2018 Tesla Model 3 electrical system problems
167 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2018 Tesla Model 3 — 17% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“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…”
filed Jul 26, 2026
“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…”
filed Jul 13, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and…Campaign 24V051000 · Jan 30, 2024
- In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the…Campaign 23V838000 · Dec 12, 2023
- Unit of speed (mph or km/h) may fail to display on the speedometer while in Track ModeCampaign 22V263000 · Apr 18, 2022
Electrical System problems in other Model 3 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Model 3 | 19 | 17% |
| 2024 Model 3 | 42 | 20% |
| 2023 Model 3 | 51 | 12% |
| 2022 Model 3 | 56 | 7% |
| 2021 Model 3 | 76 | 12% |
| 2020 Model 3 | 40 | 9% |
| 2019 Model 3 | 91 | 15% |
| 2017 Model 3 | 2 | 8% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Tesla Model 3
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.