Complaint volume
640 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
2021 Tesla Model 3 Complaints
640 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Tesla Model 3, grouped by component category.
640 Total complaints
43 Crash reports
5 Fire reports
16 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, service brakes,forward collision avoidance, vehicle speed control,forward collision avoidance. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 43 crash reports, 5 fire reports, 16 injury reports, and 3 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 42 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 18,076 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to forward collision avoidance, service brakes,forward collision avoidance, vehicle speed control,forward collision avoidance?
- 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 2021 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.
2021 Tesla Model 3
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Tesla Model 3 complaints?
43 Crash
5 Fire
16 Injury
3 Fatality
37 Towed
18 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Tesla Model 3 complaint categories?
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 198
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 57
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 53
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 40
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 32
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 18
VISIBILITY/WIPER 12
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 11
SERVICE BRAKES 10
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 10
640 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I was driving SB on N Gate Rd in Vacaville, approaching the gate for Travis AFB. There was traffic backed up at the gate and I put the car into Autopilot to negotiate the stop and go traffic. I had been in Autopilot for maybe 50 yards when the car suddenly accelerated on it's own and veered to the right. The brakes would not work to stop the car and the steering wheel would physically turn but it wasn't changing the direction of the car. The car veered off the road to the right and into a utility pole. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While driving with the Autopilot system engaged at 55 MPH, on a clear, sunny day, the vehicle applied the brakes and rapidly decelerated to 40 MPH before I could press the accelerator pedal to restore my set speed. There were no objects of any kind on the road. No hills or curves were involved. I was fortunate that no vehicle was closely following me or they might have run into me due to my unexpected and unnecessary brake application. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | When car was engaged in Autopilot the barking system was activated without warning or cause. The vehicle slowed rapidly and sudden. Had to disengage Autopilot to get vehicle back to safe driving speed. No others vehicles where in front or behind me and no obstructions were in the path of vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Driving in autopilot during daylight hours (8:30am) about 70mph the vehicle suddenly braked long and hard, tires screeched when there was nothing around me or in the road. It could have caused a serious accident if anyone was behind me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | This is a complaint about the unacceptable fire risk that affects all Teslas due to the dangerous battery chemistry and the vulnerability to impact damage that can trigger an instantaneous fire . The VIN of a random Tesla has been used. This problem affects every Tesla. Here is a video of a test conducted by a European testing authority which shows the Tesla igniting almost immediately after a deliberate crash that only caused a minor strike to the underside. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRDCKfCdh90 When NHTSA and many other testing authorities perform crash tests on Teslas they should do so with a fully charge battery that is warm from charging or from having being driven. This is a much more realistic scenario than using cold depleted batteries that are less prone to instant ignition. By comparison with a Tesla the Pinto was just a damp squib. And yet it was recalled and grounded. Please do the right thing before even more people get burned alive. Thank you | Crash: Yes Fire: Yes Towed | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | This is a complaint about Tesla using unqualified drivers to test Atopilot Beta on the public roads. Please note that the VIN of a random Model 3 Tesla has been used to enable this submission to be completed. Here is a video of a driver testing Autopilot on what is in his own words the most dangerous road in Virginia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VBhdrj1CqM He is driving hands free around sharp bends and against oncoming traffic entirely hands free but just giving the wheel a little nudge with his finger every 30 seconds to defeat the nag. At one point the car does swerve towards an oncoming car but corrects itself just in time. The driver is alert and monitoring the situation but because he does not have his hands on the wheel he is playing russian roulette with many lives. Please do not allow this madness to continue for one day longer. Elon Musk thinks this is all a joke which is why he has called it release 69. Smutty and unamusing. I will be posting a copy of this report on social media where it will be widely read. If you fail to take action there will be consequences. Thank you. I have archived this video in case the owner or Tesla decides to delete it. If that happens I will make another complaint with a link to my copy. A dummy USA address has been used to enable this submission. My true email address is used and you may contact me on this. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My Tesla will repeated and randomly brake strongly. This happens on regular streets and on the highway at speed. It’s not like slamming on the brakes with the wheels screeching. But a quick and strong deceleration and then it lets go. There has never been anything in front of me when this happens. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The screen keeps freezing while I’m driving. It freezes and after a while the screen shuts off and resets. The most dangerous situation was when while I was on the interstate between Barstow and Baker. The screen screen recently froze while driving on August 20th around 255pm | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | In Autopilot there has been a phantom braking problem (automatic emergency breaking due to object avoidance) since day one. It happened more than just regularly and would be uncalled for, scary, and dangerous. Ever since the update I have done that the company sent though, this has become now not just more than regularly but more than frequently and uncontrollably dangerous. It has done it around 30 times on a 9 and a half hour road trip. It has done a 20 mph slowdown from the speed limit FOR NO REASON in as fast as about two seconds frequently. The ONLY thing that has saved us from getting rear ended is due to driver diligence and pure luck of being on an open interstate because of the road trip instead of it being through the congested part of a city…where it still can happen easily. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | Unexpected acceleration while driving my car at about 20 mph and making a right turn the car suddenly accelerated. Using the brake immediately worked. This has happened a few times with my car. The sudden acceleration surprised my wife and she asked what happened. The car does not have Full Self Driving installed and Autopilot had been off for several miles. There were no warning messages or chimes. T | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Tesla Model 3 main computer system failure. Failure was not cause by any negligence by the operator. The vehicle was parked over night and upon attempting to operate the vehicle the following day there was no power to the screen. There were no warnings prior. The screen which displays vehicle speed, vehicle battery level, seatbelt warning indicators was inaccessible. Also as a result of the computer failure the vehicle did not emit the required pedestrian safety sound, the front and rear collision warnings were disabled, charging was not possible, the ability to disable passenger airbags in case of a child needing to be transported in the front was inaccessible, if the vehicle was operated during winter the ability to defrost the windshield would be impossible and all safety and security features were disabled. The screen/computer has been an issue for several owners as easily viewed by a simple google search. The vehicle is only a year and a half old and was purchased new. The issues that occurred from the defective computer could of easily have caused of an accident or a caused disabled pedestrian to have been hit. The computer was deemed the cause by Tesla’s service professionals. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | After updating to Tesla software 2022.20.6 (and 20.7 and 20.8) sometimes the regenerative braking fails to activate when lifting your foot off the go pedal. Sometimes the car just coasts at full speed, and sometimes it almost feels as if the car continues accelerating after the pedal is lifted. This obviously creates serious safety issues -- if you are expecting your car to brake after lifting your foot off the pedal and it doesn't, you risk slamming into the car in front of you. The brake pedal still works, but a feature of EVs is one pedal driving, which has been broken. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The Autopilot applies the brakes for no apparent reason, when there are no other vehicles in front of it, under good driving conditions; in clear daylight, on empty roads and on straight stretches of highway. My family could have been involved in a serious rear end collision, or caused other vehicles behind me to collide, if traffic was heavy at the time the system determined it needed to apply the brakes. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Heating failure in colder temperature climates, left with my heat completely not working during a 7 hour drive in 15 degree weather. Had to eventually get a tow truck. Went to tesla to get it looked at and they were trying to charge $250 for a diagnostic. I had this same exact issue a week after when I first purchased the car where the heat would not work in cold weather. Had three sensors replaced under warranty. After some miles the issue has came back with the same fault codes in the following winter. This is a disaster and if you’re stuck on the road, it can be a very lethal problem to occupants. Even in today’s heat wave, I have found that the AC does not work either linked to the same error as the heating portion where AC would fail to blow cool air into the cabin. Last week, I had to push all of my trips to days where the temperature was cooler. This is another safety hazard that some people could suffer from heat strokes which can cause immediate danger to occupants and other drivers on the road. I already had this issue repaired in the past, and after 25k miles I find that the repair wasn't a repair at all until the next winter and summer. Now i’m being forced to pay $250 for a diagnostic fee not including the repairs for the actual issue. Since i’m out of warranty this is a huge safety issue and should be taken more seriously with these cars. Many people have reported this same issue and are seeking lemon laws regarding this. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Had significant dangerous and scary Phantom breaking while driving on Highway 80 across Nevada. Seemed to be related to open highway with no vehicle visible on forward view during bright daylight. Sudden and deep breaking would occur at 75 mph or 80 mph repeatedly and with no apparent reason throughout the 12 hour drive. Was particularly pronounced when passing large semi-trucks. Would get sudden Phantom breaking just as Tesla would just get by a large truck. Could have caused serious event if another vehicle had been following. At first this just seemed inconvenient and unpredictable but in some cases seem like significant safety issue. Had to stop using system. Tried to report to Tesla but they have no way on their web site or private Tesla account to report. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle from her residence at 3 mph and attempting to turn to the left, but failed to turn. The contact stated the vehicle continued to go straight and ran into a chain link fence. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention but she was frightened. The contact attempted to straighten the vehicle by turning left again and drove into a railing. The contact stated the instrument cluster screen when blank after the second crash. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact towed the vehicle to local dealer and was being serviced at the moment of the call. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 12,297 | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 12,297 |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While driving the rear passenger driver side glass just shattered, this seems to be a issue with a lot of Tesla 3 models. The glass has a outward bulge, nothing hit the glass. Luckily this did not result in a crash, but could have. There are a lot of people that have reported this on the internet, this is a new 2021 model still under Warrenty and Tesla refuses to repair it under warranty even though a lot of them are having the same problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Car would slow down and suddenly using regenerative braking for no good reason while on Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (part of Autopilot) on very lightly traveled highways, mostly on I-80 in WY, UT, and NV. Incidents happened on 1 to 2% of every mile traveled. I have marked the date as July 3 below, but actually multiple (20 to 50 total) incidents occurred from 7/2 to 7/4, and 7/9 to 7/11. Incidents could occur whether Autosteer was engaged or not. No alarm sounded to indicate that a collision was imminent. If I didn't intervene, the car would sometimes recover almost immediately and slowed only 5 mph, but in other cases it would slow down by 20 mph within 2-3 sec before recovering. Speed limits were typically 75 to 80 mph; I was normally traveling around that speed. Although these highways have low traffic density, my biggest concern is that another car will rear-end mine if it's following too closely. My own observations: 1. The most frequent incident type seemed to occur when there were no vehicles ahead for 15 to 30 sec following distance. Prior to this, Traffic Visualization would sometimes show the next vehicle with uncertainty (flickering in and out or changing size) even though it doesn't normally show a vehicle outside of 4 to 6 sec following distance. Typically that vehicle was a semi-trailer and its appearance to myself (and probably to the cameras) changed due to lighting, details of the trailer, going over a hill, etc. 2. Less frequently, the car would slow down while passing a semi-trailer. Generally Autosteer was not engaged in these cases. 3. High crosswinds could be felt in many cases, but not all. 4. The system seemed much more reliable in areas with more traffic. I'm not sure, but I speculate is that the AI may start looking for vehicles where none exist if it can't easily see any. 5. When mentioned, 2 other Tesla drivers confirmed seeing similar behavior. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact owns a 2021 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving approximately 8 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated and jumped the curb. The contact depressed the brakes pedal to the floorboard; however, the vehicle continued to accelerate and crashed into a wall where the vehicle came to a stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The seat belt was on and the driver's air bag deployed, however, the contact head hit the windshield, and it shattered. The air bag was not covering the contacts face completely. The police arrived on the scene and filed a report. There were injuries to the contact's left wrist, neck, hip, and back, and a fracture to the right foot. The contact started receiving medical treatment the same day. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The damage was to the front of the vehicle. The contact stated her personal phone was connected to Tesla, and an inoperative alert message illuminated. The manufacturer notified the contact at the time of the accident. The approximate failure mileage was 13,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 13,000 |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | My Tesla slowed from 70 to 50 on the freeway in under two seconds for no apparent reason while on autopilot. There was a concrete barrier a few feet away on the shoulder, which I had been driving next to for about a quarter mile before the incident. There was no other traffic within 50 yards of me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The adaptive cruise control system consistently phantom brakes in situations where there is no traffic in front of the vehicle while cresting rolling hills. Sometimes this braking is relatively minor (<5 mph) while other times it is aggressive enough the passengers lurch forward. At the worst, this happened approximately 10 times in 30 miles while going the speed limit of 80mph. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Problems with phantom breaking while driving on the highways at speeds over 65mph. There will be no reason for breaking (I.e. the automatic breaking system picks up a truck driving on the opposite side of the road/direction and slams on the break aggressively) which can be a cause for a rear collision and whiplash for driver/passengers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I engaged the cruise control while driving on the highway. I let go of the accelerator and it correctly kept the speed I had requested. It warned me that the car would not break. As the car passed another car (probably a police cruiser) that was parked in the ditch separating the two directions of the highway, the car suddenly applied the breaks and decelerated substantially. A pickup truck towing a trailer that was driving behind us was forced to swerve onto the right shoulder to avoid rear-ending our car. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While driving in Highway, Interstate or Freeway with cruise control enabled with or without autopilot the car suddenly breaks for no reason. It is a clear phantom break. It happened many times in different occasions even on the I40 with no car around in the middle of the Desert. In a couple of times a big truck was following and I was almost rear ended because this. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Car breaks heavily without warning or cause. No cars in front view yet applies breaks like avoiding an accident. Almost caused me to get rear ended multiple times. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |