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World Of EVEditorial

2024 Tesla Model 3 problems & recalls

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering the 2024 Tesla Model 3 and owners have filed 218 complaints. The most-reported area is forward collision avoidance (49 complaints). 1 complaint describes a fire and 26 complaints describe a crash.

Recalls
5
Complaints
218
Crash reports
26
Fire reports
1
Injuries
19

Recalls (5)

Jul 7, 2026#26V445000

Structure › Body › Bumpers

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2026 Model Y and 2024 Model 3 vehicles. The vehicles were originally built for a foreign market and do not have knee air bags, may not be equipped with certain interior safety countermeasures, and may not have been tested for bumper impact resistance procedures. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers, 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact," and Part 581, "Bumper Standards."

Risk: A noncompliant vehicle may have reduced occupant protections, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: Tesla will repurchase noncompliant vehicles currently registered in the United States, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 5, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 or resolutions@tesla.com. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-00-004.

Jan 7, 2025#25V002000

Back over prevention › Software

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Model 3, Model S, 2023-2025 Model X, and Model Y vehicles. The computer circuit board may short, resulting in the loss of the rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Tesla will also identify any vehicles that experienced a circuit board failure, or stress that may lead to a circuit board failure, and replace the affected computers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-00-001.

Dec 17, 2024#24V935000Over-the-air fix

Tires › Pressure monitoring and regulating systems

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3, and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn the driver of low tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Risk: Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-018.

Jul 24, 2024#24V554000Over-the-air fix

Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.

Risk: An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Tesla has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-012.

Apr 19, 2024#24V284000

Air bags › Side/window › Thorax

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling one 2024 Model 3 vehicle. The driver seat side air bag module was assembled without a deflector that directs gas flow during deployment.

Risk: Without a deflector, the air bag may deploy improperly, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: Tesla service replaced the side air bag, free of charge. The affected vehicle was repaired April 12, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-13-001.

Owner complaints (218)

What owners reported to NHTSA, by component. One complaint can name several components.

  • Unknown or other71
  • Forward collision avoidance49
  • Electrical system44
  • Steering36
  • Exterior lighting27
  • Vehicle speed control20
  • Lane departure16
  • Air bags8
  • Suspension7
  • Wheels7
  • Visibility/wiper6
  • Structure5

Complaints over time

Mar 2024: 1 complaintApr 2024: 3 complaintsMay 2024: 3 complaintsJun 2024: 11 complaintsJul 2024: 14 complaintsAug 2024: 17 complaintsSep 2024: 7 complaintsOct 2024: 15 complaintsNov 2024: 11 complaintsDec 2024: 14 complaintsJan 2025: 16 complaintsFeb 2025: 8 complaintsMar 2025: 7 complaintsApr 2025: 4 complaintsMay 2025: 2 complaintsJun 2025: 4 complaintsJul 2025: 3 complaintsAug 2025: 6 complaintsSep 2025: 3 complaintsOct 2025: 14 complaintsNov 2025: 10 complaintsDec 2025: 6 complaintsJan 2026: 4 complaintsFeb 2026: 2 complaintsMar 2026: 1 complaintApr 2026: 4 complaintsMay 2026: 3 complaintsJun 2026: 5 complaintsJul 2026: 6 complaintsAug 2026: 10 complaintsSep 2026: 4 complaints20252026
Complaints filed per month. Peak: 17 in Aug 2024. Hover a bar for its count.
Complaints filed per month
MonthComplaints
Mar 20241
Apr 20243
May 20243
Jun 202411
Jul 202414
Aug 202417
Sep 20247
Oct 202415
Nov 202411
Dec 202414
Jan 202516
Feb 20258
Mar 20257
Apr 20254
May 20252
Jun 20254
Jul 20253
Aug 20256
Sep 20253
Oct 202514
Nov 202510
Dec 20256
Jan 20264
Feb 20262
Mar 20261
Apr 20264
May 20263
Jun 20265
Jul 20266
Aug 202610
Sep 20264

Recent owner reports

Sep 29, 2026Unknown or other, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure⚠ Crash

My Tesla displays a mandatory FSD (Supervised) disengagement feedback survey on the center touchscreen while the vehicle is in motion. Whenever I disengage FSD and resume manual control, the vehicle automatically asks me to select a reason for the disengagement. On one occasion, after disabling the software due to fsd getting too close the construction, while being flustered,I attempted to disable the prompt and select a random option to get rid of it but kept pressing the wrong area of the screen due to trying to keep paying attention to the road and simultaneously trying to get rid of the pr…

Sep 23, 2026Visibility/wiper

As of an OTA update to the Telsa early this summer, a prompt stating "Why did you intervene" appears over critical display information on the infotainment console. FSD v14.3.2 and onward. (released as part of software update 2026.2.9.9) The prompt appears at the instant you retake manual control. It covers or prevents access to navigation/other driving-relevant controls, like shifting, speed display, mileage, other warning indicators. It remains until you interact with it. The screen demand occurs during a potentially safety-critical transition.

Sep 3, 2026Suspension, Wheels

BOTH FRONT TIRES ON MY 2024 TESLA MODEL 3 PERFORMANCE DEVELOPED STRUCTURAL BULGES ON THE INBOARD SIDEWALL AT UNDER 19,000 MILES. THE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PIRELLI P ZERO 235/35R20 DELIVERED WITH THE VEHICLE ON 12/07/2024. ON 08/05/2026 AT 18,951 MILES, TESLA SERVICE IN DORAL, FLORIDA INSPECTED AND ROAD-TESTED THE VEHICLE FOR A METALLIC RUBBING NOISE THAT INCREASES WITH SPEED AND ALSO OCCURS AT LOW SPEED AT FULL STEERING LOCK UNDER ACCELERATION. TESLA'S OWN REPAIR NOTES ON INVOICE 3000S0017877728 STATE THAT THE NOISE WAS DUPLICATED ON THE ROAD TEST AND APPEARS TO ORIGINATE FROM DEFOR…

Sep 1, 2026Electrical system, Structure, Unknown or other⚠ Fire⚠ Crash

Client left the road and the vehicle hit a tree by the roadside. The vehicle caught fire and client was incapacitated and unable to operate the door handle from the inside or unlock the doors. Bystanders attempted to open all four doors from the outside, but they were all locked. Bystanders noted that the handles themselves were functional and believe it was an electrical issue keeping the doors locked. Bystanders broke the windows and attempted to open the doors from the inside, but they were unable to access the emergency door release because the driver door panel was on fire in proximit…

Aug 27, 2026Unknown or other, Forward collision avoidance, Back over prevention⚠ Crash

On XXX at approximately 12:56 PM Pacific on [XXX], my 2024 Tesla Model 3 VIN [XXX] was operating in Full Self-Driving (Supervised). The system detected oncoming traffic, stopped, then reversed to yield and backed into a parked 2015 Ford Transit van that had an occupant inside. I am the registered owner. [XXX] was the driver. TeslaCam saved events at 12:56:33 and 12:56:43. There was little visible damage, no injuries logged, and no police report. Tesla's consumer privacy form does not accept a crash narrative. I requested a Vehicle Data Report / copy of my data on XXX. USAA/[XXX] claim XXX late…

Aug 21, 2026Unknown or other

Muffled or significantly quieter horn during rain. Users on Reddit generally agree that the sound typically returns to normal once the area dries out. Why This Happens: Speaker Design: Newer models (such as recent Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y versions) utilize electronic pedestrian warning speakers or integrated units for the horn function rather than traditional enclosed metal horns. I have an issue with my car where every time I wash it or drive it even in light rain, the horn is extremely muffled. So muffled that I was sounding it driving down my road with people out walking, and no…

Aug 18, 2026Unknown or other⚠ Crash

On June 16, 2026, while operating the "Autopilot" self-driving system, my vehicle autonomously activated the right turn signal to enter a parking space. Subsequently, the vehicle experienced an unexpected acceleration. Despite my immediate application of the brakes, the vehicle collided with a storefront window, resulting in property damage. My insurance provider covered all associated damages, including vehicle repairs. Immediately following the incident, I informed Tesla and requested access to the vehicle's electronic records, which were made available at a Tesla service center. Tesla is c…

Aug 17, 2026Electrical system, Exterior lighting

Tesla’s replacement of physical steering column turn signal stalks with capacitive touch buttons on the steering wheel face creates an active safety hazard. First, the capacitive sensors frequently become entirely unresponsive. If a driver rests a finger near the buttons, the system triggers a timeout/lockout, rendering the signals non-functional for several seconds when pressed. They also fail to register inputs under normal pressure or when wearing gloves. Second, because the buttons rotate dynamically with the steering wheel, it is structurally impossible to signal by muscle memory during…

Tesla Model 3 news

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall and complaint records, updated Oct 1, 2026. Complaints are owner reports and are not verified by NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.