Complaint volume
587 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2019 Tesla Model 3 Complaints
587 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Tesla Model 3, grouped by component category.
587 Total complaints
58 Crash reports
5 Fire reports
19 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are forward collision avoidance, suspension, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 58 crash reports, 5 fire reports, 19 injury reports, and 3 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 134 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 21,753 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to forward collision avoidance, suspension, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2019 Tesla Model 3?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2019 Tesla Model 3
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2019 Tesla Model 3 complaints?
58 Crash
5 Fire
19 Injury
3 Fatality
47 Towed
15 Medical attention
What are the most common 2019 Tesla Model 3 complaint categories?
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 63
SUSPENSION 53
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 35
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE 26
LANE DEPARTURE 26
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24
AIR BAGS 20
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 18
STEERING 17
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 17
587 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Several times while driving highway Route 2 in Massachusetts, westbound and eastbound, the adaptive cruise control system slammed on the brakes for absolutely no reason. There was nothing in front of the car for 100 yards, sometimes longer. It happened at least 10 times within an hour. This caused a dangerous situation for myself and the cars behind me who were not expecting my vehicle to brake suddenly and for no reason. There have been many other cases of this submitted to the NHTSA, it is not an isolated problem. There were no warnings displayed during the phantom hard braking incidents. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Range is not true for 2019 P3D as it is advertised as 310, same for long range with same motor and same battery size, while performance has bigger wheels. I never got more than 220 range. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY,BACK OVER PREVENTION | The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V00D000 (Electrical System, Visibility, Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light, the rearview camera was inoperable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and scheduled two appointments for an associate to go to the contact's residence for the recall repair; however, the manufacturer canceled the appointments. The contact was instructed to use the side-view and rearview mirrors. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | going down the highway (I75) and at a certain exit north of Sarasota FL the car just randomly and unexpectedly brakes (phantom braking) No cars around, just straight highway Has happened several times in this spot and also other spots | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Consistent "phantom breaking" when autopilot is engaged. There is not an option for a regular cruise control, rather, Tesla activates an autopilot feature when the cruise is activated - the adaptive breaking is consistently applying the breaks when there is no reason. This is a safety issue as people following behind could hit my car when it tries to stop for no reason on a highway going 65-70 mph. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | when using cruise control the car will suddenly brake without warning and for no obvious reason. This happens with regular Cruise Control as well as Adaptive Cruise Control. It happens at low speeds (in town driving) and at Interstate speeds (65+mph). No warning lights or sounds. Most recently, today. Tesla has not been responsive to date. At higher speeds, there is a strong chance of either being rear ended or forcing the car behind me to take evasive action if they are too close which could result in an accident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Car has too many phantom braking issues while using autopilot and cruise | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Defrost "button" location moved with SW update. Window became fogged rapidly and I couldn't find button. Figuring out how to locate the button, even though I had read update notes about moving button, took several seconds causing me to focus on car touch screen rather than road much longer than it should. I missed my turn because of this and could have easily run a traffic control sign/signal or drifted out of my lane, but I am experienced enough to know to glance up from the screen frequently even while searching for button. I waited a couple months to file this complaint figuring I would just need to get used to the new button placement, but I am thoroughly convinced the button needs to have 1 touch access on the touch screen as it did before, not opening a separate climate menu. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Phantom breaking on highways when approaching an overpass during daytime. Abrupt breaking on 5 fwy from 65mph Limit to 45 mph Limit when it is 65mph Limit. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My Model 3 Tesla while in cruise control initiated braking while on a highway approaching an overpass. There was no obstruction on the road. I believe the cameras deduced the shadow of the overpass as an object and tried to stop. This incident has been termed ghost braking. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owned a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at 57 MPH during rainy weather conditions, when hitting a puddle the vehicle then drastically slowed down and fishtailed veering to the left. As a result, the contact crashed into the divider. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a AAA center where it was confirmed a total loss. The contact mentioned that the failure could be related to Phantom Braking. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,140. It was determined that there was no phantom braking at the time of the accident. Consumer stated he would like to withdraw the complaint. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 27,140 |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | I was driving on a straight local street going around 40mph when all of a sudden, the car baked hard without the presence of any other cars or obstacles. This may have happened several times already and I am now reading that other people had similar incidences. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I start noticing when you stop at stop light or traffic light and soon you start drive and before it’s get speed it’s break for second you feel and notice something stop for second and this start happening since last 10 days | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | AIR BAGS | The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the air bags deployed without impact. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was sent to the manufacturer who was investigating the failure however, no resolution had been made. The vehicle had not been repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 50,100. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,100 |
| Feb 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | This is related to the latest recall for Tesla unnecessary braking and acceleration on the highways . This happens to me a few times while I am on autopilot the car would suddenly break and accelerate right after . | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | Q: What component or system failed or malfunctioned... A: Summary: When using the car seat forward facing and in a configuration acceptable for forward facing as outline in the product manual, specifically when using the vehicle safety belt, the car seat harness can get tangled and interlocked with the vehicle safety belt, preventing the car seat harness from being tightened fully and also damaging the vehicles safety belt in the process. See attached images, videos, and transcript with Clek Support for more information. Q: ... and is it available for inspection upon request? A: Yes Q: How was the child’s safety put at risk? Had I not noticed the issue by checking the tightness of the harness on my child's shoulders, I could have incorrectly believed that my child was securely fastened in the car seat. An inattentive parent or one that doesn't frequently check the tightness of the shoulder straps, could believe, if they were to pull the harness tightening strap and it were to stop, that their child was secure when in fact the harness could be tangled with the vehicle safety belt and the child not being secured in the car seat. Additionally, over time the vehicle seat belt could become damaged enough to where it no longer can serve its purpose adequately in securing the car seat to the vehicle. Q: Has the car seat been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? A: Clek support has been contacted and all details were provided but they are claiming that there is no issue with the car seat despite confirming with them that the car seat is in an acceptable configuration for forward facing and with being able to repeatedly reproduce the issue. Additional: I have a video of the issue but its too large to submit. I have uploaded it to my youtube account for viewing. https://youtu.be/q7BVuGeBNqM The images submitted are those provided to Clek in the initial communication and the resulting conversation. The video best shows the issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My concern is regarding the backup cameras on the car. While backing up the drivers rely on the backup and side view cameras to be aware of surroundings. Currently the camera skips frames or freezes and are is no longer reliable making it dangerous to backup vehicle while relying on the screen. There are multiple forums with similar complaints yet the manufacture states there is no current fix for this problem. This issue has been going on for almost a year. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My radar-capable Tesla Model 3 is in the FSD beta program. As part of the program, Tesla disabled radar functionality. Unfortunately on vision the car brakes aggressively (10+ mph decrease) approximately one time per five miles on the local undivided highways of Central Oregon. This is not safe for me or for other drivers. I have contacted Tesla repeatedly to opt out of the FSD beta program and reenabled radar, but they have not responded. Customer service and service centers are not empowered to fix the situation. This situation puts me and other drivers at risk and could be easily remedied by Tesla by adding a process for FSD beta program removal. Clearly their current approach is not working. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While driving with autopilot engaged (adaptive cruise control + automatic braking) the vehicle abruptly slams on the brakes even when there is no vehicle or objects in its path. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Every time I am on a two lane road, and sometimes even on divided highways, I experience numerous instances where the car seems to think there is an imminent collision, where the brakes are immediately applied excessively and for seemingly no reason. This issue is present with either the FSD beta engaged or simply having cruise control engaged at all. The issue is far worse at night, and in a 1 hour drive it is likely to happen several times. In addition to the above, the car also forces the auto high beams back onto auto when re-engaging the system after I've had to take control to stop it from stopping or swerving unnecessarily. Since the auto high beams are really bad, the car often will flash oncoming drivers on its own, and again for seemingly no reason. I usually remember to disable it every time, but have also forgotten and flashed oncoming drivers due to this as well. In addition to the above, the FSD system will make swerves that make no sense at times as well. For instance, it turned into what it thought to be the turning lane a block early, but maintained speed for the actual intended turn. When it saw the lines ending, it abruptly made a 90 degree turn a block early as it didn't know what to do. While I feel competent enough to be MORE alert than an average driver should expect to be when driving, I feel it is a matter of time, if it hasn't already happened, where Teslas cause a rear end accident, injury, or even death, from their seemingly random and sudden movements by a driver that doesn't understand the limits of the cars. For the approximate date field below......it happens every time I drive on a two lane road, and even more so at night. It's not a one time instance. It's every single drive. I'll put the date the last time I drove longer than a couple miles from home, but want to emphasize that everything described above can be easily reproduced on every single drive. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Location: 5 Fwy North (Solana Beach area) Situation: 5pm Rush hour traffic. Speed 30- 40mph Incident: Emergency braking system engaged for no reason resulting in all 4 wheels locking up. Scared the s#!t out of me but no injury or accident. No warning lamps or messages before the incident. Outcome: Looked like an idiot to my fellow commuters. When I arrived home I turned off the feature and never used it again. No inspections. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Wiper don't work as expected on auto, and changing setting on the screen it's very dangerous in severe weather as you need to click the button, look to the screen while visibility almost zero and choose the speed while driving. This is very unsafe and almost I make accidents because of that. Solution is to let users change speed from steering scroll after hit the physical button on the indicators stick. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Two problems 1. vehicle breaks randomly on the road when on assisted driving is enabled on freeways 2. new vehicle steering makes creaking/ clicking noise when turning. reported to tesla and vehicle was repaired, but same issue again. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Since the last software update, it became twice as complicated to start the windshield defogger, because the button that was previously always on the screen, was relocated one level deeper and takes that much longer to keep our eyes off the road. This is unsafe. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | LANE DEPARTURE | Automatically activated Blind Spot camera system view is filled over 50% with glare from blinker while driving at night. This renders the driver safety feature unusable during nighttime driving and creates additional driver distraction with the bright light flashing on the vehicle display every time the turn signal is activated at all driving speeds. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |