2023 Tesla Model 3 problems & reliability
413 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Tesla Model 3, alongside 11 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
36 complaints report injuries (49 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2023 Tesla Model 3 vehicles were involved in 22 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 171 | 41% |
| Steering | 85 | 21% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 67 | 16% |
| Unknown OR Other | 56 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 51 | 12% |
| Service Brakes | 51 | 12% |
| Lane Departure | 27 | 7% |
| Structure | 22 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 18 | 4% |
| Suspension | 18 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 5,000 miles (middle 50% between 2,725 and 23,000 miles), based on 33 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Whilst driving on highways which feature multiple speed limits - eg. 70 cars, 65 Trucks, 60 Buses. If full self driving more or when in adaptive cruise control - the car systems fail to recognize the restriction linked to the lower speed limits. As a result, you can be driving on Full Self Drive at 75mpm, the car sees…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Aug 4, 2026
“The steering rack in my 2023 Tesla Model 3 is defective and I can show it for inspection. 1.5 years ago it failed and the torque sensor in the rack is showing that there is a constant demand (even when parked and my hands off the wheel) to turn the wheel to the right that you can see in the cars diagnostics menu. I…”
Steering · filed Jul 16, 2026
“i was using FSD and my vehicle braked suddenly, with nothing in front of me, on the highway going over 50mph with a car close behind. the car to my right was swerving into my lane, so it was trying to help, but my vehicle should have veered left - not brake hard in the fast lane.”
Unknown OR Other · filed Jul 9, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Lower Lateral Link detachment
Preliminary Evaluation PE26006 · opened Jul 29, 2026 · open
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
Engineering Analysis EA26002 · opened Mar 18, 2026 · open
- Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged
Preliminary Evaluation PE25012 · opened Oct 7, 2025 · open
- Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting Requirements
Audit Query AQ25002 · opened Aug 20, 2025 · open
- Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.
Preliminary Evaluation PE24033 · opened Jan 6, 2025 · closed Apr 3, 2026
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
Preliminary Evaluation PE24031 · opened Oct 17, 2024 · closed Mar 18, 2026
- Recall 23V838 Remedy Effectiveness
Recall Query RQ24009 · opened Apr 25, 2024 · open
- Loss of steering control
Engineering Analysis EA24001 · opened Feb 1, 2024 · closed Jun 25, 2026 · led to recall 25V092
Technical service bulletins
76 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2023 Tesla Model 3. The 10 most recent:
On certain Model 3 vehicles, brake lines may be corroded beyond acceptable limits, which may result in loss of brake fluid. Loss of brake fluid will result in a customer facing alert if the fluid reaches the…
SB-26-33-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 8, 2026
On certain Model 3 vehicles, brake lines may be corroded beyond acceptable limits, which may result in loss of brake fluid. Loss of brake fluid will result in a customer facing alert if the fluid reaches the…
SB-26-33-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 11, 2026
A firmware diagnosis feature is being introduced on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that monitors wheel alignment over time. This feature detects changes in wheel alignment that may be related to incorrect tire pressures…
SB-25-31-004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 24, 2025
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
fsd-12-5-4-1_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
fsd-12-5-4_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
fsd-12-5-3_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
2024.38_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
2024.26.9_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
fsd-12-5-4-1_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
Tesla does not provide physical owner's manual copies. Instead, all available owner’s manual content is integrated into the vehicle software, and only the content relevant for a given vehicle, based on vehicle…
fsd-12-5-4_s3xy.pdf · Over The Air · issued Sep 30, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2023 Tesla Model 3 has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2023 Tesla Model 3?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 5,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.