Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2023 Tesla Model 3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the third floor of a parking garage, the vehicle suddenly accelerated to full speed unintendedly, and the steering wheel and the brake pedal were inoperable, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle crashed into a wall and crashed into the vehicle in front, and the vehicle stopped. No further information was available. No warning lights were illuminated. The front driver's side air bag deployed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A police report was filed. There was no injury sustained. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while decelerating to make a right turn, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the lane shift avoidance reduced, and power steering assist reduced warning messages displayed. The contact stated that she pulled into a parking lot and parked the vehicle and after 20 minutes restarted the vehicle and resumed to normal functions. The manufacturer Tesla was contacted and advised her to reboot the computer as well as make an appointment with the Tesla service center. The computer was rebooted however several days later while making a left turn the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver with no warning messages displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the power steering rack was replaced. …
On 09/11/2023 at approx. 6AM CST, my wife went to a nearby Walmart store for groceries. As she was parking the car in the parking space, the car started to accelerate by itself and went around the parking lot in random directions. She couldn't control the steering and brake despite the continuous tries. It was such a traumatic experience, and the car went on to hit couple of other parked cars and the cart return stations in the parking lot. After few seconds of random self-drive in multiple directions of parking lot, it finally came to a halt as it got on a curb that flattened the tires. By God's grace, the car stopped right before entering the main busy road due to flat tires and also no pedestrians at that time. Otherwise, the situation could have been worse as the car was going in an uncontrollable manner. …
The components that failed or malfunctioned include the braking system, steering system, and the airbag deployment mechanism. These critical systems experienced sudden and unexpected failures. Yes, the vehicle and its components are available for inspection upon request. -The sudden brake failure and steering wheel lock resulted in a complete loss of control over the vehicle. The inability to stop or steer the car properly led to it veering over the curb/grass area, posing a severe risk of collision. Additionally, the failure of the airbags to deploy during the impact further compromised my safety. This incident not only endangered my life but also posed a significant threat to the safety of other road users on Highway I676. -At this time, the problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. …
My dad was driving to work in the morning in the Tesla in the left lane of the freeway. Then the car started swerving on its own. He tried to regain control with the steering wheel but he couldn't control it. The car wouldn't turn when using the steering wheel and he was not using autopilot or lane assistance. He said it felt like the steering wheel and the car were not talking to each other. And the brakes weren't stopping the car at all and because he couldn't control the car it turned left into the divider and hit the divider and the car turn again to the right and automatically stopped in the middle of the second lane. The airbags deployed for the driver side. Thankfully there weren't any other cars on the road at the time so there aren't any injuries. But this crash could've caused serious injuries to him or other people. …
While making a right turn from a near-stopped position, the steering wheel became stuck or extremely difficult to turn. The vehicle initially turned right normally, but when I attempted to steer back left/counterclockwise to complete the turn and straighten the vehicle, the steering wheel did not respond as expected. This caused the vehicle to continue in the wrong direction and resulted in a collision. I believe the electronic power steering assist system malfunctioned or failed. My concern is that the power steering assist experienced an overstress condition, causing a loss of power steering assist after the vehicle almost reached a stop and then accelerated again. This put my safety and the safety of others at risk because I was unable to steer the vehicle as intended during a low-speed turning maneuver.
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model-3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently drifted into the left and right lanes. The contact then stated that while attempting to make a left or right turn, there was a clicking sound in the steering wheel. The contact also stated that the steering wheel failed to align with the front wheels. As a result, the vehicle failed to drive straightforward. the contact was concerned for his safety while operating the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering rack failed and need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,387.
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, and it became difficult to steer the vehicle. The contact stated the vehicle failed to respond while the brake pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle shuddered and almost caused the vehicle to crash against a guard rail. The contact stated that the auto steer avoided the rail but caused the vehicle to spin out. A Police report was filed but was not available. There were no injuries sustained. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
On May 22, 2023 I had an annual physical exam at the doctor's office at 9:00 am. Upon completion of the visit, I drove my model 3 from the parking spot (3rd level) towards the ground floor. At the final turn, at the ground floor, I felt that the car had an unusual resistance when I tried to navigate the turn. The steering wheel felt as if it were locked. As a result of not being able to turn the steering wheel, I hit seven cars that were parked at the ground floor and incurred substantial damage. The car is totaled unfortunately. I am hoping that the NHTSA may have a way to analyze the true cause of this accident before they send the car to the salvage market.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Steering Wheel. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Single vehicle accident. Driver suffered injury. No other person or vehicle was involved. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Don't Know. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? In progress. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No indications were visible.
Related recalls
Steering › Electric power assist system
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating software prior to 2023.38.4. The printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist may experience an overstress condition, causing a loss of power steering assist when the vehicle reaches a stop and then accelerates again.
Remedy: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.
Steering › Automated/adaptive steering
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation.
Remedy: Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2023. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.
NHTSA investigations
Loss of steering control
On July 28, 2023, The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23-014) after receiving 12 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) reporting loss of steering control in model years (MY) 2023 Tesla Model 3 and Y vehicles.
Loss of steering control
On July 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23014) to investigate instances of loss of electronic power-assisted steering in MY 2023 Tesla Model 3 and MY 2023 Tesla Model Y vehicles manufactured by Tesla, Inc. The complaints allege a sudden and unexpected inability to turn the steering wheel or an increase in effort required to turn the steering wheel.
Steering complaints in other Model 3 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2023 Tesla Model 3?
NHTSA has 88 complaints about the steering of the 2023 Tesla Model 3, 21% of the model year's 428 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2023 Tesla Model 3 steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 25V-092 (electric power assist system, Feb 14, 2025); NHTSA recall 23V-085 (automated/adaptive steering, Feb 15, 2023). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2023 Tesla Model 3 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 3,000 miles, and 80% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 15 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.