2018 TESLA MODEL 3 Complaints

I may have figured out the common link between Tesla Autopilot crashes. Distracted operators have the accelerator pressed while the TACC is engaged, thinking (for many reasons) that the vehicle will stop if there are any obstacles in front of them. However, when the accelerator is being pressed, the vehicle will not stop. It will happily run into a wall. One second before impact, the forward collision warning turns on, followed by the ABS and the slamming of the brakes, but by then it's too late for a distracted driver. The raw Tesla "Vehicle Data" on Column D, shows "Accelerator Pedal Position (%)." I strongly encourage you to take a look at the data for the autopilot crashes and review this column to see how many had the accelerator pressed until 1 second before the accident, even if the autopilot was engaged. The 4/25/24 update to Investigation EA22002 states that in 82% of the crashes, the operator did not apply the brake until <1 second prior to impact. Tesla's Director of Autopilot Software Ashok Elluswamy also made a claim that the vehicle can switch pedals if the accelerator is pressed instead of the brake, and that technology saves 40,000 crashes per year: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Keep getting a safety restraint system fault error displayed and the estimate is more than $2000.This error just came out of the blue and I am not sure if the vehicle is safe to operate.

The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that the chrome trim became loose on all four doors, which caused injuries to the contact and daughter while opening the doors. The vehicle was diagnosed by an onboard App, that determined that all four door handles needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that it was a known issue since the manufacturer had changed the chrome trim for the newer model vehicles. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and informed the contact that he had to pay out of pocket for the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

I'm receiving an error "Front Passenger Restraint System Fault". According to online forums, this issue is PREVALENT amongst many Tesla vehicles. This seems like a serious defect that Tesla should be responsible for fixing.

The buttons in the interior seem to be degrading much quicker than it should be. The window levers become lose and can break off. This is a safety hazard as in not able to raise the window if it allows to lower it. One has to park in order to raise windows in the mobile application. The plastics are breaking too quickly. There is also an issue with levers for the seat adjusting. Also, when canceling service requests in their application, Tesla deletes or hides them without an ability to see what was written to show proof later of their faults.

Safety Restraint System fault warning, passenger airbag off on display. 1) 4/10/24 Dealer replaced Occupant Classification System components for front passenger seat for $184.26. Dealer assured issue being resolved. 2) 5/5/24 Same fault warning, passenger airbag off on display reappeared for 2nd time and dealer replaced front passenger airbag for $1089.18. Dealer assured issue being resolved. 3) 5/10/24 Same fault warning, passenger airbag off on display again reappeared for 3rd time and dealer is now proposing to replaced front passenger seat back and seat cushions for $1248.07.

The vehicle showed an alert "Front passenger safety restraint system fault/Service is required". The vehicle never had an accident, nor abnormal usage, which may have caused this system fault. The manufacturer's service department gave a repair plan including an air-bag replacement at the owner's cost. It is not fair to force vehicle owners to be responsible for the cost to repair the manufacturer's safety system problem. The repair should be done under a safety recall.

The rear-passenger door handle decorative chrome came detached in a strip from the middle of the underlying stronger material. It was *SHARP* and cut my wife's hand. Web searches showed others with the same issue, even one reporting being cut by it. Tesla said it was not a warranty item and cars break but did say it was odd to see it break in the way it did.

While driving normally, an error warning was received that stated "Front Left Safety Restraint System Error" and the icon for an airbag fault would come in simultaneously. This error would disappear and reappear, sometimes up to 10 times per minute, creating a driver distraction due to the loud error chime. The error code identified for the fault when checked on the Tesla service screen corresponded to pretensioner wire harness. The pretensioner harness connects the seat sensors for driver weight and positioning to the car's airbag control system, which then classifies passengers and ensures that the airbags fire correctly in the event of a collision. For example, if a smaller female driver was operating the car but was incorrectly classified as male, the airbag could fire with excessive force and cause injury. The set of symptoms occurs commonly in Tesla Model 3s and are caused by the wear over time of a poorly designed wiring harness, which chafes as the seat is moved forward and backward until it breaks. This is a known problem by Tesla and they have a specific service bulletin designed to address it, which I have attached below. When taken in to address the issue, Tesla performed the procedure in the attached bulletin and identified a damaged harness, which was subsequently replaced. I retained the damaged harness for inspection. The invoice for this service is attached. No other defects were identified that could have caused the issue. This is a safety related issue occurring due to a manufacturing related defect and should be a mandatory recall with complimentary repair.

My car began making a loud creaking noise that was palpable in the gas pedal on turns, especially when turning into an incline. I requested service from tesla who gave me an appointment approximately a month after my request. The noise grew louder and more frequent so I messaged service again to make sure the car was safe to drive and see if an earlier time was available. They replied that yes it was safe and no there was no earlier time. Soon thereafter I pulled into a parking spot and heard a very loud noise from the front left and got out to find the left front wheel bent inward and support components hanging from the bottom of the car in contact with the pavement. Per Tesla service's report, "front suspension damage and driver side front finder damage...left front strut damage, front sub-frame assembly damage, lower lateral links damage, aero shield is damaged, and both front lateral and compliance link brushings torn." Recommend to replace front suspension lower lateral and compliance links, both front upper control arms, left front strut, front sub-frame assembly and perform four wheel alignment. Steering rack feels harder than normal while turning on the lift. Recommend to replace steering rack assembly" The technician stated that this appeared to be due to "collision damage". The car was hit while parked a year ago, but a Tesla-authorized collision repair facility did not identify damage to any of these components at the time of repair. The quote for repair currently is $7374.47.