Electrical system
548 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Tesla Model 3's electrical system. Dead batteries, warning lights, wiring, alternators, infotainment and electronic module failures.
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System...
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when...
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Model 3 Performance vehicles. The unit of speed (mph or km/h) may fail to display on the speedometer while in Track Mode. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor...
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y, Model X, Model S, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning...
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, Model Y, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning...
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A software error may cause a valve in the heat pump to open unintentionally and trap the refrigerant inside the evaporator, resulting in decreased...
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The audible chime may not activate when the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their seat belt. As such, these vehicles...
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an...
Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling all 2017-2020 Model 3 vehicles. The rearview camera cable harness may be damaged by the opening and closing of the trunk lid, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Safety Complaint - Loss of Camera Systems and Driving Visualization Following Software Update - I am submitting this complaint regarding multiple safety-related system failures in my 2021 Tesla Model 3. My vehicle was operating normally before a recent Tesla software update. Following the update, I began experiencing intermittent failures involving the navigation system, camera systems, and driving visualization. Initially, restarting the vehicle temporarily restored functionality, but the problems progressively...
worsened. The vehicle now experiences: Completely black rearview/backup camera. Black or unavailable side and other camera feeds. Loss of lane markings, surrounding vehicles, and road visualization. A frozen navigation map and unreliable vehicle positioning. Random system alerts, warnings, freezing, and loss of functionality. I have attempted restarting the vehicle's computer and reinstalling the software. Neither resolved the problem permanently. These failures affect important safety-related vehicle functions, particularly the rearview camera and camera-based driving assistance systems. I am concerned that a Tesla software update may have triggered or contributed to a failure affecting multiple vehicle systems. I cannot independently establish the cause, which is why I am requesting regulatory review. I am asking NHTSA to document this complaint, investigate whether similar failures have been reported in 2021 Tesla Model 3 vehicles, and determine whether this may represent a broader safety-related defect. I am particularly concerned about the complete loss of the rearview camera and other camera systems.
The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH in Full Self-Driving mode, an animal entered the roadway, causing the vehicle to hesitate before the autonomous braking system independently engaged with severe abnormal jerking. The contact stated that the bumper detached; however, the vehicle remained drivable. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that paperwork authorization was required prior to diagnostic testing. The...
contact stated that while driving at night, the auto-dimming rearview and side mirrors failed to dim properly, requiring the driver to wear sunglasses at night. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and informed the contact that diagnostic testing required an out-of-pocket fee. The failure mileage was approximately 57,525.
Starting around June 2026, my 2022 Tesla Model 3's automatic emergency braking stopped working. The left side camera and the forward-facing camera have also failed, and Dog Mode (cabin climate protection for pets) no longer works. Software version 2026.38.3.2, 62,500 miles. Tesla Service diagnosed a failed Autopilot computer (HW3) and quoted $3,100 to replace it with another HW3 unit. Tesla denied my goodwill request because the car is past 50,000 miles. A car only about 4 years old has lost its automatic emergency braking and camera-based safety systems, which puts me and other drivers at risk. I'm asking NHTSA to look into HW3 computer failures that disable these safety systems.
The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH in Full Self Driving Mode, the vehicle cut off another vehicle in the right lane and went over the median and almost crashed. The contact was concerned about glitches in the Full Self Driving Mode which could put the contact and other drivers at risks of injuries or more. The failure mileage was 25,486.
Sold a lemon vehicle from dealer and contract fraud, Total loss accident left emergency life threatening surgery Tesla lost control driver side driving fsd package FAiled tire steering front control battery failed hardware updates seatbelt lossed, lost control, hit medium and another total vehicle, this is one of a few complaints to several cyclists a Including Tesla can't get a lawyer no matter hard I try, no one is helping, car is sitting in my backyard until someone helps us. Lives ruined and no one is helping
Every time I press, my horn and error pops up that my cameras are unavailable, and that features may be restored on the next drive also it sends an error that my regenerative brakes are also out and will be restored on the next drive. It does this consistently every day which causes a safety hazard when driving my vehicle.
On October 16, 2026, my 2024 Tesla Model 3 initiated a standard, factory-prompted over-the-air (OTA) firmware update. During this automated install process, the car's firmware crashed. Following the crash, the vehicle was left unresponsive. Tesla Service conducted a diagnostic review and isolated the problem to a physical failure of the internal hardware: Assembly - Power Conversion System - 48Amp - 1Phase. The vehicle was performing flawlessly and charging efficiently prior to the software update execution. The...
PCS module did not break due to driver abuse, mechanical wear, environmental damage, or physical aging. It failed strictly because Tesla's proprietary software update process overtaxed, corrupted, or bricked the internal semiconductor boards during a forced rewrite command. A consumer should not be financially penalized for hardware damage caused by a manufacturer's remote software push.
During a Tesla over-the-air software update, while the vehicle was charging at a Tesla V4 Supercharger, the Hardware 3 Autopilot/car computer failed and entered a permanent boot loop. All cameras became inoperative, including the federally required rearview backup camera, and the vehicle lost Autopilot and automatic emergency braking. Tesla has diagnosed the failure as a car-computer failure, and the failed computer is available for inspection. The vehicle was not in a collision and had no prior damage; the failure...
occurred during a Tesla-initiated update. A non-functioning rearview camera eliminates the driver's rear view and increases the risk of a backover collision, and the loss of automatic emergency braking removes forward crash protection. This matches numerous existing complaints in this database describing the same Hardware 3 computer failure and camera loss after a software update, one of which reports a resulting collision. Tesla has declined to repair it at no charge despite the failure being caused by its own update, approximately 3,000 miles out of warranty. I am requesting NHTSA open a defect investigation into Hardware 3 Autopilot-computer failures that disable the rearview camera and automatic emergency braking.
I've been seeing lots of similar front safety restraint issues from other Tesla owners on different sites. This safety restraint issue is regarding the wiring under the seat that get Pinched or Loose Wires: Movement of the front seat can pinch wires or dislodge connectors underneath, triggering errors like RCM_A028 or RCM_a033. If you're out of warranty, Tesla charges a lot of money to have them fixed but I would say it is a safety issue that they should recall and fix without charge.
High Voltage battery BMS error.
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds during peak sunlight, FSD failed to operate as intended, causing the contact to drive manually in daily traffic. The message "Full Self-Driving Not Available" was display with an audible chime. In addition, the contact stated that while the FSD feature suddenly deactivated independently, causing the contact and his family passengers to violently jerk forward while transition into manual Hands-On driving. The failure mileage was approximately 82,573.
Tesla FSD rear ended vehicle stopped at red light.
The contact owns a 2026 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH with the Autonomous Self-Driving feature enabled, the vehicle was driving in the left-turn lane and jerked over into the oncoming traffic. The failure mileage was approximately 9,999.
After a Tesla-delivered over-the-air software update, my 2021 Tesla Model 3 equipped with Hardware 3 experienced loss of the rear-view camera along with other camera and Autopilot-related functions. The exact date the condition first appeared is unknown, but it occurred after the software update. Camera calibration later became stuck and resets/recalibration did not restore functionality. Tesla Service inspected and reproduced the problem. Tesla documented camera alerts, inability to activate Autopilot, alerts for...
both pillar cameras and the front-main camera, proper voltage to the cameras, no short to body, and no change after testing a known-good camera. Tesla concluded that the affected cameras share a deserializer path internal to the HW3 car computer and diagnosed an internal car-computer failure requiring complete computer replacement and camera calibration. The safety concern is loss of the rear-view camera and multiple camera-based driver-assistance functions, reducing rear visibility and eliminating features that rely on those cameras. Tesla did not identify the root cause of the internal HW3 failure or establish that the preceding software event could be excluded as a cause, trigger, or contributing factor. Tesla has separately acknowledged in NHTSA Recall 26V283 that software on certain HW3-equipped Model 3 vehicles can prevent camera streams from reaching the MCU and result in loss of the rear-view camera image. I am not claiming that recall necessarily applies to this specific failure; I am reporting the similar sequence so NHTSA can determine whether there may be a broader defect pattern. The vehicle remains unrepaired and is available for inspection upon request.
As we were normally driving, the car lost power immediately with no warning sign. After the power is lost, brake does not function, electrical door button doesn't function, hazard light doesn't function. Car was able to scroll to a complete stop to the side of the road. The steering wheel is locked. Again, BRAKE DID NOT FUNCTION after the power is lost. No button works, no screen turns on, car is not able to turn to neutral. There was no collision prior and no warning prior. Tried to file a police report. But...
Officer [[redacted]], badge # [redacted], refused due to there was no collision and no accident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data
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