2018 TESLA MODEL 3 Complaints
View complaints related to 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 1,000 complaints submitted for the 2018 TESLA MODEL 3. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.
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2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Carlsbad, CA
Tesla model 3 Power Conversion System failure which will now limit the car charging to 16 amps (half the normal charge rate). This is a common failure which should be recalled
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Corona, CA
My vehicle has a faulty seat sensor in the drivers seat. In some instances my car remains on without my knowledge when exiting. I return to the car with the headlights on and the main info screen on as if there were someone seated inside. Since this is a keyless electrical vehicle, we have been trained to just exit the vehicle without pressing a off button or turning a key to the off position and removal. Also when entering the car and first sitting down in the seat, the car then turns off completely after closing the door. The car will turn back on after buckling the seat belt or pressing the brakes. After researching to see if there was a fix or if it was a known issue I stumbled upon a large number of people and threads that are having the exact same problem. Even after I have turned on the pin functionality to drive the car, of what use is this if the car remains on after exiting and anyone can access the car while the pin was already entered. Anyone could have accessed my vehicle during these times and the security function was not active (Sentry Mode) because the car thought that the primary driver was inside. The first instance of this happening was back in 2020. But it could have potentially started much sooner. The incident in 2020 was bothersome enough to remain in my recollection. It happened during a road trip from Corona CA to Mammoth CA at a charging station located in Lone Pine CA.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Mountain View, CA
The driver's side rear door handle is defective. The chrome wrap around the door handle is I believe aluminum that does not adhere properly to the plastic handle, resulting in the wrap coming loose and have caused cuts to the fingers of unaware passengers. Tesla has requested $350 to fix what is an obvious safety hazard. Others are discussing this online: [XXX] [XXX] The online reports always call out that it's the same door - rear driver's side - indicating to me an installation flaw. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2018 TESLA MODEL 3- West Palm Beach, FL
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" message remained displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure had occurred previously with the front driver’s seat, the rear middle seat, and the rear passenger’s side seat. The vehicle was repaired at the local service center. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE -
2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Dale City, CA
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Front Driver’s Side Safety Restraint Fault" remained displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.
Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE -
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2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Clifton Park, NY
I am reporting a safety concern with my Tesla Model 3. The vehicle is equipped with both a high and low horn, and the low horn in my car has failed. After discussing with other early production Model 3 owners, I’ve found that this is a widespread issue affecting many vehicles. A failing horn is highly unusual in modern vehicles, and I believe this issue should be addressed through a recall due to its frequency among Model 3 owners. Tesla has quoted $400 to repair the horn, which seems unreasonable for a critical safety feature. It's important to note that some owners may not report the problem if only one horn (either high or low) is affected. However, the failure of either horn poses a significant safety risk, as the reduced sound output may not be sufficient to alert other drivers in emergency situations. I believe this defect requires further investigation and should be considered for a recall. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Miami, FL
The MCU in my 2018 Tesla Model 3 failed after a software update, rendering several key safety features inoperable, including the car’s cameras and Autopilot functions. The vehicle currently has 16,600 miles and had previously received an MCU replacement in 2022. This most recent failure occurred during a firmware update, which got stuck at 50%. The Tesla Service Center confirmed that the MCU needs replacement again, but I was not given clear diagnostic logs or evidence of a pre-existing hardware issue. Due to this failure, the rearview camera, blind spot monitoring, and Autopilot features are no longer operational, which directly impacts the safety of driving the vehicle. These features are critical for safe operation and are standard in ensuring driver assistance, situational awareness, and accident avoidance. The issue has been inspected by the Tesla Service Center, and they proposed replacing the MCU at a significant cost, though no prior warning signs or messages appeared before the failure during the update.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Los Gatos, CA
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound underneath the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The front passenger restraint message was displayed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V376000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front lower link was tearing. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE -
2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Tampa, FL
I have an error on my car, have had this for almost a year now, Front Left Safety Restraint System Fault. This seems to be a safety issue that Tesla should recall. I have seen thousands of online posts related to this same issue. .
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2018 TESLA MODEL 3- Houston, TX
On 9/6/2024 I was driving on I-10 E going about 70 mph in the left lane. I had engaged the cruise control but not the Autopilot because I’ve had dangerous experiences with the Autopilot phantom breaking and misinterpreting cracks in the road as lane markers and dangerously changing lanes. So even though Inoaid thousands of dollars for Autopilot I never use it. So I was driving approaching a big rig in the lane to the left of mine and the sun was low in the sky casting a shadow on the road. The car thought the shadow was a car and slammed on the breaks and almost came to a complete stop until I pressed on the breaks to release the cruise control. We are very lucky the car behind us didn’t hit us. The car behind us almost hit us and my passenger and I both sprained our necks. The same exact thing happened 5 minutes later. After that I am too scared to use cruise control which is very inconvenient when on a road trip. My car is a 2018 Tesla Model 3 that is equipped with LIDAR radar when I bought it, however Tesla turned this feature off awhile back. I never had issues with cruise control when the LIDAR was still enabled. I am very angry that a carmaker can turn off a safety feature that I paid for without my consent. I would have bought a different electric car if I had know I’d have to go back in time to the 1990’s before cruise control was invented. Most cars use some kind of radar for their cruise control systems and this seems to much safer. There are many, many complaints on line of other Tesla drivers having lots os problems with phantom braking. This is an important safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately.
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE