Vehicle Data Hub

2018 Tesla Model 3 suspension problems

190 complaints about suspension have been filed for the 2018 Tesla Model 3, which is 11% of all its NHTSA complaints. It is the 2nd most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
190 11% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
20,000 miles 57 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
11 and 1
Injuries and deaths
1 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When suspension problems show up

Suspension complaints by mileage, 2018 Tesla Model 3 Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 20,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 28 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 14 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 10 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 3 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 2 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 0 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 0 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 0 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 0 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 0 complaints 200k+ miles: 0 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 20,000 miles
Based on 57 complaints that include mileage. 91% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles28
20k to 40k miles14
40k to 60k miles10
60k to 80k miles3
80k to 100k miles2
100k to 120k miles0
120k to 140k miles0
140k to 160k miles0
160k to 180k miles0
180k to 200k miles0
200k+ miles0

What the data shows

Of the 57 suspension complaints that report mileage, the median is about 20,000 miles, and 91% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 11 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury.

What owners wrote

Here is a model 3 in the junkyard [link removed] the lower ball-joints on the front suspension have snapped. This is very likely the cause of the rollover and not the result of it. A photograph is attached of another model 3 (the red one) which has the same snapped off ball-joints. These ball joints appear to be the same ridiculously weak two part friction welded ball joints that are used on the model s and model x. Photograph of a snapped ball joint is also inculded in this submission. Thank you.

Reported at 6,000 miles, July 2018 CrashInjury

Here is another lovely tesla model 3 in the junkyard. [link removed] the front wheel suspension and associated giblets have fallen to bits. It is completely discombobulated. No air-bags deployed, no sign of a collision. Just the usual tesla whompy wheel feature. Might be a good idea for you to actually do something about these shoddily built death-traps. Regards keef the unhinged.

Reported at 13,000 miles, October 2020

Other problems reported for the 2018 Tesla Model 3

Suspension problems in other years

Suspension problems across all Tesla models