Complaint volume
749 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
2022 Tesla Model 3 Complaints
749 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2022 Tesla Model 3, grouped by component category.
749 Total complaints
52 Crash reports
3 Fire reports
27 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, vehicle speed control,forward collision avoidance, service brakes,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 52 crash reports, 3 fire reports, 27 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 56 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 14,263 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to forward collision avoidance, vehicle speed control,forward collision avoidance, service brakes,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 2022 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.
2022 Tesla Model 3
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2022 Tesla Model 3 complaints?
52 Crash
3 Fire
27 Injury
1 Fatality
34 Towed
22 Medical attention
What are the most common 2022 Tesla Model 3 complaint categories?
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 262
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 76
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 72
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 48
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 35
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 14
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 14
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE 12
SERVICE BRAKES 11
749 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | We experienced the following phantom braking (vehicle braked without warning with no obstacles present) incidents while using cruise control: July 1 2:14 & 2:15 pm: from 74 to 55 mph 2:21 pm: 74 mph to 69 mph 2:34 pm: 74 mph to 60 mph 2:40pm: 74 mph to 60 mph July 2 11:08 am: 74mph to 63mph. A car had pulled up close behind us to prepare to pass on a heavily trafficked, two lane interstate highway . Our vehicle braked. The car behind almost rear-ended us. If I had not moved to the right onto the shoulder and the trailing vehicle had not swerved into the left lane (which was fortunately empty), it would have hit us. We reported these incidents to the Tesla service center on July 8 when we dropped off the car for another service issue. When we picked the car up they told us that they had adjusted the car's cameras. We have not tried using cruise control since then. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, an object struck the windshield. The contact became aware of little holes on the front windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was impact related and she had to pay out-of-pocket for the repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 200. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200 |
| Aug 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | First time interstate with new vehicle. Within first 100 miles of using cruise control at 80 MPH vehicle would suddenly phantom brake. Occurred twice within 50 mile span. Stopped using cruise, as we were almost rear ended. Attempted later in trip with no trailing vehicles; phantom braking occurred within 50 miles of using. Stopped using due to major safety concerns. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ENGINE | While driving, car just cut down in speed and prevented being driven faster than 50 mph. A yellow turtle appeared. Went to charge the vehicle. Vehicle wouldn't accept charging anymore. Manufacturer confirmed vehicle at fault and repaired under warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While using cruise control, for no apparent reason, the car rapidly slowed as if the brakes had been applied. This occurred multiple times before I stopped trying to use cruise control. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Multiple Phantom braking events with hard deceleration which nearly caused the car behind me to rear end my vehicle. Car suddenly braked and speed Was reduced from 72 mph to 55 mph before I could disengage the autopilot. At the time nearest vehicle In front of me was a over 1/2 mile away. Was traveling West bound around 0800 issue was severe enough that I did not trust reactivating the system until I reached my destination and could put the car in park. This was the second such episode in phantom braking in less than a week. The episode last week occurred as I was approaching a bridge and I am guessing the car mistook the shadow across the road as a vehicle | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH with cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The contact also stated there were no vehicles nearby. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Driving on a 2 lane highway on July 15, 2022, using Cruise Control. A tractor trailer was approaching me. The truck did not cross the center line. There was no concern of a potential problem. With no warning, The Tesla applied extremely hard braking. I had no idea for the reason, afterwards I thought that the motors failed & ceased. If the right brake did not grip as much as the left, the car would have been steered into the other lane into the path of the truck, death would most likely have resulted. The car also braked for side roads, not as intensely as when the truck was approaching. A Tesla rep was notified with a request for immediate repair. The Tesla Rep downplayed / minimized the issue and stated that the issue could be resolved in an update (with no time frame). I am in fear of using Cruise Control on 2 Lane roads. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | In autopilot the car would brake hard for no reason and road clear in front of vehicle | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Yesterday on a road trip my car repeatedly slammed on the brakes while in cruise control despite no vehicles or objects in the road in front of me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | A day of Phantom Braking today while the car was on adaptive cruise: -Going on the interstate up a hill, and on the crest it freaks out and slams on the brake -Going on MN Hwy 18 at 6:30 pm north, and dozens of phantom braking incidents in shadows, dark colored patches of road, and for random reasons. Got so bad I stopped using the feature | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The Auto-Pilot system, Tesla's version of adaptive cruise control, 'phantom' brakes with no obstruction in the road. It has happened to me many times on a recent long trip. perhaps a dozen times over 1300 miles. It has occurred when I am on the only car on a quiet country road and on busy highways. There appear to be 2 types of braking; one in which the brakes are actually engaged and the other in which is appears that Auto-Pilot just turns off and the system allows the regenerative braking to slow the car. At times it happens over slight dips or undulations in the road. On another occasion it happened when the car 'sees' a sharp shadow under an upcoming bridge in bright sunlight. Most of the time when approaching a bridge It does not phantom brake. However it did do this when approaching two consecutive bridges under identical lighting conditions. This all may be a function of using a camera based system for cruise control. I am making this report because I was to go on record in pointing out it is a very very big problem. I wish I had more real data to share with you. Tesla needs to cooperate with you to fix this immediately. It is a serious safety issue. Thank you. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Car is phantom breaking with cruise control set on the freeway. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The Autopilot feature regularly doing hard brake without good reason, and often happens without any warning. This is dangerous for everyone on the road and major liability hazard for the car owner. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I bought my car new from Tesla in March of 2022. I drove it off their lot in Minneapolis and was my way home back to Bismarck, ND. Within 10 miles of being on I-94 with basic cruise control on, the car suddenly and unexpectedly slammed on the brakes. I had the cruise set at 80 mph and the stop was so sudden that I went down to around 45 mph within a second or so. It happened a few more times within the next 20 miles or so, so I called the service number. The lady on the service team told me that I just needed to "recalibrate my cameras". So I pulled over and did what she said all to no avail. It continued so I just did not use cruise control. Over the next few months, every single time I would go on a highway and use basic cruise control - I would get the same thing and experience extremely dangerous "phantom braking". And each time I would call Tesla service and they would remote dial into my car and tell me the same thing: there is nothing we can see and nothing appears to be wrong. Essentially saying I'm imaging this all happening. At the end of June or beginning of July, I spoke with a Tier 2 tech and he asked me to be very specific if I could and next time it happens to log exactly when, where I was, etc. this happens next. On my way back from Denver it happened so frequently that I again turned off the cruise - but I did what he mentioned and I documented the exact times and whereabouts as requested. I submitted that info a few days ago - they just responded last evening saying again that nothing is wrong and "it is the drivers responsibility to stay aware and alert at all times". So I responded by saying nothing of this was ever disclosed as a known risk to me before I bought the car and the fact that you are now claiming that essentially nothing is wrong, you are therefore suggesting that this phantom braking is not a real issue. The concern with this answer is their apparent refusal acknowledgment suggests no fix is coming. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I have experienced multiple instances of what I see others seem to be referring to as Phantom Braking. The car will decelerate from 70 mph to 40 mph in seconds with absolutely no other vehicles, obstacles, etc. in sight. Typically the issue happens on 2 lane divided highways )2 lanes in each direction separated by a natural median) during the day time. Without any warning the car will rapidly decelerate using the brakes so aggressively the anti-lock brakes are being engaged as you can hear the tires skidding/squealing. The braking is so aggressive everything loose in the car flies forward including occupants. My typical reaction is to press down on the accelerator immediately to get back up to speed in case there is someone behind me. I picked up the car in March 2022 and experienced the issue in the first couple days. While a Tesla tech was at my house installing the Home Link system I inquired about the issue to which he responded its a known issue with no known resolution. I have continued to drive the car and at times need to turn off any speed control as I have dealt with multiple incidents in just a couple miles. The common item I have seen is when there is a glare/glimmer/mirage on the payment ahead. I took it in for service yesterday and they stated unless they can reproduce it, nothing can be done. I gave them the time and date of an event, they said they would pull the logs, yet nothing was done. They put a comment in the paperwork the system is only a BETA (see attached service document). This is a very serious issue which is likely going to cause a serious accident resulting in injury and/or death. I cannot even think what would happen if the roads are wet during a situation like this. The arrogance of the Tesla service team was unbelievable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | We have not yet had an accident but have come close due to phantom breaking when using the cruise control with our Tesla. We have reported the concern to Tesla as of 7/21/22 and were told to reset the computer but they have not been able to offer any other solutions. We are very concerned for our safety as we cannot reliability use our cruise control. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | When driving at highway speeds on open roads with light traffic with the adaptive cruise control ON the car would severely brake at random. I have seen this referred to a "Phantom Braking" in other reports. This happens several times an hour and the brakes are severely applied automatically, reducing the speed from 70-80mph to 40-50mph before I can intervene by stepping on the accelerator pedal. It is a frightening experience and can throw the driver and passengers up against the seat belts. This is a critical safety issue because it can result in a rear end accident if a car is following too closely. I have not taken the vehicle for inspection yet but I see there are many reports of this same problem on social media and the NTSB has already opened an investigation on this problem. The vehicle is only a few weeks old and it became noticeable during a long distance open road trip through the open highways in Utah, Idaho and Nevada. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Adaptive cruise control kept abruptly decelerating and/or braking whenever a car passed in the opposite direction on a two lane highway. It also sometimes did the same thing when going over a rolling hill. As the feature exists now, it is completely unusable on certain roads. There is a risk of a rear end collision if the car brakes for no reason when using adaptive cruise control. At the very least, there should be an option to disable the adaptive feature of cruise control when the system is unable to work properly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Phantom braking at highway speed nearly caused an accident. Happened several times over a 400 mile trip. Tesla's "Navigate on Autopilot" feature apparently confused other vehicles on the highway for hazards, and slammed on brakes, creating a collision risk for cars behind me. It also happened when the painted line on a highway ended and the road split. The car may have confused this for the road ending altogether, and it slammed on brakes while I was going at 65 mph. This is a new car (3 weeks old). | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | Ever since I have had this car.....Dec 2021; phantom breaking is a real problem. I am just driving along with out autopilot on, it will slam on the brakes and I nearly got rear-ended numerous times. This has happen so many times that it is very frustrating. I reported this to you back months ago and nothing has been done. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! WILL THIS EVER GET RESOLVED? [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | While driving on the highway with the "cruise control' on, the car automatically braked two times during my travels. No other cars were around me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | While using Tesla adaptive cruise control on the Ohio Turnpike on a sunny day, the brakes engaged , causing the vehicle to slow quickly. There were no obvious obstructions, other vehicles, road conditions, or formations that should have caused the system to brake. There was a large green and white reflective road sign along the right side of the road. I was able to press the accelerator and return to speed. If I hadn't been able to return the car to speed quickly, a large truck behind me would have had to brake hard to avoid a collision. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | SEAT BELTS,SEATS | When seat is wet or damp (from a wet water bottle or sweat), passenger restraint light comes on and system is confirmed to not work properly when that happens. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | May 29,2022, while I was parking in front of La Fittness in Escondido, Ca, I was in zero speed, adjusting my parking to make sure I was in right spot, suddenly car accelerated with unbelievable speed and struck the car located in the parking lane on the other side of my car which in turn struck another car and that car struck another car in front. I suspect the sudden unintended acceleration was due to a defect in the electronic system, thankfully no body got injured and the other cars involved in the accident were parked and unoccupied. I reported this problem on May 31, was promised Tesla will investigate the problems and report back to my within 3 to 4 weeks, after many follow up emails and phone calls, I have not received any response from Tesla, two cars was totaled and I am having nightmares since accident with no car, since we got solar to buy electric cars, nothing is available to buy right now. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |