51 of the
726 complaints about the 2023 Tesla Model 3 are about the
electrical system — 7% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
5,300 miles.
The vehicle was purchased pre-owned directly from Tesla. On the day of pickup and five days later, while operating on Full Self-Driving (FSD), the vehicle phantom-braked abruptly and then dangerously accelerated through a solid red light into cross-traffic intersections. The driver had to forcefully override the vehicle to prevent a crash. Tesla Service Center was notified but dismissed the issue, performing only a camera recalibration and charging a fee. Following the service appointment, the red-light running behavior stopped, but the vehicle continues to suffer from aggressive, sudden phantom braking multiple times on every single trip, creating a severe and continuous risk of a rear-end collision on public highways.
NHTSA complaint #11745364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chicago, IL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING
Full Self Driving software runs a red light in complete disregard of traffic laws.
NHTSA complaint #11738201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Los Angeles, CACrash
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
During Autopilot, the vehicle failed to recognize the curve (or did not input enough turning to steering) and accelerated at the curve thinking it is a straight to almost have me crash into a guard rail. No symptoms. No side damage or collisions with others.
NHTSA complaint #11734368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vallejo, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I am reporting a serious safety incident involving a 2023 Tesla Model 3. On March 29 at approximately 5:00 PM, while driving on the freeway at about 65 mph, the right-side passenger door suddenly opened while the vehicle was in motion. The door had been fully closed and latched prior to driving. There was no impact, obstruction, or warning indicating that the door was not secure. The opening occurred unexpectedly during normal driving conditions, creating a significant safety risk. After the incident, Tesla was contacted and indicated that a diagnostic inspection would require a fee, and they suggested the possibility of prior modification or tampering but did not provide a confirmed cause. The vehicle was purchased from a used car dealership, and the incident raises concerns about a potential mechanical or electronic failure of the door latch system and the safety of the vehicle as sold.This issue poses a serious risk to occupants and other road users, particularly at highway speeds. I am requesting that this incident be reviewed as a potential safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11728177 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverside, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Door cannot be opened during power loss / emergency. I am a Tesla Model 3 owner in California. I discovered that the rear doors do not have a mechanical emergency release. Tesla service confirmed that my vehicle does not include any manual rear emergency door release system. This raises a serious safety concern because, in the event of a crash, fire, or 12V power failure, rear passengers—especially children or elderly occupants—may be unable to exit the vehicle. I request NHTSA to investigate whether the absence of a mechanical rear emergency release complies with FMVSS 206 and whether Tesla’s design poses a safety risk during emergency egress.
NHTSA complaint #11725482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ewa Beach, HI1 injured
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The rear doors intermittently will not unlock. Even after hitting the unlock button from menu or short or long press of the driver unlock button or from the app unlock button. The driver only unlock feature is disabled. I have video that would not upload. Snapshots of video included.
NHTSA complaint #11722702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Berwyn, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
An incident that occurred while Full Self-Driving (FSD) was engaged. During the drive, the vehicle unexpectedly steered toward the curb while making a right turn. I was actively monitoring the vehicle and immediately took control of the steering, but the vehicle still made contact with the curb. After the incident, the vehicle developed steering misalignment, vibration while driving, and abnormal noise, which suggests possible suspension or wheel damage. Since FSD was engaged at the time, I would appreciate it if Tesla could review the vehicle logs and investigate whether there was any system malfunction or unexpected behavior from the FSD system.
NHTSA complaint #11721846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 14,469 milesLong Beach, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving with the Autonomous Self Driving feature activated in rainy weather, the vehicle suddenly turned towards the left onto railroad tracks. The contact regained control of the vehicle and was able to drive off the railroad tracks. The tires and rims were damaged due to the failure. The vehicle was taken for repairs, and the tires and rims were replaced, and an alignment was scheduled to be performed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 14,469.
NHTSA complaint #11716718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Monterey Park, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
There is NO mechanism to unlock the rear passenger doors in case of electrical failure. No Emergency mechanical door opening in case of emergency. Passengers will NOT be able to get out of the LOCKED vehicle during an emergency (i.e. crash, battery fire, submerged in water, etc). This is an EXTREMELY IMMINENT DANGER for small kids who are sitting in car seats, since it will take even longer to release them from their straps in order to get out. The small rear windows are useless for escape. THIS FLAW DESIGN HAS ALREADY CAUSED DEATHS. Changes SHOULD BE MADE to enable emergence mechanical opening of the rear doors.
NHTSA complaint #11711027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hollywood, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
There's a problem with the airbags, and the steering wheel is hard to turn.
NHTSA complaint #11707074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Irving, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The blinkers do not respond to the change in blinkers when I initiate the blinker (right or left) by using the stalk. There has been numerous times that I fully pull down or push up the blinker stall and it would not engage the blinker but today I am reporting it because now I almost changed the lane after engaging the blinker but it didn’t happen
NHTSA complaint #11707201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bedford, MA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. During summer months the wireless charger does not work and heats up the phone to hazardous levels, when I take it to service while under warranty, they are saying its a known issue and want to charge customers for replacing charging pad 2. The suspension of the car is making sounds, Tesla wants me to pay labor charges for fixing it under warranty. The suspension issue happened in almost all the Tesla cars of my friends and neighbors.it needs to be a recall
NHTSA complaint #11698357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tustin, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On August 7th, 2025 at around 8 AM in the morning, my vehicles mobile phone car key was in-operable and I was unable to get in the car which led me to trouble shoot how to fix this issue with the car. Upon researching I was directed by Tesla to directly complete a soft reset of the vehicle holding down both buttons on the vehicle once I was inside, and pushing on the brake pedal. Upon completion, my vehicle booted up and I realized that all camera systems were down, my navigation systems were down, my safety features were down, my auto pilot, lane keeping assist and auto brake were down, sensors were down and I was no longer able to pre heat my battery to charge my vehicle due to issues with the navigation. I then took the vehicle to Tesla Service Center Irvine where a service advisor quoted me 2900 for a new ECU and Bolts and told me that I needed to replace my whole unit and that I was to cover the cost of the repair even though my vehicle is only 2 years of age and this failure is due to the quality control and software of the vehicle. I have been driving around a vehicle with absolutely no safety features whatsoever such as no cameras, sensors, auto braking, or full self driving due to this ECU failure and I fear for my safety and well being while driving this car.
NHTSA complaint #11694965 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10 milesSan Jose, CACrash
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting to drive(D), the front trunk opened inadvertently, blocking the visibility of the roadway. The contact stated that the failure had recurred several times upon shifting to drive(D), which required the contact to exit the vehicle and manually close the trunk. The vehicle was taken to a Tesla service center and to Tesla Service Sunnyvale(680 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA 94087), where unknown repairs were performed several times; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to reverse out of the garage, the contact was unaware that the garage door was closed, and the vehicle hit the garage door. The contact did not recall whether the rearview camera activated; however, the contact stated that the rearview camera pedestrian warning alert failed to engage prior to the incident. The contact stated that the garage door and the rear end of the vehicle were damaged. The manufacturer was contacted through the Tesla mobile app and advised the contact to take the vehicle to a Tesla service center for service. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 10.
NHTSA complaint #11686613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 milesOrlando, FLCrash1 injured
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact's daughter owned a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving during rain at 60 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle as the vehicle spun in a circle at hit a highway wall barrier. The barrier wall was damaged as a result of the accident, and the contact was given a bill for $3,222.15. The air bags deployed upon impact. The contact did not seek medical attention but suffered from both back and head pains. A police report was filed. Due to the accident, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle remained in their possession. The contact wrote a letter to the manufacturer about the failure, but had yet to receive a response. The vehicle was deemed a total loss as a result of the accident. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
NHTSA complaint #11684448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Diego, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Rear seat safety restraint system fault
NHTSA complaint #11681752 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rosemead, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Documenting a sudden unintended acceleration experience. Today while driving and trying to stop for a red light, I lightly applied pressure on my brake pedal to brake for the red light. Midway through the braking, my car lunged forward for about half a second. Went through the dash cam footage, and I noticed that the footage skipped half a second as well. Seems like something electrical that caused the car to lunge. This is a huge safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11664745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tampa, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I charged a 2021 Apple Macbook Pro with factory charging cable from the front USB-C charging port in a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The laptop charged up to around 70% but ended prematurely due to a melted charging cable and usb-c port (the connections from the usb-c port that the cable plugs into, and the part of the cable itself (male end) was melted and so hot that it burned my finger. I brought it to Tesla Service and they said it's not covered under warranty and are charging $377 + tax to replace it. The manual does not state any limitations as to what can/cannot be connected to the usb-c port. This issue has also been reported on Reddit: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11638856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Any time I get into the car and immediately start driving before the car has time to catch up with what I am doing, the NHTSA mandated safety sounds played when the car is in reverse or drive does not play until the cars computer can catch up and begin playing the sounds. Most times this can take 3 seconds or so but today I had an incident where it took over 30 seconds before it would start playing. The same issue can be detected when restarting the infotainment screen by holding down both scroll wheels on the steering wheel. When doing this the car will cease playing the sound for around 5 seconds while the computer reboots.
NHTSA complaint #11634753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Montclair, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
If a Tesla software update fails it causes an APB version mismatch causing all safety features to become disabled until you schedule service for repairs. It is not covered outside of warranty even though it’s an issue caused by their update. If you google APB Version Mismatch, a lot of people have experienced it. Out of warranty repair is $2-3k for a computer replacement even though it was working fine before the update.
NHTSA complaint #11627183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
El Cerrito, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:CHARGING:PORT
Tesla, Part of charging port cover is melted.
NHTSA complaint #11623506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Moreno Valley, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Component or System Failed: The critical safety issue involves Tesla's door locking system, specifically the lack of a readily accessible and obvious manual door release in the rear seat. This design flaw could prevent any child or passenger from knowing how to open the door or escape in an emergency. Safety Risk: The absence of a clearly identifiable manual release mechanism for the rear doors creates a severe safety risk. In an emergency, such as a power failure or accident, a child or any rear-seat passenger may be trapped without an obvious way to exit, increasing the potential for injury or death. This is particularly concerning given two prior instances where the battery failed to charge, leaving the vehicle completely without power even while connected to a charger. Reproduction and Confirmation: Tesla refuses to address the issue, This is a critical fire hazard. Inspections Conducted: The vehicle has been inspected by Tesla service centers on at least two occasions to address charging and battery problems. However, the lack of an accessible rear door manual release remains unresolved and unaddressed. Warning Signs or Symptoms: There were no warning lamps or messages specifically related to the rear door safety issue. The charging and battery failure were preceded by warning messages indicating charging errors or reduced battery performance, which first appeared during the initial charging failure and notifications on the Tesla app. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request to verify the safety concerns and confirm the emergency safety issues with the rear door locks, charging, and battery systems.
NHTSA complaint #11614665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 28,000 milesMiami, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:AUTONOMOUS/SELF DRIVING
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at various speeds with the Adaptive Cruise Control or ADAS Self Driving feature activated, the vehicle would independently decelerate without warning. During the failure, there were no other vehicles or objects nearby. The Service Center was notified of the failure through the Tesla App. The contact was informed that since a time stamp could not be provided for each failure, the Technician could not determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet made aware of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
NHTSA complaint #11606800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 2,725 milesMarana, AZ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an alert chimed for several seconds before the infotainment screen went blank. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power, the A/C became inoperable, the windows failed to roll down, and the doors failed to open as needed. The contact attempted to reboot the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to respond immediately. The contact was very concerned about her and her grandson's safety while the vehicle was inoperable. The contact and her grandson were unable to exit the vehicle immediately in hot weather. Moments later, the vehicle inadvertently rebooted, and the contact was able to drive to the residence, where she and her grandson exited through the front driver's door. Upon checking the Tesla app, four error codes were displayed: VCFRONT_a592, VCFRONT_a191, DI_a174, and DI_a183. The dealer was made aware of the failure, and the vehicle was diagnosed through the Tesla App. The dealer determined that the high-voltage controller and relay needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,725.
NHTSA complaint #11598032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Miami, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
after heavy rain and some driving the Horn was not audible. wrong way driver almost hit me and the horn was useless to alert them
NHTSA complaint #11594373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Boulder, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V838000 (Electrical System) however, the instructions to do the recall repair were not accurate. While using the Tesla App, the Software version failed to display. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the instructions were not accurate to do the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool shows no open recall.
NHTSA complaint #11581314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Los Angeles, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car went forward when in reverse mode. After going to other modes (drive/neutral/park) and back to reverse, the car kept going forward. Reset the system and the issue persisted. Finally resolved after third restart. The car bumped up against the driveway gate because it wouldn’t reverse despite the dashboard clearly indicating being in reverse. Contacted Tesla, who examined the system remotely and said no issue was identified. This was the second time this issue occurred, and Tesla offered no fix.
NHTSA complaint #11579796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Beaufort, SCCrash
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Unintended acceleration after I tried to park take off before I can parked it violently crash into the wall.
NHTSA complaint #11577466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Lorenzo, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Went to tesla service and they told me its a 3rd party issue about the rear tint. The defroster was to hot for the tint to burn. I was worried about the tesla could cause fire because of the electrical heating element that could cause it.
NHTSA complaint #11571011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Memphis, TN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I turned into a parking lot across a gutter filled with ice from a snow plow and drug a block of ice under the car about 50 feet. When I stopped there was a blue fluid leaking out from under the car. I had the car towed to a collision repair shop. Estimated cost to repair $21,591.79. Damage seems excessive for a low speed collision.
NHTSA complaint #11569012 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.