2020 Tesla Model 3 exterior lighting problems
14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the exterior lighting on the 2020 Tesla Model 3 — 3% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Suspension is grinding. I had it replaced once at Tesla and it began grinding again in less than 18 months. I took it to Tesla and was informed the lower control arm failed and the price had more than doubled from the prior replacement. No warning lights have come on regarding this issue. The…”
filed Aug 1, 2026
“The wiring in my trunk harness was severed due to the repeated opening and closing of my trunk. This caused my reverse lights to fail and my trunk latch to stop working. This issue is part of a known recall: Campaign 21V-00D. Tesla attempted to fix the issue in 2023 but the poor repair did not…”
filed Jun 27, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Exterior Lighting problems in other Model 3 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Model 3 | 6 | 5% |
| 2024 Model 3 | 26 | 13% |
| 2023 Model 3 | 1 | 0% |
| 2022 Model 3 | 6 | 1% |
| 2021 Model 3 | 8 | 1% |
| 2019 Model 3 | 6 | 1% |
| 2018 Model 3 | 16 | 2% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2020 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.