2021 Tesla Model 3 steering problems
26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the steering on the 2021 Tesla Model 3 — 4% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“My steering suddenly got extremely stiff on the highway while driving. There was a warning that assist will be reduced but no assist was present. I had to use all my strength to turn the steering and pulled into a parking lot with great difficulty. Then I reset the main computer and the power…”
filed Jul 8, 2026
“After Tesla replaced my high voltage battery in May of 2024 all of the following started to happen. Prior to the replacement none of these issues were present. While driving under normal conditions, my 2021 Tesla suddenly and violently steered into an oncoming lane or toward the roadside without…”
filed Dec 19, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as…Campaign 23V085000 · Feb 15, 2023
- "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software…Campaign 22V037000 · Jan 27, 2022
Steering problems in other Model 3 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Model 3 | 4 | 19% |
| 2025 Model 3 | 25 | 22% |
| 2024 Model 3 | 36 | 17% |
| 2023 Model 3 | 87 | 21% |
| 2022 Model 3 | 36 | 5% |
| 2020 Model 3 | 46 | 10% |
| 2019 Model 3 | 52 | 8% |
| 2018 Model 3 | 80 | 8% |
| 2017 Model 3 | 1 | 4% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2021 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.