310 of the
7,584 complaints filed about the Tesla Model 3
are about the airbag system —
4% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2018.
My 2018 Tesla Model 3 displayed alert RCM_a056, “Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault.” The warning may affect correct detection of a passenger and operation of the passenger restraint/airbag system. Tesla quoted approximately $705 but has not identified the failed component or explained whether the condition is related to known front-seat wiring or occupant-classification failures. Tesla Repair Bulletin SB-21-17-005 recognizes that electrical harnesses in 2017–2019 Model 3 front seats can be damaged through repeated seat movement and trigger restraint-system alerts, although that bulletin specifically lists codes RCM_a021 and RCM_a022. I am reporting RCM_a056 because it affects the same general front-passenger safety-restraint system and appears to be reported by other early Model 3 owners. I am concerned that an occupant may not be properly classified or protected in a collision.
NHTSA complaint #11758611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My Tesla Model 3 has a persistent RCM_a056 alert indicating a problem with the front passenger occupancy detection system. The unresolved fault affects the operation of the front passenger airbag system. I paid Tesla approximately $1,000 for a repair intended to resolve this problem. Tesla replaced multiple components associated with the passenger seat/occupancy detection system, including the sensor, wiring, and other safety-system components. The repair did not resolve the problem. The RCM_a056 alert remained unchanged after the repair. I returned the vehicle to Tesla for further diagnosis. Tesla tested the individual components and documented that they found “no issues present,” but the RCM_a056 alert remained. Tesla then recommended replacing the entire passenger seat assembly at a cost of approximately $3,000. When I asked what diagnostic evidence indicated that the seat assembly was defective, I was told that they had no specific evidence that replacing the seat would resolve the problem. They were unable to identify a failed component and indicated that replacing the entire seat was the only remaining repair they could suggest. I am concerned that this represents an unresolved safety-system defect. I have already paid approximately $1,000 for a repair that did not resolve the fault, and Tesla is now recommending another $3,000 repair without identifying the cause of the failure. The vehicle remains unavailable for normal use because of the unresolved passenger restraint/airbag-system fault. I am requesting that NHTSA document and investigate this potential safety defect, particularly if other Tesla Model 3 vehicles are experiencing the same persistent occupancy-detection failure.
NHTSA complaint #11758370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Front Passenger Safety Restraint error This seems to be a faulty component on many Teslas and therefore is a design or manufacturing flaw. Several of my personal vehicles of different models and years have had the same issue so it's not just something that has worn out or been damaged by myself. As this involves the action of the airbag, it is an extreme safety concern and Tesla should recall this part and replace. Also, in attempting a critical safety repair, I had to drive for weeks without an airbag before they would fix.
NHTSA complaint #11756751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
To Whom It May Concern, I am logging a safety defect complaint regarding my 2019 Tesla Model 3, which displays active fault code RCM_a056 – Front passenger safety restraint system fault. This error deactivates the front passenger airbag and seatbelt pretensioners, creating an immediate, severe safety hazard. The Defect: The failure involves the Occupant Classification System (OCS) seat sensor and affects passengers in two ways: 1. Children (Current Stage): The fault triggers primarily when a child sits in the front seat. The degraded sensor mat cannot process lighter weight accurately, throwing an "implausible voltage" error that disables the airbag system. 2. Adults (Advanced Stage): online data shows this same code eventually locks out for adults due to internal wiring harness fraying or sensor circuit failure. Manufacturer Response: Tesla is aware of this fleet-wide defect and issued Service Bulletin SB-23-20-002 to address it. However, because my vehicle is out of warranty, Tesla refuses to cover this critical safety repair. Service centers are quoting owners $1,300 to $1,500+ out-of-pocket to fix an inherent manufacturing flaw in a federally mandated safety system. I urge the NHTSA to investigate the 2019 Tesla Model 3 OCS system and compel Tesla to issue a safety recall to fix this hazard at no cost to consumers. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11756690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle displays a critical 'Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault' warning on the dashboard, indicating that the airbag system may not function as designed in a crash. After googling the error code, it appears to be isolated to either frayed wiring harness under the seat or the faulty Occupant Classification System sensor. The issue occurred on June 11 and again on Aug 11 while driving the car. The warning appeared intermittently and I tried to "reset" the car computer. Tesla Service has diagnosed the issue as wiring harness failure/sensor failure and quoted $3000 for repairs, claiming it is out of warranty. This is a safety-critical system failure that poses a significant risk of injury or death to front-seat passengers due to potential airbag non-deployment. Given the high frequency of this specific failure across the Model 3 fleet, this appears to be a design or manufacturing defect rather than normal wear and tear. I am requesting an investigation into this safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11756374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I own a 2022 Tesla Model 3 that is just past the 5-year/60,000-mile warranty. I bought it used from Tesla inventory and picked up my vehicle on June 1st, 2026 with ~32,000 miles on the odometer. The front passenger safety restraint system alert (RCM2_a636) first appeared on June 5, 2026. On June 15 at 64,008 miles, Tesla Service confirmed the airbag alert and front passenger OCS issue. They found the occupant classification system module damaged and exposed, replaced it, and noted the passenger-side module shorting was also causing a driver-side error. Both cleared after the repair and test drive. Cost: $363.23. The same alert came back. On July 30 at 66,475 miles they found an open in the passenger seat cushion self-capacitance trace wire and the driver occupancy sensor voltage out of range. They replaced the front passenger seat cushion trim and the driver seat occupancy sensor. Alerts cleared and the self-driving button now worked from park again which never did prior showing the issue was never fixed the first time. Cost: $930.36. No crash or injury, but this is a real safety risk. The restraint system may not work as designed and airbags could fail to deploy properly. This exact RCM2_a636/OCS fault keeps happening to other Model 3 owners both before and after warranty on forums, and Tesla has service bulletins on the same parts, yet people still end up paying for the repairs who are out of warranty and also have their safety and life at risk. Please investigate this as this is a severe safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11754191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Front Passenger Safety Restraint System failed prematurely on my 2019 Tesla Model 3 at only 23,105 miles, triggering the alert 'Alerts - Seats - Front passenger safety restraint system issue/Service is required' and disabling passenger airbag functionality. Upon inspection, Tesla Service quoted $1,285.13 out-of-pocket to repair the system. While the root failure involves a $12 occupant occupancy sensor (Part #1099592-00-F), Tesla's mandatory service procedures require a full subsystem revision cascade to fix it. Specifically, under 'Replace Occupant Classification System (OCS) of Front Passenger Seat while Servicing Subcomponents' and 'Update Front Passenger Airbag to Maintain Compatibility with Front Passenger Seat,' Tesla requires replacing the right-hand seat harness assembly (Part #1489060-03-G) and the complete Front Passenger Airbag (Part #1077823-00-G) solely to maintain hardware compatibility with the revised sensor. Because Tesla redesigned subcomponent hardware without offering a backwards-compatible replacement sensor for earlier Model 3 production units, restoring a critical primary safety system creates an exorbitant financial barrier, forcing the vehicle to be operated with disabled airbags.
NHTSA complaint #11753364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Component/system: The front passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) in my 2018 Tesla Model 3. The vehicle is available for inspection on request. Description of the failure: The vehicle intermittently displays "Front passenger safety restraint system fault — service required]" on the center touchscreen. The alert first appeared on or about 4 years ago and has recurred approximately ~50 times since. The failure is strongly correlated with cabin temperature. It appears after the vehicle has been parked in direct sun in warm weather, and clears on its own once the cabin cools. It has not occurred in cooler ambient conditions. Safety risk: On this vehicle the front passenger seat uses a capacitive Occupant Classification System rather than a simple occupant-detection pad. The restraint control module uses OCS output to determine both whether the passenger airbag deploys and at what force. When the system faults, I have no way to know whether the passenger airbag is suppressed, will deploy at an inappropriate force for the occupant, or will deploy at all. This directly compromises frontal crash protection for anyone in that seat. I have been avoiding seating passengers there as a result. Inspection and confirmation: The vehicle is outside the basic warranty. Per Tesla's own service documentation, the passenger-side OCS sensor is not individually serviceable; the remedy requires replacing the seat cushion assembly and running a proprietary calibration routine that requires a cabin temperature near 68°F. The vehicle has not been inspected by police, insurance, or any independent shop. Prior warning symptoms: The touchscreen alert described above is the only symptom. There was no prior indication. There is no open recall for this condition on my VIN. Given the number of similar owner reports and the cost of the remedy, I believe many affected vehicles remain unrepaired and in service.
NHTSA complaint #11752890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Front passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) failed on its own, without accident, misuse, or modification, at low mileage. The fault disables proper airbag deployment logic for the front passenger seat. Tesla has issued multiple service bulletins acknowledging this as a known condition. **Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):** [XXX] **Model Year:** 2019 **Make:** Tesla **Model:** Model 3 **Mileage at time of failure:** Approximately 27,800 miles **Date of incident/failure:** XXX (date alert was first detected, per invoice) **Component:** Air Bags / Occupant Classification System (Front Passenger) **Crash involved:** No **Fire involved:** No **Injuries:** None **Number of injuries/fatalities:** 0 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11751877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am writing to report an accident involving my son who was driving Tesla 2024 Model-3 on July 18th 2026 approximately 10:15 AM EST. He was returning home from his volunteering with Emergency medical Service(EMS) when the vehicle's steering wheel suddenly froze. while attempting to maneuver the vehicle to safe location , it collided with a roadside barrier. fortunately , my son was not injured , but the vehicle sustained significant damage, including deployment of airbag and damage to front passenger side. this incident occurred at a speed of approximately 26 MPH
NHTSA complaint #11751698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle displayed a “Safety Restraint System Issue - Service Required” alert (fault codes RCM_a056 and RCM_a032). Tesla diagnosed an open circuit between the driver-side curtain airbag and the left airbag controller, requiring replacement of the left body harness. Tesla quoted approximately $1,800–$2,200 for the out-of-warranty repair. This is a known, recurring pattern — multiple other 2018 Tesla Model 3 owners report experiencing this identical fault at nearly the same mileage (~78,000 miles), suggesting a design or component wear issue rather than isolated damage, similar to a prior Tesla trunk-harness recall (NHTSA campaign 21V-00D) that also stemmed from a wiring/harness defect on this same vehicle. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether this represents a safety-defect trend warranting a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11750017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am getting an electrical fault which has disabled my front passenger seat airbags. They need to replace the wiring, which means they also now need to replace the passenger airbag itself because wiring has changed and the old airbag is not compatible with the new wiring. Replace Occupant Classification System (OCS) of Front Passenger Seat while Servicing Subcomponents Update Front Passenger Airbag to Maintain Compatibility with Front Passenger Seat I had this same error 4 months ago and it ended up shorting out the entire electrical system, which disabled autosteer and eventually completely disabled power steering which made the car unusable. Tesla service center called it a water intrusion problem and had to replace the entire front electrical harness system and steering rack costing $4500. Now the problem has resurfaced and I'm afraid I might lose power steering again which is extremely dangerous and could happen any time, in addition to my airbags potentially not deploying.
NHTSA complaint #11749648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the last 18 months I have had 8 service visits relating to electrical issues. In the last 30 months: - I had my car computer replaced after it shorted out, and then had to have it replaced again the next week. - I had the same taillight short out twice in a row. - I have had the 12V battery replaced three times. - I have had multiple low voltage controllers short out over multiple service visits. - The sound system has shorted out once as well. - One time, I was unable to shift to drive because a heater had shorted out. Now, I have to replace my right headlight and passenger airbag occupancy sensor due to shorts as well. The right headlight goes out intermittently and the passenger airbag alert fires sometimes. Tesla Corte Madera submitted a buyback request on my behalf after witnessing all these issues, but Tesla corporate denied it. I am sure the electrical issues will continue to affect the safety and drivability of my car. Thank you for your help.
NHTSA complaint #11749184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A fatal crash occurred involving a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The vehicle departed the roadway, impacted a guardrail, struck a utility pole on the driver’s side, rolled down an embankment, and came to rest upright. The crash resulted in catastrophic intrusion into the driver’s compartment and a fatal injury to the driver. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the crashworthiness and occupant protection performance of this vehicle, including the structural integrity of the occupant compartment, airbag deployment and effectiveness, and the performance of any advanced driver assistance systems, including collision warnings and automatic emergency braking. I am also requesting review and preservation of all available vehicle data, including Event Data Recorder (EDR) information, vehicle telemetry, driver assistance system status, warning notifications, braking data, steering data, and any other information recorded before and during the crash. At this time, I do not know whether a vehicle defect or system malfunction occurred. My concern is whether the vehicle’s safety systems and occupant protection systems functioned as intended and whether additional vehicle data may help determine if any safety-related issues contributed to the severity of the crash.
NHTSA complaint #11746034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
It was raining and my passenger got in the car (slightly damp). When he sat down, I reveived an error message on the screen saying "Front passenger safety restraint system issue". The airbag light is red indicating that it won't work for my passenger. You should be able to get into a car wet without your airbag no longer working. My understanding is that this is a common problem. Tesla wants > $1000 to replace the seat sensor + requires me to pay to have my airbag replaced so the part matches the sensor. According to Tesla Service Bulletin SB-23-20-002, the new style of seat sensor is strictly incompatible with the older style of airbag (known as a "Full Suppression" airbag). $182 (Diagnostic Fee) $475 (OCS Replacement) $318 (Airbag Update) + Labor + Tax The internet is full of reports of this issue. Just google "Front passenger safety restraint system issue". I do not have an invoice for the repair yet. Tesla's service center's first available appt is in 25 days. This means I have to go 25 days without a passenger in my front seat.
NHTSA complaint #11745079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have received a dashboard warning from Telsa that there is a “Front passenger safety relevant safety issue”. Upon follow-up with the Tesla service team, I’ve learned that the sensor has failed and since they can only replace it with a new and different type of sensor, they also need to replace the air bag. The initial cost was estimated at some $2,100. I bought the “2018” Tesla Model 3 in 2019. I’ve never had to replace an air bag in my some 40 years of owning a car. I hope this is helpful info for NHTSA to have. Please let me know if you have any questions.
NHTSA complaint #11743281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Our seatbelts and airbags required replacement as Tesla stated safety equipment on a Tesla is only guaranteed until 60,000 miles and after that they often need repairs. It was quite expensive. The seatbelts and airbags total cost was $1296.40 and already the Tesla says the front passenger airbag needs to be replaced again.
NHTSA complaint #11741863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The front passenger safety restraint system is triggering an on-screen warning error that says service is required. This puts my front passenger at risk of death in the event of an accident. I have sent the manufacturer (Tesla) a request for service and received a confirmation of the errors with a list of parts to be replaced for a sum of $1200.65. I understand there is a service bulletin for this issue (Bulletin SB-19-20-003), but Tesla still will not fix it for free even though it is a safety issue. In the estimate, Tesla listed the following components as failure points that need to be replaced: 1) FIRST ROW OCCUPANCY SENSOR(1099592-00-F) 2) FIRST ROW - SEAT BELT REMINDER SENSOR BOX CLIP(1130363-00-B) 3) FIRST ROW SEAT HARNESS ASSEMBLY - RIGHT HAND(1489060-03-G) 4) AIRBAG HARNESS RETAINING CLIP(1028053-00-A) 5) BOLT,EHS,M6X19,[88],ZN,SMAT,ADH. - KNEE AND PASSENGER AIRBAG BOLT(1116594-00-B) 6) BOLT RC M6-1.25x26(1036655-00-A) 7) PASSENGER AIRBAG(1077823-00-G) 8) BOLT,HF,M6X7,STL[88],ZN,SHLDR[8X18]. (1105061-00-E)
NHTSA complaint #11741704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My Tesla repeatedly displayed a “Passenger Safety Restraint” warning related to the front passenger restraint/airbag system. Tesla Service Center in Los Gatos, California attempted multiple repairs over several visits. The first repair identified a pinched and improperly routed passenger seat harness associated with the restraint system. Tesla stated the issue was repaired and tested. The warning later returned. Tesla then replaced the front right seat harness assembly and lap pretensioner. The warning later returned again. Tesla subsequently proposed and/or performed additional repairs involving the passenger airbag, Occupant Classification System (OCS), occupancy sensor components, and additional seat harness components at significant customer expense. Despite multiple repair attempts and approximately $2,100 in repair costs, the same safety restraint warning still exists today. Because this issue involves the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and occupant classification systems, I am concerned the passenger restraint system may not function properly during a collision.
NHTSA complaint #11739975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.