2018 Tesla Model 3 seats problems
73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the seats on the 2018 Tesla Model 3 — 7% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2018 Tesla Model 3 Mileage at Incident: 45,000 miles Description of Safety Defect: A sudden and persistent "Safety Restraint System Fault" / "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" warning illuminated on the vehicle's primary touchscreen interface…”
filed Sep 16, 2026
“My Tesla Model 3 has a persistent RCM_a056 alert indicating a problem with the front passenger occupancy detection system. The unresolved fault affects the operation of the front passenger airbag system. I paid Tesla approximately $1,000 for a repair intended to resolve this problem. Tesla replaced…”
filed Aug 20, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Seats problems in other Model 3 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Model 3 | 1 | 1% |
| 2024 Model 3 | 2 | 1% |
| 2023 Model 3 | 9 | 2% |
| 2022 Model 3 | 9 | 1% |
| 2021 Model 3 | 6 | 1% |
| 2020 Model 3 | 23 | 5% |
| 2019 Model 3 | 47 | 8% |
| 2017 Model 3 | 6 | 23% |
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.