2018 Tesla MODEL 3

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Tesla MODEL 3 has 1649 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 20.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is driver assist/cameras problems (14% of all complaints), specifically: 2018 tesla model 3. consumer writes in regard to safety issue with backup camera. camera will stop displaying image while vehicle is reversing. *as *js. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 164 crash reports 58 injuries

1649

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

20.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

235 complaints

14%

• 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO SAFETY ISSUE WITH BACKUP CAMERA. CAMERA WILL STOP DISPLAYING IMAGE WHILE VEHICLE IS REVERSING. *AS *JS
• THREE SEPARATE PROBLEMS: (1) REAR CAMERA GOES BLACK WHEN BACKING UP. (2) FORWARD FACING CAMERA GIVES ERROR ON SCREEN "DRIVING VISUALIZATION TEMPORARILY DEGRADED" WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS ON ROAD AND FREEWAY. (3) SCREEN BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE TO INPUT. MAP DISPLAY WAS WORKING. FOLLOWING SOF
• THREE SEPARATE PROBLEMS: (1) REAR CAMERA GOES BLACK WHEN BACKING UP. (2) FORWARD FACING CAMERA GIVES ERROR ON SCREEN "DRIVING VISUALIZATION TEMPORARILY DEGRADED" WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS ON ROAD AND FREEWAY. (3) SCREEN BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE TO INPUT. MAP DISPLAY WAS WORKING. FOLLOWING SOF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 41 crashes

“2018 TESLA MODEL 3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO SAFETY ISSUE WITH BACKUP CAMERA. CAMERA WILL STOP DISPLAYING IMAGE WHILE VEHICLE IS REVERSING. *AS *JS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

218 complaints

13%

• UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. ISSUE DESCRIPTION: ISSUE OCCURRED ON 05/04/18 AT APPROX. 11:52 AM WHILE TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT OF A GROCERY STORE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARKING SPACE POSITION WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. THE
• HERE IS A VIDEO THAT HAS JUST BEEN UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=4GUHSMIPIQ4 THIS OWNER THINKS IT IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO JAM SOME FRUIT IN THE STEERING WHEEL TO ELIMINATE THE "HOLD STEERING WHEEL" NAGS. HE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A COMPLETE IDIOT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT HE HAS BE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY ON ITS OWN WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO PART OF A STORE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 41 crashes

“UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. ISSUE DESCRIPTION: ISSUE OCCURRED ON 05/04/18 AT APPROX. 11:52 AM WHILE TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT OF A GROCERY STORE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARKING SPACE POSITION WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

171 complaints

10%

• HERE IS A VIDEO THAT HAS JUST BEEN UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=4GUHSMIPIQ4 THIS OWNER THINKS IT IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO JAM SOME FRUIT IN THE STEERING WHEEL TO ELIMINATE THE "HOLD STEERING WHEEL" NAGS. HE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A COMPLETE IDIOT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT HE HAS BE
• WHOSE CRIMINAL LIABILITY IS THE INDEPENDENT GUIDE? SELF-DRIVING CARS MUST BE BANNED FOR LEGAL REASONS WITHOUT PERSONAL LIABILITY.
• SAFETY ISSUE WITH REAR DOORS. REAR PASSENGERS AND SPECIALLY CHILDREN WHO ARE UNABLE TO EXIT THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAN BECOME TRAPPED IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE OR MAJOR COLLISION THAT DISABLES THE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE DOORS. FRONT DOORS ARE EQUIPPED WITH EMERGENCY RELEASE LATCH HOWEVER, RE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 21 crashes

“HERE IS A VIDEO THAT HAS JUST BEEN UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=4GUHSMIPIQ4 THIS OWNER THINKS IT IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO JAM SOME FRUIT IN THE STEERING WHEEL TO ELIMINATE THE "HOLD STEERING WHEEL" NAGS. HE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A COMPLETE IDIOT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT HE HAS BE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

169 complaints

10%

• I WAS AT A STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS REAR-ENDED CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT, CAUSING MY CAR TO BE PUSHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AT THE RED LIGHT. I REMEMBER MY ABDOMEN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL AND COMPLAINING OF STOMACH DISCOMFORT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT (I'VE SINCE GOTTEN X-RAYS AND
• SEAT HEADREST BUBBLING AND HAVING OOZING STUFF. LOOKS LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. YESTERDAY I WENT AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE AND THEN I FIND IN MANY ONLINE FORUMS PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS. AND FOR SOME PEOPLE THEY GAVE A FREE REPLACEMENT. CHARGED ME $330 F
• OVER 5000 MILES OF DRIVING, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF VIBRATION AND BUFFETING IN CAR AT ANY SPEED OVER 45MPH. TESLA SERVICE HAS HAD EIGHT OPPORTUNITIES TO RESOLVE THIS, TO NO AVAIL. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TO ELIMINATE THIS AS A POSSIBILITY, AND THE WHEELS CHECKED FOR RUNOUT - ALL MEASUR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I WAS AT A STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS REAR-ENDED CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT, CAUSING MY CAR TO BE PUSHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AT THE RED LIGHT. I REMEMBER MY ABDOMEN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL AND COMPLAINING OF STOMACH DISCOMFORT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT (I'VE SINCE GOTTEN X-RAYS AND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

166 complaints

10%

• I HAVE NOTIFIED TESLA SEVERAL TIMES THAT MY VEHICLE SHUTS OFF ON ITS OWN. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE TESLA SERVICE CENTER TWICE WHERE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS A "FIRMWARE" ISSUE AND WILL BE RESOLVED WITH AN OVER THE AIR UPDATE. HOWEVER THERE IS NO TIMEFRAME ON WHEN THIS UPDATE WILL HAPPEN. THIS M
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE MAIN 15 INCH SCREEN COMMAND CENTER WAS BLACK AND NONE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TESLA (50 OGDEN AVE, WESTMONT, IL 60559) TO BE DIAGNOSED SIX TIMES, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FA
• THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. BUT WOULDN'T MOVE TO GEAR (DRIVE OR REVERSE). IT WAS GIVING THE MESSAGE "CANNOT MAINTAIN VEHICLE POWER". HAD I LOST THE POWER WHILE DRIVING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 14 crashes

“I HAVE NOTIFIED TESLA SEVERAL TIMES THAT MY VEHICLE SHUTS OFF ON ITS OWN. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE TESLA SERVICE CENTER TWICE WHERE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS A "FIRMWARE" ISSUE AND WILL BE RESOLVED WITH AN OVER THE AIR UPDATE. HOWEVER THERE IS NO TIMEFRAME ON WHEN THIS UPDATE WILL HAPPEN. THIS M”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1649 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO SAFETY ISSUE WITH BACKUP CAMERA. CAMERA WILL STOP DISPLAYING IMAGE WHILE VEHICLE IS REVERSING. *AS *JS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. ISSUE DESCRIPTION: ISSUE OCCURRED ON 05/04/18 AT APPROX. 11:52 AM WHILE TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT OF A GROCERY STORE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARKING SPACE POSITION WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: HERE IS A VIDEO THAT HAS JUST BEEN UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=4GUHSMIPIQ4 THIS OWNER THINKS IT IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO JAM SOME FRUIT IN THE STEERING WHEEL TO ELIMINATE THE "HOLD STEERING WHEEL" NAGS. HE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A COMPLETE IDIOT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT HE HAS BE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: I WAS AT A STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS REAR-ENDED CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT, CAUSING MY CAR TO BE PUSHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AT THE RED LIGHT. I REMEMBER MY ABDOMEN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL AND COMPLAINING OF STOMACH DISCOMFORT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT (I'VE SINCE GOTTEN X-RAYS AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)