2022 Tesla Model 3 Electrical Problems

Which parts fail

• ADAS › Autonomous/self driving
  6
• ADAS › Autonomous/self driving › Software
  4

Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  431%
• 25k–50k
  646%
• 50k–75k
  00%
• 75k–100k
  18%
• 100k–150k
  215%
• 150k+
  00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2022 Tesla Model 3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was unoccupied, the vehicle independently started while parked in the driveway and caught on fire. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the failure. The contact stated that the fire spread to the residence and the residence burned down. The contact's daughter and her significant other were able to exit the residence safely. The local Fire Department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire. The contact stated that the fire had started near the charging port. A Police Report was not filed. In addition, the contact stated that his daughter and her significant other suffered severe mental distress. Medical attention was not sought. A Fire Report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. …

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in self-driving mode, the vehicle was supposed to merge into the right lane, however the vehicle accelerated into the left lane, and another vehicle collided into the front driver side of the vehicle. The contact stated that he did not sustain any injuries, however the passenger stated he sustained injuries, but the injuries were unknown. No medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to dealer where it was diagnosed that the software needs to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was still drivable after the incident. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,547.

The contact owned a 2022 Telsa Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at 18 MPH, the vehicle veered to the right hitting an electrical pole. The contact stated neither the autopilot nor cruise control was set to on, and the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated it happened so fast he was unable to depress the brake pedal in time. No warning lights were illuminated and the air bags in the vehicle failed to deploy. The contact sustained a knee injury and later received medical attention at an urgent care. However, the contact stated he was traumatized from the crash. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,372.

The contact owned a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH with the full self-driving mode activated and making a right turn off the highway, the vehicle collided with the wall of the exit ramp and spun out. The contact stated that there were no prior alerts and or warnings of the collision. The contact sustained a right shoulder injury. Medical attention was not needed. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision shop where it was deemed totalled. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,669.

During a head-on collision on [redacted] in Georgia, the electrical system in my 2022 Tesla Model 3 lost power and the electric door releases stopped functioning. The vehicle interior caught fire and I was trapped inside. I was unaware of the location of the hidden mechanical emergency door release because it is not visibly labeled, not explained upon delivery, and not intuitive in an emergency. I was forced to climb to the back seat and break the rear passenger window with my legs to escape while the interior was burning. I suffered a broken hip, broken arm, and later required a full hip replacement. The mechanical emergency door release was concealed and unlabeled, resulting in entrapment during a fire, which is a violation of FMVSS 206 and presents a continuing and life-threatening safety hazard to all drivers and passengers. …

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, abnormal crackling and bubbling sounds were heard coming from underneath the rear seat. While driving later, an electrical arcing sound emanated from the same area. While at a local charging station, the contact discovered that the battery failed to charge when connected to a high-voltage charger; however, the battery could still be charged at the contact's residence using a 110-volt charger. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer, who was unable to identify the problem, and no service was performed. The vehicle was driven back to the charging station, but the high-voltage charging failure persisted. The vehicle was then towed to a local service center, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the high-voltage battery required replacement. …

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the "Full Self-Driving Beta" allowed the vehicle to drive unsafe. The contact stated that while in the left lane going straight through an intersection, while in a turn only lane, the vehicle inadvertently launched 45 degrees into the right lane and almost caused an accident. No warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and performed an Over the Air (OTA) software update; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had performed as designed. The contact stated that he disengaged the Full Self-Driving Beta. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 31,945.

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH with the self-driving assist feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The contact stated that the failure occurred approximately 6-10 times within 7 hours. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred 4 times within 4 hours while driving with self-driving assist and auto-steer mode the following day. The contact notified a Tesla Service Center who informed him to submit a service request online. The contact submitted a service request online and later received a remote diagnostic test report stating that no hardware issues were found and the vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,200.

Our car was parked in our garage for two days before August 25, 2024 not plugged in for charging and was clear of issues. On the morning of August 25, 2024 we woke up to the smell of smoke and evacuated our house as the source was coming from our Tesla in the garage. This incident burned our home and took 6 of our cats with it. We filed with insurance and they are reporting that they are not liable for the accident. They did not bother to show up to the joint investigation and paid the bare minimum for the market price of the vehicle. The company has been slow in responding and has shown zero remorse or care of the matter. Fire department pinned it as a 99.9% probability of cause that the front battery of the Tesla triggered the fire.

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while operating the vehicle in "Self-Driving" mode, the error message "Camera Malfunction" was displayed. During the failure the vehicle drove through red lights and erroneously steered the vehicle off the road and into the wrong lane. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the main computer was faulty and needed to be replaced. The computer was replaced but the failure persisted. No further information was available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,000.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Electrical complaints in other Model 3 years