60,000 miles
  10510%
• Speed control & acceleration~10,000 miles
  909%
• Brakes~5,000 miles
  899%
• Steering~12,000 miles
  818%
• Seats~48,000 miles
  747%
• Body & structure~17,000 miles
  606%
• Windows, wipers & sunroof~24,000 miles
  606%
• Transmission & drivetrain~15,000 miles
  293%
• Wheels & tires~18,000 miles
  263%
• Fuel & propulsion system~13,000 miles
  242%
• Lights~13,000 miles
  162%
• Engine & cooling~62,000 miles
  111%
• Locks & latches~99,000 miles
  61%
• Stability & traction control~24,000 miles
  40%
• Equipment & accessories
  20%
• A/C & heater~51,000 miles
  10%

Share of the 1,032 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Tesla Model 3 complaints by model year

Best Model 3 years: 2020. Years to avoid: 2022, 2023, 2021, 2024. Compare all years →

2018 Tesla Model 3 recalls (19)

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal safety investigators have looked into 15 possible defects involving the 2018 Tesla Model 3:

What 2018 Tesla Model 3 owners say

Driver assistance all 246 →

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at 45 to 50MPH in auto-pilot, the vehicle inadvertently veered into the left turn lane but continued straight into oncoming traffic. The contact stated that the vehicle collided head-on with the other vehicle. The contact was unaware of any warning lights or audio warnings. The contact stated that the front driver side and the knee air bags deployed. The contact stated that he sustained chest injures and a scrape on the right wrist and left knee. The contact declined transportation by ambulance so no medical attention was required. The contact stated that the other driver was complaining of pain but also denied transportation by ambulance but informed the contact that she would seek medical attention later. Both divers were seen on the scene by emergency personal. The contact stated that a police report was filed. …

I may have figured out the common link between Tesla Autopilot crashes. Distracted operators have the accelerator pressed while the TACC is engaged, thinking (for many reasons) that the vehicle will stop if there are any obstacles in front of them. However, when the accelerator is being pressed, the vehicle will not stop. It will happily run into a wall. One second before impact, the forward collision warning turns on, followed by the ABS and the slamming of the brakes, but by then it's too late for a distracted driver. The raw Tesla "Vehicle Data" on Column D, shows "Accelerator Pedal Position (%)." I strongly encourage you to take a look at the data for the autopilot crashes and review this column to see how many had the accelerator pressed until 1 second before the accident, even if the autopilot was engaged. …

Suspension all 190 →

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that upon reversing out of a parking lot, an abnormal clunking sound was coming from the vehicle while turning to the right. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact continued driving and the steering wheel became loose, and an unknown object detached from the vehicle upon entering her driveway. Due to the failure, the contact decided to have the vehicle towed; upon arrival, the tow truck driver discovered that a bolt had fallen out of the vehicle. Once the vehicle arrived at the service center, the mechanic replaced a lower front lateral link and half shaft assembly. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V235000 (Suspension); which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 70,950.

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at slow speeds, after completing a right turn, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front passenger's side suspension. The contact stated that increased effort was required to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the passenger's side control arm had disconnected. The contact was informed that two bolts that secured the control arm to the frame were missing. The contact also stated that the bolts were found by the tow truck driver while loading the vehicle for towing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.

Electrical system all 168 →

On November 30 at 6pm I was driving north on I-75 in the Tampa area with Navigate on Autopilot activated. I was in the middle lane, it was dark, and there was lots of traffic. My screen asked me to confirm the autopilot request to move to the left lane. I tapped the stalk to confirm. I did not look in the left lane and was not controlling the steering, though my hands were on the wheel. The car immediately turned into the left lane and side swiped a police vehicle. Nobody was injured and the damage to both cars was minor. Previously I had received alerts that my left pillar camera was "blocked", but the alerts went away, so I assumed that there was no problem. When the alerts appeared, auto steer was deactivated, but when the alerts went away auto steer worked again. I do not remember when the first alert appeared, but probably earlier in November 2021. …

While slowly backing out of a parking space, I tapped the bumper of another vehicle in the space directly behind mine, causing some damage to the bumpers of both cars. The backup camera on my vehicle was not functioning at the time, making it difficult to see. I have attached a screen shot of the Tesla's display immediately after the accident. You can see the blank feed from the backup camera (there is a reflection of the vehicle next to mine). I have had intermittent problems with the backup camera showing as black on the screen (except for the two lines indicating the direction of the vehicle). Tesla initiated a recall in December 2021. see https://www.tesla.com/support/model-3-trunk-lid-harness-retrofit for details. Every time on my Tesla phone app about this recall, it says, "you do not need to request an appointment at this time. …

2018 Tesla Model 3 engines & fuel economy

EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.