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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2019 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I WAS MOVING FORWARD AT ~15 MPH OVER A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS ON A CITY STREET WHEN BOTH ELECTRIC MOTORS STOPPED WORKING BRINGING US TO A HALT ON THE TRACKS. THE CAR WOULD NOT SWITCH INTO NEUTRAL TO ALLOW IT TO BE PUSHED OFF OF THE TRACKS NOR WOULD IT RELEASE THE BRAKES UNTIL PUT INTO TOW MODE WHICH REQUIRED 4-5 PEOPLE TO PUSH AT THAT POINT. THERE WERE NO STEPS DISPLAYED TO GET THE CAR INTO A MODE THAT WOULD ALLOW IT TO MOVE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,028 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | FRONT TRUNK UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. MADE A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION AND RECEIVED A WARNING MESSAGE SAYING THE TRUNK IS UNLATCHED. GOT OUT AND CHECKED, THE PRIMARY LATCH IS UNLATCHED AND THE SECONDARY LATCH IS ENGAGED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Aug 2019 | STRUCTURE | TESLA MODEL 3 THE MID AERO SHIELD WAS DAMAGED WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. TESLA HAD PREVIOUS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (SB-19-12-001) TO REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE MID AERO SHIELDS BUT IT APPEARS THE NEW PIECE IS AS SUSCEPTIBLE TO RAIN WATER DAMAGE AS THE ORIGIN PIECE. TESLA IS CHARGING ITS CUSTOMERS TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE MID AERO SHIELDS WHEN THESE DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE ORIGINAL MID AERO SHIELD PART NUMBER WAS 1104313-00-A. AFTER THE TSB, THE REPLACEMENT PART NUMBER IS 1104313-00-B. 1104313-00-B IS AS EQUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER AND RAIN DAMAGE AS THE ORIGINAL PART. THERE ARE OVER 2000K COMPLAINTS ON THE FOLLOWING FORUMS; FORUMS DETAILING AERO SHIELD DAMAGE IS RAIN. HTTPS://TESLAMOTORSCLUB.COM/TMC/THREADS/RIPPED-UNDERCARRIAGE-COMPOSITE-FROM-THE-RAIN.131903/PAGE-11 HTTPS://FORUMS.TESLA.COM/FORUM/FORUMS/UNDERCARRIAGE-COMPOSITE-TRAY-RIPPED HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/TESLAMOTORS/COMMENTS/BAVO7P/MODEL_3_HARD_PLASTIC_VERSION_OF_UNDERCARRIAGE/ HTTPS://TESLAOWNERSONLINE.COM/THREADS/FRONT-UNDERBODY-AERO-PIECE-CAME-OFF-ON-HIGHWAY.11820/ HTTPS://WWW.QUORA.COM/WILL-DRIVING-FAST-THROUGH-1-OR-2-INCHES-OF-WATER-DAMAGE-THE-UNDERCARRIAGE | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,110 |
| Aug 2019 | STEERING,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I AM MAKING THIS COMPLAINT IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THERE HAS BEEN A TESLA MODEL 3 CRASH IN RUSSIA. HTTPS://WWW.THESUN.CO.UK/NEWS/9700731/TESLA-CAR-EXPLODES-AUTOPILOT-FAILURE-DRIVER-TRUCK-RUSSIA/ IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER AUTOPILOT OR DRIVER DISTRACTION WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH THE BATTERIES LITERALLY EXPLODED. THIS IS AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE WORSE THAN THE MODEL S AND X FIRES. ** I HAVE USED THE VIN OF ANOTHER MODEL 3 WHICH IS IN A WRECKING YARD** THIS IS NOT DONE IN ANY FRAUDULENT WAY. IT IS DONE IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH YOUR WEBSITE DESIGN. IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE RUSSIAN OWNER TO NEGOTIATE YOUR SITE AND FILE A COMPLAINT SO I HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF FILING ON HIS BEHALF. | Crash: Yes Fire: Yes Injuries: 3 Towed Medical attention | 1,000 |
| Aug 2019 | STEERING,AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | MY CAR WAS FIVE WEEKS OLD. WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME ON MY COMMUTE I REALIZE THE SCREEN HAD FROZE, AND THEN SUDDENLY BLACKED OUT. I THOUGHT IT WAS A SOFTWARE UPDATE AS I AM A FAMILY THAT OWNS TESLA, BUT IT WASN'T BECAUSE SUDDENLY THE ABILITY TO STEER AND BREAK OR COMPROMISED AND THE CAR HAD SPED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION AS TO WHY. I REPORTED IT TO TESLA AND THE EARLIEST THEY COULD SET FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. WITHIN ONE WEEK OF THIS INCIDENT INITIALLY OCCURRING, THIS HAPPENED AGAIN DURING TRAFFIC AND MY CAR INSTEAD OF BREAKING, INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY AND SMASHED INTO A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD CONTACTED. TESLA LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT 95% OF MY COMMUTE IS ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS IN THE BAY AREA. I SAID THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS AND I REALLY THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED UP FASTER, I GOT ZERO RESPONSE. SO WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I COULD DO AND I ROLLED AND SPRAINED MY ANKLE VERY AGGRESSIVELY. NOT ONLY THAT BUT ALL OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE ENTIRE CAR MALFUNCTIONED EVEN THOUGH I WAS ABLE TO FOCUS THE BRUNT OF THE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT. UNFORTUNATELY ONE OF THE BACK WINDOWS DIDN'T OPEN NOR DID THE PASSENGER LOWER AIRBAG. THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BUT IF THERE WAS THAT WOULD HAVE NOT GONE OFF AND THAT'S NOT OK. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND THERE WERE NO UPDATES ON SOFTWARE THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN AND THE CAR WAS FIVE WEEKS OLD. TESLA HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH THEIR DATA AND I HAVE AN SSD THAT SHOWS MY CAR SHUT DOWN. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 3,500 |
| Jul 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | MY TESLA MODEL 3 JUST SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS I WAS TURNING RIGHT TRYING TO THE LOT TO PARK THE CAR. MY CAR HIT THE WALL AND THEN THE HAZARD LIGHT CAME ON. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 1,999 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | IN SUDDEN HEAVY RAIN ON BUSY HIGHWAY (I5), THE AUTO WIPERS WOULDN'T GO ON. TO SWITCH TO MANUAL OR CONTROL WIPERS MANUALLY REQUIRES DRIVER TO TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO MAKE 2 PRECISE SELECTIONS ON TOUCH SCREEN. IT WAS A BUMPY-ISH ROAD AND THIS REQUIRED ME TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR EVEN LONGER TO CLICK ON CORRECT WIPER MODE SELECTION. IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC TO LOSE VISIBILITY AND THEN HAVE TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD TO NAVIGATE A TOUCH SCREEN. THE REAL ISSUE IS THAT NAVIGATING THE TOUCH SCREEN IS LIKE USING A SMARTPHONE WHILE DRIVING AND SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED CRITICAL SAFETY FUNCTIONS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,300 |
| Jun 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL MODE AND A VEHICLE CROSSES MY TRAFFIC LANE FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO POSE NO HAZARD TO ME, MY CAR SLOWS VERY SUDDENLY. THIS SLOWING FOR NO APPARENT REASON PUTS ME IN DANGER OF BEING REAR-ENDED BY FOLLOWING TRAFFIC. A SIMILAR SLOW DOWN HAPPENS IF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME MAKES A RIGHT TURN ONTO A SIDE STREET AND MY CARS SLOWS DRAMATICALLY EVEN IF THERE IS NO REASON TO BRAKE; AGAIN CREATING A DANGER OF REAR END COLLISION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 950 |
| Jun 2019 | STRUCTURE | THIS IS FOR THE 2019 TESLA MODEL 3. PART NUMBER 1131205-00-C >PP-GF20< LOCATED IN THE FRUNK (FRONT TRUNK AREA) NEAR THE AIR INLET / 12VOLT BATTERY. I REMOVE THE SHROUD PART ABOVE THE ARE INLET AND BATTERY AND NOTICED THERE WAS PLAY (UP/DOWN) MOTION BY A PANEL FASTENER. UPON CLOSER OBSERVATION , I FOUND THE NOTED PART LISTED ABOVE PARTIAL BROKEN OFF HOLDING ON TO ONE OF THE VERY THIN ATTACHMENT POINTS. I BELIEVE THIS PART IS TO HOLE THE SHROUD MATING/FASTENING PART UP BY RESTING ON THE LOWER PART ASSEMBLY. AS YOU SEE IN THE IMAGES THIS IS A POOR DESIGN, WHICH SHOWS THREE VERY THIN SLIVERS OF MATERIAL JOINING TWO PARTS TOGETHER. PART #14 IN PARTS ASSEMBLY | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,700 |
| May 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, SECOND IN LINE. MY CAR LUNGED BACKWARDS HITTING THE CAR BEHIND ME. I HAD DONE NOTHING TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS SLIGHT DAMAGE TO MY REAR END AND THEIR FRONT END. MY NECK DID WHIPLASH. THERE WAS AN INFANT IN THE BACKSEAT WHO WAS INJURED IN THE OTHER CAR. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR WAS NOT INJURED. PLEASE CALL ME (XXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed | Unknown |
| May 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | HI, ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE: HTTPS://WWW.BUSINESSINSIDER.COM/TESLA-MODEL-S-CATCHES-FIRE-IN-SAN-FRANCISCO-GARAGE-2019-5 TESLA CEO ELON MUSK HAS SAID THE COMPANY'S VEHICLES ARE LESS LIKELY TO CATCH FIRE THAN GAS-POWERED ONES, BUT DATA FROM THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION SUGGESTS THE OPPOSITE.[XXX] HAS MADE A FRAUDULENT CLAIM. HE HAS COMMITTED A CRIME. WHAT IS NHTSA GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS SERIOUS ISSUE? I BELIEVE NHTSA HAS A FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION TO THE WORLD TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION IN A RIGHT WAY. I BELIEVE IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED, INCLUDING REQUIRING TESLA INC. TO DO A RECALL IF WARRANTED. I HOPE NHTSA WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING. I BELIEVE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS. THANKS. ALSO, PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TWO CONCERNING ARTICLES AND VIDEOS AS WELL: 1)HTTPS://KTLA.COM/2019/04/22/VIDEO-APPEARS-TO-SHOW-TESLA-EXPLODING-IN-SHANGHAI-PARKING-LOT-PROMPTING-INVESTIGATION/TESLA IS INVESTIGATING WHY A MODEL S APPEARED TO EXPLODE IN A SHANGHAI PARKING GARAGE 2)HTTPS://ABC7NEWS.COM/5283936/ TESLA MODEL S CATCHES FIRE IN SAN FRANCISCO GARAGE AREN'T THESE TWO RECENT EVENTS EXTREMELY CONCERNING? THANKS. IF YOU GUYS CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS SERIOUS ISSUE, CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH THE NAMES OF SOME GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP ME? REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR | Crash: No Fire: Yes | Unknown |
| Apr 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THREE TIMES WHEN DRIVING THE TESLA THE SCREEN STARTS FLASHING, THEN EITHER GOES BLACK OR FREEZES. THE TESLA'S SCREEN IS FOR NAVIGATION AND DRIVING SETTINGS. IT'S VERY SCARY TO DRIVE WITH A FROZEN SCREEN BECAUSE THE CAMERAS DON'T WORK: AND THE INTERACTION WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CAR IS UNKNOWN. WHEN I ASKED TESLA FOR A SERVICE REQUEST TO FIX IT, THEY SAID FIRMWARE WILL BE PUSHED TO THE CAR WHEN IT WAS DEVELOPED BUT GAVE NO TIMETABLE. THEY CANCELED MY SERVICE REQUEST. OTHER PEOPLE WITH MODEL 3S I KNOW DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR CARS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200 |