no report yet
Exterior lighting: headlights
NewRisk. Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
2018 Tesla Model 3Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,039 owner complaints about the 2018 Tesla Model 3, most often about the forward collision avoidance. It is covered by 19 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-235 the manufacturer reports only 78% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 6, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Punkdali, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Tesla Model 3 has problems
1,039 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
204Forward collision avoidance27 crash/fire/injury
194Suspension12 crash/fire/injury
167Electrical system16 crash/fire/injury
144Air bags15 crash/fire/injury
105Seat belts1 crash/fire/injury
92Vehicle speed control31 crash/fire/injury
88Service brakes
85Steering
75Seats
32016 other systems55 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidance | 204 | 27 |
| Suspension | 194 | 12 |
| Electrical system | 167 | 16 |
| Air bags | 144 | 15 |
| Seat belts | 105 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 92 | 31 |
| Service brakes | 88 | 19 |
| Steering | 85 | 6 |
| Seats | 75 | 0 |
| 16 other systems | 320 | 55 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
19 recalls
2018 Tesla Model 3 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2026 Q2
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Risk. Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q2
Front: warning light/devices
Risk. A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q1
Electrical system: software
Risk. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.
Show 15 more recalls
repaired · 2025 Q4
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Risk. Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Driver monitoring: software
Risk. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as…
repaired · 2025 Q4
Suspension: critical fasteners
Risk. A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2025 Q1
Steering: automated/adaptive steering
Risk. FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a…
repaired · 2024 Q3
Rear/other: anchorage
Risk. An incorrectly reassembled seat belt anchor can impair the performance of the seat belt during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2024 Q4
Visibility: power window devices and controls
Risk. A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2024 Q1
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Risk. The driver may not know how fast the vehicle is traveling without the mph or km/h unit display, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q1
Electrical system: software
Risk. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2022 Q3
Back over prevention: display function
Risk. A delayed rearview camera image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Electrical system: software
Risk. Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q1
Electrical system: software
Risk. The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
repaired · 2022 Q2
Steering: automated/adaptive steering
Risk. Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q4
Sensing system: camera
Risk. A rearview camera that does not function reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2021 Q4
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking
Risk. Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Seat belts
Risk. An improperly attached fastener may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Tesla.
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
41 owners mentioned a cost$1,533median
Middle half: $1,248 – $2,000
Suspension
26 owners mentioned a cost$2,131median
Middle half: $1,525 – $3,000
Seat belts
17 owners mentioned a cost$650median
Middle half: $436 – $800
Electrical system
15 owners mentioned a cost$1,200median
Middle half: $1,000 – $1,994
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2018 vs. every other Model 3 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Model 3 median. How we score
'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2018 Tesla Model 3 safety ratings
2018 Tesla Model 3 4 DR AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 5 stars (6.6% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Standard
- Lane departure warning: Standard
15 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2018 Tesla Model 3, and the recalls they led to.
- Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting RequirementsOpen
- Sudden Unintended AccelerationNo recall
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Defect Petition Interlock RequestNo recall
- Sudden Unintended AccelerationOpen
- Autopilot System Driver ControlsLed to recall 23V-838
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsOpen
- Autopilot & First Responder ScenesNo recall
- Tesla Passenger PlayNo recall
- Unexpected Brake ActivationNo recall
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsNo recall
- Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.No recall
- Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engagedOpen
- Lower Lateral Link detachmentOpen
- Recall 23V838 Remedy EffectivenessOpen
In owners' words
What Model 3 owners report
Recent forward collision avoidance complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Following Tesla's over-the-air deployment of FSD 14.1 Lite, the HW3 Autopilot computer in my 2018 Tesla Model 3 failed. FSD / Autopilot worked normally before the update and stopped working immediately afterward. Tesla Service diagnosed the vehicle XXX and verified the alerts APP_W207, APP_W462,…
While driving, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own and began operating without my control. Despite my attempts to steer away from surrounding traffic, the vehicle continued to self‑propel, crossed the median, and entered oncoming lanes, resulting in a head‑on collision with another car.
Adaptive cruise control was on, i was driving on the highway, traffic was speeding up and slowing down, and the tesla was braking accordingly. I was paying attention to the road and noticed, all of a sudden, that the tesla was not braking as traffic in front of us slowed. I immediately slammed my…
Own a 2018 Model 3?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.