2025 TESLA MODEL 3 Complaints

The contact owns a 2025 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the turn signal switch failed to function as intended. The turn signal switch located on the steering wheel was stuck while attempting to indicate a left turn. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering column control module had failed. The steering wheel and steering control module were replaced. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who refused to repair the vehicle and stated that the vehicle was already been repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

I am NOT the owner of this Tesla. I am the owner of the car behind it that hit the Tesla because the Tesla went into Emergency Automatic Braking and the sudden additional deceleration happened too quickly to react to it and contact occurred while I was still doing about 5-ish MPH. The Tesla driver obviously wasn't braking effectively, and the car took over for him to avoid hitting the car in front of him. But there is no consideration for the car behind. I do not know how far back the Tesla stopped from the car in front of it, but all I needed was 2-3 feet. (When I get into these 60 to 0 deceleration, when I know "I'm good" I ease up on the braking to give the guy behind me as much space as possible for HIM to get stopped so I don't get hit.) Tesla's Emergency Automatic Braking caused this accident.

Subject: Safety Hazard – Turn Signal Button Placement on Tesla Model 3/Y (Newer Models) Hi there, I am reaching because the newer Tesla models have eliminated the turn signal stalks and instead incorporated the turn signal controls as buttons directly on the steering wheel. This became a critical safety hazard multiple times when taking a turn and had to give the turn indication. The issue happened because the turn signal buttons are not fixed and they rotate along with the rotation of the steering wheel. It makes us look for the turn signal buttons every time the steering wheel is turned and becomes a safety hazard when in motion. Also, it is very challenging when we have to make a right/left turn while on the ramp to take an exit because the buttons are not fixes unlike the turn signal stalks. There were times when we were unable to give the turn signals. It is not only dangerous for the Tesla drivers but also for the other drivers on the road to effectively communicate. Please, I request you to re-assess this configuration. Thank you!

Had ACC set on 80 MPH on the hiway yesterday. A vehicle was passing me and the Tesla suddenly applied heavy brake pressure to the point of tires screeching. Speed dropped very quickly to about 50 MPH. I had not touched the brake pedal. Brakes released and speed resumed to 80 MPH. VERY SCARY and high risk of rear end collision. Lucky nobody was behind me. Don’t want to experience that again.

Automatic Emergency Braking, for no reason, occurred twice while on autopilot. Driving on a remote interstate, during the day, no one and nothing in front of me (and I had a passenger that can confirm), and suddenly the car rapidly braked extremely hard. If I hadn't slammed the accelerator immediately I would have been rear ended the first time. The second time, no one was near me. I am attempting to report this to Tesla, although that is somewhat difficult as I am just getting bounced around their automated systems. My passenger and I, and the car behind us were put at serious risk of collision at ~ 85 mph, due to the completely unexpected and extremely rapid braking. This was under simple autopilot, no FSD or other driving assist. Nothing has been inspected yet, or reproduced past these 2 incidents. No warnings or symptoms occurred before or after this issue. Slightly terrified to use autopilot now, as if a semi-truck had been behind me, we would have been flattened. It is also difficult to turn off this so-called "assist" with emergency braking, it auto-reverts to on every start up, which is also dangerous.

The problem is with the horn. Tesla instead of a regular horn has a SPEAKER under the car. So whenever it rains, the speaker gets wet and the horn gets muffled and barely audible, it’s a major concern. Not sure how anyone hasn’t done anything about it yet. Another thing is: the 2024 and 2025 tesla model 3 have blinkers on the steering wheel, the blinkers operate via capacitive buttons, which stop working for a few seconds if you accidentally rested your fingers on them, making you unable to use blinkers in a situation that quickly requires it.

The horn does not work properly when it gets wet. It will either not make noise at all, or it is extremely muffled. This is a major safety risk. Also, horn is required to work for Massachusetts state inspections. If I bring the car to be inspected on a rainy day, or after a car wash, it will fail because it does not work. I brought the vehicle to the dealer twice. The first time 5/28/25, the technician was able to replicate the issue and replaced the horn and claimed everything was working properly. The next time it rained, I tried to use it and it would not make any noise once again. I brought it to the dealer a second time 7/7/25, and they claim they could not replicate it. They went ahead anyways and replaced it. Also they claim “this is normal, expected behavior due to the location of the horn and eventually it will drain out”. This is an unacceptable answer. The horn should work all the time. There has been no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure. First symptoms were approximately 5/6/25

While parked at home, my Tesla Model 3 developed a spontaneous windshield crack with no known cause. The car had not been driven recently, and there was no visible chip, impact, or external force involved. I believe this is a stress or pressure crack, which compromises visibility and may reflect a structural flaw in the glass or how it was mounted. I submitted a warranty claim through Tesla’s app and preserved the vehicle in its exact state for inspection (no washing, no driving, no impact). Tesla denied the claim without conducting a physical inspection or providing any supporting evidence. This kind of uninspected warranty denial is unacceptable, especially for a crack that can impair driver visibility. I have found similar reports from other Tesla owners online, indicating a potential pattern. If this issue is systemic, it could pose a broader safety risk related to poor windshield durability or design tolerances. I am asking the NHTSA to investigate this issue and Tesla’s handling of it.

Horn sound is extremely low after driving through hard rain, since there is no real horn in the car, I suspect the speaker that mimics a horn sound becomes muffled. This is a huge risk, it can cause me to crash in the future if no one can hear my horn.

On June 19, 2025, while parking my brand new 2025 Tesla Model 3 in a residential lot, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated forward over a curb, crashed through a iron fence, and struck an outdoor A/C unit and patio furniture on the back of a neighbor’s unit. The car became stuck and had to be towed. On June 19, 2025, while parking my newly delivered Tesla Model 3, the vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly lurched forward, resulting in a crash. I was parking slowly and cautiously with my foot on the brake at all times. According to a neighbor who witnessed the incident, I was moving at a very slow speed when the vehicle suddenly surged forward without warning. I did not intend to accelerate, and I firmly believe this may have been the result of a system malfunction—possibly involving the vehicle’s sensors, software, or misinterpretation of pedal input. Tesla Service reviewed the driving log and stated that it showed I “stepped on the accelerator.” I respectfully dispute this conclusion, as the vehicle’s behavior was completely inconsistent with my actions. I am a careful, experienced driver with no prior accidents in over 30 years of driving. This incident raises serious concerns about Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA), a known issue that has been reported by other Tesla drivers in past years. If the vehicle misinterprets driver input or experiences a sensor/software glitch, this can lead to property damage or bodily injury, especially in tight parking situations or near pedestrians. I am submitting this complaint to ensure this matter is documented and investigated appropriately. Safety should not rely on logs alone — real-world behavior, driver feedback, and potential software/hardware flaws must be examined carefully.