2019 Tesla Model 3 Seat Problems

Mileage when the problem started

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2019 Tesla Model 3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the Front Passenger Restraint System Fault message was displayed. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the front passenger's side seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

I am submitting a complaint regarding an unresolved safety issue with the front passenger restraint system in my 2019 Tesla Model 3 (VIN: [redacted] ). Since February 2024, I have encountered recurring alerts for this system, despite multiple service visits to address it. Service History and Concerns: The initial repair attempt on February 27, 2024, involved Tesla replacing the Occupant Classification System (OCS) filter module. However, the alert returned shortly after, showing the issue was not resolved. On October 14, 2024, I returned to Tesla, where they quoted $1,800 for further repairs, claiming my general warranty was expired. Their records indicate that this failure directly impacts the front passenger's safety restraint, making it a serious defect. During a follow-up visit on October 23, 2024, the issue was confirmed but left unaddressed unless I paid out-of-pocket. …

Around February or March of 2025, my Tesla Model 3 (year 2019) began to flag an electronic warning for a passenger occupancy sear sensor and recommended immediate service. The sensor and warning did not stay on and would only appear intermittently. I still decided to service the vehicle and took the car to the manufacturer service center closest to me in May 2025. I was quoted for $500-$600 to repair the sensors. Later the quote was updated to over $1,200 because the new sensor was "not compatible" with the old air bag. It seems like Tesla intentionally or knowing used an updated sensor either because the old sensor was known to have issues or because of refreshed models but then did not ensure they used a part that worked with their existing model cars. …

The rear camera on my Tesla intermittently fails when shifting into reverse. Additionally, the rear trunk will not open using the in-car release button, mobile app, or key fob. A warning appears stating the function will return on the next drive, but I am often forced to use the emergency release to access the trunk. I believe this may be related to a prior recall involving the rear trunk harness, but when checking my VIN, no active recalls appear. Tesla service also reports no recalls on file. I am also receiving an intermittent fault message regarding the front passenger safety restraint system, stating that service is required. This is a serious concern, as a malfunctioning restraint system may fail to protect occupants in the event of a crash. …

The Front Passenger Safety Restraint System failed prematurely on my 2019 Tesla Model 3 at only 23,105 miles, triggering the alert 'Alerts - Seats - Front passenger safety restraint system issue/Service is required' and disabling passenger airbag functionality. Upon inspection, Tesla Service quoted $1,285.13 out-of-pocket to repair the system. While the root failure involves a $12 occupant occupancy sensor (Part #1099592-00-F), Tesla's mandatory service procedures require a full subsystem revision cascade to fix it. Specifically, under 'Replace Occupant Classification System (OCS) of Front Passenger Seat while Servicing Subcomponents' and 'Update Front Passenger Airbag to Maintain Compatibility with Front Passenger Seat,' Tesla requires replacing the right-hand seat harness assembly (Part #1489060-03-G) and the complete Front Passenger Airbag (Part #1077823-00-G) solely to maintain …

The Restraint Control Module (RCM) fault code RCM_a056 intermittently appears and disappears on the vehicle's display. This code indicates a fault in the front passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) - the sensor responsible for detecting passenger presence and weight to determine whether and how the passenger airbag deploys in a crash. Because the OCS sensor is malfunctioning, the passenger airbag may fail to deploy, deploy incorrectly, or deploy with wrong force in a collision, putting any front passenger at serious risk of injury or death. The fault is intermittent - it appears and disappears without any change in vehicle configuration or seating - which is consistent with a failing OCS sensor or degraded wiring harness connection under the passenger seat. No collision or injury has occurred. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealer or service center. …

It was raining and my passenger got in the car (slightly damp). When he sat down, I reveived an error message on the screen saying "Front passenger safety restraint system issue". The airbag light is red indicating that it won't work for my passenger. You should be able to get into a car wet without your airbag no longer working. My understanding is that this is a common problem. Tesla wants > $1000 to replace the seat sensor + requires me to pay to have my airbag replaced so the part matches the sensor. According to Tesla Service Bulletin SB-23-20-002, the new style of seat sensor is strictly incompatible with the older style of airbag (known as a "Full Suppression" airbag). $182 (Diagnostic Fee) $475 (OCS Replacement) $318 (Airbag Update) + Labor + Tax The internet is full of reports of this issue. Just google "Front passenger safety restraint system issue". …

I am getting an electrical fault which has disabled my front passenger seat airbags. They need to replace the wiring, which means they also now need to replace the passenger airbag itself because wiring has changed and the old airbag is not compatible with the new wiring. Replace Occupant Classification System (OCS) of Front Passenger Seat while Servicing Subcomponents Update Front Passenger Airbag to Maintain Compatibility with Front Passenger Seat I had this same error 4 months ago and it ended up shorting out the entire electrical system, which disabled autosteer and eventually completely disabled power steering which made the car unusable. Tesla service center called it a water intrusion problem and had to replace the entire front electrical harness system and steering rack costing $4500. …

passenger safety restraint system light came on, Tesla says to fix needs to install OCS filter module and replace existing OCS sensor because its not compatible with existing OCS sensor...cost is $806....there are no broken parts in my car. according to Teslas service bulletin Sep 21, 2020 this problem is caused by electrical interference in the seat harness causing the airbag restrain system message on screen due to faulty design.....Tesla says i need to pay for it because car is out of warranty, i say its a faulty design and they have to fix free. this should be a recall because Tesla is aware of many of same problems that make the airbag inoperable. …

Alert RCM_a021pretenLapFrontLeft. Caused by the seat harness wires being pinched and stretched when moving the seat back/forward/up/down. Eventually the wires are damaged by the seat movement. Tesla has touted a feature called "Easy Entry" which moves the seat to a preset position to allow the driver to get in and out of the car more easily. This moves the seat lower and farther back and then moves the seat back up to the driver's position when ready to drive. This increased seat movement, every time the driver gets in and out of the car, causes the wires to wear prematurely and the above fault to trigger. In the event of an accident the driver side airbag may not deploy and/or the seat belt pretensioner may fail to lock the seat belt in place, leaving the driver exposed to serious potential injury risk. …

Seat complaints in other Model 3 years